ALEC Ballot Proposals and Election of State Judges
I just returned from a visit to Arizona. It’s time to select a retirement location in a warmer area. I’ve read that Arizona is becoming a purple state. In order to understand the political environment there, I brought back a copy of election materials mailed to all registered voters by the SOS and Clean Elections.
In selecting that retirement location, there are things more important than sunny skies, and a budget surplus. There is education, the local legislature, and a judiciary that does not kowtow to the Koch business model on my list of must haves.
After reading both huge volumes, not an easy task, it was apparent that ALEC is on the ballot big time in Arizona. The constitutional amendments, proposed by the legislature are right out of the ALEC play book. The goal appears to pass several controversial proposals under cover of the election. I’ve selected a few to highlight.
For example:
Prop. 115, change the selection, election and terms for judges (skew the judicial toward business and ideological bias)
Prop. 117, change property tax valuations (reduced funding of public schools)
Prop. 118, change the distribution formula of state trust funds for education
Prop. 119, allow the legislature to determine the sale, lease and use of state trust lands
Prop. 121, ballot access for the top two contenders in a primary (skewed to favor Republicans, and Teapulicans as they tend to turn out in larger numbers during primaries)
Thank the heavens; the one voter initiate is Prop. 204. It is intended to prevent the legislature from reallocating funds from a sales tax intended to fund public schools. As you can imagine, the airwaves are filled with Koch funded advertising opposing this.
The final section on voting 2012 is the selection of judges. This is where I need your help. Where can I go to determine which judges have an ideological bias, trying to legislate from the bench? My friends in Arizona asked me this question, and I don’t have a clue. Is there a reliable source on the internet?
