1. Arizonans to decide marijuana legalization initiative in November
2. New weekly feature: Comparing presidential candidate stances
3. Local roundup

Arizonans to decide marijuana legalization initiative in November

On Aug. 10, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs (D) announced that enough signatures were projected as valid to put Proposition 207 on the November ballot. Prop 207 would legalize the possession and use of marijuana for people 21 years and older. It would also enact a tax on marijuana sales and require the state Department of Health and Human Services to develop rules to regulate marijuana businesses. 

The proposition is the first statewide initiative to be certified for the ballot in Arizona in 2020. Three additional initiatives are undergoing signature checks.

Proposition 207 will be the second time Arizonans address marijuana legalization on the ballot. In 2016, Proposition 205, which also sought to legalize the possession and consumption of marijuana by people 21 years and older, was defeated 51.3% to 48.7%. Medical marijuana has been legal in Arizona since 2010. 

Arizona was one of five to vote on a citizen-initiated legalization measure in 2016. Voters California, Nevada, Maine, and Massachusetts approved their respective ballot measures.

Smart and Safe Arizona is the campaign behind the proposition. Their political consultant Stacy Pearson said Proposition 207 “incorporates lessons learned from the 2016 campaign, as well as from other states that have already legalized cannabis.” Whereas Proposition 205 would have established a new government agency, the Department of Marijuana Licenses and Control, Proposition 207 would make the Arizona Department of Health and Human Services responsible for adopting rules to regulate marijuana. The excise tax on marijuana sales is also 1 percentage point higher—16%—under this year’s proposal. 

Lisa James, chairperson of Arizonans for Health and Public Safety, and six other individuals are seeking a court order to remove the initiative from the ballot. Plaintiffs argued the ballot initiative is invalid because "the measure's 100-word summary is materially misleading and creates a substantial danger of fraud, confusion and unfairness.” On Aug. 7, Superior Court Judge James Smith ruled in favor of the defendants, stating that the ballot language was sufficient. On Aug. 11, James appealed the superior court’s ruling to the Arizona Supreme Court.

Eleven states and Washington, D.C., have legalized the possession and personal use of marijuana for recreational purposes. Except in Illinois and Vermont, marijuana was legalized through the ballot initiative process. 

In 2020, New Jersey and South Dakota voters will vote on ballot measures to legalize recreational marijuana in November. Signatures have also been submitted for a legalization initiative in Montana.

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New weekly feature: Comparing presidential candidate stances

We recently started a new feature in our Presidential News Briefing comparing where the four noteworthy presidential candidates stand on a specific issue. With more than 1,000 presidential candidates filed with the FEC, Ballotpedia uses the following credentials to determine who is noteworthy: candidate credentials, polling, ballot access, fundraising, and campaign trail activity. Click here for more on each of these criteria. 

We'll be including this feature in the Brew starting this week and continuing through the November election. We’re tracking more than 20 different issue stances for each candidate. Each week from now through the election, we’ll bring you a taste of that content.

This week, we're highlighting the candidates' stances on student loan debt. 

In gathering these stances, we reviewed candidates' official campaign websites for a statement related to the topic. If one was not available, we looked for an interview or speech given in the past year that mentions the topic. Candidates below are listed alphabetically.

Joe Biden (D)

Biden wrote in a Medium post, "I propose to forgive all undergraduate tuition-related federal student debt from two- and four-year public colleges and universities for debt-holders earning up to $125,000, with appropriate phase-outs to avoid a cliff. The federal government would pay the monthly payment in lieu of the borrower until the forgivable portion of the loan was paid off. This benefit would also apply to individuals holding federal student loans for tuition from private HBCUs and MSIs."

Howie Hawkins (G) 

Hawkins' campaign website states, "I would establish a progressively graduated repayment program of 10% of income above the poverty line for 20 years after leaving school, after which all remaining debt would be forgiven. The federal government can do this because 92% of student loans are federal. The program would take possession of the remaining 8% of student loans. This program would cover student debt for tuition incurred going forward at accredited private institutions. For public institutions, I support free tuition. I oppose forgiving all student debt because working-class people should not pay for all the loans of wealthy students and high-income graduates, such as a Harvard graduate who goes to work for Goldman Sachs as a researcher or financial analyst with a starting salary of $75,000."

Jo Jorgensen (L)

Jorgensen's campaign website states she opposes increasing taxes for the rich in order to reduce interest rates for student loans. She also opposes the federal government paying for tuition at four-year colleges and universities.

Donald Trump (R)

Donald Trump's campaign website states, "The Trump Administration implemented the year-round distribution of Pell grants, instead of limiting these grants to the spring and fall semesters. Low-income students will now have access to these funds over summer and winter breaks, so they can earn their degrees faster with fewer loans. The Trump Administration brought in financial experts to modernize the way FSA offers and services student loans."

Local roundup

Gilbert, Arizona mayor resigns

On Aug. 11, Gilbert, Arizona Mayor Jenn Daniels announced she was resigning effective immediately. Daniels did not cite a reason. She stated: “Thank you to those who put their trust in me to lead. You have been patient and generous, and I will always be grateful for this remarkable experience.”

Daniels identifies as a Republican. Gilbert is the 91st-largest among the top 100 cities in the U.S. by population. In those cities, 64 mayors are affiliated with the Democratic Party, 29 are affiliated with the Republican Party, three are independents, and four identify as nonpartisan or unaffiliated. 

Vice Mayor Scott Anderson will serve as interim mayor until the Gilbert Town Council appoints a replacement. 

Daniels did not file for re-election this year. The city held a general election for the position last week, with Matt Nielsen and Brigette Peterson advancing to a runoff scheduled for Nov. 3.

Other mayors of the top U.S. cities who have resigned mid-term include:

• Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton: Resigned in 2018 to run for the U.S. House

• Seattle Mayor Ed Murray: Resigned in 2017 amid sexual abuse allegations

• Corpus Christi Mayor Dan McQueen: Resigned in 2016 after a chemical leak in city water supply

Minneapolis City Council special election

Jamal Osman is leading 11 other candidates in the special election for Ward 6 that took place on Aug. 11. As of Wednesday afternoon, Osman had received 28.5% of first-choice votes to AJ Awed’s 21.9% and AK Hassan’s 13.9%. Minneapolis has used ranked-choice voting in city elections since 2009.

On April 21, the Star Tribune said of the election, "The winner will take office at a time when the city is grappling with the economic fallout from the coronavirus and struggling to balance its policy goals against a newly strapped budget. The new council member will also play a key role in determining the fate of the controversial Africa Village project."

The seat became vacant after Abdi Warsame left the city council to become executive director of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority in March.

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