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Two initiatives to appear on Arizona ballot in November
After extensive court battles, only two citizen initiatives will appear on the November ballot. The fight now shifts to the court of public opinion where Arizona voters will decide the fate of the following proposals:
Proposition 207 – Smart and Safe Arizona Act
- Seeks to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, allowing adults (21+) to possess as much as an ounce of marijuana, and proposes a 16% excise tax (the same as cigarettes and alcohol), with new revenues directed mostly toward community colleges and public safety. Also requires the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) to establish recreational marijuana regulations on or before June 1, 2021.
- You can find the full text here.
Proposition 208 – Invest in Education Act
- Creates a 3.5% tax surcharge on incomes of more than $250,000 for individual filers and $500,000 for couples, with the revenue going to fund K-12 schools. Similar to what educators proposed two years ago, this version of the “Invest in Ed” measure would raise an estimated $940 million annually for public education.
- You can find the full text here.
Triadvocates has put together an in-depth overview of both ballot initiatives, which you can download here.
As a refresher, the Arizona Constitution restricts the ability of the Legislature to amend an approved initiative or divert monies allocated by a voter-approved ballot measure. If passed, any future changes to statute may be made only if approved by at least three-fourths of the Legislature, with the amendment limited to furthering the purposes of the initiative—or if the voters pass a new ballot measure.
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