http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/knau/local-knau-898498.mp3
Phoenix, AZ – On Monday Jon Garrido picked up the paperwork to start a
referendum drive on SB 1070. That's the measure that requires
police to make a reasonable effort to determine if someone is in
the country illegally and effectively makes being an illegal
immigrant a state crime. Garrido needs fewer than 77,000 valid
signatures on petitions by August to stop the measure from
becoming law until it goes to the ballot in November. Garrido,
who ran unsuccessfully last year for the Phoenix city council,
said he can not only get the signatures but also get the votes.
That runs counter to a recent Rasmussen poll showing most likely
Arizona voters support the measure. Garrido dismissed it as
meaningless.
(In terms of that one poll that identifies a number somewhere
like 6o, 65 percent, they were all basically white voters. So if
I ask all Hispanic voters what they thought, what do you think
they would give me as an answer.)
Hispanics make up about 30 percent of the state population,
though there are no breakdowns among registered voters. Sen.
Russell Pearce who crafted the legislation said he is confident
voters support the plan. But Pearce conceded that Garrido might
well be able to delay its implementation because of the low
signature requirement. For Arizona Public Radio this is Howard
Fischer.