By
Irene Hsiao
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Congressman Kolbe victorious for the ninth time
Arizona Gov. Jane Hull's Education 2000 plan to raise funds for the state's educational system through a sales tax increase passed late last night.
Proposition 301 - which will directly affect the University of Arizona - passed with about 48 percent voting for the sales tax increase from 5 percent to 5.6 percent. The revenues will be used to fund various educational programs.
The proposition would mean increased teacher pay, five extra school days in public schools, building enforcement bonds and workforce development.
Associated Students President Ben Graff said he was "ecstatic" about the proposition passing.
"I'm really excited about the message it's going to send to the state, the state legislatures and the (Arizona) Board of Regents," he said.
Graff, a psychology senior, said he hopes funding goes toward advising, childcare, salary increases for teachers, graduate and research studies.
"They (the state) better start supporting higher education fiscally," he said.
UA President Peter Likins said the proposition approval are the voters' signal for caring and concern of education.
"I'm struggling with words as to how much it means to me," Likins said.
"People have finally realized that without good schools, we won't have a good economy," he said.
In other election business, incumbent U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe defeated state Sen. George Cunningham in District 5 for the congressional seat. Kolbe has served eight consecutive terms in the House.
Kolbe, who is a strong supporter of Pell grants and student loans, said he wants "to make sure there's research dollars flowing to UA."
Cunningham conceded to Kolbe with tears in his eyes.
"We did the best we could but we got drowned out," he said.
However, Cunningham hinted at running again.
"There are other opportunities and other chances in the future, but it's too premature to say anything," he said.
Kolbe exclaimed "how sweet it is" after hearing of his victory.
The hotly debated Proposition 203 also passed, which will require all public school classes to teach in English, disposing of bilingual programs. Students in current bilingual education programs will be moved into an intensive one-year immersion program.
Jessica Sandahl, physiology junior, voted against the proposition because she said 175 days is not enough time to grasp fluency of the English language.
"If they make the time shorter, how is everybody going to learn proper English?" Sandahl asked.
Sandahl described it as a snowball effect and students won't meet up to their standards, get frustrated and then drop out of school.
"They're just outcasting them, " she said. "I think everybody should have a chance."
Cerina Da Graca, a marketing junior, also voted against the proposition.
"To put kids into an immersion program for a year is to make them feel inferior to other children not in that program," she said. "It's to say their native language is unacceptable."
For other propositions, Proposition 202, which called for controlled urban sprawl, was voted down.
Both Proposition 200 and 204 passed, although 200 will not go into effect because 204 takes precedence. Proposition 204 will take tobacco settlement money to fund the "Health Arizona Initiative. "
In other local races, Rep. John Kyl was victorious over Green party candidate Vance Hansen, Libertarian candidate Barry Hess, and Independent William Toel. Kyl amassed about 69 percent of the vote U.S. Senate seat.
Democrat Ed Pastor won the U.S. Representative seat in District 2 by about 73 percent over Rep. Bill Barenholtz, Natural Law candidate Barbara Shelor and Libertarian candidate Geoffrey Weber. In the District 5 Board of Supervisors race Raul Grijalva beat Rosalie Lopez by 64 percent.
