BATTLE GETS FIERCER OVER EDUCATION, MARIJUANA QUESTIONS

The latest Reno Gazette-Journal/KRNV-News 4 poll shows a majority of
voters in support of Question 1 - the Education First Amendment - but
the numbers have tightened from a poll taken more than a month earlier.

The latest statewide poll of 600 likely voters, taken Oct. 23-25,
showed 53 percent in favor of the amendment, which would require the
Nevada Legislature to fund the state's public education system before
any other spending bills are passed. The poll, which has a margin of
error of 4 points, showed 34 percent of voters against the measure and
13 percent undecided.

A poll taken Sept. 5-7 showed 57 percent of voters in favor, 28
percent opposed and 15 percent undecided.

Another initiative with tightening numbers is Question 7, the
Marijuana Initiative.

The RGJ/News 4 poll found 52 percent of voters opposed, 41 percent in
favor and 7 percent of voters undecided. The September poll showed 55
percent of voters against the initiative and 37 percent in favor.

Education First

The closer numbers on Question 1 are encouraging news for opponents of
the measure.

"I think it's been talked about a lot this cycle and I think that's
helped," said Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, D-Sparks, vice chairman of
the Assembly Education Committee. "It really doesn't accomplish what
people would assume it would accomplish. It was supposed to have been
done in response to the 2003 tax debate. That was a rare occurrence.
We do need the ability in every legislative session to handle the
funding process in the best way possible. I think (funding education
first) would tie our hands."

If the initiative passes in the Nov. 7 election, it will become law
because voters also approved it during the 2004 election.

The measure was created by U.S. Rep. Jim Gibbons - the Republican
nominee for governor - and his wife, former Assemblywoman Dawn
Gibbons, R-Reno, after the 2003 Legislature.

As a tactic to help pass a record $836 million tax package, Assembly
Democrats held up voting on public education funding until lawmakers
would approve the tax package. After two heated special sessions, the
tax bill was approved, and funding for schools was released.

Some Nevada schools, however, were forced to open late and the hiring
of new teachers was postponed in many of the state's school districts.

"The whole point of this is to make sure education doesn't get held
hostage," said Scott Craigie, campaign manager for Education First.
"We just want to make sure education doesn't get treated any
differently than any of the other (funding) bills."

Republicans, in particular, turned against the initiative in the
latest poll, opposing it 48 percent to 41 percent with 11 percent
undecided. In the September poll, Republicans favored the measure 47-42.

Democrats favor the initiative 66-20 with 14 percent undecided, a
2-point drop in support from the September poll.

Craigie said the tightening numbers in the polls is not a surprise as
Election Day approaches.

"There is an overall resistance developing in the electorate to some
of these ballot questions," Craigie said. "This is one both
Republicans and Democrats have a lot at stake in, but unfortunately
it's not all that well understood."

Pot Question

For opponents of Question 7, the only poll that counts will be Nov. 7
in the voting both, said Washo

"I would hope voters use some common sense in this whole thing and
realize that people who have absolutely no interest and no stake in
this state except to sell their program are behind this and wanting
the state to adopt drugs," said Washoe County

Neal Levine, campaign manager for Yes on 7, said the RGJ/News 4 poll
numbers are flawed because the poll question did not use the same
language as the initiative that will be on the Nov. 7 ballot.

The question asked in the survey read, "Question 7, known as the
Marijuana Initiative, would allow those 21 years and older to legally
possess, use and transfer one ounce or less of marijuana. If you were
voting today on this initiative, would you vote: for, against, undecided."

"Our internal polling contradicts this," he said. "In our polling,
we're using the actual language. Our internal polling shows that we're
up."

Levine said the RGJ/New 4 poll does show an uptick in support for the
initiative, which confirms their internal polling.

"Every poll shows we're trending up and we feel pretty good about our
chances," he said.

In other questions on the Nov. 7 ballot:

# Polls showed 2-to-1 support in favor of Question 2, the Nevada
Property Owners' Bill of Rights Amendment, which would amend the state
constitution to restrict the use of eminent domain.

The RGJ/News 4 poll showed 65 percent of voters in favor of the
measure, 26 percent opposed and 9 percent undecided.

# Question 6, the Minimum Wage Initiative, which would increase the
minimum wage in Nevada from $5.15 per hour to $6.15 per hour, also
continues to have widespread support. The poll found 67 percent of
voters in favor of the initiative, 25 percent opposed and 8 percent
undecided.