Legislative Update: Rep. Saviello’s guide to Nov. 3 ballot questions

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In the last few weeks many of you have asked me questions about the many ballot questions that will be in front of you on Nov. 3. There are four kinds of ballot issues. They are the People’s Veto, Citizen’s Initiative, Bonds and Constitutional Amendments.

The People’s Veto is a process where citizens can propose the veto of a new law. Signatures totaling 10 percent (55,087) of the votes cast for governor in 2006 are required. Once validated and timelines are met the people of the state vote to decide the outcome of the new law.

The Citizen Initiative is a process where a citizen or group of citizens can propose a new or change an existing law. Signatures totaling 10 percent (55,087) of the votes cast for governor in 2006 are required. Once validated and timelines are met, the Legislature votes to accept or reject the new law or changed law. If rejected, the people of the state vote to decide the outcome.

Bond approval is a process where citizens approve or reject the Legislature’s vote to borrow money for capital improvements such as roads and new schools. Lastly, Constitutional Amendment is a process where citizens approve or reject the Legislature’s vote to amend the Maine Constitution.

Below I have identified the type of question you will be voting on and a summary on each ballot question provided by the Secretary of State. For more information you can go to: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming.html

Question 1: A People’s Veto
Question 1: An Act To End Discrimination in Civil Marriage and Affirm Religious Freedom

Marriage is the legally recognized union of two people. Gender-specific terms relating to the marital relationship or familial relationships, including, but not limited to, “spouse,” “family, “marriage,” “immediate family,” “dependent,” “next of kin,” “bride,” “groom,” “husband,” “wife,””widow” and “widower,” must be construed to be gender-neutral for all purposes throughout the law, whether in the context of statute, administrative or court rule, policy, common law or any other source of civil law.

A yes vote repeals the law. A no vote keeps the law in place.

Question 2: A Citizen Initiative
Question 2: An Act to Decrease the Automobile Excise Tax and Promote Energy

This bill decreases the excise tax imposed on motor vehicles for the first year from 24 mils to 12 mils, for the second year from 17.5 mils to 8 mils and for the third year from 13.5 mils to 4 mils and imposes a 4-mil rate for the fourth and succeeding years. This bill also exempts from the excise tax imposed on motor vehicles the first three model years of a hybrid gasoline-electric vehicle, a fuel-cell-fueled or hydrogen-fueled vehicle or a highly energy efficient vehicle that has a highway fuel economy estimate of at least 40 miles to the gallon. After the first three years, the rate of excise tax is the same as on other motor vehicles of the same age.

This bill also exempts from the sales tax 100 percent of the sale or lease price of a new hybrid gasoline-electric vehicle, a fuel-cell-fueled or hydrogen-fueled vehicle or a vehicle with a highway fuel economy estimate of at least 40 miles per gallon.

A yes vote approves the law. A no rejects it.

Question 3: A Citizen Initiative
Question 3: An Act to Repeal the School District Consolidation Laws

This initiated bill repeals the laws related to the consolidation of school administrative units that were enacted by the first regular session of the 123rd Legislature in Public Law 2007, Chapter 240. It restores the laws that were amended or repealed to accommodate the consolidation.

A yes vote approves the law. A no rejects it.

Question 4: Citizen Initiative
Question 4: An Act to Promote Tax Relief

This bill proposes to restrain the growth in state and local government by imposing expenditure limitations on state and local government and by requiring a procedure of voter approval of certain state tax increases.

Under this bill, growth in annual expenditures of the General Fund, the Highway Fund and Other Special Revenue Funds are limited according to increases in population and inflation. For the General Fund and Highway Fund budgets, revenues exceeding the expenditure limitation must be distributed by directing 20 percent of that excess to a budget stabilization fund and 80 percent of that excess to a tax relief fund.

The budget stabilization funds may be used only in years when revenues are not sufficient to fund the level of expenditure permitted by the growth limits. The Tax Relief Reserve Fund must be used to provide tax relief through broad-based reductions in tax rates or refunds proportional to individual income tax personal exemptions claimed in the previous tax year. The Highway Fund Reserve Fund must be used to provide a decrease in motor fuels taxes. For state agencies that manage Other Special Revenue Funds, the managers of those funds must report excess surpluses to the Legislature with a plan for refund of those revenues.

Under this bill, a state tax increase would require a majority vote of each House of the Legislature and majority approval of the voters. State expenditure limits contained in this bill could be exceeded by a majority vote of each House of the Legislature and majority approval by the voters.

Municipal and county LD 1 expenditure limits could be exceeded by a majority approval by the voters of that local district. Annual indexing of motor fuel taxes would also require majority voter approval.
This bill requires counties and municipalities to use a model cost center budget summary already developed by the Department of Audit and requires information in that format to be made available to local voters, filed annually with Maine Revenue Services and posted on any publicly accessible Web site maintained by the county or municipality as well as Maine Revenue Services’ Web site.

A yes vote approves the law. A no rejects it.

Question 5: A Citizen Initiative
Question 5: An Act to Establish the Maine Medical Marijuana Act

Current law allows a person who has been diagnosed by a physician as suffering from certain medical conditions to possess marijuana for medical use. This citizen-initiated bill changes the description of the medical conditions for which the medical use of marijuana is permitted. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to issue registry identification cards to patients who qualify to possess marijuana for medical use and to their designated primary caregivers. It sets limits on the amount of marijuana that may be possessed by qualifying patients and their designated primary caregivers. It allows the establishment of nonprofit dispensaries to provide marijuana to qualifying patients and directs the Department of Health and Human Services to issue a registration certificate to a nonprofit dispensary that meets certain criteria. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish application and renewal fees sufficient to pay the expenses of implementing and administering the provisions of the initiated bill.

A yes vote approves the law. A no rejects it.

Question 6: A Bond Issue

“Do you favor a $71,250,000 bond issue for improvements to highways and bridges, airports, public transit facilities, ferry and port facilities, including port and harbor structures, as well as funds for the LifeFlight Foundation that will make the state eligible for over $148,000,000 in federal and other matching funds?”

This bond will add $50,000,000 to the highway fund, and additional $5,000,000 to the general fund highway and bridge account, and $4,000,000 for railroads. It also includes fund for the Department of Economic Development.

A yes approves the bond. A no rejects it.

Question 7: A Constitutional Amendment

“Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to increase the amount of time that local officials have to certify the signatures on direct initiative petitions?”

This constitutional amendment gives 10 more days for the certification of citizen initiatives.

A yes approves the amendment. A no rejects it.

If you have any other questions call me at 645-3420 or e-mail me at drtom16@hotmail.com. As always it is my pleasure to serve the people of District 90.

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1 Comment

  1. Do you really believe the people of District 90 cannot figure this stuff out for themselves?

    You are coming across as a nanny liberal here
    Keep up the good work

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