I stole the blurbs below from the Tucson Weekly’s endorsements, which on the whole I agree with anyway. If anyone has compelling arguments against one or more of their endorsements, feel free to share here in the comments. So besides voting for Obama/Biden, TucsonMama encourages you to vote YES on Prop 403, to improve our schools. It’d be nice to get out of the bottom, um, TWO states in the nation on education spending. And Prop 102 is just dumb.

Also, if you’re voting absentee, don’t forget to turn your ballots in (or mail them, if you feel trustworthy). I like the whole going-to-the-polls thing, but it’s too close to my due date to risk it. I would hate to miss the chance to vote because I was, you know, in labor. (If I do happen to go into labor around that time, it will be pure hell for my husband, S, b/c he is a political junkie and it would be tortuous for him to be unable to remain glued to the radio/tv/blogs during that time.)

Yes on Prop 403:

For good reason, Tucsonans have collectively moaned and groaned about the state of the Tucson Unified School District–but now that former TUSD Superintendent Roger Pfeuffer is gone, and new school-board members are entering the picture, it’s time for the community to shut up and step up, and give the new leadership a chance. Elizabeth Celania-Fagen, the new superintendent, has entered the fray with sleeves rolled up and a fresh perspective.

The override of the district’s $578 million budget will provide TUSD with $28 million a year for five years, and a smaller amount for two more years. The Investing in Our Kids Committee, which supports Proposition 403, claims the owner of a home in Pima County valued at $177,800 would pay about $128 a year in support of the override.

Arizona ranks 49th in education spending, thanks to our Republican legislators who’d rather argue about gay marriage and illegal immigration than do the right thing for the children of Arizona. Proposition 403 supporters say that because legislators have put us in this position, we need to help ourselves through the override. They’re correct. Vote yes.

Proposition 102: Marriage: No!

We remain mystified by the argument that amending the Arizona Constitution to limit marriage to being between one man and one woman will “protect” marriage. If marriage is indeed under assault, the problems stem from hetero couples who can’t work things out, not from gays and lesbians who want to make lifetime commitments to one another so they can have their own families. This is bigotry, pure and simple. Vote no.