ballot measure
Recently Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has been in the news again, this time for taking a position on ballot initiatives in her state.
According to Politico:
“The Alaska Public Offices Commission found Friday night that she did not violate state election laws by announcing her position on a controversial ballot measure requiring tougher environmental standards for new mines.”
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is facing yet another moment of truth.
Having barely squeaked through a last-minute budget deal in February to close a $42 billion deficit, he now faces a May 19 special election with six ballot measures intended to fix the state’s dysfunctional budget process for good.
With the economy in a downward spiral, it may seem like poor timing to ask taxpayers for money to repair aging school buildings, expand suburban libraries and build parks.
But more than a dozen communities in Metro Detroit are doing just that Tuesday when they hold elections asking voters to approve millions in school bonds and higher municipal tax rates for projects.
Read more at Detroit News
If you say “yes” to Dallas to building a publicly owned Dallas Convention Center hotel, vote “no” on Proposition 1. If you say “no” to City Hall constructing the hotel, vote “yes” on Proposition 1. Such is the counterintuitive rule-of-thumb for considering the contentious proposition. And hotel opponents and advocates alike acknowledge that voters may experience some confusion as early voting in Dallas begins Monday.
When Californians vote in the May 19 special election, the state budget will hang in the balance.
That fragile compromise Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger crafted with Democratic lawmakers and a handful of legislators from his own party a couple of months ago didn’t erase all the $40 billion of red ink that threatened to shut down Sacramento.
The backers of Prop. 1A forgot a key rule: Keep it simple for the voters.
From Sacramento — Back in 1973, then-Gov. Ronald Reagan called a special election to sell voters on his proposed tax and spending limit. It was complex and convoluted.
Not even the great communicator could explain it. Opponents convinced many Californians it would lead to higher local taxes.
A Las Vegas district court judge ruled Friday that city residents would not get a chance to vote on two measures that call into question nearly $100 million in redevelopment borrowing. Over 14,000 voters had signed petitions to put the measures on the ballot. After the ruling, city mayor Oscar Goodman told reporters “I’ve never been a good winner” and said the Culinary union that had backed the measures were “not good citizens.” Initative proponents have vowed to appeal to the state supreme court.
Supporters of a ballot initiative that would limit all statewide office holders to 2 four-year terms have began collecting signatures. They hope to place the measure on the November 2010 ballot.
A group of citizens is considering a ballot initiative that would force Colorado Springs to sell city-run Memorial Health System, which ended last year in the red. The initiative must pass the city’s title-setting board. If it passes the board proponents will have 180 days to collect over 11,000 signatures.
After two failed attempts to make the ballot, a $9.95 billion bond measure was approved by voters in November to help fund the first leg of what would ultimately be an 800-mile system - service between San Francisco and Anaheim, home to Disneyland - at a promised travel time of 2 1/2 hours.
Denver’s KBDI Channel 12 broadcasted an interview with Paul Jacob, President of Citizens in Charge Foundation, discussing the ballot initiative and referendum (I&R) process. Host Jon Caldera of the Independence Institute asked Jacob questions on reforming the I&R process, its affects on voters and public policy.
Colorado’s 2008 ballot saw the most initiatives in over 90 years, and the 2009-10 ballot could see even more. There are already ten initiatives proposed for the upcoming state ballot.