Ballot initiative targets undocumented migrants
A Phoenix businessman and a local activist will pursue a 2004 ballot measure aimed at banning Arizona from spending state or local tax money on undocumented immigrants.
The main architects, Rusty Childress, owner of Childress Automall in Phoenix, and West Valley activist Kathy McKee, filed the ballot initiative application Monday with the secretary of state.
The proposed initiative, Protect Arizona Now, calls for state and local governments to verify the legal status of anyone seeking public services and to turn over undocumented immigrants to immigration officials. Federally mandated services, such as kindergarten through 12th-grade public education, would be exempted.
The measure also seeks stricter voter registration guidelines by requiring proof of U.S. citizenship.
Childress and McKee declined to discuss their ballot proposal Monday, but today will outline their plans to collect the 122,612 signatures required to place the issue on the 2004 ballot.
They are also behind a recall targeting Phoenix Councilwoman Peggy Neely for her support for a day labor center.
Democratic state lawmakers and other leaders criticized the proposal as anti-immigrant, saying there is no evidence that undocumented immigrants are voting and getting social services they are not entitled to receive.
"It's a scare tactic," said Sen. Linda Aguirre, a Phoenix Democrat. She and others said proponents want to move their anti-immigration agenda forward by playing on people's fears.
The proposed initiative comes two weeks after Gov. Janet Napolitano vetoed a bill that would have required residents to show identification to vote cast a ballot.
The governor's refusal to sign the voter ID bill left McKee and Childress with no other alternative but to take the matters directly to residents, they said in a prepared statement.
Under the initiative, government-issued identifications like driver's licenses would not be enough to get public services unless it could be verified the applicant is living in the country legally.
To register to vote, a person would need to show a copy of a birth certificate, U.S. passport or other documents proving citizenship.
Sen. Pete Rios, D-Hayden, and Rep. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, who fought the voter ID legislation, are leading the effort against the ballot proposal.
Gallardo said he is still analyzing the possible statewide repercussions of the initiative.
McKee and Childress said undocumented immigrants are draining state and local governments, and officials turn a blind eye to the problem of illegal immigration.
"These traitorous bureaucrats thumb their noses at their legal constituents and blatantly violate laws," Childress said in the statement.
Arizona Republic
Elvia Diaz- July 8th, 2003
If this gets on the ballot, there's gonna be a political war in Arizona with national ramifications. Don't you love that "undocumented migrants/immigrants" flim-flam?
