Pubdate: Fri, 13 Sep 2002
Source: Arizona Republic (AZ)
Copyright: 2002 The Arizona Republic
Contact:  http://www.arizonarepublic.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: Elvia Diaz

EXPECT ONSLAUGHT OF ADS FOR PROPOSITIONS ON BALLOT

The war of words aimed at persuading you to vote in November for a range of 
ballot initiatives from medical marijuana to Indian gaming and a tobacco 
sales tax hike will soon fill the airwaves and inundate your mailbox.

Television spots began airing Thursday promoting Proposition 201, which 
would let racetracks operate slot machines and promises to add millions of 
dollars to the state's coffers.

The commercial features a man named Joe challenging voters to do the math 
to determine which of the three Indian gaming propositions is best for Arizona.

The competing gaming measures are expected to beef up their respective 
campaigns as early as this weekend.

Today, advocates of Proposition 200, backed by the Colorado River Indian 
Tribes, will call for a series of debates among the chief proponents of the 
three competing gaming initiatives on the Nov. 5 ballot. They also started 
setting up campaign signs this week in rural Arizona and plan to do the 
same in the Valley within the next few days, spokesman Jason Rose said.

The gaming propositions would continue casino-style gambling on the 
reservations, but with different requirements for regulation, revenue- 
sharing, and the number of slot machines and other games.

"We will be reaching everyone in the state in one way or another," said 
David LaSarte, spokesman for Proposition 202, which keeps gaming at the 
reservations and is backed by a 17-tribe coalition. "The challenge will be 
to get the facts out."

At the end of August, the coalition had $3.58 million for a campaign that 
will include radio, television, mailers and grass-roots efforts, LaSarte said.

Another well-financed initiative is Proposition 303, which would increase 
the tobacco tax by 60 cents a pack. At the end of August, the campaign had 
$454,000, which will go mostly to buy television ads and direct mail, said 
Jody Kent, a spokeswoman for the measure.

If approved by voters in November, Proposition 303 would raise about $149 
million per year. The money would pay for health care for working and 
uninsured families and to keep emergency rooms and trauma centers open, 
Kent said.

"We really expect the tobacco companies to step in and fight this measure," 
she said. "This initiative is too important for Arizonans. It protects kids 
from smoking."

Tom Ryan, an official with Philip Morris U.S.A in New York, said he can't 
speculate what the company might do to fight the initiative.

"We don't think the proposal makes fiscal sense," he said. "We will 
continue to communicate that message."

Meanwhile, three contributors have shelled out $386,000 this year to back 
Proposition 203, a drug initiative requiring a state agency to distribute 
marijuana to the ill every month as long as they obtain a recommendation 
from a physician.

It would also decriminalize small amounts of the drug.

Supporters of the measure, backed primarily by University of Phoenix 
founder John Sperling, had spent most of the money and had only $86 left as 
of last month. But Sperling and others are expected to keep writing big 
checks to finance the campaign, spokesman Sam Vagenas said.

"People are familiar with the concept," said Vagenas, adding the campaign 
plans to start airing radio and television ads next month.

Opponents are counting on getting the word out by attending events across 
the state and hope to get Sperling to debate the issue.

"We're going to be competing against 30-second commercials," said Troy 
Corder, spokesman for Battleground Arizona, trying to defeat the drug 
initiative.
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MAP posted-by: Beth