Left has momentum on initiatives

A blue wave in Arizona election races in November may be overstating things. But ballot measures could energize Democratic voters and in ways political offices may not.

A blue wave in Arizona election races in November may be overstating things.

But ballot measures could energize Democratic voters and in ways political offices may not.

There are four high-profile propositions that are backed by or associated with progressives, dealing with public education, clean energy and disclosure of campaign donations. The measures also have enough of a populist feel that they may draw the support, too, of s wing or independent voters.

Signature petitions for three of them were submitted last week, and one or more may face a legal challenge before officially qualifying for the Nov. 6 ballot. The four:

PROPOSITION 305: A referendum on the Legislature-approved expansion of vouchers for students to attend private schools.

SOS Arizona — the small group of parents that relied on volunteers to gather signatures — is seeking to halt a program popular with conservatives who view it as parental choice and free-market competition.

SOS Arizona argues that the voucher expansion would further divert money from financially strapped public schools and benefit the rich.

INVEST IN EDUCATION ACT: A taxthe-rich initiative that rode the momentum of the #RedforEd movement.

The left-leaning Arizona Center for Economic Progress, led by Democratic former state lawmaker David Lujan, based the initiative on polling that shows Arizonans would support raising the marginal income-tax rates of those earning more than $250,000 (individual) or $500,000 (household).

It may smack of class warfare, but against a backdrop of tax cuts in recent years that disproportionately benefited corporations and top earners, support has coalesced among children advocates, teachers and unions.

OUTLAW “DIRTY MONEY”: The measure would amend the state Constitution and require anyone spending more than $10,000 to oppose or support candidates or ballot measures to reveal donors who contributed $2,500 or more.

The initiative is pushed by a coalition that includes former Republican attorneys general Tom Horne and Grant Woods, but the war against “dark money” inarguably has been waged more vigorously by the left.

That notion is one of business interests, represented by chambers of commerce, the realtors association and the like, favoring the laissez-faire approach to oversight and regulations of conservatives over Democrats. It’s a narrative that sells given the governor’s office, other statewide offices and the Legislature are controlled by Republicans.

CLEAN ENERGY FOR A HEALTHY ARIZONA: An initiative that offers the starkest contrast among ballot questions between progressives and conservatives. The measure would require electric companies to get half of their electricity by 2030 from renewable sources, such as solar and wind.

The initiative is funded heavily by California billionaire and Democratic activist Tom Steyer and is opposed by APS, the state’s largest utility. Adding to the intrigue is the “dark money” role that APS is believed to have played in the 2014 elections, including the campaigns of GOP candidates for the Arizona Corporation Commission that regulates utilities.

The measures could animate Democrats.

The left certainly feels great momentum, given the closer than expected results in the Congressional District 8 special election in April and the fielding of young, largely women, first-time candidates in various races.

Ballot issues alone don’t the carry the day, of course.

In 2016, a minimum-wage hike championed by progressives won passage by more than 16 percentage points, and a flawed recreational-marijuana measure came within 2 to 3 points of winning. But they didn’t materially alter any of the congressional or state races.

And despite the rise of a vocal left following the election of Donald Trump, Republicans in Arizona retain a registration advantage of nearly 170,000 over Democrats. (Who and what independents throw their support behind — they make up roughly a third of the electorate — will shape the outcome on key contests.)

Nonetheless, this election may present an opening for progressives.

Between a #RedForEd groundswell that forced a conservative Republican governor and statehouse to capitulate and an Invest in Education campaign that produced 270,000 signatures in about 10 weeks, momentum points to the left.

At the very least, on the issues it is taking directly to the voters.