Takings campaigns around the West
Note: This article is a sidebar to this issue's feature story, "Taking Liberties."
ARIZONA
Private Property Rights Protection Act, by the Arizona Home Owners Protection Effort (Arizona HOPE) — Initiative 21
Sources of Major $$
Americans for Limited Government, Chicago area, whose chairman of the board is New York City-based real estate mogul Howie Rich — $827,000
Fund for Democracy, New York City, run by Howie Rich — $25,000
Signature-Gathering Companies/Consultants
Campaign Finance Company LLC, Phoenix area
National Voter Outreach Inc., Carson City, Nevada, and Ludington, Michigan
Status
Signatures needed to qualify: about 122,000
Gathered: about 222,000
Verification: under way
CALIFORNIA
Protect Our Homes Act, aka Anderson Initiative, by the Protect Our Homes Coalition — Proposition 90
Sources of Major $$
Fund for Democracy, NYC, run by Howie Rich — $1.5 million
Montanans in Action, based in the tiny ranch town of Winifred, Montana, whose backers reportedly include Fund for Democracy and Americans for Limited Government — $600,000
Signature-Gathering Companies/Consultants
Arno Political Consultants Inc., Sacramento area
Status
Signatures needed to qualify: 598,105
Gathered: more than 1 million
Verified: 683,712
Qualified for ballot
IDAHO
Private Property Rights Protection Initiative, by This House is MY Home — Proposition 2
Sources of Major $$
Fund for Democracy, NYC, run by Howie Rich — $237,000
America at its Best, Fairfax, Virginia, which is apparently a conduit for more than $2.5 million total from Americans for Limited Government — $100,000
Signature-Gathering Companies/Consultants
Kennedy Enterprises, Colorado Springs
Status
Signatures needed to qualify: 47,881
Gathered: 75,323
Verified: 49,053
Qualified for ballot
MONTANA
Protect Our Homes Initiative, by Protect Our Homes Montana and Montanans in Action — Initiative 154
Sources of Major $$
Fund for Democracy, NYC, run by Howie Rich — according to Rich, nearly $200,000 to Montanans in Action, which is pushing three Montana libertarian initiatives, including I-154
Americans for Limited Government, Chicago area — provided loans and expertise
Signature-Gathering Companies/Consultants
The I-154 campaign has spent about $180,000, largely for signature gatherers who came in from Texas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Arizona, Idaho, Wisconsin and Michigan
Status
Signatures needed to qualify: 23,308
Signatures gathered: 48,800
Verification under way
NEVADA
People’s Initiative to Stop the Taking of Our Land (PISTOL)
Sources of Major $$
Americans for Limited Government, Chicago area — $107,000, according to campaign
Liberty Oil Company, Las Vegas — $65,000
Signature-Gathering Companies/Consultants
Arno Political Consultants Inc., Sacramento area
Other consultants in Denver, Seattle and New York
Status
Signatures Gathered: 136,000
Verified: 109,454
Qualified for ballot
WASHINGTON
Property Fairness Initiative, by the Property Fairness Coalition — Initiative 933
Sources of Major $$
Americans for Limited Government, Chicago area — $200,000
Farm Bureau, state and local chapters — at least $180,000 plus loans or in-kind contributions
Signature-Gathering Companies/Consultants
Citizen Solutions, Inc. Lacey, Washington
Status
Signatures needed to qualify: 224,880
Gathered: 315,000
Verification: under way
