[Platform] Can the plaform committee consider advisory ballotquestions?

Mon Mar 31 15:28:00 EDT 2008

Bill - an actual progressive income tax, as you know would require a 
consitutional amendment - is a local income tax prohibited in law somewhere?   I know 
that municipalities would freak out that people will move across the the next 
town if they implimented such a thing - but obviously it would be much fairer 
even for raising the same amounto f taxes... Grace
In a message dated 3/31/08 3:16:43 PM, etwee at earthlink.net writes:

> 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
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >**************
> >> >> >Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video
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> >> >> >Platform at green-rainbow.org
> >> >> >http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/platform
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> Bill Cunningham
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >**************
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> >> >Home.
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> >> >ncid=aolhom00030000000001)
> >>
> >>
> >> Bill Cunningham
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Platform mailing list
> >> Platform at green-rainbow.org
> >> http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/platform
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >**************
> >Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL
> >Home.
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> >ncid=aolhom00030000000001)
> 
> 
> Bill Cunningham
> 

**************
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Home.
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