There are a couple of ballot measures you need to pay attention to tomorrow.  In particular, Prop 100 and Prop 201.  I wrote about Prop 100 in August; see “Support Protect Our Homes“. This initiative will prevent the government from imposing a real estate transfer tax on the sale of your Tucson Arizona home.  At a time when the real estate market is suffering, new taxes will further depress home sales and place a burden on lower income home sellers in particular.

Prop 201 is called the “Homeowners Bill of Rights”, but is more accurately a proposition which will promote lawsuit abuse.  I attended a Southern Arizona Homebuilder’s Association meeting in which we learned the source of this initiative.  Prop 201 is nothing more than union extortion.  The  The AFL-CIO, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, Sheet Metal Workers International Association and Ironworkers International unions gave $25,000 each on Halloween.  (How appropiate–SCARY!)  Prop. 201 would give consumer more protections and the right to fivolously sue home builders for construction defects.  This initiative, if passed, will place a terrible burden on the already distressed new home market.  Real estate industry groups oppose the measure saying it would encourage more lawsuits. The National Association of Realtors recently gave $782,000 to oppose the proposal. For more information on this very bad law, go here.

Vote Yes on 100.  Vote no on 201.

Denise McCreary