Elections in Massachusetts |
---|
The Massachusetts Automatic Gas Tax Increase Repeal Initiative, Question 1 was on the November 4, 2014 statewide ballot. Approved by voters, the measure repeals a 2013 law that would automatically adjust gas taxes according to inflation, allowing for automatic annual increases in the state's gas tax. [1]
The law that this initiative repeals would also have put a minimum cap on gas taxes to prevent gas tax decreases in the case of deflation. The tax increase was part of a transportation funding package that was vetoed by Governor Deval Patrick (D) because he wanted an even greater tax increase. Patrick's veto was overruled by a House vote of 123 to 33 and a Senate vote of 35 to 5. [2]
Tank the Gas Tax, an organization supporting the initiative, stated that they collected at least 18,500 signatures by June 9, 2014. They turned in the signatures on June 18, 2014 in an attempt to qualify the initiative for the ballot. [3] The measure was certified for the 2014 ballot on July 2, 2014. [4]
The question passed with 53% of voters in favor. [5]
In 2013, the Democrat-controlled state legislature passed House Bill 3847, which raised the state's gas tax from 21 to 24 cents per gallon and automatically tied the tax rate to inflation for future years, meaning it would increase by the same annual percentage as the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This marked the first increase in the tax since 1991. Given that the CPI has averaged approximately one or two percent during the past several years, the tax would likely increase by half a penny or less per year. [7] [8]
The measure is sponsored by the group Tank the Gas Tax. [9]
Total campaign cash as of October 30, 2014 | |
Support: | $94,318 |
Opposition: | $1,884,722 |
As of October 30, 2014, one campaign organization had received an aggregate total of $94,318 in contributions. [14]
PAC info:
PAC/Ballot measure group | Amount raised | Amount spent |
---|---|---|
Committee to Tank the Automatic Gas Tax Hikes | $94,318 | $75,173 |
Total | $94,318 | $75,173 |
Top contributors:
A1 Auto | $10,000 |
Liberty Initiative Fund | $5,000 |
Strong Economy for Growth | $5,000 |
Strong Economy Massachusetts Independent Expenditures PAC | $5,000 |
Massachusetts Ambulance Association | $2,500 |
The official opposition campaign is called Vote No on Question One, in conjunction with the Committee for Safer Roads and Bridges. [15]
As of October 30, 2014, one campaign organization had received an aggregate total of $1,884,722 in contributions. [14]
PAC info:
PAC/Ballot measure group | Amount raised | Amount spent |
---|---|---|
NO on One Committee | $1,884,722 | $438,200 |
Total | $1,884,722 | $438,200 |
Top contributors:
CIM Advancement Fund | $200,000 |
American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts | $145,000 |
Mass Aggregate & Asphalt Pavement Association | $100,000 |
Suffolk Construction Company, Inc. | $100,000 |
Utility Contractors Association of New England Inc. | $100,000 |
Flagship Associates LLC | $90,000 |
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (November 2014) |
Carla Howell is an American political activist, small government advocate, songwriter, and recording artist. She is most known for organizing tax-cut initiative petitions in Massachusetts. She ran for office in Massachusetts for U.S. Senate (2000), Governor (2002), and State Auditor (1998) on the Libertarian Party ticket. She served on the staff of the Libertarian National Committee from December 2011 until June 2017.
In California, a ballot proposition is a referendum or an initiative measure that is submitted to the electorate for a direct decision or direct vote. If passed, it can alter one or more of the articles of the Constitution of California, one or more of the 29 California Codes, or another law in the California Statutes by clarifying current or adding statute(s) or removing current statute(s).
In the politics of the United States, the process of initiatives and referendums allow citizens of many U.S. states to place new legislation, or to place legislation that has recently been passed by a legislature on a ballot for a popular vote. Initiatives and referendums, along with recall elections and popular primary elections, are signature reforms of the Progressive Era; they are written into several state constitutions, particularly in the West. It is a form of direct democracy.
The 2006 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2006. The incumbent Republican governor, Mitt Romney, chose not to seek a second term. The election was won by the Democratic former United States Assistant Attorney General Deval Patrick, who became the second African-American governor in the United States since Reconstruction and the first Democratic governor of Massachusetts since Michael Dukakis left office in 1991.
Proposition 2+1⁄2 is a Massachusetts statute that limits property tax assessments and, secondarily, automobile excise tax levies by Massachusetts municipalities. The name of the initiative refers to the 2.5% ceiling on total property taxes annually as well as the 2.5% limit on property tax increases. It was passed by ballot measure, specifically called an initiative petition within Massachusetts state law for any form of referendum voting, in 1980 and went into effect in 1982. The effort to enact the proposition was led by the anti-tax group Citizens for Limited Taxation. It is similar to other "tax revolt" measures passed around the same time in other parts of the United States. This particular proposition followed the movements of states such as California.
Deval Laurdine Patrick is an American politician, civil rights lawyer, author, and businessman who served as the 71st governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015. He was first elected in 2006, succeeding Mitt Romney, who chose not to run for reelection to focus on his 2008 presidential campaign. He was reelected in 2010. He was the first African American Governor of Massachusetts and the first Democratic Governor of the state in 16 years since Michael Dukakis left office in 1991. Patrick served from 1994 to 1997 as the United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division under President Bill Clinton. He was briefly a candidate for President of the United States in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
The 2006 Massachusetts general election was held on November 7, 2006, throughout Massachusetts.
The State Income Tax Repeal, also known as Massachusetts Question 1, was one of the 2008 ballot measures that appeared on the November 4, 2008 ballot in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Voters were asked whether or not they approved of the proposed measure which, if it had passed, would have ended the 5.3% income tax in Massachusetts on wages, interest, dividends and capital gains. Ultimately, Massachusetts voters defeated Question 1 by a wide margin, with approximately 70% opposed versus 30% in favor.
Massachusetts Question 1 may refer to:
The Massachusetts general election, 2010 was held on November 2, 2010 throughout Massachusetts. Primary elections took place on September 14, 2010.
The No Sales Tax for Alcohol Question, also known as Question 1, was on the November 2, 2010 ballot in Massachusetts. The measure asked voters whether to repeal a sales tax on alcohol sales. The ballot measure for the 2010 ballot was added after the Massachusetts State Legislature increased the sales tax in the state from 5% to 6.25% and eliminated an exemption for alcohol sold in liquor stores.
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Permits and Regional Planning Initiative, also known as Question 2, appeared on the November 2, 2010 ballot in the state of Massachusetts as an initiative. Question 2 was rejected by the Massachusetts voters by 1,254,759 "No" votes to 900,405 "Yes" votes. The measure had been sponsored by Better Not Bigger, a local advocacy group in the state.
Massachusetts Question 3, filed under the name, the 3 percent Sales Tax Relief Act, appears on the November 2, 2010 ballot in the state of Massachusetts as an initiative. The measure, if enacted by voters, would reduce the state sales tax rate from 6.25 to 3 percent. The measure is being sponsored by the Alliance to Roll Back Taxes headed by Carla Howell. The measure would be enacted into a law 30 days after the election if approved by voters.
Ryan C. Fattman is an American state legislator currently serving in the Massachusetts State Senate. Prior to being elected to the Massachusetts Senate, Fattman represented the 18th Worcester district in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a Republican. Before serving as a state representative, he attended Suffolk University and Tufts University and served on the Sutton Board of Selectmen from 2006 to 2011.
Three ballot measures were certified for the November 6, 2018, general election in the state of Massachusetts.
California Proposition 6 was a measure that was submitted to California voters as part of the November 2018 election. The ballot measure proposed a repeal of the Road Repair and Accountability Act, which is also known as Senate Bill 1. The measure failed with about 57% of the voters against and 43% in favor.
Barbara Anderson was an anti-tax activist. She was eulogized by Governor of Massachusetts Charlie Baker for her contribution to reducing property, income and excise taxes for state citizens. She was an executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation for 35 years. In November 1980, she led the property tax relief campaign, instituting the ballot initiative empowering voters with a veto on property tax hikes. She was instrumental in the repeal of the state income tax surtax; defeat of the graduated income tax ballot question, and “temporary” state income tax increase rollback. She was a weekly contributor to both The Salem News and The Lawrence Eagle-Tribune Publishing Company. Anderson was known as “The Mother of Proposition 2½.” She co-hosted a popular WRKO radio program with newspaper columnist Howie Carr and radio personality Jerry Williams.
Massachusetts Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative, also known as Question 2, was an initiative at the 2020 Massachusetts general election that would have changed primaries and elections in Massachusetts from plurality voting to ranked-choice voting (RCV) for all Massachusetts statewide offices, state legislative offices, federal congressional offices, and certain other offices beginning in 2022. RCV would not be extended to elections for president, county commissioner, or regional district school committee member. The initiative failed, with 54.8% of voters voting 'No' and 45.2% 'Yes'.
The Massachusetts Right to Repair Initiative (2020), also known as Question 1, appeared on the Massachusetts 2020 general election ballot as an initiated state statute. It was approved by voters and the measure will update the state's right to repair laws to include electronic vehicle data. A similar Right to repair initiative appeared on the 2012 state ballot and passed with 86% of the vote.
Question 1 is the name of various ballot measures: