Citizens in Charge Foundation News and Media

Colorado: New initiative after Legislature kills bill

TrevorF — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:20:04 -0500

A Denver attorney has filed a new ballot initiative that would allow grocery stores to sell full-strength beer, wine and liquor and would permit convenience stores to sell full-strength beer as well. Blake Harrison, who filed a ballot measure in November to let grocery and convenience stores sell wine and full-strength beer, submitted the new proposal Wednesday, two weeks after a House committee killed a bill that would have allowed full-strength beer sales at convenience stores.

Washington: Lawsuit over ballot language dismissed

TrevorF — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:11:20 -0500

A Whatcom County judge said the wording of a local transit tax ballot measure is inaccurate, but there’s nothing he can do about it. The ballot measure asks voters if bus service should be “maintained and improved” with a two-tenths of a percent sales tax increase for the Whatcom Transportation Authority. Tax opponent Brett Bonner said that’s wrong.

Read the story from KGMI 790 AM

Michigan: Voters likely to play part in school aid decisions

TrevorF — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:49:42 -0500

Reform school spending first, then ask voters this summer to pay more for public education, if necessary, a leading House Democrat proposed Wednesday. House Education Committee Chairman Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, said at an education town hall meeting that plans are in the works to tie spending reforms in areas such as school employee retirement and health care to a ballot initiative in the August primary for a sales tax on services, a reduction in business tax breaks or other revenue measures.

California: City puts second tax measure on ballot

TrevorF — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:45:50 -0500

For the second time in eight months city officials plan to ask voters to approve a tax initiative to help the cash-strapped city balance its budget and put off further cuts to city services. The Coachella City Council met Wednesday and approved 5-0 placing a Utility Users Tax on the June 8 primary ballot. The city faces a budget shortfall for next fiscal year between $1.6 million and $2 million.

Read the story from The Desert Sun

California: Measure would create open primary

TrevorF — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:43:06 -0500

A June ballot measure to change California’s primary elections would eliminate write-in candidates in general elections and, opponents say, doom third parties in the state. Under provisions of Proposition 14, all qualifying candidates would be listed on one ballot and voters - regardless of party registration - could vote for any one. Only the top two vote-getters would advance to the general election, even if those two were from the same party.

Arizona: Voters may be once again asked if they want to raise their taxes

TrevorF — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:18:40 -0500

Arizona voters may be asked a second time this year to raise their own taxes, this time to keep the state from reducing the number of people who get free health care. The Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association is working with consultants on an initiative it hopes will make it to the ballot in November. It would raise money to stop the state from cutting more than 310,000 people from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the state’s Medicaid program.

Oregon: Voters reject measures to limit city power

TrevorF — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:04:55 -0500

Damascus voters, two years after approving initiatives severely limiting their city’s financial authority, reversed course Tuesday night by rejecting four measures that would have substantially limited the city’s powers to operate. The measures’ backers said they were disappointed with the outcome, saying it will thwart greater citizen oversight of local government spending. Damascus Mayor Jim Wright, however, called it “a great result.” “It appears as if we finally got through to most of the voters in the city to get involved,” Wright said.

Iowa: Initiative petition to lower bar entry age

TrevorF — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:35:42 -0500

Opponents of a proposal to raise Iowa City’s bar entry age have begun a petition to do just the opposite. Organizers filed papers Monday with the city to petition for a public vote that would lower the bar entry age to 18 after 10 p.m. They hope the move will thwart the possibility of the city council changing the current ordinance, which allows bars to admit 19-year-olds, to only grant entry to those 21 or older.

Read the story from the Iowa City-Press Citizen

New Jersey: Field bond issue fails

TrevorF — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:26:46 -0500

Township voters seemingly rejected the $2.9 million Foley Field bond issue during a special referendum held March 9. Tuesday’s five-hour referendum unofficially tallied 1,194 votes against the initiative and 1,084 in favor as of Tuesday night. The final tally could still be impacted the inclusion of provisional ballots; those numbers were not expected until Wednesday (after this newspaper’s press time), according to school officials. Approximately eight percent of Bloomfield’s 27,964 registered voters visited the polls, according to unofficial results.

California: Local government protection initiative could be on statewide ballot

TrevorF — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:32:23 -0500

Proponents of a California ballot initiative that would end state raids of city, redevelopment and transit money predict they will collect sufficient signatures well ahead of a May deadline. “It’s the most popular initiative on the street,” said Chris McKenzie, executive director of League of California Cities. “It leads with the three most popular three words in California, ‘Prohibits the state … .’” The Local Taxpayer, Public Safety and Transportation Protection Act of 2010 would strip the state of access to all tax dollars earmarked for local non-education agencies.