With a presidential and gubernatorial election coming this November, it’s pretty easy to lose track of how statewide initiative gathering is coming this summer. But believe it or not, next Thursday July 3, is the deadline for turning in signatures for measures that proponents want to appear on the November 2008 ballot.
So far, the two most high profile ballot measures (I-985 and I-1000) seem to have managed to turn in at least the minimum 225,000 signatures required, but the campaign leaders also know that they probably need to collect another 30,000 to 50,000 signatures by next Thursday because many signatures collected initially are often found to be invalid.
The two major ballot initiatives vying for a spot this November are:
Initative 985: Tim Eyman’s latest foray into the initiative world is aimed at reducing traffic congestion. The measure opens HOV lanes to all traffic during certain hours and creates a traffic congestion relief fund to be financed by using a portion of sales tax on cars, red light ticket cameras and funds set aside for art on transportation projects.
Initiative 1000: Former Governor Booth Gardner’s assisted suicide initiative which would permit physicians to help terminally ill patients end their lives. The measure is modeled after Oregon’s law which took effect in 1997.
Another measure which might also qualify is Initiative 1029 which would require newly hired long-term care workers who work with the elderly or the disabled to be certified after passing an examination and would require increased training and background checks. The initiative is modeled after legislation introduced this past legislative session which did not pass.