[Platform] Can the plaform committee consider advisory ballotquestions?

BillCunningham etwee at earthlink.net
Mon Mar 31 20:15:57 EDT 2008 

Oh God, it's very widespread— Maryland counties and Baltimore, Ohio, New York including NYC.... probably many more. But as you know the state-county-local relationship is varied.

Also the tax world is so huge I wouldn't know where to start. But since you ask, I know someone who's a muni attorney, I'll call her tomorrow, maybe she can point me at a Cliffs Notes on this.


-----Original Message-----
>From: Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com
>Sent: Mar 31, 2008 6:27 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?
>
>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)


Bill Cunningham

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