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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Dan Walters: Is Initiative Process the Cause or Result of State's Malaise?
Category: Initiative and Referendum · State: California · Source: Sacramento Bee
The old philosophical argument over whether the chicken or the egg first emerged from the primordial ooze has a political counterpart in California's circular debate over the initiative process. Is directly presenting proposed laws and constitutional amendments to voters a safety valve by which they can do what the Legislature is unwilling or unable to do, the cause of the Capitol's endemic inability to function effectively, or, perhaps, both a symptom of our political malaise and a cure that worsens the disease? It's been nearly a century since reformist Gov. Hiram Johnson and the Legislature adopted the initiative and other reforms to break the political stranglehold of the Southern Pacific Railroad - dubbed "The Octopus" in a muckraking novel of the era. But the initiative's use as a major policy tool is of much more recent vintage, dating from the enactment of Proposition 13, the landmark property tax limit measure, 30 years ago next month.
Dan Walters: Is Initiative Process the Cause or Result of State's Malaise?
Category: Initiative and Referendum · State: California · Source: Sacramento Bee
The old philosophical argument over whether the chicken or the egg first emerged from the primordial ooze has a political counterpart in California's circular debate over the initiative process. Is directly presenting proposed laws and constitutional amendments to voters a safety valve by which they can do what the Legislature is unwilling or unable to do, the cause of the Capitol's endemic inability to function effectively, or, perhaps, both a symptom of our political malaise and a cure that worsens the disease? It's been nearly a century since reformist Gov. Hiram Johnson and the Legislature adopted the initiative and other reforms to break the political stranglehold of the Southern Pacific Railroad - dubbed "The Octopus" in a muckraking novel of the era. But the initiative's use as a major policy tool is of much more recent vintage, dating from the enactment of Proposition 13, the landmark property tax limit measure, 30 years ago next month.
Dan Walters: Is Initiative Process the Cause or Result of State's Malaise?
Category: Initiative and Referendum · State: California · Source: Sacramento Bee
The old philosophical argument over whether the chicken or the egg first emerged from the primordial ooze has a political counterpart in California's circular debate over the initiative process. Is directly presenting proposed laws and constitutional amendments to voters a safety valve by which they can do what the Legislature is unwilling or unable to do, the cause of the Capitol's endemic inability to function effectively, or, perhaps, both a symptom of our political malaise and a cure that worsens the disease? It's been nearly a century since reformist Gov. Hiram Johnson and the Legislature adopted the initiative and other reforms to break the political stranglehold of the Southern Pacific Railroad - dubbed "The Octopus" in a muckraking novel of the era. But the initiative's use as a major policy tool is of much more recent vintage, dating from the enactment of Proposition 13, the landmark property tax limit measure, 30 years ago next month.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Activists Push to Repeal State Income Tax
Category: Taxes · State: Massachusetts · Source: Boston Globe
A group of antitax activists launched a campaign over the weekend to abolish the state income tax, setting the stage for a contentious public battle if the measure is added to the ballot this fall. more stories like this After pushing a similar initiative that almost passed six years ago, a group called the Committee for Small Government is back for another round, asking voters to end the income tax and save the average taxpayer $3,600 a year. The group, led by libertarian Carla Howell, is almost certain to gather the 11,000 signatures needed to put a question on the November ballot. To say that state officials are worried about the prospect would be an understatement.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Big Guns Hired In Severance-Tax Fray
Category: Taxes · State: Colorado · Source: Rocky Mountain News
Well-known local political consultants will square off over a ballot initiative that would increase oil and gas tax revenue and create a huge college scholarship fund. David Kenney, an influential political insider who backed Ritter and worked on John Hickenlooper's reelection campaign, will be the campaign manager for the initiative. He said the campaign will be called "A Smarter Colorado" and will be funded by conservation, renewable energy and education advocacy groups. The ballot initiative, introduced last week, would remove a state credit that saves oil and gas firms about $200 million a year in severance taxes. The additional funds would help communities affected by oil and gas drilling, pay for college scholarships and fund water and wildlife projects.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Steve Wiegand: Fat Chance of Reforming Initiative Process
Category: Initiative and Referendum · State: California · Source: Sacramento Bee
One of the most admirable traits of political reformers is their earnest optimism. I thought of this last week, when Bob Stern dropped by the office. Stern is the president of the Center for Governmental Studies, which is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit, nonpartisan outfit that does research into various governmental and political issues and recommends ways to make them better. An attorney by trade, Stern was one of the guiding lights behind California's Political Reform Act of 1974 and was a longtime consigliere to the Fair Political Practices Commission. In other words, he knows something about the reform racket. Anyway, he was making the rounds of Capitol press corps offices, dropping off copies of a new 402-page tome called "Democracy by Initiative: Shaping California's Fourth Branch of Government."
Arkansas AG Certifies Illegal Immigration Measure
Category: Immigration · State: Arkansas · Source: Pine Bluff Commercial
The Arkansas attorney general's office cleared the way on Wednesday for supporters of a ballot measure requiring government agencies to verify all those seeking public benefits in the state are legal U.S. residents to begin gathering signatures. Attorney General Dustin McDaniel approved the language of the proposed initiated act by Secure Arkansas, allowing the group to begin collecting the 61,974 signatures necessary to put it before voters in November. Jeannie Burlsworth, a chairwoman for Secure Arkansas, has said the group plans to collect many of the signatures at polling places during the state's May 20 primary. If approved by voters, the proposal would require those older than 13 seeking public benefits from a state agency to sign an oath saying they live legally in the country. The group says those who falsely fill out an affidavit could face perjury charges. Verification would not be required for emergency medical treatment, prenatal care or public school enrollment.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Ritter Questions TABOR Strategy
Category: TABOR · State: Colorado · Source: Denver Post
The rough political road for a proposed state-budget fix got even rougher Monday as Gov. Bill Ritter stopped short of endorsing it and the group expected to propel it to November's ballot expressed concern about funding, timing and other issues. "I don't know ultimately . . . if we're going to have the coalition together to put that on the ballot," Ritter said Monday of House Speaker Andrew Romanoff's plan in his monthly appearance on the Mike Rosen Show on KOA 850. The proposal, which would alter the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights and end mandated increases in education funding, started as a referendum, but Romanoff could not muster the support of two-thirds of state lawmakers — the requirement for it to go on the ballot. On Sunday, Romanoff said he would take the case straight to voters. The effort to proceed as a ballot initiative requires approval of the ballot language and then 76,000 signatures by Aug. 4.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Mannix Drops Anti-Marijuana Ballot Initiative
Category: Marijuana · State: Oregon · Source: Willamette Weekly
Conservative ballot-measure supremo Kevin Mannix just told WWire he and his cohorts are dropping a proposed ballot initiative to kill the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program. "That petition's going to stop this week," Mannix says. There was not enough time or money to gather the 82,769 valid signatures needed, he says. "That's the best news I've had all day," says Paul Stanford, head of The Hemp and Cannabis Foundation, a Portland-based national chain of medical marijuana clinics. Mannix says the decision to drop the petition drive had nothing to do with lack of public support, but rather lack of resources. But Stanford says he believes Mannix ran into trouble because the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, approved by voters in 1998, is still supported by a clear majority.
Mischief-Making Blockers are Signature Gatherers’ Bane
Category: Blocking · State: Nevada · Source: Las Vegas Sun
Russ Stevens walks out of the North Las Vegas DMV office and is approached by a woman asking him to sign a petition in favor of raising casino taxes to benefit teachers and schools. Suddenly, a young man descends on them, yelling. Say no to the tax grab! Think before you ink! Just say no! Confused, Stevens trudges off, leaving Andrea Grefrath without a signature. Nevadans may think the election is still six months away, but for the various interest groups gathering signatures to get their initiatives on the November ballot, the zero hour is May 20.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Affirmative Action Petition Misses Deadline
Category: Affirmative Action · State: Missouri · Source: KMOV News
A group seeking to bar many state affirmative action programs has missed a Sunday deadline to submit its initiative petition. Missouri had been one of five states California businessman Ward Connerly and his supporters had targeted for an effort to strike down affirmative action laws. The Missouri effort was lead by Tim Asher, a former admissions director at North Central Missouri College in Trenton. Asher said it became obvious on Saturday that there were not enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, and he pledged to try again in 2010.
Some Payday-Loan Foes Drop Initiative Support
Category: Arizona · State: Arizona · Source: Arizona Daily Star
An initiative drive to put the payday-loan industry out of business in Arizona may falter because of a split among supporters. Members of an organization dubbed Stop Payday Predators announced Friday that they no longer are backing the initiative. State Sen. Debbie McCune Davis, D-Phoenix, who is chairing that group, said she believes the money being raised to put that measure on the November ballot would be better spent killing an industry-backed initiative that would make payday-loan stores a permanent presence in Arizona. That leaves only the Stop Payday Loans committee, headed by Rep. Marian McClure, R-Tucson, to pursue the initiative to abolish the industry. McClure said Friday that she is counting the signatures already collected and will decide in the next two weeks whether to pursue the ballot measure.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Group Organizes Recall Effort Against Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon
Category: Immigration · State: Arizona · Source: The Arizona Republic
Anti-illegal-immigration activists will attempt to recall Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon for policies they say are too soft on those who enter the country illegally. A group calling itself American Citizens United, which includes members of organizations involved in recent anti-illegal-immigrant protests, filed paperwork Wednesday to create a political-action committee. "Phil Gordon has operated the Mayor's Office with malfeasance in refusing to execute his sworn oath of office," the group said in its filing. advertisement It accused Gordon of "disregarding the will of Phoenix citizens by refusing to allow the Phoenix Police Department to impartially enforce laws against violators of laws on illegal immigration and human smuggling."
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Lawmakers Seek to Make State Constitution Amendments More Difficult
Category: Initiative and Referendum · State: Colorado · Source: 9 News
Colorado lawmakers are debating whether to ask voters this fall if it should be harder to change the state's constitution in the future. The Senate Concurrent Resolution has already passed the Senate with two-thirds of the chamber in support and is expected to pass out of a House committee Tuesday afternoon. The resolution was based on many recommendations made by a panel at the University of Denver formed to study Colorado's Constitution. It seeks to require more signatures needed on petitions gathered from all over Colorado to amend the constitution while lowering the number of signatures needed to simply change state law. "What we're trying to do here is basically prevent mutually assured destruction by the ballot box," said Rep. Andy Kerr (D-Lakewood), one of the co-sponsors of the measure in the House. "(Concurrent Resolution 3) will treat the Constitution with the respect it deserves." Colorado's 131-year-old Constitution has been amended more times in the last 25 years than the United States Constitution has been amended in its history. It is currently ten times longer than its federal counterpart as well.
Election Panel Approves Petition to Recall Kilpatrick
Category: Recall · State: Michigan · Source: The Detroit News
Wayne County officials approved language for a recall campaign against Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, green-lighting the second effort to oust him since the $8.4 million whistle-blower scandal broke this year. The first never got started, after the language was rejected when Kilpatrick's lawyers argued the petitioner didn't live in the city. Angelo Brown, 45, said he hopes to begin gathering the 56,970 required signatures as early as this week. The security guard, who lives in southwest Detroit, said he's launching and financing the effort on his own. It's a daunting task: He has 180 days to gather signatures; once he starts, they're valid for 90 days. Working alone, that's more than 600 signatures a day to meet the minimum to force a recall election.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Ballot Access Argument in 9th Circuit Goes Well
Category: Arizona · State: Arizona · Source: Ballot Access News
On April 15, the 9th circuit held oral arguments in Nader v Brewer, a case filed in 2004 which challenges two Arizona election laws: (1) the law making it illegal for anyone who doesn’t live in Arizona to circulate an independent candidate petition; (2) the early June petition deadline, the 2nd earliest in the nation for independent presidential candidates. The hearing went well for the plaintiffs. The court spent much more time talking about issue (1). Judge Consuelo Callahan seemed to say she feels that restriction can only be upheld if it necessary for a compelling state interest (the “strict scrutiny” test), and seemed dubious that the U.S. District Court (which had upheld both laws) had applied strict scrutiny.
Monday, April 28, 2008
TABOR Reform May Go Straight to the Voters
Category: TABOR · State: Colorado · Source: Durango Herald
Education advocates file for ballot initiative Facing resistance in the Legislature, education advocates may be taking their case for a partial Taxpayer's Bill of Rights repeal directly to the voters. Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff introduced a bill this week to take parts of two sacred cows out of the state constitution - TABOR, which limits how much money the state can collect, and Amendment 23, which requires increased spending on education. But on Friday, minutes before the deadline, education advocates filed a ballot initiative based on Romanoff's plan. The move gives Romanoff and his allies two options - they can continue pursuing a referendum, which needs support from two-thirds of the Legislature, or they can go for an initiative, which can be put on the ballot with citizen signatures. Voters would have the final say over either one this November. "I think we should solve this problem by referendum if possible, by initiative if necessary," said Romanoff, D-Denver.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Putin Signs Law Curbing Referendum Rights
Category: Civil Rights · State: · Source: Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into force changes to a law on Friday that Kremlin critics say will further stifle democracy by curbing the topics that can be put to referendums. The restrictions provoked a walkout by the main opposition Communist party faction when it was put to a vote in the State Duma lower house of parliament on April 4. The amendment to existing legislation was still passed when pro-Kremlin parliamentarians voted overwhelmingly to curtail future referendums that might affect presidential powers or budgetary issues. Putin's signature is the final step necessary before it becomes law.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Group Opposes North Dakota Hunting Proposal
Category: Property Rights · State: North Dakota · Source: Houston Chronicle
Game preserve owners are campaigning against a proposed North Dakota ballot measure that would eliminate so-called high-fence hunting, saying a ban would violate their property rights. "The bottom line is that preserve hunting is not for everyone," said Wayne Laaveg, who owns an elk farm near Edinburg. "But citizens should have the right to choose where they want to hunt." Supporters of the initiative say it's unethical to shoot a fenced-in animal.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Court Throws Out Petition Signature Revocation Law
Category: · State: · Source: News-Press.com
An appeals court today threw out a new Florida law that lets voters revoke their signatures on petitions for a constitutional amendment. The 1st District Court of Appeal said signature revocation is an unnecessary burden on amending the constitution — one not provided by the Florida Constitution section that allows public petition campaigns. The three-judge panel’s ruling will probably be appealed to the state Supreme Court.