[Platform] Can the plaform committee consider advisory ballotquestions?

Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com
Mon Mar 31 18:27:51 EDT 2008 

Yes, yes, yes - property tax is clearly regressive - although not as 
regressive as how we do sales tax in this country!

It is not our questions saying "no" which iwll make the difference - it is 
tha ability to put out an opposing and more just and comprehensive solution - 
side-by-side wihtone which won't help anyone but the very wealthy...

Just an idea...   

The local income instead of property tax would you are right be best 
accomplished with enabling legislation - Do you know what states have it and canyou 
get your hands on their language?
Thanks, Grace
In a message dated 3/31/08 4:59:48 PM, etwee at earthlink.net writes:


> Yep, progressive income tax has to be taken up separately in large part 
> because of the constitutional factor.
> 
> Local income tax isn't prohibited but I guess it would require a State 
> enabling act. To make enabling easier we would want a permanent local option law 
> in place. Ditto other local laws we favor, like police review boards or rent 
> control.
> 
> I wouldn't want to add local income to local property tax and wind up with 
> both. But many cities and counties in the US already do just that.
> 
> And for sure, we wouldn't want to impose it on localities, but rather make 
> it available at local option. One size doesn't fit all here.
> 
> The property tax is a very large, regressive tax (I know some tax experts 
> dispute this. It believe it also encourages reckless development patterns from 
> a Green-Rainbow standpoint—Henry George notwithstanding.
> 
> Thus I propose we should float the idea of a local option for replacing the 
> property tax with the income tax as the basis of local revenues. In any case 
> I doubt WE will effectively oppose the anti-income tax ballot question by 
> just saying "no."
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com
> >Sent: Mar 31, 2008 3:28 PM
> >To: etwee at earthlink.net, platform at green-rainbow.org, 
> statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> >Subject: Re: [Platform] Can the plaform committee consider advisory 
> ballotquestions?
> >
> >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
> >> >> >> >on AOL Home.
> >> >> >> >     
> >> >> >> >(http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15&
> >> >> >> ncid=aolhom00030000000001)
> >> >> >> >_______________________________________________
> >> >> >> >Platform mailing list
> >> >> >> >Platform at green-rainbow.org
> >> >> >> >http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/platform
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> 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
> >> >> _______________________________________________
> >> >> 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.
> >> >      (http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15&
> >> >ncid=aolhom00030000000001)
> >>
> >>
> >> 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
> 




**************
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)

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