In addition to making a choice for the highest office in the land next Tuesday—along with selections for state and United State senators, state and U.S. representatives, councilor, and registrar of probate—voters will be asked to weigh in on five ballot questions: three statewide questions and two local questions.
Question 1 is a proposal to gradually eliminate the state personal income tax, by reducing the rate to 2.65 percent as of Jan. 2, 2009, and eliminating it completely as of Jan. 1, 2010. Proponents of the initiative assert that there is 41 percent waste in state government, and that eliminating the income tax would force the state to be more frugal with its money. Opponents say that, while the initiative itself won’t cut funding, it would force cuts in aid to cities and towns, resulting in increases in property taxes and cuts in local services, as well as cuts in school funding. They also say that the initiative would result in a 40 percent cut to the state budget and would force the state to raise other taxes and fees.
Supporters of the measure include the Committee for Small Government, Citizens for Limited Taxation, and the National Taxpayers Union. Among the opponents are the Coalition for Our Communities, Governor Deval Patrick, the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, Michael Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, the Harvard School Committee, the Harvard Teachers’ Association.
Question 2 would reduce penalties for possession of one ounce or less or marijuana. Current penalties can affect a person’s ability to obtain a job, housing, and school loans, and result in a permanent CORI record. This measure would introduce new civil penalties for the offense, including a fine of $100 and a requirement for offenders younger than 18 to attend a drug awareness program that would include 10 hours of community service. The proposed law would not legalize possession of marijuana.
Proponents of the initiative argue that passage of the law would free up police to focus on serious crimes, rather than spending time arresting people for marijuana possession which, they claim, would save taxpayers $30 million a year in arrest-related costs.
Opponents say that passage of this law would equate to an endorsement of substance abuse, and point to the psychological and physical risks associated with using the drug as reasons for maintaining the stricter penalties now in place.
Question 3 proposes the prohibition of dog racing in Massachusetts. Proponents assert that such racing is cruel and inhumane. Opponents say that the state’s 65-year-old dog-racing industry is fully regulated by the State Racing Commission and that the dogs are not mistreated, and argue that elimination of dog-racing would result in the loss of thousands of jobs.
The local questions on the ballot, Question 4 and Question 5, address the sale of alcohol in Harvard and distribution of funds from the state’s “rainy day” fund. (See related story on Question 4.)
Question 5 asks voters to instruct the district’s state representative to vote in favor of distributing $450 million from the “rainy day” fund to cities and towns for property tax relief.
