cannabisnews.com: Deadline Today for Ballot Petitions 





Deadline Today for Ballot Petitions 
Posted by FoM on August 07, 2000 at 10:52:48 PT
Medical Marijuana on the Ballot
Source: Denver Rocky Mountain News
This is the day of reckoning for Coloradans trying to get measures on the Nov. 7 general election ballot. The deadline for petitions signed by at least 62,438 qualified voters to be in Secretary of State Donetta Davidson's hands is 3 p.m. today.So far, Colorado voters can count on seeing two ballot questions placed before them by petition signers and six by state lawmakers.
A measures allowing some seriously ill people to use marijuana with a doctor's permission and another that cuts some taxes are definitely on the ballot as a result of the petition process.So are a multistate lottery proposal, a homestead exemption for senior citizens and a question of whether to tap millions of dollars of the state surplus to help public schools with math and science — all coming from the legislature.And voters are almost certain to see a ballot question that would force criminal background checks on all sales at gun shows.Supporters of that effort, who have banded together under the SAFE Colorado coalition banner, jumped the gun on the deadline by filing their petitions last week.Davidson must still check the validity of the more than 110,000 signatures SAFE turned in.At one point, petitions were being gathered for as many as 23 possible ballot questions."We won't know until after the deadline (which groups will actually file petitions)," said Lisa Pitts of the secretary of state's office. "We have 30 days in which to check signatures."Groups that plan to turn in petitions include those supporting growth control, more money for schools and delaying abortions for at least 24 hours.The Colorado Supreme Court sidetracked a controversial bilingual education ballot issue dealing with "English immersion" last month. Other potential ballot issues, including one that would have dipped into the state surplus to fix up the Colorado Capitol, simply ran out of steam.Coloradans for Responsible Growth says it will show up today with petitions for a plan to curb urban sprawl. The real-estate industry already has raised $1.2 million to fight it.The measure would force counties with more than 10,000 people and cities of 1,000 or more to get voter approval for proposed growth areas. Voters would have to be informed about the potential impact, including costs to meet school and water needs.Gary Rogers of Fort Collins, a leader in the Colorado Pro Life Alliance, said his group is putting the final touches on its petitions.The measure delays an abortion request for 24 hours to make sure a woman is fully informed of the risks involved and alternatives.Julie Phillips, a Boulder Valley School Board member and co-chairwoman of the Colorado Education Network, said her group also would be dropping off its petitions.The amendment requires that the state meet the costs of inflation and provide an additional 1 percent in funding for each of the next 10 years to bring up the level of school funding.Here's where things stand:On the Ballot:Medical marijuana: seriously ill patients could use marijuana with physician's approval.Tax cuts: annual cuts of $25 in each utility, vehicle, income and property tax now imposed.Homestead exemption: Colorado residents over 65 would get property tax relief on residential property where they've lived at least 10 years.Archaic language: eliminates outdated language from the Colorado Constitution.Multistate lottery: allows Colorado to join multistate lotteries such as Powerball or Bill Ball or a new venture with excess revenues earmarked for school construction.Redistricting: sets new deadlines in 2001 for the Colorado Reapportionment Commission to redistrict legislative seats.County surveyors: allows counties to appoint rather than elect county surveyors.School grants: gives $250 million of state surplus during the next five years to school science and math improvement grants.Petitions filedGuns: a criminal background check would be run on all buyers at gun shows, not just those purchasing guns from federally licensed dealers.Petitions that will be filed:Woman's right to know: delays abortions for 24 hours to make sure a woman is informed of risks and alternatives.School funding: state would have to increase school funding by the rate of inflation annually plus an additional 1 percent for each of the next 10 years.Growth control: Cities and counties would have to get voter approval for future growth areas and provide voters with potential impact of growth plan on schools, roads, water and other needs.Contact: letters denver-rmn.com By John Sanko, Denver Rocky Mountain News Capitol BureauE-mail: sankoj rockymountainnews.comPublished: August 7, 2000 © Copyright, Denver Publishing Co.Related Articles & Web Sites:Drug Policy Forum of Coloradohttp://www.drugsense.org/dpfco/Coloradans For Medical Rights http://www.medicalmarijuana.com/Popular Themes for Ballot Initiatives http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6493.shtml Ballot Measures Start Out Strong http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6116.shtml 
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