Referenda organizers meet goal

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Idaho citizens are eager to have a chance to vote on the three education laws passed by the Idaho Legislature. That’s the message sent by more than 48,000 citizens who have signed each of the three petitions to put the laws to referendum votes next year.

“We are announcing today that we have passed 47,432 verified signatures for each of the three petitions,” said Mike Lanza, chair of Idahoans for Responsible Education Reform. The parent-led committee initiated the petition drives on April 8 and the Idaho Education Association joined the coalition a week later.

“We’re still collecting signatures because we know that many Idahoans still want to sign the three petitions,” Lanza added. “We know that people don’t want to see the larger class sizes, layoffs and unfunded technology mandates that these laws are already causing.”

“Our members have joined with parents and other working Idahoans to collect these signatures in just 40 days,” said IEA President Sherri Wood. “Unfortunately, we won’t have a chance to vote on the laws until November 2012, but by then, Idahoans will have seen ample evidence on just how damaging these laws are.”

County clerks offices across Idaho continue to verify signatures. Organizers will deliver the petitions to the Secretary of State’s office in Boise and hold a news conference on Monday, June 6. The petitions will not be officially qualified until the Secretary of State’s office reviews them.

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