You read that right. Not New Year’s resolutions that nobody keeps. “Propositions” to frame the 2016 ballot, for which the hard work must begin now.
Democrats in Arizona have for far too long been passive and playing defense, i.e., trying to stop a bad GOP bill from passing now and then.
When is the last time Democrats went on offense with an aggressive policy agenda in the Arizona legislature and/or through citizens initiatives?
This calls for a dual track strategy: submit a bill and file a citizens initiative, pursue both at the same time. Yes I am well aware that initiatives cost tons of money. But the cost of doing nothing is much higher, as Democrats learned to their dismay in 201o and 2014.
Tax Reform
The first priority for Arizona is to get its fiscal house in order. This means long overdue tax reforms to end structural revenue deficits, and in order to accomplish this Arizonans must first repeal the anti-democratic Proposition 108 (1992), which requires a two-thirds super-majority vote of each chamber of the legislature to impose any new tax or higher tax rate, or to reduce or eliminate any special interest tax exemption or tax credit.
No tax reforms are remotely possible so long as a tyranny of a minority of anti-tax zealots and defenders of special interest tax exemptions and credits can prevent any meaningful tax reforms.
With the bloodletting over proposed budget cuts coming as soon as next week, now is the time to be circulating petitions among angry Arizonans for the repeal of Prop. 108. Should the courts agree with Tea-Publican legislators that Gov. Brewer’s Medicaid (AHCCCS) expansion plan required a two-thirds vote because of Prop. 108, there will be 300,000 Arizonans potentially kicked off of AHCCCS, more than enough signatures to qualify repeal for the ballot. And they will be motivated voters. Get this initiative filed now!
