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Ariz. court rules against using kids program funds 

The Legislature's attempt to help balance the state budget by using interest on a children's program's tobacco-tax funding violated a constitutional protection for voter-approved laws, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled Friday.

The unanimous ruling came down in favor of the board of First Things First - an early childhood development and health program - in its March 30 lawsuit to block the transfer of $7 million of interest. . . .

The First Things First lawsuit contended that the transfer was unconstitutional because the First Things First program was established by voter approval of a 2006 ballot measure.

Legislative lawyers acknowledged that the tobacco-tax funding itself was protected but said the interest earned on the funding was not.

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