Propositions on 2007 general election ballot

The following is a recap of the propositions appearing on Tuesday's 2007 general election ballot:

PROPOSITION 100

This proposal would extend the city hospitality tax, which is set to expire in 2009. The 2 percent hospitality tax, levied on restaurants, bars, hotels and motels, would be extended to June 30, 2034. It would also go up from 2 percent to 2-1/2 percent, effective fiscal year 2010.

Proponents say the tax is needed to fund infrastructure improvements and services to meet Yuma's growth, and that it is paid mostly by non-residents and visitors.

Opponents raise concerns about what they say is unclear ballot language setting out how the money will be used, or they say the tax burden should be more fairly distributed.

The sales tax is applied to Yuma hotel bills and food and drink sales in restaurants and bars in the city.

This proposition came about after the Citizens Special Tax Advisory Committee held public hearings last spring for the purpose of crafting a ballot measure to increase and extend the tax.

The ballot language states that 30 percent of the hospitality tax revenue would go for parks and recreation activities, including athletic facilities; 20 percent for tourism promotion and marketing; 10 percent for riverfront and the historic Yuma Crossing area; 10 percent for arts and cultural events; 10 percent for a multi-purpose events arena or community center, and the remaining 20 percent along with carryover tax balances from prior years for any those categories.

PROPOSITION 101

The dates of the city primary and general elections in odd numbered years will be changed to September and November respectively, to conform with state law.

PROPOSITION 102

This measure would remove the requirement from the city charter that the Yuma City Council provide for early voting in city elections by city ordinance. Early voting is already provided for by the laws of the state of Arizona.

PROPOSITION 103

This removes the requirement that the city determine the closing date for voter registration in city elections. This date is already determined by state law.

PROPOSITION 104

This proposition removes outdated historical references to the 1970 and 1971 elections from the city charter.

PROPOSITION 105

If passed, this measure would authorize the use of fidelity insurance coverage in addition to official bonds and removes statements from the charter regarding outdated bond amounts, conditions and sureties in filing.

PROPOSITION 106

The proposal would raise the Yuma mayor's annual salary to $24,000 from $12,000, and council members' salaries to $12,000, up from $3,600.

PROPOSITION 107

This measure would increase the expenditure amount the City Council must authorize by ordinance from greater than $5,000 to greater than $50,000. This conforms to the current amount in state law.

PROPOSITION 108

This is a proposal to increase the contracting authority of the city administrator from $25,000 to $50,000.

PROPOSITION 109

This ballot measure would require the presiding judge in Yuma Municipal Court to be an attorney and member of the state bar of Arizona; a resident of Yuma for at least five years; 30 years of age and a person of "good moral character," with no felony convictions.

At present, the only requirements are that the presiding judge must be 18, a registered voter and a resident in the city of Yuma for one year.

The requirements for city's the second municipal judge position and those for pro tem judges would remain unchanged by this measure.

PROPOSITION 110

This item proposes changing limits for the use of informal competitive bids from a fixed amount of $2,500 to 5 percent of the amount specified in the state procurement laws.

PROPOSITION 111

The measure would change the number of years of the capital improvement program to not less than five years.