Skip to content

Results of 2019 State and Local Tax Ballot Initiatives

4 min readBy: Jared Walczak

Click here for our post-election analysis.

Election Day 2019 does not feature the marquee matchups of 2016 or 2018, but in addition to elections for statewide (3 states) and legislative (4 states) offices, a range of initiatives, referenda, and other ballot measures go before the voters today, including taxA tax is a mandatory payment or charge collected by local, state, and national governments from individuals or businesses to cover the costs of general government services, goods, and activities. -related ballot measures in California, Colorado, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. We recently outlined the top state tax ballot initiatives to watch on Election Day. We are tracking the results as they come in, with updates both here and on Twitter.

California — Vote Centers Reporting, Most Mail-Ins Counted (5:10 AM)
Result Ballot Measure For Against

Stanton Measure A would authorize multi-rate gross receipts taxes on future cannabis businesses (analysis).

67%

33%

Brisbane Measure E would authorize multi-rate gross receipts taxes on future cannabis businesses, with revenue going to general municipal services (analysis).

80%

20%
Colorado — 100% Reporting (2:03 PM)
Result Ballot Measure For Against

Proposition CC would suspend future refunds from the Colorado Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR), dedicating revenue to education and transportation (analysis).

45%

55%

Proposition DD would legalize sports betting in casinos and online and impose an excise tax at a rate of 10 percent of net betting proceeds (analysis).

50.6%

49.4%

New Mexico — 100% Reporting (3:14 AM)
Result Ballot Measure For Against

Albuquerque Measure R-160 would renew a 0.25 percent local sales tax to continue funding transportation infrastructure.

65%

35%

Pennsylvania — 100% Reporting (1:13 AM)
Result Ballot Measure For Against

Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Tax Referendum imposes an additional city property tax of 0.5 mills to generate additional funding for city parks.

52%

48%

Texas — 99% Reporting (3:49 AM)
Result Ballot Measure For Against

Proposition 3 would amend the constitution to permit local governments to provide tax exemptions for properties in declared disaster areas.

85%

15%

Proposition 4 would amend the constitution to prohibit the adoption of an individual income tax (analysis).

75%

25%

Proposition 5 would constitutionally enshrine a provision dedicating sales tax revenue from the sale of sporting goods.

88%

12%

Proposition 9 would exempt precious metals held in depositories from the tangible personal property tax.

52%

48%
Washington — Preliminary Results, Vote-By-Mail State (3:29 AM)
Result Ballot Measure For Against

Advisory Vote 20 asks whether to retain an 0.58 percent payroll tax (which otherwise goes into effect in 2022) to fund a new Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Program, expected to raise about a billion dollars per year (analysis).

35%

65%

Advisory Vote 21 asks whether to retain a recently adopted Business & Occupation (B&O) tax surcharge on timber products (analysis).

40%

60%

Advisory Vote 22 asks voters their view of a new assessment on paint products, to fund paint waste management (analysis).

35%

65%

Advisory Vote 23 solicits voters’ view of the new tax on e-cigarettes and vapor products, imposed at 9 cents per milliliter, estimated to raise $178 million over a decade (analysis).

65%

35%

Advisory Vote 24 asks whether to retain surcharges on B&O tax liability for service industries, tiered based on their worldwide gross revenue, to pay for new workforce education programming, estimated to raise $2.25 billion over a decade (analysis).

35%

65%

Advisory Vote 25 pertains to an increase in the B&O rate on financial institutions, projected to raise an additional $1.04 billion over 10 years (analysis).

42%

58%

Advisory Vote 26 asks voters for their support of the state’s new, post-Wayfair remote sales tax regime, with a $100,000 gross sales safe harbor for small sellers (analysis).

43%

57%

Advisory Vote 27 asks voters’ opinions of a new separate rate for petroleum products under the state’s unusual “hazardous substance tax,” designed to raise $2.76 billion in new revenue over the first decade (analysis).

36%

64%

Advisory Vote 28 takes the pulse of the public on recently adopted legislation repealing a sales tax exemption for nonresidents who make purchases in Washington (analysis).

54%

46%

Advisory Vote 29 gauges voter approval of the conversion of Washington’s real estate excise tax into a graduated rate tax with a top rate of 3 percent, intended to bring in $1.75 billion over a 10-year window (analysis).

33%

67%

Advisory Vote 30 asks voters about their support for a B&O surtax on tour operators and travel agents (analysis).

42%

58%

Advisory Vote 31 solicits input on the recently adopted B&O surtax on international investment management services (analysis).

55%

45%

Initiative 976 would limit annual vehicle licensing fees to $30 for passenger vehicles, and base vehicle tax calculations on Kelley Blue Book values rather than 85 percent of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), while repealing the $150 fee on electric vehicles.

56%

44%

Spokane Proposition 2 would prohibit the city from adopting a municipal income tax should that option become legally available to it.

73%

27%

Stay informed on the tax policies impacting you.

Subscribe to get insights from our trusted experts delivered straight to your inbox.

Subscribe
Share