Going down to the wire last week, court decisions threw two initiatives off the Nov. 4 election ballot and words were parsed over how two other measures will be officially described.

The Arizona Supreme Court Aug. 26 ruled supporters of two initiative drives waited too long to file lawsuits challenging Secretary of State Janet Brewer’s determination that their petitions didn’t contain enough valid signatures.

As a result, the ballot will not include Proposition 203 seeking to increase the state’s sales tax by 1 percent to raise $42.6 billion over 30 years for transportation improvements. Also off the ballot is Proposition 103 seeking to set aside 570,000 acres of state trust land for conservation instead of selling it to raise money for schools.

Steve Voeller, president of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, called the court’s ruling on Propostion 203 a "victory for the taxpayer."

Separately, on Aug. 27 Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sam Myers ruled a description of Proposition 200, a measure backed by the payday lending industry, can read: This measure will bring dramatic pro-consumer reform to payday lending and preserve consumer choice."

Arizonans for Responsible Lending opposing the proposition filed a lawsuit saying the language should include the fact the effective annual interest rate is almost 400 percent but under state law the interest rate would be capped at 36 percent as of July 1, 2010, when current enabling legislation for payday loans expires.

And in a final determination, Brewer agreed to note state law already prohibits same-sex marriage in the description of Proposition 102, which seeks to change the state’s constitution to ban same-sex marriages.