Arizona is one of the last states to join the union, as such we have the same Recall and Petition provisions as most states added during the populist period. Thus every election year we have several ballot initiatives to consider.
2008 is no different.
Here is Mark's guide to and recommendations for the 2008 crop.
PROP 100: Amends the State Constitution to prevent any future taxes on the transfer of real property.
Recommendation: YES
Reason: Prevents future taxes.
PROP 101: Amends the State Constitution to Prohibits laws that: restrict person's choice of private health care systems or private plans; interfere with person's or entity's right to pay directly for lawful medical services; impose a penalty or fine for choosing to obtain or decline health care coverage or for participatin in any health care system or plan.
Recommendation: YES
Reason: Helps maintain freedom of choice in choosing your health care and how you pay for it.
PROP 102: Amends the State Constitution to define marriage as between a single man and a single woman.
Recommendation: NO
Reason: The government should not be involved in sanctioning marriage, homosexual or heterosexual.
PROP 105: Amends the State Constitution to require a majority of REGISTERED voters to pass a tax increase via ballot initiative.
Recommendation: YES
Reason: Essentially requires a supermajority to pass a new tax via the initiative process. Do I have to explain this? Taxes = Bad. Harder to pass taxes = good
PROP 200: Proposal to "reform" the payday loan industry.
Recommendation: NO
Reason: The Payday Loan industry wrote this bill. Whether you think that people should have the right to make stupid decisions (and a Payday loan counts) or whether you think that the Payday Loansharks ought to be thrown in a nice active volcano somewhere, it's pretty clear that when an industry like this write their own "reform" law, it's a bad deal all around.
PROP 201: So called "Homeowners Bill of Rights" This would mandate a 10 year warranty on new construction and outlaw any method of redress except for a legal tort.
Recommendation: NO
Reason: This is a dream proposition for the unions and the lawyers, and an open door to abusive lawsuits. If you want a 10 year warranty on a new house, that is what the purchase contract is for, write it into the contract, not state law.
PROP 202: Changes State Law regarding the Employer Sanctions law regarding hiring Illegal Aliens.
Recommendation: NO
Reason: The actual function of this initiative would actually gut the current employer sanction law, while some might see this as a good thing, it also criminolizes anyone who hires more than 4 people and fails to withhold taxes. Better hope you always higher the same babysitter, because if you ever hire more than 3 you'd be a criminal.
PROP 300: Increases the Salary of the state legislature from $24K to $30K.
Recommendation: NO
Reason: The legislature currently makes $240/day. Remember it is a 100-day part time legislature. They also get perdiem. Thus their real remuneration is more than the official $24K.
Bottom line, pay them too much and we get a fulltime legislature.
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2 comments:
You have been misled about 105. It is not about taxes--it is solely about destroying the initiative process. As conservatives we must be VERY careful here. The initiative process is our only route around the legislature. Sure we have the legislature right now, but that may not always be true. Also, who will stand up to future Governor Napolitano's with misguided priorities. We must keep the initiative process alive. Your shorthand--saying it requires a supermajority--is only partially accurate. It counts ALL registered voters who don't vote as automatic No votes. That is crazy. Chambers of Commerce and other business organizations around the state have seen through this misleading amendment. Please reconsider your position. Vote No on 105, because you are an American. This Prop is really not a conservative or liberal one, it is about the basic precepts of a democracy. Go to http://thevotersofaz.com for more
Thanks for your great blog.
Yes, it does count all registered voters, so you are correct in that on the surface it would make it impossible to pass any tax increase via initiative.
I call it a super majority because, in reality, this means that the easiest way round prop 105 would be to pass another constitutional amendments.
I'd actually be much happier with a ballot proposition that made it a 3/4 requirement to institute a new tax.
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