Pubdate: Sun, 03 Nov 2002
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2002 The New York Times Company
Contact:  http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Christopher Marquis

VOTERS TO CONSIDER BALLOT PROPOSALS

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 - Voters in dozens of states will face a series of 
initiatives and referendums when they go to the polls next week, including 
proposals to expand after-school programs in California, abolish bilingual 
education in Massachusetts, decriminalize Nevadans' personal use of 
marijuana and, in Florida, set new guidelines for the confinement of 
pregnant pigs.

Oregon has two of the most closely watched and intensely fought ballot 
initiatives. The more ambitious would provide comprehensive health care for 
all residents, with financing coming in part from new personal income and 
payroll taxes. A second measure would require labels identifying 
genetically engineered foods sold in the state.

Such proposals are among 203 measures, including 49 citizens' initiatives, 
in 40 states. Fueled by petitions, the citizens' initiatives seek to bypass 
the traditional legislative process and compel a popular vote on a 
sensitive question. The process, which became well known during the 1970's 
tax revolt in California and gained steam throughout the 90's on issues 
like term limits, appears to be falling out of favor, with 20 fewer 
initiatives on the ballot this year than in 2000, analysts say.

The traditional questions that appeared on ballots over the past decade - 
campaign finance reform, tax limitations and term limits - have largely 
been replaced by measures involving education, drug policy and election 
processes, said Jennie Drage Bowser, a policy analyst at the National 
Conference of State Legislatures in Denver.

"The darlings of the initiative movement are missing this year," she said. 
"The term limit movement has clearly run out of steam."

Another visible change has been the increasing presence of national 
interest groups behind certain initiatives. National organizations 
promoting changes in drug policy, education and animal rights have provided 
critical help in placing initiatives on ballots.

"It's becoming less common to see grass-roots, homegrown ideas," Ms. Bower 
said. "It's almost as if these groups have found a new way to achieve their 
policy goals."

On education, there are 11 citizen initiatives and 13 measures referred to 
voters by State Legislatures.

Voters in Massachusetts and Colorado will consider proposals to ban 
bilingual education in public schools in favor of English immersion 
programs. The measures are sponsored by Ron K. Unz, the Silicon Valley 
entrepreneur who successfully led similar initiatives in California in 1998 
and in Arizona in 2000.

Mr. Unz predicted that Question 2 would prevail in Massachusetts, despite 
what he said was the united opposition of elected officials and the failure 
of his group to spend any money on advertising in the state. "We're in a 
very strong position," he said. But a well-financed drive against Amendment 
31 in Colorado suggests "it's going to be a lot tougher" there, he said.

There are many spending measures. In California, the legislature has put 
$12.5 billion in school bond measures on the ballot. Arnold Schwarzenegger, 
the actor and a possible candidate for governor in 2006, has promoted an 
initiative that would expand tutoring and other after-school programs at a 
cost officials estimate at $400 million a year.

In Florida, an initiative would require the state to offer free preschool 
for all 4-year-old children, at an estimated cost of $277 million a year.

North Dakota, seeking to keep its young residents, would partly reimburse 
them for student loans and establish a $1,000 annual tax credit for five 
years for residents 21 to 25.

On drug policy, measures in the District of Columbia and Ohio would require 
that certain nonviolent drug users be given substance abuse treatment 
rather than face jail.

In Nevada, voters will be asked to legalize the possession of up to three 
ounces of marijuana for anyone 21 years or older. Question 9 would also 
require the state to regulate the sale of marijuana to medical patients.

"It's clear there is a trend against the drug war and in the failure to 
reform drug laws," said Ethan Nadelmann, the executive director of the Drug 
Policy Alliance.

Law enforcement groups say leniency will encourage people to try drugs. 
"Nothing focuses the mind like adverse consequences," said Jim Pasco, a 
spokesman for the Fraternal Order of Police in Washington.

On election reform, voters in California and Colorado will consider 
initiatives that would allow same-day registration at the polls. Advocates 
say the procedure, in place in six states, has increased voter turnout.

On term limits, only a few states are weighing in, because most of those 
with initiative authority have already acted. The most contentious issue is 
in Idaho, where a referendum tries to overcome the State Legislature's 
repeal of term limits.

Two states are considering significant tax cuts. Arkansas voters face an 
initiative to do away with taxes on food and medicine, at an estimated cost 
of $562 million a year. In heavily taxed Massachusetts, Question 1 would 
eliminate the state's personal income tax, eliminating as much as $9 
billion in annual revenues.

In California and Washington, ballot propositions would compel spending on 
easing traffic flows. California's Proposition 51 would dedicate 30 percent 
of some revenues on car sales from a general fund to a traffic relief fund. 
In Washington, a proposed 9 cent per gallon increase in the gasoline tax 
would help pay for a $7.7 billion investment in transit.

Animal rights advocates have placed several initiatives on the ballot, 
including calls to curtail cockfighting in Oklahoma and Arkansas. In 
Florida, voters will decide whether to make it illegal to cage a pregnant 
sow. The Humane Society says "gestation crates" used in hog farms are too 
restrictive and cruel.

Hunters and trappers have sought to counter the proliferation of animal 
welfare initiatives in some states, including Oklahoma, which would nearly 
double the number of signatures required to get on the ballot.

Perhaps inevitably, there are more initiatives on initiatives. Voters in 
four states - Florida, Montana, Oklahoma and Oregon - will be asked to 
amend their initiative process. In Florida, the proposal requires that an 
economic impact report accompany all proposed amendments to the 
Constitution that the Legislature presents to voters.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens