Highlight of this KUTV story: Signature gathering for Initiative petitions is getting closer to the mark, and has passed 95,000 signed. With several months left until the deadline.
We like to keep you more on top of the story than just what the media shares, though, so here’s some info we haven’t gone over recently:
113,143 signatures are required – BUT – not just any 113K+, rather, all must be from a) currently registered Utah voters who b) sign with their correct residence – that is, their name and address as recorded in County Clerks’ offices on their voter registration records – on c) the right petition for that area in the presence of an authorized signature gatherer. Which is yes a mouthful. And d) which the state will review very carefully.
And finally, e) additionally, the signature totals must include a minimum of 10% of the voters in at least 26 out of 29 of Utah’s State Senate districts.
So assuming signature gatherers are in fact dispersed to all areas of the state in the right proportions, even then 150,000-175,000 raw signatures seems like a goal Utah Patients Coalition ought to be aiming for to ensure qualification – and similar “overage” for each Senate District, i.e., chances would be optimized by collecting well MORE than 10% of each district in terms of raw signatures.
Bottom line, it’s looking good for the initiative’s chances of qualifying, but there’s more to be done to ensure it’s over the finish line on time. This, after all, is the culmination of much work and years of many citizens waiting for the chance do something to change the status quo. And every Senate district is very important.
If you’re a registered voter anywhere in the state, and you haven’t signed yet and wish to, Information is available on the UPC facebook page and website http://ift.tt/2tpMXyp We hope as many citizens as possible take the opportunity to be heard on this matter…!
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Another number in the KUTV report is that the implementation would cost the state over $400,000. In the first place, we’ve heard that there are calculations showing the actual number would be less, and secondly, regardless of that, given the size and scope of the program to be established, $400 thousand certainly doesn’t unreasonable in the slightest, so we’re not sure why it keeps being mentioned in stories…
….government spending in Utah was $13.7 Billion in 2016, and viewed in that context, the amount of financing to accomplish this major medical goal is a drop in the state budget bucket, as in 0.003%.
Some info in this post comes from: http://ift.tt/2rQOQEO
#MMJ #Initiative #UTpol #UPC #Signatures #PatientsNotPolitics #TRUCE
See full article – KUTV 2News
