There were three statewide ballot questions, all initiatives, which Massachusetts voters considered in this election. There were also various local ballot questions around the commonwealth.
Abolishing the state income tax. A law to eliminate any state personal income tax for income or other gain realized on or after July 1, 2003.[8]
Question 1: Abolishing the state income tax
Candidate
Votes
%
±
Yes
885,683
45.3%
✓
No
1,069,467
54.7%
Question 2
English Language Education in Public Schools Initiative: Abolishing bilingual education and replacing it with a one-year program of rapid English immersion. A law that would require that, with limited exceptions, all public-school children must be taught all subjects in English.[9]
Taxpayer funding for Clean Elections. A non-binding question relative to the funding of political campaigns for public office, with the "no" vote indicating voters were not in favor of publicly funded elections.[9] This was a reversal of opinion against the Clean Elections Law passed by voter referendum in 1988.[9] The law was repealed by the legislature as part of the 2003 state budget.[11] The legislature had refused to fund the law, which prompted state courts to order the sale of a disused state hospital, state-owned automobiles, and desks and sofas in the offices of legislative leaders Thomas M. Finneran, Salvatore F. DiMasi, and Joseph F. Wagner.[11]
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