TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Even after Tucson's election there's still a lot of suspense over one issue---The Zoo and a vote to enhance the place.
The latest vote count shows a plan to raise sales tax for the zoo passed---and failed at the same time.
At the Reid Park Zoo there's a real question about exactly what the future of the Zoo will be. On the city election to help raise money to improve the Zoo for the future there were two questions had to answer. They answered yes to one and no to the other so now the question is, 'what now'?
Zoo backers asked voters to approve a sales tax jump of one-tenth of one percent to upgrade the zoo, with repairs and re-designed exhibits.
But the plan needed voters to approve Prop 202 and 203.
202 gave the city authority to change the tax. 203 actually set the tax.
As election night ended, 202 passed, and 203 seemed to have failed.
The head of the zoological society says the fact 202 passed says Tucsonans wanted to help the zoo and since 202 allows the tax, maybe city council can pass the tax on its authority.
Nancy Kluge says, "We'll talk to them over the next few days. If that is the case, but I'm confident they'll want to be sure the voters wishes are fulfilled."
Councilmember Steve Kozachik says for that sort of vote, the city attorney will have to assure councilmembers it's legal for them to pass the tax.
"Does the council then have the option to say there was clearly voter confusion because one passed substantially and the other one, which is the second one on the ballot, didn't. If there's an undervote there we can take the position that the voters clearly authorized it and therefore let’s move it forward legislatively."
There could be an easier solution. The Pima Elections director says he still has about five thousand ballots to count. They might be enough to give Prop 203 a clear win.
