Thursday Round Up: Oregon, Arizona and Colorado

Joe Mathews — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:19:00 -0400

OREGON GAMING MEASURE DROPPED: Backers of an initiative to establish Oregon's first non-tribal private casino say they've decided not to go forward. They could revive the proposals, but want to see how proposals for two tribal casinos fare first.

IMMIGRATION COPS: The Arizona legislator who wants to allow police officers to enforce immigration laws is pursuing dual tracks -- a ballot initiative and legislation at the same time. The initiative is back-up, he explains.

COLORADO GOV RAIN ON SPEAKER's INITIATIVE: Gov. Bill RItter, a Democrat, questions the political strategy behind an effort by the Democratic House speaker in his state to qualify a measure lifting some of the state's spending limits. Ritter has been trying to reduce the number of measures on the November ballot.

ONE CENT SALES TAX TO FUND TRANSPORTATION: Arizonans, including Gov. Janet Napolitano, have launched an initiative to pay for $42 billion in transporation spending with a one-cent sales tax. The full plan for how they would spend the money is due next month.

RIGHT TO WORK TAB: It cost more than $300,000 to qualify the "right-to-work" initiative in Colorado for the ballot, according to the Denver Post.

'PERSONHOOD' OPPONENT: Here's an interesting profile of the former Boulder mayor and current Planned Parenthood official who is leading the campaign against Colorado's "personhood" initiative, an anti-abortion measure that would seek to protect the unborn by giving them all the rights of human beings.

NOT COMING TO KANSAS CITY: The mayor there wants a ballot measure to establish light rail on the November ballot, but he's not getting much support.

TAKE IT TO THE PEOPLE, JR: Members of the Dallas city council are seeking a public referendum on whether the city should own a hotel development outright.

Transportation Bond

Thursday Round Up: Oregon, Arizona and Colorado