Pubdate: Wed, 16 Jun 2004
Source: Reno Gazette-Journal (NV)
Copyright: 2004 Reno Gazette-Journal
Contact: http://www.rgj.com/helpdesk/news/letter_to_editor.php
Website: http://www.rgj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/363
Author: Anjeanette Damon
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/props.htm (Ballot Initiatives)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/marijuana+initiative
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

3 MORE PETITIONS MAKE DEADLINE, FACE VALIDATION

Backers of another three citizen initiative petitions turned in signatures 
Tuesday, while organizers of petitions to repeal last year's $833 million 
state tax increase and prohibit public employees from serving in the 
Legislature won more time to gather signatures.

If the signatures turned in to county clerks and voter registrars across 
the state are valid, voters will decide at least six proposals to amend the 
state constitution on Nov. 2. If the measures pass this year, they will be 
put to a second vote in 2006.

The six petitions for which more than 51,000 signatures were submitted 
include measures to legalize marijuana, raise the state's minimum wage to 
$1 above the federal minimum wage of $5.15, roll back casualty insurance 
rates, and make lawyers who file frivolous lawsuits responsible for paying 
resulting fines. Also proposed are two education measures prompted by a 
legislative stalemate over new taxes and the schools budget last year.

Organizers seeking to repeal the record tax increase passed by the 
Legislature last year and another to prohibit government employees from 
serving as lawmakers convinced a Clark County judge to extend their 
deadline to July 20.

Nevadans for Sound Government, headed by the Nevada Independent American 
Party, argued that harassment from government employees prevented them from 
gathering enough signatures by the deadlines. The tax-repeal petition was 
due May 18, and the public employees petition was due Tuesday.

The only petition for which organizers failed to turn in signatures was a 
measure to roll back property tax rates and control how fast the rates 
could increase.

Dan Burk, Washoe County voter registrar, said his office received a call 
that Assemblywoman Sharron Angle, R-Reno, who organized the effort, would 
be turning in the signatures. But she did not make it before the office 
closed at 5 p.m., he said.

"It's too late now," he said just after 5 p.m.

Angle could not be reached for comment.

To qualify for the ballot, petition backers must turn in signatures equal 
to 10 percent of those who voted in the 2002 election in 13 of Nevada's 17 
counties. County clerks and voter registrars across the state must count 
the signatures, then verify that 5 percent are valid from registered voters.

Burk said the record number of petitions that his office must verify is 
straining his resources. Besides counting signatures, Burk is trying to 
train his staff and 900 election workers on the new electronic voting 
machines the county is using for the first time in the Sept. 7 primary.

Clark County District Judge Kenneth Cory's decision to extend the deadline 
for two additional petitions only will make things more difficult, Burk said.

"The compounding effect of this is really, really putting the county at 
risk of not being able to administer this primary election effectively," he 
said.

Burk said he will have to hire temporary workers to help verify the signatures.

Six petitions have been turned in to have signatures verified. They are 
measures to:

* Require lawmakers to fund education at the national average of per-pupil 
spending.

* Require lawmakers to fund education before any other part of the state 
budget.

* Raise Nevada's minimum wage to $1 above the federal minimum wage of $5.15.

* Roll back casualty insurance rates 20 percent that also could eliminate 
caps on jury awards for economic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits.

* Make lawyers who file frivolous lawsuits responsible for any fines or 
fees that result from the litigation.

* Make it legal for adults to possess one ounce of marijuana and would 
stiffen penalties for driving under the influence of the drug and for 
giving marijuana to minors.
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MAP posted-by: Beth