2016 Maine Question 2

Last updated

Question 2: Citizen Initiative
An Act To Establish The Fund to Advance Public Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education
Results
ResponseVotes %
Yes check.svgYes383,42850.63%
X mark.svgNo373,84849.37%
Valid votes757,27698.13%
Invalid or blank votes14,4321.87%
Total votes771,708100.00%

Maine Question 2, formally An Act to Establish The Fund to Advance Public Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education, [1] was a citizen-initiated referendum question that appeared on the Maine November 8, 2016 statewide ballot. It sought to increase state aid to public schools by instituting a surcharge of 3% on Maine income taxes for those with income above $200,000 a year. As the Maine Legislature and Governor Paul LePage declined to enact the proposal as written, it appeared on the ballot along with elections for President of the United States, Maine's two U.S. House seats, the Legislature, and various local elections.

Contents

The question was passed by roughly 10,000 votes. The surtax created by the question was repealed as part of state budget negotiations on July 3, 2017 that added $162 million to public education funding from general revenue.

Background

In 2003, Maine voters passed a referendum calling for the state to pay for 55% of the cost of operating public schools, as a way to reduce pressure on local property taxes. That percentage had never been met. [2] To attempt to reach that target, a group called Stand Up for Students announced that it would start a petition drive to implement a 3% surcharge on Maine income taxes paid on those with incomes above $200,000 a year, estimated to be the top 2% of earners in Maine. [3] It is estimated that such a tax surcharge would result in $110 million a year in revenue. [4]

The petition drive was carried out by some paid signature gatherers, but was largely done by volunteers from the Maine Education Association and the Maine People's Alliance, a liberal organizing group. MEA members were offered $25 Visa gift cards for every 100 signatures they gathered. [5] The office of Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap certified that the proposal qualified for the ballot on March 2, 2016, stating that 66,849 signatures were valid. [4]

The exact wording of the question was disputed. Secretary Dunlap proposed the wording "Do you want to establish a fund to support kindergarten through 12th grade public education by adding a three percent surcharge on Maine taxable income above $200,000?". During the required public comment period before the wording was finalized, the Governor's Office filed an objection to the proposed wording, stating that the word 'tax' or 'surtax' should be used instead of 'surcharge'. Doing so, they stated, would have been consistent with prior referendums calling for generating revenue. A Stand Up for Students spokesman called the objection an effort to confuse voters, citing tax cuts enacted by Governor Paul LePage. Dunlap had until June 24 to make a final decision, which was only possible to appeal by going to court. [6]

Dunlap released the final wording of the question on June 23, which read as "Do you want to add a 3% tax on individual Maine taxable income above $200,000 to create a state fund that would provide direct support for student learning in kindergarten through 12th grade public education?" [7]

Campaign

The Maine State Chamber of Commerce formed a PAC called No on Question 2 on August 2, 2016. Chamber President Dana Connors said that while they support strong education funding, it should be done in a manner that does not affect the economy. He went on to state that such a tax would discourage professionals from living in Maine. [8]

Notable endorsements

Supporters

  • Maine Association of School Libraries [9]
  • Maine Children’s Alliance [9]
  • Maine Education Association [9]
  • Maine Parent Teacher Association [9]
  • Maine Small Business Coalition [9]
  • Machinists (IAM) Local S7 [9]
  • Maine People’s Resource Center [9]
  • Maine People’s Alliance [9]
  • Maine AFL-CIO [9]
  • Maine State Employees Association [9]
  • Maine Center for Economic Policy [9]

Opponents

Polling

Date of opinion pollConducted by Sample size
(likely voters)		YesNoUndecidedMargin of Error
October 20–25, 2016 [14] University of New Hampshire76157%34%9%±3.6%
September 15–20, 2016 [15] University of New Hampshire50660%32%8%±4.3%

Results

Uncertified results indicated that Question 2 passed by a margin of around 10,000 votes. Due to the closeness of the result, opponents of Question 2 filed a petition for a recount, then withdrew their petition on November 29. [16] [17]

Question 2 Results [18]
CountyYesVotesNoVotes
Androscoggin 49.84%28,13350.16%28,317
Aroostook 51.55%18,20948.45%17,117
Cumberland 52.44%91,03947.56%82,568
Franklin 48.69%8,20051.31%8,641
Hancock 48.72%15,83151.28%16,662
Kennebec 49.56%33,21150.44%33,807
Knox 53.67%12,55546.33%10,839
Lincoln 49.67%10,85050.33%10,993
Oxford 50.49%16,08949.51%15,777
Penobscot 47.10%38,36952.90%43,102
Piscataquis 42.23%3,94857.77%5,401
Sagadahoc 51.40%11,31348.60%10,698
Somerset 46.04%12,16553.96%14,258
Waldo 51.27%11,77648.73%11,192
Washington 46.49%7,75953.51%8,930
York 52.80%61,13747.20%54,663
UOCAVA 76.31%2,84423.69%883
Total50.63%383,42849.37%373,848

Repeal

The creation of the surtax became a point of contention in state budget negotiations for the 2017-2018 budget, with Governor LePage and minority House Republicans opposed to any tax increases in the budget. A budget that did not eliminate the surtax passed the Republican-controlled Maine Senate, but not the House, leading to a shutdown of Maine state government at the end of the fiscal year on June 30. [19] Three days later, negotiators agreed to, and LePage signed, a budget that eliminated the surtax but added an additional $162 million for public education to the budget. [20]

Related Research Articles

Matthew Dunlap American politician from Maine

Matthew Dunlap is an American politician from Maine. A Democrat, Dunlap served as Secretary of State of Maine from January 7, 2013, to January 4, 2021, and previously served in that same post from 2005 to 2011. In 2012, he sought to become his party's nominee to replace retiring Olympia Snowe, but lost in the primary to State Senator Cynthia Dill. Prior to his first election as Secretary of State in 2005, he represented Old Town in the Maine House of Representatives for four terms beginning in 1996. On December 2, 2020, Dunlap was elected Maine State Auditor by the Maine Legislature and took office on January 4, 2021. but had to vacate the position after failing the exams needed to meet the requirements of the position the following October.

2010 Maine gubernatorial election

The 2010 Maine gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Democratic Governor John Baldacci was term-limited and unable to seek re-election. Primary elections took place on June 8, 2010. The candidates who appeared on the November ballot were : Eliot Cutler (Independent), Paul LePage (Republican), Libby Mitchell (Democrat), Shawn Moody (Independent), and Kevin Scott (Independent).

Same-sex marriage in Maine has been legally recognized since December 29, 2012. A bill for the legalization of same-sex marriages was approved by voters, 53–47 percent, on November 6, 2012, as Maine, Maryland and Washington became the first U.S. states to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote. Election results were certified by the Maine Secretary of State's office and the Governor of Maine, Paul LePage, on November 29.

Paul LePage American businessman and politician

Paul Richard LePage is an American businessman and politician who was the 74th Governor of Maine from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, LePage served two terms as a city councilor in Waterville, Maine, before being elected Mayor of Waterville in 2004, serving until 2011.

2012 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1 was a voter referendum on an initiated state statute that occurred November 6, 2012. The title of the citizen initiative is "An Act to Allow Marriage Licenses for Same-Sex Couples and Protect Religious Freedom". The question that appeared on the ballot was: "Do you want to allow the State of Maine to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples?"

Mark W. Eves is an American politician and family counselor who served as a member of the Maine House of Representatives for the 146th district from 2008 to 2014. He was also a Democratic candidate in the 2018 Maine gubernatorial election.

2014 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1 (MQ1), "An Act To Prohibit the Use of Dogs, Bait or Traps When Hunting Bears Except under Certain Circumstances", was a citizen-initiated referendum measure in Maine, which was voted on in the general election of November 4, 2014. As the Maine Legislature declined to act on the proposed statute, it was automatically placed on the ballot. The proposal was defeated by 320,873 "No" votes to 279,617 "Yes".

2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine

The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine were held on November 8, 2016, to elect the two U.S. representatives from the state of Maine, one from each of the state's two congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on June 14.

Cannabis in Maine Marijuana

In the U.S. state of Maine, marijuana (cannabis) is legal for recreational use. It was originally prohibited in 1913. Possession of small amounts of the drug was decriminalized in 1976 under state legislation passed the previous year. The state's first medical cannabis law was passed in 1999, allowing patients to grow their own plants. The cities of Portland and South Portland decriminalized the possession and recreational use of marijuana in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

2015 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1, "An Act To Strengthen the Maine Clean Election Act, Improve Disclosure and Make Other Changes to the Campaign Finance Laws", was a citizen-initiated referendum measure in Maine, which appeared on the November 3, 2015 statewide ballot. As the Maine Legislature did not exercise its ability to pass the bill on its own, it was placed on the ballot and approved by Maine voters.

June 2018 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1 was a people's veto referendum that appeared on the June 12, 2018 statewide ballot. It sought to reject a law passed by the Maine Legislature that suspended the implementation of ranked choice voting, authorized by Maine voters in a previous referendum, for use in Maine elections until and if an amendment to the Maine Constitution is passed to expressly permit it; failing that, the law would be automatically repealed in 2021. It qualified because supporters of the original referendum collected the necessary number of signatures from registered Maine voters. This vote coincided with primary elections in which party nominees for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and the Maine Legislature were chosen through RCV to run in general elections on November 6.

2016 Maine Question 5 Citizen-initiated referendum question

Maine Question 5, formally An Act to Establish Ranked-Choice Voting, is a citizen-initiated referendum question that qualified for the Maine November 8, 2016 statewide ballot. It was approved by a vote of 52% in favor, 48% opposed. It sought to change how most Maine elections will be conducted from a plurality voting system to a ranked-choice voting system. It appeared on the ballot along with elections for President of the United States, Maine's two U.S. House seats, the legislature, five other ballot questions, and various local elections. The referendum was successful, making Maine the first state to use ranked choice voting for its federal elections.

2011 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1, "Do you want to reject the section of Chapter 399 of the Public Laws of 2011 that requires new voters to register to vote at least two business days prior to an election?", was a 2011 people's veto referendum that rejected a bill repealing Election Day voter registration in Maine. The vote was held on November 8, 2011 after being placed on the ballot due to supporters collecting the necessary number of signatures. The veto effort was successful, with 237,024 votes in favor of repeal to 155,156 against repeal.

2016 Maine Question 4

Maine Question 4, formally An Act to Raise the Minimum Wage, is a citizen-initiated referendum question that appeared on the Maine November 8, 2016 statewide ballot. It sought to increase Maine's minimum wage from $7.50 per hour to $12 an hour by 2020, as well as increasing the minimum wage for tipped employees gradually to the same level by 2024. It would also index increases after 2024 to inflation. As the Maine Legislature and Governor Paul LePage declined to enact the proposal as written, it appeared on the ballot along with elections for President of the United States, Maine's two U.S. House seats, the Legislature, other statewide ballot questions, and various local elections. Efforts to place a competing, more moderate proposal alongside the citizen-initiated bill were unsuccessful.

2016 Maine Question 3

Maine Question 3, formally An Act to Require Background Checks for Gun Sales, was a citizen-initiated referendum question that appeared on the Maine November 8, 2016 statewide ballot. It sought to require a background check for virtually all gun transfers in Maine, with some exceptions. As the Maine Legislature and Governor Paul LePage declined to enact the proposal as written, it appeared on the ballot along with elections for President of the United States, Maine's two United States House seats, the Maine Legislature, other statewide ballot questions, and various local elections.

2016 Maine Question 1 Citizen-initiated referendum to legalize marijuana

Maine Question 1, formally An Act to Legalize Marijuana, is a citizen-initiated referendum question that qualified for the Maine November 8, 2016 statewide ballot. It was qualified for the ballot after a Maine Superior Court judge ordered that petitions rejected by the Maine Secretary of State be reconsidered. The proposal sought to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Maine for those over the age of 21, and institute a 10 percent tax on its sale. As the Maine Legislature and Governor Paul LePage declined to enact the proposal as written, it appeared on the ballot along with elections for President of the United States, Maine's two U.S. House seats, the Legislature, other statewide ballot questions, and various local elections.

2017 Maine Question 2

Maine Question 2, formally entitled "An Act To Enhance Access to Affordable Health Care", was a citizen-initiated ballot measure that appeared on the November 7, 2017 statewide ballot in the State of Maine. Maine Question 2 sought to expand Medicaid eligibility under the terms of the Affordable Care Act. The measure passed.

2017 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1, formally An Act To Allow Slot Machines or a Casino in York County, was a citizen-initiated referendum question that appeared on the November 7, 2017, statewide ballot in Maine. It sought to award a license for the construction and operation of a casino in York County, Maine by a qualified entity as spelled out in the proposed law, with tax revenue generated by the casino to go to specific programs. The wording of the proposed law effectively permitted only one company, Capital 7, to be awarded the license. The ballot measure was defeated, with 83% of voters opposing it.

November 2018 Maine Question 1

Maine Question 1 is a citizen-initiated referendum that appeared on the November 6, 2018 statewide ballot. It sought to implement a tax on higher incomes in Maine to fund in-home health care services for elderly and disabled Mainers, as well as to create a government board to administer the funds. The vote coincided with general elections for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, the Maine Legislature, and other local elections. It qualified for the ballot due to supporters collecting signatures from registered Maine voters. It was defeated 62.86% to 37.14%.

2020 Maine Question 1 Peoples veto referendum on reversing removal of religious and philosophical vaccination exemptions

2020 Maine Question 1 was a people's veto referendum that sought to reject a new law which eliminated religious and philosophical exemptions from school vaccination requirements and for employees of nursery schools and health care facilities. The question appeared on the March 3, 2020 statewide ballot.

References

  1. ↑ https://www1.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/citizensguide2016.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  2. ↑ "Moody's: Maine budget 'credit negative' for cities, towns". Bangor Daily News. July 10, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Group proposes taxing top 2 percent to help state meet education funding law". Bangor Daily News. October 7, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Petition to force more Maine school aid clears ballot hurdle". Bangor Daily News. March 2, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Group that wants Maine to spend more on public schools nears petition goal". Bangor Daily News. December 17, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  6. ↑ "LePage Administration Challenges Wording of Education Ballot Question". MPBN. June 13, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Maine secretary of state revises wording of all five November ballot questions". Bangor Daily News. June 23, 2016. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Maine Chamber of Commerce forms PAC to oppose new tax to fund education". Bangor Daily News. August 2, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 http://standupforstudentsmaine.org/46-2/endorsements/ [ bare URL ]
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "John Baldacci opposes ballot bid to tax high earners more to hike school aid". September 15, 2016.
  11. ↑ "The Wrong Choice for ME: Question 2 Report". October 11, 2016.
  12. ↑ "With Question 2, Maine gets higher taxes, same education system that needs improving". Bangor Daily News. October 15, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  13. ↑ The Editorial Board (October 30, 2016). "Our View: Vote 'no' on Question 2: Make Augusta fix schools".
  14. ↑ Murphy, Edward D. (October 31, 2016). "Leads shrink for 4 of the 6 Maine ballot issues, poll indicates".
  15. ↑ "Education tax poll data". September 28, 2016.
  16. ↑ Carrigan, Don. "Petitions for recount on Questions 1 and 2". WSCH6 Portland. WCSH-TV. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  17. ↑ Graham, Gilligan (November 29, 2016). "Group withdraws request for recount of education surcharge vote". The Portland Press-Herald. MaineToday Media. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Tabulations for Elections held in 2016". Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions. Maine Department of the Secretary of State. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
  19. ↑ "With no budget deal, Maine partially shuts its government". Boston Globe. July 1, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  20. ↑ "LePage signs budget, ending state government shutdown after 3 days". Portland Press Herald. July 4, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.