True, but cuts it from 16 down to 12. I know they can come back for more but would at least be running against an incumbent. I think we have the same goal of less power to an individual. Im just still deciding which does that more effectively.
Proposal to the mods: A political thread from now until day after election?
- Thread starter smallmouthhog
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I'm reading the full text on it for the first time instead of the ballot blurb. The break after the 12 years essentially functions as a reset then right? Right now you can serve a maximum of 16 years over the course of a lifetime.
Arkansas Issue 2, Change State Legislative Term Limits Amendment (2020)
Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics
That's where I'm on the fence with it. Guaranteeing that were kicking someone out after 12 years is appealing. Maybe they come back, maybe they don't.
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I'm reading the full text on it for the first time instead of the ballot blurb. The break after the 12 years essentially functions as a reset then right? Right now you can serve a maximum of 16 years over the course of a lifetime.
Arkansas Issue 2, Change State Legislative Term Limits Amendment (2020)
Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politicsballotpedia.org
Correct. If you are in office for 12 consecutive years you take a 4 year break. If you run again after that, and win, you can get another 12 if you continue to be re-elected
Alright. For some reason, I initially read it as take a four year break and then you can have one more term. I am very much pro-term limits and age limits at all levels of government and in all branches.
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The wording on that one is going to confuse a lot of people that don't pay close attention.
Correct. To me, it’s an end around term limits. If you’ve been in for 12 years you’re firmly entrenched. Allowing them to basically take lobbying gigs for four years, make a ton of cash, and then go back to legislating seems much more open for corruption than 16 year limit.I'm reading the full text on it for the first time instead of the ballot blurb. The break after the 12 years essentially functions as a reset then right? Right now you can serve a maximum of 16 years over the course of a lifetime.
Arkansas Issue 2, Change State Legislative Term Limits Amendment (2020)
Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics
Anyone have thoughts on this? Measure 3. I am firmly no. I'd like to hear a pro-argument. Here's what it aims to do:
ballotpedia.org
- require that a petition must contain valid signatures equaling at least half of the required percentage of signatures from each of 45 counties instead of the current requirement of 15 counties;
- require a three-fifths vote of both chambers of the legislature to refer a proposed constitutional amendment to voters;
- eliminate the option for petitioners to collect extra signatures for 30 days if the petition fails to meet the signature requirement but the petition has at least 75% of the valid signatures needed;
- require challenges to the sufficiency of any ballot measure to be filed no later than April 15 of the election year; and
- require signatures for citizen initiative petitions to be submitted to the secretary of state by January 15 of the election year rather than the current deadline of four months before the election.
Arkansas Issue 3, Initiative Process and Legislative Referral Requirements Amendment (2020)
Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics
Blatant power grab by the state legislature. This is a direct response to the people of Arkansas passing medical marijuana against the wishes of our pearl clutching legislators.Anyone have thoughts on this? Measure 3. I am firmly no. I'd like to hear a pro-argument. Here's what it aims to do:
- require that a petition must contain valid signatures equaling at least half of the required percentage of signatures from each of 45 counties instead of the current requirement of 15 counties;
- require a three-fifths vote of both chambers of the legislature to refer a proposed constitutional amendment to voters;
- eliminate the option for petitioners to collect extra signatures for 30 days if the petition fails to meet the signature requirement but the petition has at least 75% of the valid signatures needed;
- require challenges to the sufficiency of any ballot measure to be filed no later than April 15 of the election year; and
- require signatures for citizen initiative petitions to be submitted to the secretary of state by January 15 of the election year rather than the current deadline of four months before the election.
Arkansas Issue 3, Initiative Process and Legislative Referral Requirements Amendment (2020)
Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics
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How do we feel about Issue 1? Making the sales tax part of the state constitution?
Pretty sure I read somewhere that the state took a million from that find and gave it to someone else so that it wasn't used for roads.
Pretty sure I read somewhere that the state took a million from that find and gave it to someone else so that it wasn't used for roads.
That's certainly how I see it. The thresholds and deadlines are absurd. I heard one pro-argument that said right now when people want signatures they just go to the most populated areas, Little Rock and NWA, and that is supposed to spread out signature requirements to include those in more rural areas. I can buy that well enough.
But 3/5 vote in the House and Senate, no grace period for extra signatures, six fewer months to collect signatures. What? The initiative and referendum system were established over a century ago specifically to give people more democratic power in order to clean up and limit government. Trying to limit those prospects seems to justify their entire existence.
I’m a hard no on that one too. Our state government has a horrible track record on things like this. It won’t be too long before it’s a slush fund for the state. If our roads needed repaired that bad, Asa should have done that instead of giving a massive tax cut for the richest among us.
*edit
In all sense of fairness, that tax cut lowered my taxes. Not that I’m complaining about my taxes being lowered, but don’t lower my taxes and then beg for more taxes from everyone else a couple of years later.
Exactly right. It basically makes it next to impossible for citizen driven ballot issues to successfully get on the ballot. It’s basically telling the citizens we aren't capable of making good decisions for ourselves. We need them to do it for us. No thanks.
So this is taking a current tax and adding it to the constitution. This means we essentially break even as the tax is already being paid. The pro-argument appears to be that it will generate jobs (3600+ yearly) and 8.2 billion in revenue over the next decade. The against is that we already have the 2nd highest sales tax nationally (I'd like to see a citation for that as I don't know if that's true) and that this enshrines the tax as a permanent fixture in our constitution.
The current tax as it stands exists through 2023 anyway as I understand it. I'd be more comfortable voting to extend or decline it on every 2 or 4 years.
Arkansas Issue 1, Transportation Sales Tax Continuation Amendment (2020)
Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics
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So this is taking a current tax and adding it to the constitution. This means we essentially break even as the tax is already being paid. The pro-argument appears to be that it will generate jobs (3600+ yearly) and 8.2 billion in revenue over the next decade. The against is that we already have the 2nd highest sales tax nationally (I'd like to see a citation for that as I don't know if that's true) and that this enshrines the tax as a permanent fixture in our constitution.
The current tax as it stands exists through 2023 anyway as I understand it. I'd be more comfortable voting to extend or decline it on every 2 or 4 years.
Arkansas Issue 1, Transportation Sales Tax Continuation Amendment (2020)
Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics
I'll probably vote No as making it part of the constitution will make it hard to remove. Like you, is rather vote to extend our decline every 4 to 8 years.
Im trying to understand the argument for how this could be good for people. Is there a reason that 15 counties is an easily manipulated thing right now? I could see some scenarios where our current standard is too simple but even if that is true the measures this takes seems like a huge swing the other way.
I would love for someone in favor of this to sell me on it.
You’ll probably have to talk to a legislator. They’re the ones pushing this for a reason.
It seems like the 15 counties thing is to keep someone from just focusing on the most heavily populated counties for support, to keep Little Rock and NWA from being able to ram through ballot initiatives.
I like the idea of forcing ballot challenges to be done earlier as well. Think how many times over the past several elections we've had issues which had a decent chance of passing removed at or near the last minute due to some challenge over a ballot title or something relatively insignificant.
I'm not going to say I'm in favor of it yet. My default response on any ballot initiative is NO until I can be convinced otherwise. From the initial reading I still have a lot of concerns that would keep me from changing my mind. Like others here, I'm very reluctant to do anything that gives our legislature more power that they could potentially abuse.
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They're definitely not. If you take the time to actually read then, it's easy to tell that both suck.
It an attempt to keep full mj legalization off the ballot. It will be legalized federally before it will go on the ballot here. It would pAss here and they know it.
I thought it was just 1 (DOT Sales Tax Continuance), 2 (State Legislature Term Limits or Lack Thereof), and 3 (Petition Shenanigans).
Yup. Imagine being of the opinion that raising taxes by constitutional amendment is a better way to get cash on hand to fix roads than legalization of recreational weed. That’s how our state government thinks, and the kicker is, they mostly claim to be conservative.
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How many people take the time to read and research before voting? If you just read the title for the term limits issue you would think that a "yes" vote is for enacting term limits instead of disabling them.
On the ballot it usually spells it out “a yes vote means....a no vote means....” I believe.
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I am undecided........................................................................... about how many mail in ballots I'm going to submit.
there's a reason why there are minimum age requirements for elected officials. lol......
That's why you're on thin ice.
You keep putting everyone on thin ice. Have you ever considered that you’re the problem?
And are you ever going to tell @nikkichavanelle what flashing stacks is? We are all waiting to laugh at her for not knowing.
Having a political thread on this board makes no sense. Nothing good comes from of it and it only turns Hog fan against Hog fan.
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