Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Term limits win firmly in 12 states, may sweep all 14 Date: Wed, 4 Nov 92 16:16:30 EST Message-ID: \SE A;ELECTIONS '92;STATE REFERENDUMS \HD Term limits win firmly in 12 states, may sweep all 14 \BY Joyce Price \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES Voters in 12 states yesterday decisively approved term limits for members of Congress, and early returns suggested voters will follow in the other two states deciding this issue. In Oregon and Colorado, voters were considering measures that would put their states on record as opposing homosexuality. The results were mixed in early returns. Oregon voters were defeating "Measure 9" by a nearly 20-point margin. "One of the local pollsters projected we've won, and he's never been wrong in 14 years," said Ellen Lowe, spokesman for the "No on 9" campaign. In Colorado, returns were running 54 to 46 percent in favor of the measure, with 53 percent of the precincts reporting, according to the Associated Press. Term limits were approved in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, Ohio and Wyoming, according to Jeff Langan, spokesman for U.S. Term Limits, a Washington group that coordinated the ballot initiatives. Measures also appeared headed toward passage in Washington and California. He said early returns in California showed the initiative leading with 70 percent of the vote. In Washington, it was ahead with 51 percent of the vote, Mr. Langan said. Voter support for term limits was fueled by congressional scandals, perks and inaction. "This is a clear citizen mandate. The people have prevailed over the politicians," Mr. Langan said. In California, a proposition that would make that state the first to permit physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill was leading in early returns. One California pollster predicted the proposition would win with 54 percent of the vote. In Iowa, with slightly more than half of all precincts reporting, a measure that would make that state the 17th to add an equal rights amendment to its constitution was trailing by a small margin. Feminists viewed the Iowa initiative as a way to revive stalled efforts to add an ERA to the U.S. Constitution. The national ERA effort was abandoned in 1982 after 35 states approved such an amendment to the Constitution. Voters' anti-government sentiment also translated into defeats for many proposed state tax increases. David Keating, executive vice president of the National Taxpayers Union, said one exception was a 25-cent cigarette excise tax rise in Massachusetts. Early returns in Colorado showed that a measure to require voter approval for tax increases was winning, while a proposed 1 percent sales tax increase to pay for education was losing. All term-limit initiatives would restrict U.S. senators to two terms, or 12 years. Eight states - Arizona, Arkansas, California, Michigan, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming - would limit House members to three terms, or six years. Florida, Missouri, and Nebraska would allow House members to serve for up to four terms, or eight years. The initiatives of North Dakota and South Dakota would allow House members to serve as long as senators, 12 years, or six terms. None of the measures on the ballot this year was retroactive. The earliest any would take effect would be the 1998 elections. Public opinion polls had shown the initiatives ahead in all the states. Oregon's controversial Measure 9 would amend the state constitution and force schools in that state to teach youngsters in grades kindergarten through 12 that homosexuality is "abnormal, unnatural, perverse, wrong and must be avoided," according to Peggy Norman, manager of the "No on 9" campaign. Ms. Norman said Measure 9 would also prohibit state funds from being used to "promote, endorse or facilitate homosexuality." In Colorado, a proposed constitutional amendment would overturn laws passed by three municipalities - Denver, Aspen and Boulder - guaranteeing civil rights for homosexuals. The measure also would bar the state and any other Colorado subdivisions from passing similar legislation. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM