Ag groups endorse Prop DD as down payment on critical water needs

A coalition of agricultural groups announced their support today for Proposition DD, which asks voters this fall to tax casinos’ sports-betting profits to help conserve and protect the state’s water supplies.

The coalition includes the Colorado Association of Wheat Growers, the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, the Colorado Corn Growers Association, Colorado Dairy Farmers, the Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Pork Producers, and the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union.

Proposition DD would generate up to $29 million annually for Colorado’s Water Plan by legalizing sports betting and imposing a 10% tax casinos’ profits from sports wagers. The funds would provide an important down payment for water projects statewide that support agriculture, water storage and conservation, river health, and more. These projects are critical to enabling Colorado to begin addressing the gap between water supply and demand so that farms and ranches have the water they need to thrive.

“The Farm Bureau and farmers across Colorado are proud to support Proposition DD. Most farmers and ranchers could care less about sports betting. But this is a smart way to pay for the critical water infrastructure that Colorado’s future needs,” said Chad Vorthmann, Executive Vice President of the Colorado Farm Bureau.

“With dedicated funding through Proposition DD, we can ensure that Colorado’s Water Plan is implemented to secure a water future for the benefit of our businesses, our communities and our rivers and streams,” said Brad Erker, Executive Director of the Colorado Wheat Growers.

“This measure is an important step to ensuring adequate water supplies for agriculture amid our state’s growing population,” said David Eckhardt, Colorado farmer, and President of the Colorado Corn Growers Association.

“The common denominator linking all of agriculture in Colorado is water. Colorado’s dairy farmers support Proposition DD because it will provide funding for critical water projects in our state helping to ensure we maximize the use of this precious natural resource,” said Chris Craft, Chairman of the Board of the Colorado Dairy Farmers.

“We’re pleased to endorse Proposition DD, which is a dedicated funding stream for water storage and conservation in Colorado in the face of increased population and growing demands for this limited resource,” said Joyce Kelly, Executive Director of the Colorado Pork Producers.

Colorado’s Water Plan estimated the state needs $100 million annually for the next 30 years to address myriad water challenges, including a doubling of the state’s population by 2060. The plan was approved in 2015 after the most extensive public engagement process on the water in the state’s history, with comments submitted by more than 30,000 Coloradans.

Thirty years ago, Colorado created a lottery and used its proceeds to pay for parks and open space through the Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) program. Proposition DD follows the GOCO model by using proceeds from a tax on casino sports-betting profits to protect and conserve our water resources.

To learn more about Proposition DD, or to send your individual or organizational endorsement, visit: YesonDD.com