According to the Colorado Division of Justice, more than 18,000 of these Coloradans received victim services in 2023.

As The Daily Sentinel previously reported, the 260 programs and organizations that support and advocate for victims of these crimes are facing immediate financial constraints that would limit or eliminate many of their services.

Proposition KK, which Coloradans will vote on in Tuesday’s election, provides a permanent source of funding for these services. However, many gun owners and organizations say Prop KK is an attack on the Second Amendment.

“…while no gun owner would dispute that these services are not important, funding these programs by overcharging gun owners is simply unfair,” the Colorado State Shooting Association said in a newsletter.

“We live in a community where we can acknowledge that there is a connection between victimization and guns — we know that,” said Soledad Diaz, public policy director at Violence Free Colorado. “This is about looking for a solution in our communities and inviting firearm owners to be part of that solution.”

Victim Services

Victim services cover a wide range, including emergency shelter, sexual assault investigations, legal assistance, victims’ rights and psychological counseling.

Under state law, these services are provided free of charge to victims of certain crimes, such as murder, sexual assault, involuntary manslaughter, kidnapping and robbery. Historically, the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) fund provided significant funding for these services.

The VOCA fund began shrinking after 2018, falling from nearly $57 million to $13.6 million that year. At the same time, the Colorado Attorney General’s Office reported that domestic violence deaths reached an all-time high in 2022.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Safety, domestic violence cases fell 0.3% in 2023.

Funding was expected to fall another 45% in 2025, but Kelly Kissel, director of the Colorado Office of Victim Programs, said federal and state initiatives have mitigated the cut to a 27% decline.

Still, the Colorado Department of Justice website says the cut will significantly limit the ability of many providers to meet the needs of survivors — particularly in rural and underserved communities with few or no alternatives.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PROP KK

According to Diaz, the upcoming cut in 2025 would reduce many services by about half, and the state simply does not have the necessary funding; That’s why Diaz and other victim services workers were told to get creative.

In response, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Jefferson, sponsored and supported the House bill that became Prop KK – The Excise Tax on Firearms Dealers, Manufacturers and Ammunition Vendors Measure.

Specifically, Prop KK would impose a 6.5% excise tax on the sale of firearms and ammunition; The tax would be collected from manufacturers, distributors, retailers and ammunition sellers.

If passed, Duran said the tax is estimated to generate about $39 million in revenue each year.

Of that, $30 million would go to the Colorado Crime Victim Services Fund; $5 million would be donated to mental health services for veterans; $3 million would go toward youth crisis response services; and $1 million would go toward school payout program funds.

Duran said this tax could mean an additional $35 on firearms and “a few dollars” on ammunition, but it’s up to gun manufacturers and retailers to decide whether or not to pass the cost on to consumers.

She said the tax would have no impact on peace officers, law enforcement and active military; The tax also would not apply to retailers, manufacturers or sellers who have less than $20,000 in sales per year

PROPOSAL OPPOSITION

The National Rifle Association, the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners and the Colorado State Shooting Association all oppose Prop KK.

The Colorado State Shooting Association said in a newsletter that Prop KK is an unconstitutional tax that some gun dealers see as an attack on the Second Amendment.

“Few things are more frustrating to lawful gun owners than politicians who try to fund one government program or another by imposing additional taxes on them when they have done absolutely nothing to create the problem being addressed,” the newsletter says.

In that newsletter, the association called Prop KK a “sin tax” like that levied on cigarettes and said the tax is “likely” to be imposed under the 2022 ruling in The New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen. is unconstitutional.

This Supreme Court case held that New York State could not require “good cause” or a special need different from that of the general public in applications for concealed carry licenses. There is no tax regulation.

The Colorado State Shooting Association also noted that a gun tax lawsuit has been filed in California.

“If the Colorado ballot initiative passes, it is likely that pro-gun groups will also take this tax system to court in the near future,” the newsletter said.

In Mesa County, 50% of adults own a firearm; 37% of adults in Colorado – and 30% of adults nationwide – own a firearm.

THE SUPPORT OF THE CARRIER

Although Prop KK taxes firearms and ammunition, Duran says it is not an attack on Second Amendment rights.

“As a gun owner myself, I see it as a community and government issue,” Duran said. “It’s not a gun law at all, and it really hurts me for those who see it that way.

“This is really about taking responsibility for our community and making sure that others out there who have gone through what I went through can see the light at the end of the tunnel (and) access the help they need.” whatever that may be from a violent situation.”

Although the Colorado State Shooting Association said lawful gun owners play no role in the problem they could use tax to address, the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said gun violence costs Coloradans $11.4 billion a year .

Diaz said that in domestic violence situations, having access to a gun in the home is five times more likely to result in a death than if there was no gun.

“There are many responsible gun owners who support this excise tax,” Duran said. “The excise tax falls on the gun manufacturers and the retail outlets – we have in no way said they have to pass it on to consumers.

“As I said, I’m really disappointed that it’s viewed as a violation of a person’s Second Amendment rights, because there’s nothing in this ballot initiative that says you can’t do anything at all.”