League of Women Voters of Colorado outlines Propositions LL and MM and how they would fund Healthy School Meals for All

At a League of Women Voters of Colorado presentation, speakers laid out how two state ballot measures tied to the Healthy School Meals for All program would affect school meal funding, household taxes and related services such as SNAP.

The presentation explained the background driver for both measures: the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR, which requires voter approval for the state to retain or raise revenue. "TABOR limits the amount of revenue that the state government can retain and spend," Andrea Wilkins, legislative liaison with the League of Women Voters of Colorado, said during the webinar. "So any proposed tax increase or a request to retain tax generated revenue, those have to be approved by the voters."

Why it matters: Proposition LL would allow the state to keep $12.4 million already collected above the estimate used when voters approved Proposition FF in 2022. That money, speakers said, would be applied to the Healthy School Meals for All program and, if LL passes, $1 million of the $12.4 million must be used for three elements that have not been funded to date: local food purchasing, higher wages for school nutrition staff, and technical assistance for scratch-cooked meals. Presenter Kathy (last name not specified) summarized the retention measure this way: "Proposition LL... allows the state to keep revenue that they've already collected that is more than what they estimated for Proposition FF."

The expansion measure on the same ballot, Proposition MM, would change tax treatment for households with adjusted gross income at or above $300,000 to raise ongoing revenue. Andrea Wilkins and other presenters said the state projects that fully funding the program at its current scale will require about $150 million annually and that Proposition MM aims to produce roughly the additional revenue needed. Presenters described an estimate that the state would see increases in revenue of about $50 million in tax year 2025-26 and about $103 million in 2026-27 if MM passes, and that the state is aiming to raise roughly $95 million of new recurring revenue to sustain the program.

What would happen if measures fail: presenters said that if LL fails, the state would be required to refund the $12.4 million collected above the FF estimate to the affected taxpayers (households at or above the $300,000 threshold), and the Healthy School Meals program would be narrowed to serve primarily schools with the highest concentrations of poverty. If MM fails, presenters said, tax rates and deduction limits for households at that threshold would not change and the program's scope would likely shrink. Presenters repeatedly recommended consulting the Colorado Blue Book and the League's downloadable guides for the detailed fiscal notes that underpin these summaries.

Program context and implementation details: speakers reminded attendees that Proposition FF (2022) created the Healthy School Meals for All Program, which provides free breakfasts and lunches to students in participating public schools that participate in the federal National School Lunch Program. Presenters said the program currently reimburses schools for meals and that the additional three elements (local purchasing, wages, technical assistance) were not funded under the initial implementation. Presenters and a Hunger Free Colorado representative also discussed on-the-ground operational measures districts are using to limit waste and increase acceptability, such as "share back" tables and student-parent advisory committees.

Responses from advocates and questions from attendees: Erica of Hunger Free Colorado, who joined the webinar, offered to answer questions and flagged that not all outside analyses are equally reliable: "...there's a lot of resources out there right now. Happy to share more as well," she said. Attendees asked about opt-in rates and student participation; presenters said nearly all qualifying districts opted in the program and that roughly 600,000 meals are served daily under the program's current participation levels. Presenters noted Aspen School District was the only qualifying district that did not opt in and described pilot menu changes in some districts to reflect local preferences.

Where to find more information: presenters directed voters to the Colorado Blue Book (state ballot information booklet), the League of Women Voters of Colorado website and downloadable guides and postcards the League provides. The presenters repeatedly suggested consulting the Blue Book fiscal notes for details on revenue projections and how the money would be allocated among meal reimbursement, local purchasing, wages and technical assistance.

The webinar did not include any formal votes or official actions by an elected body; it was an informational presentation by the League of Women Voters of Colorado with participation from Hunger Free Colorado.