Referendum Watch:  Election 2000

The 2000 Election presented an opportunity for Americans to decide on hundreds of statewide and local measures that shape how local communities will develop.  Although not as many transportation and growth-related measures were decided on as in past elections, they continue to indicate public support for livability initiatives including open space protection and transit investments.  According to the Brookings Institution’s post-election report, “Growth at the Ballot Box,” of the 35 statewide and 19 local measures dealing with transportation and growth studied, 29 passed and 25 failed.

STPP’s analysis of transportation referenda found that approximately three-fourths of all transit measures passed, including initiatives to expand rail and bus transit in Florida, Washington state, and Salt Lake City.  Measure to fund light rail in Austin and Kansas City, however, failed, as did a transportation bond measure in New York state.

Voters in Alameda and Santa Clara County, California overwhelmingly approved ballot measures that will fund more than $7 billion worth of transit projects.  California voters also approved new urban growth boundaries in Alameda County and several cities including San Jose and Santa Paula (located in Southern California’s Ventura County).

Initiatives to manage growth did not fair as well in Arizona and Colorado where voters rejected statewide measures that sought to implement local growth restrictions.  Initiative backers in Arizona and Colorado will both try to get parts of the ballot measures passed in the state legislature according to local advocates.  In Colorado, environmentalists are working with the development community, which opposed the measure in attempt to reach agreement on growth management before the state legislature convenes on January 10th. 

In addition, Oregon voters approved a measure that requires compensation of property owners from state regulations that reduce land value. The measure is retroactive and could cost cities and counties billions while undermining the state’s land use planning efforts.

For more information on transportation measures see STPP’s Transfer 12/19 at http://www.transact.org , http://www.sprawlwatch.org , and http://www.brookings.edu/urban .