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Voters next year might get to vote on banning state funding of abortion, slashing the sales tax, increasing taxes on rich people
By adamg on Wed, 09/06/2017 - 3:03pm
Attorney General Maura Healey today certified 21 possible ballot questions for the November election in 2018.
Proponents now have until to collect Dec. 6 to collect at least 64,750 valid signatures to have any hope of actually getting their questions before voters next fall. Several of the measures she certified cover similar ground - a state association of retailers, for example, will have to decide just which version of their proposals to cut the state sales tax it will seek to get on the ballot.
Among the proposals that passed constitutional muster are is a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would be a first step to banning state funding of abortions, a measure to establish a commission to propose a federal constitutional amendment that says corporations are not people, another that would bar presidential candidates from the ballot in Massachusetts if they do not disclose six years' worth of tax returns and one that would limit how much state candidates could accept from out-of-state donors.
Another proposal would ban the use of commercial fishing gear that could trap whales; one would mandate paid family and sick leave; another would cut the state sales tax from 6.25 to 4.5% and require an annual sales-tax holiday, and one measure would increase the income-tax burden on people making more than $1 million a year.
Among those not making the cut: A proposal to eliminate all highway tolls in the state. Healey ruled that would be an unconstitutional taking of property.
Complete list of proposed questions, both approved and rejected.
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Comments
another would cut the state
How many times have we voted on this only to have the legislature ignore it?
Can we also have a ballot initiative to make the AG officially non-partisan office? It doesn't seem appropriate for the current AG to be promoting the Teamsters and other entities which are subject to investigations by her office or the feds for misdeeds. The AG shouldn't be campaigning or supporting any causes or entities in any fashion which indicates a bias by the office. Impartial treatment is supposed to be offered by the justice system and the appearance of that being offered by the past 30 years worth of AGs is dubious at best.
Taxes and Services
If people want to lower sales tax by 2% they should simultaneously vote to raise income tax by 1% to compensate. This would considerably help the poor and mostly fall upon the rich. Fine by me.
Fall upon the rich?
Come on, how many rich people work? You might have meant "capital gains tax." And I'll scream bloody murder if any politician tries to increase that.
Why the Eff Do YOU care???
I think that (with certain exemptions already in place) that it is a great idea!
And I actually HAVE an investment that has seen a fuckton of capital gain (as in my neighborhood has gone from "that high school scares me" to "top ten hottest neighborhoods for 2017").
Do you really think that your Honda Civic has gained that much value?
My Honda Civic?
Since when do cars appreciate in value at all, let alone make any money that would be subject to a capital gains tax?
I have a stock portfolio.
Wow
Right to the personal attacks and insults. God forbid someone ELSE have investments that have increased in value.
Wow. Like Clockwork
Straight to the passive aggressive moral scolding - do you have an alert set up or something?
Taking the Piss out of Will is old sport around here. He's a grownup. Not a snowflake. He can take it.
Rich is relative
If you barely make $40k, you consider anyone making $80k "rich".
Rich vs. Wealthy
"Rich people make a lot of money. Wealthy people sign their checks."
AG
It would be good if the holder of this Constitutional Office actually followed the Constitution!
Elaborate
Please.
Once you're at state level, non-partisan is a farce
I'm all for non-partisan elections for municipal office, where pragmatism-- plowing roads, funding schools-- nearly always puts political ideology or methodology in the back seat (and is a failure when it doesn't-- hello, Flint MI)
Everyone will have some sort of political leanings, and I want the AG to be an elected-- not appointed-- office. Statewide elections for executive offices are too expensive and logistically difficult to do without a party structure of some sort nowadays, so even if a candidate is nominally independent, if they are going to succeed, they'll need at least the informal support of party. This seems to be more common in the south and the west, in races where being a Democrat can kill your chances, but being an "independent" who happens to follow the Democratic party line but with more gun love can work.
I wonder what's the budget
I wonder what's the budget that would work out to if a sales tax cut proposal with a income tax proposal both get passed. BTW, this does not indicating to my stances on this. Just curiosity at a hypothetical scenario.
I like the idea
Sales tax is regressive. Taxing the wealthy is progressive. The wealthy can afford a jump in income tax much more than a less affluent person can afford sales tax on steel toe work boots (over the exempt limit) or school supplies.
I also like the "no tax returns, no ballot access" idea. That and the "no corporate personhood" idea. Got to start somewhere.
Ban on state funding for abortions? Okay - how about a ban on state funding for appendectomies and (more rational since it isn't medically necessary) circumcision? Point being: the state should stay out of personal medical decisions.
What I would really love to see: A ballot initiative stripping all the travel subsidies from state legislators, the governor, and state office holders. Make them pay market rate for their parking until the MBTA meets certain coverage and on-time performance targets. Maybe offer them a T pass. See how fast the T gets fixed.
Appendectomy
Is not needed?
I side with the idea that abortion should not be de-funded but your pop culture logic and incessant ramblings do get tired here.
Calm down and think it through. Sometimes I think you just like to read your own posts...
MA sales tax is not strictly regressive
The MA sales tax has a bow to it. After all, food, medicine, and not-expensive clothes are tax-free. To that end, the poorest likely pay a relatively low amount of money in sales tax, the middle class likely pay the highest percent of their income in sales tax, and the richest again likely pay less.
The sales tax people are
The sales tax people are blowing it by proposing 4.5% instead of 5%. People liked 5%. Easy to calculate.
If that's the reason somebody voted against the rate
I want for that person to never vote or breed again.
Don't forget that the
Don't forget that the Bathroom Bill repeal is already on the ballot.
https://ballotpedia.org/Massachusetts_Transgender_Anti-Discrimination_Ve...(2018)
Broken link
Your link appears to be broken - try this one. A YES vote would uphold the addition of gender identity to the list of characteristics for which discrimination is prohibited (ref. SB407). The so-called "Massachusetts Family Institute", who like bigots everywhere love to dress up their ignorance and bigotry with words like "family" and "institute", are the ones pushing for a "No" vote.
Can we get
a ballot question that would attempt to ban ALL public/state subsidies going toward private sports stadium funding. With the state of Fenway, Gillette, and the Garden being what they currently are, now/soon would be the time to pass such a bill. There is no threat of a pro sports team begging for money from the public to fund their rich-boy playgrounds....YET. I love my local sportsball club as much as the next guy but I for one am sickened by how other municipalities are bilked for hundreds of millions of dollars so a billionaire can build a new stadium for their hobby. Just look at what just happened with Las Vegas and the Raiders. Disgusting....
Excellent idea. The people
Excellent idea. The people who think stealing is ok as long as the thief is an old rich white male are sickening and are ruining this country.
Not to mention the Pawsox
Trying to extort money out of Pawtucket, Springfield, and Worcester currently. You know it's bad when minor league affiliates are playing this publicly-funded stadium game.
Ballot initiative to abolish
Ballot initiative to abolish the state legislation authorizing the BRA/BPDA please!
Here's a real one
A law requiring traffic lights to be timed properly, for traffic signals instead of traffic cops on overtime at high-volume intersections, and signalized crosswalks timed to alternately favor vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic at appropriate phases of the overall traffic cycle so that the half-dozen uncontrolled crosswalks in places like Mass Ave, Belmont Center, Washington Street, etc etc don't cause problems for pedestrians and motorists alike.
Seriously. I'll help with the legwork.
Helping with the legwork
You get right on that then.
I make WAY less than $1,000
I make WAY less than $1,000,000 a year. WHEW! I'm safe.
Legislator Pay Raises
How about a ballot initiative to:
- roll back the most recent one, AND
- leave any and all matters regarding legislator compensation and perks to a group consisting of the first nine patrons to leave a randomly selected restaurant in Pierre, South Dakota after 7:00 PM Central Time on the next following occasion of Adam Gaffin's birthday?