Blame out-of-touch Legislature for rigid initiatives
The only thing clear about direct democracy in Arizona via the initiative process is that it's unclear.
When the state economy is perking along, elected leaders can afford to avoid the contradictions in the process.
But when it takes a nosedive, there's no getting around the fact that the system is dysfunctional in the extreme and getting worse.
Voters statewide have said via past initiatives that they want health care for all poor families.
They also want free health care for children of the working poor.
They want higher pay for teachers.
They want early childhood education programs to be funded by the state.
And they want special funds to be set aside for the purchase of open space.
Further, they have said that all of the above cannot be amended by the Legislature -- only voters can make any changes.
LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS TOO PARTISAN
Presumably, all of the above and many more initiatives would not have been necessary if Arizona voters had put into office lawmakers who represented the majority sentiment on those