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Voters approve proposition to allow trust land exchanges to preserve bases

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Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012
By Brittany Smith
Cronkite News

Voters have approved a ballot measure to allow swapping state trust land for federal land to preserve military bases.

Cronkite News bases its projection on unofficial returns showing Proposition 119 leading by a wide margin.

The state Constitution currently requires that millions of acres of trust land managed by the state be leased or sold to benefit education and other causes. That prevents the federal government from trading land elsewhere for state land that guard against encroachment around bases.

A broad coalition of state leaders, conservation groups, military leaders and ranchers helped develop Proposition 119. Supporters said the change would help preserve Fort Huachuca, where the Army tests sensitive electronics, and auxiliary airfields used by Luke Air Force Base.