From Deseret News archives:
Initiative on open space up to voters
2 counties now say enough signatures have been obtained
Both Cache and Utah counties now say enough valid signatures were collected to put the $150 million conservation bond before voters. The counties were ordered last week by the Utah Supreme Court to take another look at rejected names.
The results of that re-examination aren't expected to be certified by the state Elections Office until Monday, but the organization behind the petition drive, Utahns for Clean Water, Clean Air & Quality Growth, was already looking ahead to the election.
"We are still waiting for official word," Amanda Smith, the president of the organization, said. "But we feel confident that Utah's citizens have put this initiative on the ballot; clearly many people care about their future quality of life in this state."
Smith said in the next few weeks, the organization will gear up for the campaign. Voters will be asked to approve a bond that would be paid off in 10 years through a .05 increase in sales taxes.
The proceeds would be available to governments and non-profit groups for projects that protect the environment and preserve wildlife habitat, family farms, recreational opportunities and historic and cultural landmarks.
"We've had a bit of a late start, but we're energized by how much support we've received so far, and we're extremely confident that this issue will resonate with voters at the polls in November," she said.
The initiative almost didn't make it on the ballot because clerks in Cache and Utah counties invalidated petition signatures accompanied by an address that did not match the address on file for a registered voter by the same name.
Under the state's complex new initiative law, the number of signatures required is equal to 10 percent of the votes cast statewide in the most recent gubernatorial election, and the same 10 percent count in 26 of the state's 29 Senate districts.
The action by the county clerks left the petition drive 228 signatures short in a Cache County district and just two signatures short in a Utah County district. Smith's organization appealed, and the high court agreed the signatures shouldn't have been thrown out.
The ruling sent the rejected names back to the county clerks to recheck. State Elections Director Amy Naccarato said her office was notified Friday by Utah County that enough valid signatures had now been collected.
Cache County Clerk Jill Zollinger told the Deseret Morning News that a list of 565 certified signatures from the disputed district was mailed Friday to the Elections Office. Zollinger said the clerk's office reviewed some 715 signatures provided by the petition organizers.
