Big Tobacco bankrolls 'No on 72' fight

You might have seen it online or on TV: An ad warning Colorado voters of "powerful special interests" who want to misuse the state constitution by passing Amendment 72, a proposal that would dramatically increase the state's tobacco tax.

But who paid for the 29-second ad? A U.S. tobacco giant that Opensecrets.org reports has spent more than $65 million lobbying Congress since 2010.

Altria Client Services LLC, the parent company for tobacco giant Philip Morris, has given more than $5 million to the campaign against Amendment 72. As of Sept. 14, no other entity or person had given money to the anti-tobacco tax campaign called No Blank Checks in the Constitution. Philip Morris manufactures brands including Marlboro, Parliament, Virginia Slims and L&M.

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Amendment 72 would raise state taxes on a pack of cigarettes by $1.75, bringing it to $2.59 per pack. That would mean someone who smoked a pack a day would go from paying about $307 year in taxes on cigarettes to paying $945.

The No Blank Checks in the Constitution campaign website sharply criticizes proponents of the amendment for not allocating enough money to smoking prevention. "If we’re going to tax smokers hundreds of millions more per year, then more of the new tax money should be dedicated to helping smokers quit or keeping kids from starting," the website states.

If the amendment passes,16 percent of the expected $315.7 million raised annually would go toward smoking prevention and cessation programs. Almost 30 percent would go toward research studying tobacco-related illnesses. The proposal also designates money to go to programs assisting veterans and helping health-care workers in rural areas repay student loans, among other things.

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Some of the sections of the amendment designating funding do not say exactly which organizations or programs would receive funding, and leaves that up for later determination. For example, the funding to veterans groups will be decided by the Colorado Department of Health, which would consult with nonprofit veterans service organizations to "determine service priorities and develop the grant making process," according to the amendment text.

The Coloradoan contacted the No Blanks Checks in the Constitution Campaign and asked if the group would answer questions about its campaigning and fundraising, but received only a written statement calling the initiative "deeply flawed," and saying that Republicans, Democrats and business leaders were working to educate voters about the issue. The statement referred to the campaign's only donor as Altria Client Services, LLC, without mentioning that it is the parent company for Philip Morris.

Altira representatives did not return requests for comment for this story.

The Coloradoan also reached out to the campaign advocating for the increased tax, The Campaign for A Healthy Colorado 2016, but did not hear back from campaign representatives Wednesday. Proponents have received large donations from health-care groups, including $230,000 from Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora, $45,000 from the Colorado Hospital Association and $250,000 from University Physicians, Inc. It has raised about $1.27 million, compared to more than $5 million by the group opposing the tax.

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Fundraising for other statewide issues

Here's a look at how much money other statewide issues are bringing in: 

'Right to Die' amendment:

This amendment would allow doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medications for terminally ill patients to use to end their own lives.

Yes on Colorado End of Life Options (In favor)

Total raised: About $4.8 million

Raised in first half of September: $298,773

Cash on hand on Sept. 14: $233,162

No Assisted Suicide In Colorado (Against)

Total raised: About $1.26 million

Raised in first half of September: $20,817

Cash on hand on Sept. 14: $840,308

ColoradoCare

Amendment 69 would institute the nation’s first universal health care system.

Coloradans for Coloradans (Against)

Total raised: About $4 million

Raised in first half of September: $69,305

Cash on hand on Sept. 14: $329,665

ColoradoCareYes (In favor)

Total raised: $321,706

Raised in first half of September: $10,011

Cash on hand Sept. 14: $10,783

Raising the minimum wage

This statewide proposition would raise the Colorado minimum wage from $8.31 an hour every year until it reaches $12 in 2020.

Colorado Families for a Fair Wage (in favor of raising the minimum wage)

Total raised: About $2.3 million

Raised in first half of September: $600,422

Cash on hand Sept. 14: $745,668

Keep Colorado Working (against raising the minimum wage)

Total raised: $636,884.99

Raised in first half of September: $532,899

Cash on hand Sept. 14: $30,894