Tea-Publicans assault the Voter Protection Act

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Speaking of the Voter Protection Act, Prop. 105 (1998), the Tea-Publicans are assaulting this provision, and your rights also. They really don't like citizens passing initiatives telling them what to do. (That's reserved for lobbyists who contribute to their campaigns). Now they want to "sunset" review all citizen initiatives since 1998. Lawmaker: Have voter-approved measures face reauthorization – Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required):

In 1998, Arizona voters decided to bar the Legislature from making changes to initiatives and referendums without a three–quarters vote in each house.

Rep. Chester Crandell, R–Heber has proposed that any voter-approved measure using public funds later face reauthorization votes by the public.

HCR 2005, which would refer the matter to the general election ballot, was scheduled for a hearing Thursday [at 9:00 am.] before the House Judiciary Committee.

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The resolution would require that all voter–approved statewide measures involving money be returned to the ballot after five fiscal years. If voters reauthorize a measure, it would face another vote after six years.

An independent audit report with recommendations would be issued to voters at least 60 days before an election.

Crandell’s measure would cover initiatives and referendums back to 1998. Those already on the books would face reauthorization votes in stages beginning in 2014.

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Zachary A. Smith, a regents’ professor at Northern Arizona University’s Department of Politics and International Affairs, said the underlying purpose of the resolution is persuading voters to overturn measures. It also would hurt the original supporters of a measure because they would have to mount another campaign to defend it, he said.

“The public has voted and decided what they want,” he said. “Now they have to go back and look at it again just because the Legislature doesn’t like it.”

If you have been paying attention, our Tea-Publican legislature is in the process of referring to the ballot this November a repeal of just about every citizens initiative enacted by Arizona voters in the past 20-30 years. They will also refer to the ballot measures making citizens initiatives more difficult to bring in the future.

Under Arizona's Constitution the citizens are a "super legislature" superior to our elected representatives in the state legislature. The citizens have the power to enact their own laws. Our Tea-Publican legislators hate this. This is a power grab by lobbyist-owned legislators that the voters should not enable by sacrificing your rights as citizens of Arizona.