The Des Moines Register gets it right with this editorial against the People's Right to Vote Amendment proposed as an addition to the Iowa Constitution. I haven't read the amendment, but the Register includes this quote:



"If all tax and fee increases adopted in a fiscal year would produce new annual revenue exceeding one percent of total state general fund revenue received in the preceding fiscal year, excluding transfers from other state funds, the increases shall be submitted to the electors, starting with the largest increase and including increases in descending order, except the remaining increases that total one percent or less. All increases of any one tax or fee shall together be regarded as one increase. An adopted tax or fee increase required by this article to be submitted to the electors shall take effect only if submitted to the electors at the next state general election and approved by a majority of the electors voting thereon."



The whole thing is apparently more than 940 words similar to those above. Although I agree with the principle of allowing the people to vote certain taxes up or down, I shudder to think what would happen if this amendment passes. I'm a lawyer myself, and I guarantee you that you do NOT want to have a 940 word amendment to the state constitution - it will be a litigation nightmare once some in my profession get ahold of it. I mean, seriously, look what we could do with these: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. . .", "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Do you really want to give us 940 words to play with?