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Coloradans Will Decide If Tobacco Tax Should Be Hiked

DENVER (CBS4) - An initiative to triple the the taxes on a pack of cigarettes has made it to the November ballot.

Secretary of State Wayne Williams said Monday there are enough valid signatures to put Initiative No. 143 on the ballot.

It would increase the tax on a pack of cigarettes $1.75, from the current tax of 84 cents to $2.59. If the increase passes, it would be the first time the tobacco tax has increased in the state in 12 years.

RELATED: Campaign To Increase Tobacco Tax Aims To Decrease Smoking

The tax on other products would go by 22 percent of the list price.

The Secretary of State's office said a 5 percent random sample of the submitted signatures projected the number of valid signatures to be greater then 100 percent of the number needed.

That random sample projects the number of valid signatures as 116,954. A total of 98,492 were needed to get it on the ballot.

The tobacco tax is the fifth citizens' initiative to make to the 2016 ballot.

The Secretary of State's office is still verifying petitions for primary elections, presidential primary election and two related to oil and gas development. Those must be certified by Sept. 7.

Lawmakers also sent two amendments to the ballot, one to eliminate slavery from the state constitution, the other regarding property tax.

Ballots will be mailed on Oct. 17.

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