Proposition 121 limits the choices available to Arizonans by eliminating all candidates but two for any state-or-lower level office.  It basically creates an open primary, likely to attract schemers of all stripes, followed by a general election in which voters will have less chance.  In reality, this system may lead to general elections where both candidates are from the same party.  Third party candidates are unlikely to pass this, they may leave as well.

Proposition 204 is a permanent one-cent increase in the state sales tax.  It will raise taxes by $1 billion annually, and will be in effect indefinitely.  The only way that the spending and taxes created by Prop 204 can be changed is to repeal the law at the ballot box.  This is something that will make it difficult for the legislature to respond to future economic conditions in the state.

The Presidential race is very important, but don’t let it become a distraction from other important fights both around the country and here in Arizona.  Of course there are other federal races that have attracted a lot of attention in the House and Senate.  But these state-level ballot initiatives are issues where Arizona voters will see a huge impact — especially if they pass.

Americans for Responsible Leadership encourages Arizonans to Vote no on 121 and 204. For more information, visit Proposition 121′s Website or Proposition 204′s Facebook Page.

Education is important, and Arizona’s public school system is in need of reform.  Prop 204 does not provide that reform; it is a simplistic attempt to fix all of the problems that exist within the system by shoveling money at it.  Worse, there is minimal oversight or accountability for how those funds would be spent.  For example, in the section on college funding, universities are given permission to use the money on construction projects.  That won’t help students to write better papers or become more proficient with mathematics, but it will pad the pockets of contractors in the state.

But easily the worst aspect of Prop 204 is that once it has been passed, it cannot easily be changed.  It would immediately create a billion dollars in new taxes and new spending, and it would continue to do that every year unless it is repealed.  Arizona’s leadership has reduced spending and debt at the state level, responding to the conditions in the economy and the corresponding levels of available revenue.  Prop 204 would tie their hands and make it impossible for our elected officials to do their jobs.  Americans for Responsible Leadership urges you to vote NO on Prop 204.

The latest video from Arizona’s Free Enterprise Club highlight’s the Proposition’s problems:

If you want to learn more about Arizona’s Proposition 204 and why Arizona families should oppose it, please visit their webpage or their Facebook page.

Americans for Responsible Leadership continues to oppose Arizona’s Prop 121 ballot initiative, which would implement an open primary.  An open primary would not be good for Arizona because it would have unintended consequences and reduce choice.

Doing away with the party primary system would leave voters trying to determine which candidates among a crowded field are actually legitimate players and which are only on the ballot for misleading purposes.  It would be in the interest of the parties to try and have both general election candidates be from their “team”, so they would collude and scheme in an attempt to rig the outcome of the primary.

All of this is in an effort to reduce the choices available to voters during the general election.  Arizona’s open primary initiative would marginalize the voices of third parties, as only two candidates are allowed on the general election.  And when parties succeed in getting two of their candidates through the primary, it leaves voters who aren’t affiliated with that party with no choice whatsoever in the general election.  This is a frequent outcome of open primaries in California, where Republicans, Independents, and third-party voters are left without candidates they would want to support in a general election.  Arizonans should be wary of the idealistic-sounding pitch for Prop 121, because open primaries are really designed to minimize the influence of elections on politics — not the other way around.

Voters should be prepared to strike down Proposition 121. You can find more information on Save our Vote AZ’s website or Facebook Page.

Arizona voters should pause and examine the false claim in Proposition 121 that the measure would provide more choices in primary elections and reduce strongly held views on the left and the right.

The misguided measure – the Open Elections/Open Government initiative – would breed electoral chaos, confusing voters and destroying any guide to candidate identity.

The initiative would abolish party primaries and create one primary open to all candidates and all voters. Candidates could run with a party label or no affiliation at all. The top two finishers in the primary would face off in the general election.

The fatal flaw in the scheme is the end of the role of political parties that vet and select candidates that reflect their views. Any candidate could run as a Republican, Democrat, or a representative of a third party.

Read more here.

As Election Day approaches, small-business owners are beginning to get lots of notice, especially from vote-seeking candidates who express admiration for their ability to create jobs and keep the nation’s economy afloat. But when these hard-working entrepreneurs become the center of attention for federal bureaucrats, it’s time to start worrying.

Read more here.

Proposition 204 is Trojan Horse, an everyday bait and switch scheme of special interests. Prop 204 is a ballot initiative aimed at increasing education funding while hiding a grab bag of scattershot spending to appease special interests.

Labeled the Quality Education and Jobs Initiative, Proposition 204 sends billions to the education bureaucracy. It also provides millions for program such as health services and infrastructure that should be treated as separate issues.

The Proposition 204 scheme leaves voters hopelessly confused, unable to wade through the complex spending programs while thinking they are voting for increased funding for students and teachers.

Read more here.

SACRAMENTO – California’s reputation for electing ideologues has been a source of endless frustration in the Capitol, allowing the most ardent liberals and conservatives to hold up legislation and block approval of the state budget until one or two finally compromise.

Starting this week, it was supposed to be different. When voters passed a 2010 initiative to move the top two candidates in each race on to the general election regardless of party affiliation, the goal was to give moderate voters the opportunity to cross party lines in primary elections to elect more moderate lawmakers.

But for the majority of districts in Tuesday’s open primary, political observers said, that was not the case.

“It’s business as usual,” said Scott Lay, a political blogger and Community College League of California president and CEO.

Read more here.