Colorado voters on Tuesday gave resounding approval to twin tax measures that will boost funding for the state’s free school meals program, according to unofficial election results. 

With more than 1.1 million votes reported — representing more than a quarter of the state’s total active registered voters — as of 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Proposition MM was passing with more than 57% of the vote, while Proposition LL was passing with over 63%. That represents a margin of victory of more than 14 percentage points and 27 percentage points, respectively. 

More than two-thirds of all counties voted in favor of the measures, including the central and northern mountain counties of Summit, Eagle, Grand, Routt, Pitkin and Garfield. The measures were the only two statewide ballot initiatives voters faced this year.

Joe Kabourek, campaign manager for Keep Kids Fed Colorado, which led the charge for Propositions MM and LL at the ballot box, said in a text message statement that the measures will ensure “every child in Colorado can continue to get a healthy meal at school.” 

Both measures will increase tax revenue for the Healthy School Meals for All program, which provides free school breakfast and lunch to all children regardless of income. The program was first created by voters in November 2022, when the measure passed by a margin of more than 13 percentage points. 

Since then, every school district besides Aspen participates in the program, which anti-hunger advocates say has led to 100,000 more children eating school lunches and 50,000 more eating school breakfasts. 

Funding, however, has struggled to keep up amid high demand and inflation. The program was initially expected to cost up to $80 million a year, but its true cost is now projected to be at least $150 million.

To increase revenue, Proposition MM will further raise income taxes on households making over $300,000 or more by limiting standard and itemized tax deductions. That will equate to an average annual tax increase of $327 for single filers and $574 increase for joint filers. An estimated 200,000 households, roughly 6% of households filing taxes, will be affected. 

The measure is projected to raise as much as $95 million more a year for the school meals program. 

Proposition MM also allows the state to use that tax revenue to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program, or SNAP, but only after the school meals program has been sufficiently funded. The provision was added to the ballot language by state Democrats during a special session this summer, in a preemptive move to blunt the impact of the impending federal SNAP cuts that will start to take effect in 2027. 

Proposition LL will allow the state to keep additional tax revenue for the program that would otherwise be refunded to taxpayers making over $300,000. Under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR, the state must ask voters to allow it to keep tax money for programs when that revenue is more than what was initially needed. 

The state is projected to retain an additional $12 million for the school meals program, which was collected during the 2023-24 fiscal year, and any extra revenue moving forward, under Proposition LL. 

Taken together, proponents say both measures would help ensure the school meals program can continue serving all students. 

Without the additional revenue, school districts would have been forced to limit free meals to only certain students starting next year. Some schools are also worried about losing their ability to run a lunch program as a result. 

Keep Kids Fed Colorado, the organization formed in support of Propositions MM  and LL, had raised $739,235 and spent $645,976 on the campaign as of Oct. 31. 

Much of its funding came from Hunger Free Colorado, a leading anti-hunger nonprofit, as well as other nutrition and children’s advocacy groups. Keep Kids Fed also touted support from more than 100 organizations, including Healthier Colorado, Children’s Hospital Colorado and the Colorado Education Association. 

No official opposition committee was formed against Propositions MM and LL, though state Republican lawmakers, who largely voted against referring the ballot initiatives to voters this year, opposed the measures. Some argued it would further chip away at TABOR and increase taxes at a time when the cost of living and affordability are top concerns for Colorado residents. 

A report last month by the free-market economic policy think tank Common Sense Institute also made the case that neither ballot measure addresses the school meals program’s spending levels and argued that state lawmakers have focused on raising taxes instead of reducing spending. 

Kabourek, in his text message statement, said the passage of Propositions MM and LL “will keep kids fed in school, leading to better grades, higher graduation rates, and better outcomes for Colorado students.”