Backers of a voter initiative that appeared headed for the November ballot dropped their campaign yesterday. Arizonans fighting to cap the pay of hospital executives say they stopped in order to focus on the U.S. presidential race.
The measure to cap the pay of hospital executives at $450,000 was backed by the California-based Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West. The union turned in more than 281,000 signatures to get the measure on the ballot. About 151,000 were needed.
The Arizona Chamber of Commerce was fighting the initiative. But union spokesman Sean Wherley says they decided to drop the lawsuit and put all their resources into backing Democrat Hillary Clinton's presidential bid.
That decision came a day before a Maricopa County Superior Court judge was scheduled to begin hearing a challenge to petitions that would have qualified the measure for the November ballot.
