Phoenix voters: Time is running out to participate in the August special election that could dramatically alter Phoenix's future.

The election features two ballot propositions — one that would end light rail expansion in Phoenix and another that would cap city spending.

Election day is Aug. 27, though most people are expected to vote by mail. If you wanted to mail in your ballot, the U.S. Postal Service had suggested returning ballots by Wednesday, Aug. 21, to guarantee arrival at City Hall by election day.

Both propositions are long and chock full of legalese. If you're still making your decisions, here's a guide:

Proposition 105

What your ballot says: Shall Chapter XXVIII be added to the Charter of the City of Phoenix to terminate all construction, development, extension or expansion of, or improvement to Phoenix light rail authorized by Proposition 104 (2015); to prohibit using any funds from any source for the construction, development, extension or expansion of, or improvement to any light rail or any other fixed rail line transit system (except PHX Sky Train) constructed on or after August 27, 2018; to instead use Proposition 104 tax revenues for other transportation infrastructure improvements in the City of Phoenix; and as further described above?

What would it do?

If voters pass Proposition 105, Phoenix must cancel all light-rail extensions and divert the city money it would have used to build them to other transportation projects, like street repairs or bus service.

The city's portion of the money earmarked for light-rail extensions comes from a $31.5 billion, 35-year transportation plan funded by a sales tax increase voters approved in 2015.

Proposition 105 does not end the tax, it just redistributes the light-rail money to other transportation-specific projects.

About 35% of the funding is currently dedicated to light-rail expansions, while 51% goes to buses and the remaining 14% to street repairs.

Proposition 105 is written in a way that makes voting less than intuitive — and both camps say it's been a challenge to educate voters.

A "yes" vote would stop light rail expansion. Essentially, a "yes" vote on Proposition 105 is a "no" to light rail.

A "no" vote would keep light rail as part of Phoenix's transportation plan and allow the city to continue to build up to six light-rail extensions in the next several decades.

Who's behind it and why?

The initiative was born out of backlash against a planned light rail extension in south Phoenix.

That extension will take the current light rail line from downtown into south Phoenix via Central Avenue. It will end at Baseline Road.

The extension will whittle Central Avenue from four vehicle lanes to two, which was the major source of controversy in south Phoenix.

Businesses that front Central Avenue fear that decreased vehicle traffic will spell their demise.

A group dubbed "4 Lanes or No Train" took its concerns to the Phoenix City Council last year, asking the city to maintain four lanes.

When the city decided to stick to its two-lane plan, the group threatened to take the issue to voters.

At that point, the group hooked up with a number of conservatives who are ideologically opposed to light rail, and the movement morphed into a campaign to end light rail throughout the city. The group is now called "Building a Better Phoenix."

Local conservative heavy-hitters such as Phoenix Councilman Sal DiCiccio and the Arizona Free Enterprise Club have lent their support to the initiative. They argue that light rail is too expensive for the limited population it serves.

The Arizona Free Enterprise Club has received money from organizations connected with billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, who have tried to end public-transportation programs across the country.

Campaign finance filings showed that Building a Better Phoenix has raised about $450,000, including $40,000 in contributions from Scot Mussi, Arizona Free Enterprise Club's president.

Who opposes it and why?

Proposition 105 has a broad coalition of opposition.

Nearly every member of the Phoenix City Council, Congressmen Greg Stanton and Ruben Gallego, business organizations and most of the local union groups oppose the initiative.

Opponents of Proposition 105 argue that light rail has proven a worthy addition to Phoenix and the entire region. They cite higher-than-expected ridership numbers and $11 billion in private and public investment that has sprouted within a half mile of the light-rail line since 2008.

Invest in PHX is opposing both Proposition 105 and Proposition 106 and has drastically out-fundraised its opponents. According to campaign finance documents posted Tuesday, the group has raised nearly $900,000.

Most of those donations have come from political action committees and corporations. The largest donations have come from Greater Phoenix Leadership, Inc., We Build Arizona (Arizona Chapter of Associated General Contractors) and Devil's Advocate, a political advocacy organization supporting Arizona State University.

Proposition 106

What you ballot says: Shall Chapter XXIV, Article V be added to the Charter of the City of Phoenix to require the City to conduct an additional annual assessment of all of its pension liabilities; to impose a cap on budget growth for City programs including budgets for parks, libraries, and information technology but excluding budgets for police, fire, first responders, labor contracts executed before January 1, 2018, enterprise funds and voter-approved special revenues or revenue funds, if pensions are not at least 90% funded, and mandate that all funds above the budget cap be spent solely toward pension liabilities; and to require elected officials to reimburse the City for all future pension contributions made by the City on the elected officials’ behalf as described above?

What would it do?

Phoenix has about $4.5 billion of unfunded pension debt — money it will someday owe to its retirees.

The city makes annual payments toward that liability, as required by state law. This year, the city plans to pay $426 million, which is about 10% of its budget.

Proposition 106 would require the city to pay more each year, with the goal of paying off the debt sooner. That will require the city to cap its spending on other city services, such as libraries or park programs.

The initiative has four main elements:

Requires annual assessments of pension debt based on a 10-year average rate of return on investments of pension systems.

If the city has not funded at least 90% of its pension liability, it can only increase its budget to compensate for population growth or inflation. In other words, if there's still pension debt, there can be no new city spending. Only public safety services are exempt from this limitation.

Requires the city to spend any additional revenue on pension debt.

Ends pensions for City Council members.

Who's behind it?

Proposition 106 is a pet project of DiCiccio, who teamed up with a handful of other self-described fiscal conservatives — many of whom do not reside in Phoenix — to bring the initiative forward.

Tim Mooney is the chairman of the local Responsible Budgets committee, according to city filings. He lists his employer as California-based political consulting firm Silver Bullet Group.

The treasurer is Chuck Warren, the managing director of Wyoming-based public affairs firm September Group. In an interview, Warren said that although his company is incorporated in Wyoming, he's a part-time Arizona resident. He said Mooney is also an Arizona resident.

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Warren is one of the biggest financial backers of Proposition 106, according to campaign finance reports.

The initiative has also raised about $65,000 from a like-named national political nonprofit called Responsible Budgets. According to filings with the Arizona Corporation Commission, Responsible Budgets has two directors, Russ Skousen of South Jordan, Utah, and Nicole Martin, a Herriman, Utah councilwoman.

DiCiccio recently told Fox Business that former Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz is also involved.

The national Responsible Budgets group is a collection of politicos who are concerned about rising pension debts in cities across the country. If Proposition 106 is successful in Phoenix, the group will likely try it in other cities.

Warren told The Arizona Republic in July that all of the money raised by the local campaign committee came from Arizonans — the money was just funneled through the national nonprofit so donors didn't have to identify themselves.

"It's all from people concerned about unfunded pensions, period, raised here in Arizona," Warren said.

Who opposes it?

Nearly everyone who opposed Proposition 105 also opposes Proposition 106.

Opponents say it will force the city to cap investment in city services that residents rely on — and without good reason.

They say that the city's current pension payment plan, which allows the city to pay off the $4.5 billion over time, allows the city to address the pension debt while still providing services.

They also caution that a looming recession, coupled with Proposition 106, could leave the city unable to address basic needs.

What else do you want to know before you cast your vote? Reach the reporter at jessica.boehm@gannett.com or 480-694-1823. Follow her on Twitter @jboehm_NEWS.

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