April 2026 Hot Sheet: Anti-Tax Measures Threaten Community Services

04/22/2026

Facebook Created with Sketch. Twitter Created with Sketch.

By: Hillary-Anne Crosby, Senior Manager of Public Policy Communications

Welcome back to The Hot Sheet!

Here, we give you a quick rundown of what you need to know about the ballot measure landscape — the trends, legislative analysis, highlights of what’s on the ballot, and why it all matters. 

For more in-depth analysis, our latest voter attitudes research, and information on the measures we’re tracking, head to our Ballot Measure Hub.

The Toplines

  • As of March 31, BISC is tracking 83 measures that are confirmed for 2026 ballots while campaigns continue to collect petition signatures for 202 other ballot initiatives.
  • BISC is monitoring 94 bills related to direct democracy filed in legislatures across 22 states as of April 17.
  • Anti-tax proposals threaten critical revenue streams that state and local governments rely on to fund community services including schools, public safety departments, and more.
  • About one-fifth of Oklahoma’s workforce could benefit from a minimum wage increase proposed on the state’s June primary ballot.
  • BISC’s latest research explores voter attitudes toward using taxpayer dollars to fund state investments in the care economy, including child care, elderly care, and paid leave policies.

2026 Qualified Ballot Measures

As of March 31, there are 83 measures certified for 2026 ballots. Campaigns continue to collect petition signatures for 202 proposed ballot initiatives while 92 legislative measures have passed out of at least their state House or Senate.

BISC is also monitoring 94 bills related to direct democracy filed in legislatures across 22 states as of April 17. At least 51 of those bills feature some level of attack on the People’s Tool.

Emerging Trend

Anti-Tax Proposals Threaten Funding for Critical Community Services

Given the rising costs of living (an umbrella term inclusive of everything from the affordable housing shortage and high-interest student loans to higher grocery prices and power bills), it’s easy to understand why anti-tax proposals might appeal to voters. But with every cut comes a cost and it’s communities that are left on the hook. 

With every tax exemption or rate cap, leaders have to decide where to cut back on the critical services citizens rely on every day in order to balance the budget. One example is Idaho, where five years of income tax cuts led to a $4 billion reduction in state revenue. Now some state lawmakers are arguing that to steady the ship they have to make budget cuts that target voter-approved Medicaid Expansion with work requirements that could kick as many as 44% of eligible Idahoans from coverage and by underfunding Medicaid Disability services by nearly $22 million. 

And outside of state capitol buildings, local governments rely on property taxes to fund everything from area schools, hospitals, and public safety departments to trash collection and pot hole repair. Just last year, the Wyoming legislature passed a 25% property tax cut without a plan to backfill the funding for local governments. The state’s towns and counties subsequently lost millions in revenue. And this November, Wyoming voters will weigh in on a ballot initiative to further reduce residential property taxes by 50% for those who’ve lived in the state for at least a year — again without providing a plan to backfill for local governments. Property taxes are the single largest revenue source in most Wyoming counties, raising $2 billion statewide in 2024 alone. As such, this proposal is estimated to cost local governments an estimated $644 million in lost revenue.

On the Ballot 

      • Utah SJR2: 60% Vote Requirement for Ballot Initiatives to Approve Taxes (LR)
        • What’s Proposed: This proposal would specifically require that citizen-initiated ballot measures pass by a 60% supermajority if they’re making certain tax-related changes including, (a) imposing a new tax; (b) expanding an existing tax to apply to additional items or transactions; (c) increasing an existing tax rate; or (d) adjusting a property tax rate in a way that reduces the rate less than it would decrease under current law. Legislatively-referred proposals would not face this same hurdle.
      • Wyoming: 50% Exemption on Property Tax for Homeowners (CI)
        • What’s Proposed: This measure would create a homeowner property tax exemption for primary residences exempting the first 50% of the property’s assessed value from taxation. In order to be eligible for the exemption, homeowners will need to have been Wyoming residents for at least one year.

Potential Measures

      • Colorado #156: Income Tax Rate Reduction (CI)
        • What’s Proposed: Reduce the state income tax rate from 4.40% to 3.40%, resulting in reduced funding for health care policy and financing, education, and higher education by an estimated $3.3 billion in tax revenue.
      • Iowa SJR2004: Prohibit Graduated Income Tax (LR)
        • What’s Proposed: The amendment would prohibit graduated individual income tax rates, where those with higher incomes might contribute more in taxes.
      • Nebraska: Repeal Property, Income, and Inheritance Taxes (CI)
        • What’s Proposed: The initiative would prohibit property, income, and inheritance taxes to be collected by any government entity in Nebraska.

So while these anti-tax proposals might sound enticing at first and maybe even provide some short-term relief to individuals when bills come due, their long-term impacts tear away at the services our communities rely on the most. Families deserve meaningful tax reform — like a progressive income tax that leaves more money in the pockets of working families and more funding for the public services on which we rely. 

One example is a potential ballot initiative to introduce a graduated income tax in Colorado, one of only 14 states that still has a flat tax rate. (In other words, a multi-millionaire and a school teacher currently pay the same 4.4% tax under state law.) With Proposal #195, there would be five distinct tax brackets; while less than 5% of Coloradans who make more than $500,000/year would pay between 7.4% and 8.4% in taxes, most people would actually owe less than they do now. The graduated income tax would result in a $2.7 billion increase in revenue to be spent on K-12 public education, health care, early child care, and more. That initiative is backed by Protect Colorado’s Future, a coalition of 19 community advocacy and policy organizations that includes the Bell Policy Institute, Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR), and ProgressNow Colorado among its members.

2026 Ballot Measure to Watch

Issue: Economic Justice

Oklahoma: Minimum Wage Increase (CI)

What It Does: Gradually raises the Oklahoma minimum wage from the present $7.25/hour to $15/hour by 2029. Beginning in 2030, the wage would be adjusted annually to keep up with rising inflation. 

Why It Matters: Oklahomans haven’t seen a minimum wage increase in nearly 20 years and over that time, the value of their wage has degraded by 30%. If approved by voters, not only would Oklahomans see their first minimum wage increase in nearly 20 years but approximately one-fifth of the state’s entire workforce would see a raise. If the measure passes, the measure could lift roughly 200,000 Oklahoma children out of poverty. Since the most recent federal minimum wage increase in 2009, voters across the country have approved 14 citizen-led ballot initiatives to increase wages. BISC’s recent economic justice research found that stagnant wages remain one of the most intense and polarized economic concerns for voters, especially amid rising housing costs.

BISC ANALYSIS: Ballot Measure Timing as Tactic: When it comes to getting a ballot measure in front of voters, timing might not be everything but it certainly comes close. During the incubation phase, supporters are tasked with balancing community needs and administrative realities in order to determine the best timeline. They take into account everything from competing issue priorities and historical voter turnout trends to candidate interplay research and campaign costs. Whether citizen-led or legislatively-referred, ballot measure sponsors carefully choose their election date based on their odds of winning. 

Then there are instances where powerful opponents put their thumb on the scale to do just the opposite. Oklahoma’s minimum wage initiative is a prime example of how strategic scheduling can serve as an indirect attack on the People’s Tool. 

While State Question 832 should have qualified for the November 2024 ballot, an executive order delayed the vote to the June 2026 primary — when the state is likely to see dramatically lower voter turnout compared to the presidential election. To make matters worse, by pushing the timeline back by 18 months the executive order also bypassed the first two incremental wage increases. Voters will now be asked to approve a minimum wage increase from $7.25/hour to $12/hour that would take effect January 1, 2027. That’s a tough row to hoe for the economic justice advocates who had thoughtfully selected a timeline based on both the needs of workers and the realities of business finances, especially for small businesses.

Like with increased signature requirements or shortened campaign timelines, this altered election timeline for SQ 832 goes beyond a simple administrative change. These kinds of politically-motivated manipulations are meant to suppress popular reforms, especially those favoring progressive causes. 

Direct democracy advocates must remain vigilant about fighting back against these seemingly mundane changes and be vocal about shifts that would make it harder for We the People to use ballot initiatives to shape the democracy our communities deserve.

In Case You Missed It

BISC’s Latest Research: Voter Attitudes & Perspectives on the Care Economy: BISC recently partnered with the experts at Grow Progress for a multi-state research initiative to better understand voter attitudes toward state investments in the care economy, including child care, elderly care, and paid leave policies. The study revealed very high support for such programs but also concerns about new taxes amid the rising cost of living. Advocates face a critical opportunity in helping voters to fundamentally shift how we think about taxpayer-funded services while validating the very real economic anxiety that many Americans face. To learn more the findings and explore BISC’s other critical research, visit our Ballot Hub.

BISC’s Resource Library: Our Partner Portal Resource Library houses ballot measure information ranging from campaign tools, templates, and past campaign materials (Values, MOUS, RFPs, etc.) —  to campaign debriefs and memos highlighting best practices. This library is a unique resource that can help campaigns and organizations build strategies and operationalize racial equity. To request access to the library, please email [email protected]