Colorado Voters Approve State Keeping, Spending All Revenue it Collects for School Meals

The state no longer has limits on the money it collects and spends for the Healthy School Meals for All program due to the passing of Proposition LL and MM on Tuesday. 

Healthy School Meals for All is a program created through the passage of Proposition FF, a 2022 tax policy change that raises money for a program offering free breakfasts and lunches to every student enrolled in K-12 public schools. 

When Proposition FF was on the ballot in 2022, nonpartisan legislative staffers estimated the measure would generate around $100 million in tax revenue in the 2023-24 state budget year. The actual amount came out to be $112 million – around $12 million more than estimated. 

However, under Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, the state cannot keep revenue in excess of the estimated amount without approval from voters. Hence why Colorado Democrats placed Proposition LL on this year’s ballot. 

Proposition LL, which allows the state to retain revenue from the previous Proposition FF, was approved with a 64.66 percentage approval on November 4. If it had failed, only certain students would have been offered free school meals starting next year. 

What does this mean exactly? The state is now allowed to keep $12 million in excess revenue and interest from reduced state income tax deductions on taxpayers earning $300,000 or more under the 2022 proposition. This also includes future revenue from this tax change to provide funding for the Healthy School Meals for All Program, which reimburses public schools for providing the free meals. 

Proposition MM, placed on this year’s ballot and also addressing the Healthy School Meals for All Program HSMA, was designed to further reduce state income tax deductions for taxpayers earning $300,000 or more to generate about $95 million in revenue for the Healthy School Meals for All Program and, once the program is funded with no reserves, to provide funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Proposition MM was passed on Tuesday with a 58 percent approval. 

Both Propositions MM and LL increased funding for the Healthy School Meals for All Program and together will continue to provide free school meals and possible available funding for SNAP.