Proposition 105, ‘Majority Rules’

The majority of votes cast is the number currently required to pass a ballot measure; however, if proposition 105 passes this November, that could change.

Proposition 105 would require that ballot measures that establish a fee, raise a tax or mandate spending on a private organization be passed by a majority of registered voters, not just the ones who vote.

“Measures that put government spending on auto pilot need to be put in check,” said Tom Jenney, Arizona Director of the Americans for Prosperity, a non-profit grassroots organization that promotes the rights of taxpayers.

Jenney added that because of voter-approved spending mandates, the Governor and the legislature are not allowed to freeze or reduce the spending for those government programs, which eliminates flexibility when constructing a budget.

“Something like 60 percent of the budget can’t be touched because it has these set spending figures,” Jenney said.

Steve Voeller, a Phoenix resident and supporter of the measure, said that it takes two-thirds of the legislature to increase taxes, and it should take more than 51 percent of the vote to do the same thing.

Voter turnout in Arizona is typically among the worst of all 50 states. At the Sept. 2 primary election the turnout rate was nearly 20 percent; however, 64 percent of register voters showed up at the 2006 election.

In Arizona there are 2,799,390 registered voters.

If passed, this proposition would register a ‘did not vote’ as a ‘no’ vote.

“If this measure was to pass it would be near impossible to pass any future measures of significance,” said Sandy Bahr, chapter director of the Arizona Sierra Club, a non-profit organization that promotes the environment.

Bahr added that there was little that was right about this proposed measure. “It is a constitutional right in Arizona for people to vote and create policy; this takes that away,” Bahr said.

A yes vote on proposition 105 would require the majority of registered voters to pass any initiative measure establishing, imposing or raising a tax, fee, or other revenue, or mandating a spending obligation, whether on a private person, labor organization, other private legal entity or the state, in order to become law.

A no vote would keep the status quo intact.

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