A Gringo Guide For Arizona's Tuesday's Elections

THE PROPOSITIONS - revised,Courts added

100 -- bail; undocumented immigrants: YES
101 -- local government levy limits; rebase: YES
102 -- standing; federal violation; damages: YES
103 – English as the official language: YES
104 -- Municipal Debt: NO
Would amend the Arizona Constitution to allow incorporated cities and towns to exceed their debt limit by up to 20 percent for public safety, law enforcement, fire and emergency service facilities, streets and transportation facilities. This proposition plain and simple opens the door for municipalities to potentially increase taxes. It would allow cities to incur additional debt to pay for certain services. This debt will have to be passed on and paid for by its citizens through increased tax rates.

105 -- State Trust Land Reform: YES
Would amend the Arizona Constitution to allow urban state trust land to be conveyed to a county, city or town for permanent conservation, and up to 400,000 acres of rural state trust land to be conveyed for permanent conservation to the county in which the land is located. All provisions are dependant on Arizona voter approval in November 2006 and the US Congress must amend the Arizona-New Mexico Enabling Act by Dec. 31, 2008. This proposition streamlines the process for selling and leasing State Trust Land, without creating any unneeded bureaucracy. The money created from these transactions exist for the sole purpose of benefiting Arizona’s schools.

106 -- Conserving Arizona’s Future: NO
Would amend the Arizona Constitution to permanently conserve and protect 690,000 acres of land and provide a classroom funding stream though improved planning and management of trust land. All provisions are dependant on Arizona voter approval in November 2006 and the U.S. Congress must amend the Arizona-New Mexico Enabling Act by Dec. 31, 2008. This is a proposition that might as well have been written by the Sierra Club. The measure creates a new bureaucracy designed to grant environmentalists an enormous amount of trust land as low cost. The more land that is granted to the environmentalists will directly correlate with a decrease in funds for the education community.

107 -- Protect Marriage Arizona: YES
This amendment to the state constitution will prevent judicial activists from re-defining Arizona's marriage laws. The definition of such law firmly belongs in the hands of the citizens.

200 – Arizona voter reward act: NO
201 – Smoke free Arizona act: NO

202 – Arizona minimum wage coalition: NO
Small business is the backbone of Arizona’s economy, and a raise in the minimum wage hurts small businesses. Liberals incessantly try to raise the minimum wage. By doing so, they actually reduce the number of part-time jobs available to teens and others seeking only part-time work. Government should not interfere with the personal finances of individual businesses and dictate their wage rates.

203 -- First Things First for Arizona's Children: NO
204 -- Humane Treatment of Farm Animals Act: NO
205 -- Your Right to Vote: NO

206 -- Arizona Non-Smoker Protection Committee: YES
This smoking ban proposition is less costly for business owners and tobacco consumers than Prop. 201, because it would allow smoking in bars and does not include a tax increase. It recognizes private property rights. Signs must notify patrons and employees where smoking is permitted. Still prohibits minors in smoking areas.

207 -- Private Property Rights Protection Act: YES
300 -- public programs; citizens: YES
301 -- methamphetamine; probation ineligibility: YES

302 -- State legislators' salaries: YES
Generally opposed to adding government costs, but the current $24,000 salary is way too low, and a higher salary will allow more qualified candidates to run.

ARIZONA SUPREME COURT
Hurwitz, Andrew NO
McGregor, Ruth NO
Kessler, Donn NO
Norris, Patricia NO
Portley, Maurice YES

COURT OF APPEALS
Brammer, William NO
Eckerstrom, Peter NO
Espinosa, Philip YES

MARICOPA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT
Barton, Janet NO
Burke, Edward YES
Fenzel, Alfred YES
Ishikawa, Brian YES
Jones, Michael YES
Mundell, Barbara Rodriguez NO