[Platform] Can the plaform committee consider advisory ballotquestions?

[BillCunningham]

We should definitely look at it. I would like to see a permanent local option to ABOLISH residential property taxes with an income tax substitution; separately the Statewide income tax reform should be made progressive. 

-----Original Message-----
>From: Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com
>Sent: Mar 31, 2008 12:28 PM
>To: etwee at earthlink.net, Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com, platform at green-rainbow.org, statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
>Subject: Re: [Platform] Can the plaform committee consider advisory ballotquestions?
>
>I actually filed legislation to increase incoem tax and give property tax 
>relief so if we think that is the right formula there is legislation sitting in a 
>committee somewhere.
>
>as for the initiative petition, any initiative petition that has funding 
>impacts has to be approved by the legislators after it is passed so,yeah, this 
>would be relevant...   Thanks, Grace
>In a message dated 3/31/08 11:48:57 AM, etwee at earthlink.net writes:
>
>
>> Grace,
>> 
>> The district advisory questions are in the form of "instructions" for the 
>> state legislators concerned. Should the binding tax question pass, what could 
>> the legislators do about it?
>> 
>> To counteract the income tax abolitionists, we need a tax program of our 
>> own. My favorite is abolition of the residential property tax and its 
>> REPLACEMENT by a local income tax. (We have talked about this in Cambridge electoral 
>> campaigns.)
>> 
>> As the economy shakes down and particularly in housing, people will bve 
>> desperate for relief. The libertarians may get more traction for the income tax 
>> question under these conditions. We have to insist on the income tax more than 
>> ever because of the crisis, renew the argument for making it progressive 
>> (the Dems abandoned that after 1994), and go after the property tax instead. I 
>> think that will make sense to a lot of people.
>> 
>> Linking in the property tax makes the connection with our the housing 
>> priority, and may help us formulate a tax "instruction" or advisory that 
>> legislators could cope with....
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> >From: Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com
>> >Sent: Mar 31, 2008 10:49 AM
>> >To: etwee at earthlink.net, Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com, platform at green-rainbow.org, 
>> statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
>> >Subject: Re: [Platform] Can the plaform committee consider advisory 
>> ballotquestions?
>> >
>> >Bill - I know Merelice was seeking a question through our new coalition on
>> >the sub-rpime lending crisis - but I am wondering about a question to 
>> address
>> >the problems underlying this binding ballot question on a complete repeal 
>> of the
>> >income tax which will be on the November ballot statewide...
>> >
>> >Thanks, Grace
>> >In a message dated 3/31/08 10:16:20 AM, etwee at earthlink.net writes:
>> >
>> >
>> >> I could work on one, especially if it's about housing issues. There 
>> should
>> >> be a buck-stops-here party contact for this project?
>> >>
>> >> I'm sure the details have already been discussed, and correct me if I'm
>> >> wrong:
>> >>
>> >> 200 valid signatures will place a question in a state rep district, 
>> around
>> >> three times that for a state senate district. Sigs must be submitted to 
>> local
>> >> election officials by the first week in July.
>> >>
>> >> After drafting a text it's a good idea to submit it to the AG's office 
>> for
>> >> vetting. Not required but fends off legal challenges. Two I worked on in 
>> 2006
>> >> were submitted in early April. Vetting and rewrite might take a week or 
>> two.
>> >>
>> >> The State limits advisory questions per district per election. No more 
>> than
>> >> three can appear and they are placed as they are submitted to the 
>> Elections
>> >> Division, Secertary of the Commonwealth.
>> >>
>> >> In other words, the sooner, the better.
>> >>
>> >> -----Original Message-----
>> >> >From: Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com
>> >> >Sent: Mar 31, 2008 9:44 AM
>> >> >To: platform at green-rainbow.org, statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
>> >> >Subject: [Platform] Can the plaform committee consider advisory ballot  
>>  
>> >> questions?
>> >> >
>> >> >Hi, Jill & John Andrews & whoever else might know about this - It has
>> >> become
>> >> >apparent that some advisory questions are being formulated.
>> >> >
>> >> >as was decided at the last statecom meeting and Merelice has reminded 
>> us,
>> >> >advisory ballot questions content was to be created and vetted by the
>> >> platform
>> >> >committee.
>> >> >
>> >> >However, no language for questions has been posted or discussed on this
>> >> list
>> >> >serv.
>> >> >
>> >> >Can the possible topics please be posted so we can begin this 
>> discussion?  
>> >> >Thanks, Grace
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >**************
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>> >> >on AOL Home.
>> >> >     
>> >> >(http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15&
>> >> ncid=aolhom00030000000001)
>> >> >_______________________________________________
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>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Bill Cunningham
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >**************
>> >Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL
>> >Home.
>> >      (http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15&
>> >ncid=aolhom00030000000001)
>> 
>> 
>> Bill Cunningham
>> _______________________________________________
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>> 
>> 
>
>
>
>
>**************
>Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL 
>Home.
>      (http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15&
>ncid=aolhom00030000000001)


Bill Cunningham