Topeka ? Results of a statewide ballot question decided Tuesday in Colorado could roll downhill into Kansas.

Coloradans went to the polls to decide whether to ease restrictions of that state’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR.

The outcome will likely become part of the debate over whether Kansas adopts a similar provision when the Legislature convenes Jan. 9.

Late Tuesday night, it appeared voters agreed to give up $3.7 billion in taxpayer refunds over the next five years to allow the state to bounce back from a recession, ignoring the arguments of fiscal conservatives who say the government doesn’t need more money to spend.

Gary Brunk, executive director of Kansas Action for Children, said the Colorado vote showed how unwieldy TABOR is. With Colorado facing budget difficulties, both sides of the issue must wage expensive statewide campaigns to try to fix the problems.

Tuesday’s vote capped a bitter, $8 million campaign.

“This is one of the reasons people should take a close look at this to see if it makes sense,” Brunk said.

But Alan Cobb, director of the Kansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity, a TABOR advocacy group, said that the Colorado vote showed how residents there have a greater say over spending and taxes.

“We want more citizen involvement in the budgeting process,” Cobb said.

In Colorado, TABOR, which was approved by voters in 1992, limits government spending growth to the inflation rate plus population increases. Revenues collected above that amount are refunded to taxpayers. It also requires voter approval before taxes can be increased.

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• Colorado TABOR spurs conservative battle (10-02-05)

But Colorado leaders said unless TABOR is temporarily suspended, the state would have to close 11 state parks, cut $12 million in health care for low-income residents, slash $7.7 million in student financial aid and eliminate 600 governmental jobs.

Voters faced two questions. Referendum C would allow the state to keep an estimated $3.7 billion over five years instead of refunding that money to taxpayers. Referendum D would allow the state to borrow up to $2.1 billion for roads, school maintenance, pensions and other projects.

With 76 percent of the expected vote counted statewide late Tuesday night, 439,778 voters, or 53 percent, had approved Referendum C, compared with 391,842, or 47 percent, who voted against it.

Voters were closely divided on the second measure: 426,133 for; 421,986 against.

In Kansas, a proposed constitutional amendment similar to TABOR is before the Legislature.

The proposed constitutional amendment would require a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate and approval at the polls before it could be implemented in Kansas.

The debate has pitted education and social services advocates, who oppose TABOR, against anti-tax, smaller government advocates.