Voters in Arizona may have trounced a takings
initiative last election but Republican Gov. Fife Symington isn’t
listening. In his state-of-the-state address, Symington promised to
issue an executive order ensuring compensation for any property
owner whose land use becomes limited by government regulations.
“Every executive agency in state government will be ordered to
respect private-property rights, and those who don’t) will be
relieved of their job,” he said. Although Symington has yet to lay
out the details of his plan, southwest Sierra Club director Rob
Smith calls the governor’s announcement a “slap in the face of
Arizona voters.” Last November, 60 percent of those voting rejected
Proposition 300, a private-property takings initiative (HCN,
11/28/94). In all, 28 of Arizona’s 30 legislative districts voted
against the measure, including the home district of the bill’s
sponsor. An executive order cannot change existing law, but
“takings’ opponents fear Symington’s measure would intimidate state
employees who enforce environmental laws. Smith says he expects
citizens to organize a counter-initiative if Symington prevails.
The governor’s office did not return HCN’s
calls.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Governor overrules voters.
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