1980 Nov 4 :: State of Massachusetts :: Question 3 :: Initiative PetitionDo you approve of a law summarized below which was disapproved by the House of Representatives on May 6, 1980, by a vote of 2-147, and on which no vote was taken by the Senate before May 7, 1980? See summary »

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Choices
 
Yes
 
 
No
 
 
Summary

The proposed law would limit local property taxes and state taxes and would provide for increased state aid for local educational purposes.

The act would limit local property taxes in the years 1981 through 1984 to the amount levied in the previous year increased by the percentage increase in personal income of the residents of the Commonwealth during the previous year. The local property tax limit could be exceeded to offset decreases in local aid to cover shortages for prior years and to pay court judgments. Pension and retirement allowances, payments to other governmental units, principal and interest on any indebtedness, unemployment compensation amounts required to be raised as a condition of a state or federal grant, and costs for special education programs would be excluded from the property tax limit.

These local limits would be reduced by any excess taxes actually collected over the tax limit for the preceding year. The limit would not apply to any municipality having a general tax rate of less than $35 per thousand of equalized valuation. The tax limit could be exceed by a two-thirds vote of the local appropriating body.

The cost of regional and independent vocational schools would be subject to the same limitations.

The proposed law would also limit state taxes imposed in the years 1981 through 1984 to an amount no greater than that imposed the previous year, increased by the percentage increase in the personal income of Massachusetts residents in the previous year. This state tax limit could be exceeed only to increase local aid or to assume other costs approved by a two-thirds vote of the state legislate. The amounts necessary to pay principal and interest on state indebtedness, pensions, retirement allowances, unemployment compensation, and court judgement, and money required to be raised as a condition of a federal grant would not be subject to the state tax limit. The total amount for local aid for any year which would be subject to legislative appropriation and could not be less than the total amount of aid for the preceding year increased by half the increase in collected state taxes during the preceding year. The state tax limit would be reduced by any excess taxes actually collected over the tax limit for the preceding year.

The proposed law would require, subject to legislative appropriation, a gradual increase in the percentage of local educational costs paid by the Commonwealth to a level of 50% in 1984. The proposal would also require, again subject to legislative appropriation, that school aid paid by the Commonwealth in the year between 1981 through 1984 must be at least 15% greater than that provided in 1980.

1980 Nov 4 :: State of Massachusetts :: Question 3 :: Initiative PetitionDo you approve of a law summarized below which was disapproved by the House of Representatives on May 6, 1980, by a vote of 2-147, and on which no vote was taken by the Senate before May 7, 1980? See summary »

Ballot Question Results

View results as: # | %  
Ward
Yes
No
Blank Votes Total Votes Cast Total Ballots Cast
Totals
 
10,824
17,110
3,792
27,934
31,726
Precinct 1
 
270
366
102
636
738
Precinct 2
 
201
300
68
501
569
Precinct 3
 
217
361
62
578
640
Precinct 4
 
274
392
84
666
750
Precinct 5
 
210
306
77
516
593
Precinct 1
 
98
163
58
261
319
Precinct 2
 
207
436
92
643
735
Precinct 3
 
140
204
57
344
401
Precinct 4
 
276
414
117
690
807
Precinct 5
 
273
445
94
718
812
Precinct 6
 
205
303
83
508
591
Precinct 1
 
348
496
149
844
993
Precinct 2
 
272
418
134
690
824
Precinct 3
 
345
508
85
853
938
Precinct 4
 
340
446
98
786
884
Precinct 5
 
230
401
109
631
740
Precinct 1
 
332
476
104
808
912
Precinct 2
 
212
351
106
563
669
Precinct 3
 
348
505
122
853
975
Precinct 4
 
335
563
117
898
1,015
Precinct 5
 
295
532
137
827
964
Precinct 6
 
351
516
103
867
970
Precinct 1
 
270
429
98
699
797
Precinct 2
 
270
443
98
713
811
Precinct 3
 
277
497
98
774
872
Precinct 4
 
295
525
60
820
880
Precinct 5
 
241
394
76
635
711
Precinct 6
 
339
452
108
791
899
Precinct 1
 
348
532
90
880
970
Precinct 2
 
327
564
101
891
992
Precinct 3
 
304
448
110
752
862
Precinct 4
 
299
471
86
770
856
Precinct 5
 
239
400
81
639
720
Precinct 1
 
288
554
99
842
941
Precinct 2
 
315
498
89
813
902
Precinct 3
 
401
590
136
991
1,127
Precinct 4
 
515
798
194
1,313
1,507
Precinct 5
 
317
613
110
930
1,040
Totals
 
10,824
17,110
3,792
27,934
31,726