Lobbying

Florida: “City: Fernandez deleted text messages to lobbyist” by Jeffrey Schweers for Tallahassee Democrat

Campaign Finance

Arkansas: “LR Taking Campaign Law to Court” by Chelsea Brewer for Arkansas Online

Ethics

“Case Is Dropped Against Activist Who Laughed at Jeff Sessions’s Hearing” by Maya Salam for New York Times

“Is Landscaping Drama at the Root of Rand Paul’s Assault?” by Nicholas Fandos, Noah Weiland, and Jonathan Martin for New York Times

Georgia: “Man Pleads Guilty to Obstruction in Atlanta Corruption Case” by the Associated Press for WTOP

Illinois: “Lawmaker Tells of Being Objectified by Colleague as Sexual Harassment Bills Pass in Springfield” by Kim Geiger and Monique Garcia for Chicago Tribune

New York: “Pension? Not for Corrupt Lawmakers Anymore in New York.” by Liz Farmer for Governing

Elections

Maine: “Maine Voters Overwhelmingly Defeat Proposal for York County Casino” by Scott Thistle for Portland Press Herald

New York: “New York Voters Reject a Constitutional Convention” by Jesse McKinley for New York Times

Virginia: “Danica Roem of Virginia to Be First Openly Transgender Person Elected, Seated in a U.S. Statehouse” by Antonio Olivo for Washington Post

On Tuesday voters elected Wilmot Collins as the new Mayor of Helena, unseating the incumbent mayor of 16 years.

Collins, who came to Helena 23 years ago, is the first black mayor in the history of Montana.

Helena has nonpartisan elections, but Collins ran on a progressive message addressing teen and veteran homelessness, improving tourism, ensuring access to clean water, and encouraging other refugees to prosper in the city.

On Tuesday voters elected Wilmot Collins as the new Mayor of Helena, unseating the incumbent mayor of 16 years.

Collins, who came to Helena 23 years ago, is the first black mayor in the history of Montana.

Helena has nonpartisan elections, but Collins ran on a progressive message addressing teen and veteran homelessness, improving tourism, ensuring access to clean water, and encouraging other refugees to prosper in the city.

On Tuesday, Tucson voters rejected a ballot measure to increase the city sales tax by a half-penny and a second measure aiming to increase it by a tenth of a percent to fund zoo renovations.

The proposed half-cent increase was intended for early childhood education funding and pre-school vouchers and would have generated an estimated $50 million a year. There was strong opposition to the measure by city officials and both local political parties.

Tucson voters approved a sales tax increase earlier this year to fund police and infrastructure.

On Tuesday, Tucson voters rejected a ballot measure to increase the city sales tax by a half-penny and a second measure aiming to increase it by a tenth of a percent to fund zoo renovations.

The proposed half-cent increase was intended for early childhood education funding and pre-school vouchers and would have generated an estimated $50 million a year. There was strong opposition to the measure by city officials and both local political parties.

Tucson voters approved a sales tax increase earlier this year to fund police and infrastructure.

Voters in Denver approved a $937 million bond package to fund roads, parks, libraries, and cultural facilities.

The bond package, made up of seven different ballot questions, is the city’s largest ever and the first it has seen in a decade.

Support on all seven ballot questions was strong, the smallest margin of victory hovering above 60 percent.

There was no organized opposition to the package which covers about 460 repair and improvement projects throughout the city.

Voters in Denver approved a $937 million bond package to fund roads, parks, libraries, and cultural facilities.

The bond package, made up of seven different ballot questions, is the city’s largest ever and the first it has seen in a decade.

Support on all seven ballot questions was strong, the smallest margin of victory hovering above 60 percent.

There was no organized opposition to the package which covers about 460 repair and improvement projects throughout the city.

Voters in Kansas City approved a ballot measure on a $1 billion airport project to build a new privately financed airport in the city. The fate of the current 45-year-old airport has been a question for years as the city debated whether to renovate or demolish.

Supporters of the new project said the airport had outlived its usefulness and presented the city in a poor light to travelers. The ballot measure was approved by a 3-to-1 margin.

In St. Louis, voters approved a half-cent sales tax increase for police and fire funding. St. Louis County recently approved similar funding and City officials persuaded voters the tax increase was necessary to have competitive wages.

Voters in Kansas City approved a ballot measure on a $1 billion airport project to build a new privately financed airport in the city. The fate of the current 45-year-old airport has been a question for years as the city debated whether to renovate or demolish.

Supporters of the new project said the airport had outlived its usefulness and presented the city in a poor light to travelers. The ballot measure was approved by a 3-to-1 margin.

In St. Louis, voters approved a half-cent sales tax increase for police and fire funding. St. Louis County recently approved similar funding and City officials persuaded voters the tax increase was necessary to have competitive wages.

Voters rejected a ballot measure Tuesday to reduce the price of prescription drugs for the state.

Issue 2, or Drug Price Relief Act, would have limited the amount the state is allowed to pay for pharmaceuticals to the amount the Department of Veterans Affairs pays, typically a greatly discounted price. The state provides these drugs to prisoners, injured workers, and those who cannot afford them.

Nearly 80 percent of voters rejected the proposal, many citing a lack of transparency on how the change would affect prices for the general public.

The pharmaceutical industry contributed around $70 million to oppose the measure while AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a California-based group, spent only $17 million.

Voters rejected a ballot measure Tuesday to reduce the price of prescription drugs for the state.

Issue 2, or Drug Price Relief Act, would have limited the amount the state is allowed to pay for pharmaceuticals to the amount the Department of Veterans Affairs pays, typically a greatly discounted price. The state provides these drugs to prisoners, injured workers, and those who cannot afford them.

Nearly 80 percent of voters rejected the proposal, many citing a lack of transparency on how the change would affect prices for the general public.

The pharmaceutical industry contributed around $70 million to oppose the measure while AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a California-based group, spent only $17 million.

Maine voters approved a ballot measure to expand access to Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

Maine is the first state to settle the issue by referendum as Republican Gov. Paul LePage vetoed expanding Medicaid access five times.

Additionally, voters approved ballot measures relating to infrastructure bonds and pension funding and rejected a ballot measure allowing casino or slots in York County.

Maine voters approved a ballot measure to expand access to Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

Maine is the first state to settle the issue by referendum as Republican Gov. Paul LePage vetoed expanding Medicaid access five times.

Additionally, voters approved ballot measures relating to infrastructure bonds and pension funding and rejected a ballot measure allowing casino or slots in York County.

On Tuesday, Texans voted to loosen some home lending regulations in place since the foreclosure crisis.

By a two-thirds margin, the ballot measure expanding who can make a home equity loan and allowing homeowners to convert home equity loans into conventional mortgage loans was approved.

The measure was widely opposed by fair housing advocates and supported by lenders and the real estate industry. This is the second time in the last five years Texans have voted in favor of more relaxed lending laws.

Meanwhile, in Dallas, voters overwhelmingly approved a $1.05 billion bond package focused on repairing the city’s infrastructure and recreational amenities.