PHOENIX (AP) - The Arizona Supreme Court has rejected a contractors group's argument that a ballot measure to halt expansion of Phoenix's light rail system should be kept off an August election ballot because of how people were paid to collect voter signatures on initiative petitions.
The Supreme Court's opinion Wednesday explained the legal reasoning behind a June 12 ruling allowing the measure to be placed on the ballot.
The opinion said an Arizona prohibition on paying collectors by the signature applies only to statewide ballot measures, not local ones.
The justices also rejected arguments by the Arizona chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America that the initiative description's wording was flawed.
If voters approved the measure, any planned rail extensions will be stopped and funds will go to other transportation projects.
