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South Tucson voters, already facing an initiative targeting greyhound racers, can add big-box stores and non-partisan elections to their ballot.

South Tucson has not allowed big-box stores within its one square mile corporate limits since 2005, with officials saying they want to protect small businesses. But Councilman Ildefonso Green has long wanted to change that, saying a big-box store would bring in much-needed revenue.

He submitted an initiative just before the filing deadline that would repeal the city's big-box ordinance.

Meanwhile, a political cohort of Green's also submitted an initiative to make elections in South Tucson non-partisan.

The measure would strip away party affiliation from the candidates, allowing Republicans and Independents to vote for Democrats. The non-partisan measure was submitted by John P.S. Felix, who unsuccessfully ran for City Council last year. South Tucson is overwhelmingly Democratic.

Efforts to reach Felix were unsuccessful, but Green, who often votes alone on the council, said he supports the non-partisan measure.

Mayor Jennifer Eckstrom wasn't crazy about the idea, saying partisan elections are a South Tucson "tradition."

"I've never heard of anyone complaining against it," she said. "Either way, I think people are going to vote for individuals who are doing the best job."

The big-box initiative, however, is likely to make sparks fly.

"That's the only thing that is going to keep the city surviving," Green said.

With limited territory, most of which is built out, there aren't many places where a big box story could locate.

But Green said a mega-store could be built at the site of the dilapidated Old Spanish Trail Motel building near South Fourth Avenue and Interstate 10.

Eckstrom, however, blasted the idea as an assault on the little guy. "Well, it's another example to me of supporters of groups like Wal-Mart who don't care about small businesses," she said.

"I hope he is ready to see empty lots where businesses were because bringing in something like that we could potentially wipe out the businesses we do have."

The two initiatives join an earlier one regarding the treatment and handling of dogs in South Tucson. While the initiative applies to all dogs in South Tucson, it specifically addresses greyhound racers at Tucson Greyhound Park.

The measure would make it illegal to feed a dog raw and diseased meat, prohibit giving dogs anabolic steroids or other artificial performance-enhancing drugs and require that dogs be kept in a minimum-size cage for no more than 18 hours.

Neither Green nor Eckstrom were particularly outspoken about the measure. Green called it "sneaky."

Eckstrom said she needed to do more research.

"I need to read more about it," she said. "We had a presentation at our council meeting, and each side has really good arguments."