Teacher initiative to raise pay without rasing taxes did not raise enough signatures

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Due to a lack of signatures, an initiative that would've put nearly $1 billion into Colorado's K-12 schools without raising taxes will not be on November's ballet.

The Great Schools Thriving Communities Collation (GSTSC) said Initiative 63 would've funneled more money into education to attract, retain, and compensate teachers and student support professionals. The GSTSC proposed the state take a third of 1% taxable income and add it to the state education fund.

They needed 124,000 signatures to get on the ballot. While the group managed to collect tens of thousands of signatures, it still wasn't enough.

According to the Executive Director of Great Education Colorado, Lisa Weils, the initiative had a great group of volunteers, just not a lot of money.

To try and get the required signatures, the GSTSC hired a signature collecting firm. However, with each signature costing between $6 and $7, the organization eventually ran out of money to continue funding the firm.

Looking back, Weils said she feels like the system is stacked against smaller organizations that can't afford to run an expensive campaign.

"It's just this ballot merit system now that that the number is so high is not made for grassroots ballot measures, it absolutely favors people who can do this by writing a check," said Weils.

"The message that we were trying to portray is teachers, we see you, we appreciate you, and help us on the way. And unfortunately, because of the high bar to get on the ballot, help isn't on the way. It would have been," said Weils

The president of the Pueblo Public Education Association, Mike Mase, said the number of signatures needed was a lot and it's difficult to get signatures.

"Teachers have been getting kicked in the teeth a lot over the last few years. And so, you know, it's very, disappointing. Teachers are very disappointed that it's not going to be on the ballot, you know, but again, it's just one of those things where it was just another thing that shows that people don't care about teachers," said Mase.

Mase said more people in Pueblo need to get involved in education, emphasizing that this affects everyone.

"I think more people more voters need to to show some concern over what's going on and to understand the issues that we're having with education and to be sure that we're coming, you know, that they're stepping up and letting their legislature, legislators know that we need to do something to get people into education," said Mike Mase.

Click here, to look over our previous coverage of initiative 63.