Hey, there! Log in / Register

ballot questions

By adamg - 9/15/14 - 10:33 am

The Globe talks to the four candidates for governor about tax policy; at least when it comes to Coakley and Baker: Not much to hear.

There's a reason they call him the Prince of Darkness.

By adamg - 11/6/12 - 10:30 pm

The Globe has the results for the two questions - and that third one about car repair.

By adamg - 2/8/12 - 8:00 am

The Patriot Ledger reports the chairman of Progressive Insurance has contributed $525,000 to a group pushing a ballot question to legalize the medical use of marijuana here. The group has raised $1,167 from other sources.

By adamg - 9/7/11 - 3:18 pm

NOTE: This is a corrected version of this post.

The state Attorney General's office said today a proposed referendum on requiring government-issued IDs to vote in Massachusetts is unconstitutional because it "infringes on freedom of elections."

Currently, Massachusetts voters facing a residency challenge can present a current utility bill or paycheck stub. The proposal by Mansfield Selectman Olivier Kozlowski would have required people showing up to vote to show a driver's license, passport or government-issued ID card.

By adamg - 11/2/10 - 5:28 am

WhereDoIVote will not only tell you where you vote but will show you all the candidates and referendum questions on your specific ballot (some districts have some non-binding questions in addition to the three statewide questions).

Don't forget to turn over your ballot! In many places, it's a two-pager this time.

Via Steve Garfield.

By adamg - 10/26/10 - 4:15 pm

The MBTA Advisory Board analyzes the potential impact of Question 3, which would cut the state sales tax from 6.25% to 3%, concludes passage and actual enactment would mean a big hit on the T, which now gets 57% of its revenue from state sales-tax revenue.

A portion of the sales tax is dedicated to the T; the board notes the T last year forestalled fare increases in part through additional revenue from the increase in the sales tax from 5% to 6.25%.

By adamg - 10/25/10 - 7:12 am

Associated Press uncovers a memo from Baker to then boss Paul Celllucci, urging him to sit on news of escalating Big Dig costs until after Cellucci beat Scott Harshbarger back in the day. Tony ponders:

By adamg - 10/20/10 - 8:31 am

WBUR takes a look at both sides of Question 3, which would cut the state sales tax from 6.25 to 3%.

By adamg - 10/13/10 - 8:47 am

Robert Dwyer, who writes about wine, will be voting yes on Question 1, which would repeal the sale tax on wine. Dwyer explains why that was no easy decision, especially after he learned that even with the tax, Massachusetts still ranks in the bottom ten states for tax levels on booze.

By adamg - 9/19/10 - 11:17 am

One Massachusetts is a group seeking a "No" vote on all three of this year's ballot questions, which would cut the sales tax in general, repeal the sales tax on booze in particular and eliminate a state requirement that communities ensure a certain percentage of their homes are "affordable." The group's Harmony Blakeway makes the case that "No" votes would actually be saying:

By adamg - 6/24/10 - 8:05 am

Looks like you'll get the chance to do so this November. The Outraged Liberal argues why you shouldn't.

By adamg - 11/12/08 - 7:57 am

CW Unbound looks at the numbers, discovers a huge shift in votes in western Massachusetts from the last time voters considered a ban. But why?

By Kaz - 11/6/08 - 6:14 pm

There was a survey posted here on Universal Hub back on October 22nd regarding the ballot questions. I summed up the results at 217 responses to get a feel for what each question's outcome would be based on our limited and biased sample. Let's see how well we predicted the final voter population...

In each case, I'll compare my count to the percentages reported at boston.com.

By adamg - 11/5/08 - 10:17 am

Richard Howe wonders if the president-elect would consider a Massachusetts greyhound, since there will soon be plenty of those available.

By adamg - 11/4/08 - 9:26 pm
Woof!
Woof! Paul Keleher photographed this Question 3 supporter.

Channel 5 is projecting:

  • No income tax repeal.
  • Yes pot-possession changes.
  • Yes on banning dog racing.
By Anonymous - 11/2/08 - 7:29 pm

Here's a guide to the 3 referendum questions on the ballot Tuesday, with pro's con's articulated by the experts who are supporting and opposing the measures. It's surprisingly concise.

Q1 Would reduce the state personal income tax rate to 2.65 percent for the tax year beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2009, and would eliminate the tax beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2010.

Q2 Would replace the criminal penalties for possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana with a system of civil penalties, and would exclude information from the state's criminal record system.

By [email protected] - 10/29/08 - 10:03 am

Seriously - if the devil's in the details on some of these questions (in terms of practical implementations, presuming you're not already fundamentally decided) - could someone please ensure that online information about the ballot is a little more complete and correct?

By GarrettQuinn - 10/13/08 - 6:21 pm

Worth noting that the people opposing Question One are backed almost entirely by Big Government Unions.

The MTA and SEIU gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to the pro-tax movement.

No one should be shocked that government employee unions are fighting Question One to the death. If it passes they will lose their superhuman benefits and government perks that no one except the CEOs of AIG get.

Coaliton for Our Communities report 1

By adamg - 10/5/08 - 11:40 am

The Globe covers yesterday's anti-income-tax rally in Boston (only 250 people?), while Yvonne Abraham heaps scorn on Carla Howell and her made-up figures about waste in state government.

A Proper Bostonian comes up with Swiftian reasons to vote for the measure (as in Jonathan, not Jane).

Subscribe to ballot questions