Less than two weeks after the new term began, GOP Congressman Jim Marino(PA-12, State College-Susquehanna Valley) is already resigning to go to the private sector: https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/17/politics/tom-marino-announces-resignation/index.html
At the moment, there's little else to say, but we'll keep posted as things come in, I'm sure. So, you know. Thoughts, views, anything that might relate to miscellaneous votes like this one.
On the immediate subject, I think that is something of a dick move, what about you?
Plebiscite Plaza 2019!
First, we have Prop CC. This would allow the state to hold tax money that it's currently required to keep under Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights(TABOR), a section of Article 10 of the State Constitution that limits how taxes in Colorado can be raised and spent. The money that would be kept in the state's coffers would be used to fund transport, infrastructure, and education. This comes after two bond issue propositions on improving infrastructure were both rejected last year. REJECTED
Next is Prop DD. This will legalise sports betting and impose a 10% tax on all net proceeds.APPROVED
Next is Prop DD. This will legalise sports betting and impose a 10% tax on all net proceeds.APPROVED
Kansas will be voting on a Constitutional Amendment that would end the practice of adjusting the census to exclude nonresident military personnel and students and adding resident military personnel and students who claim permanent residency. Kansas is the only state that still does this when apportioning legislators. APPROVED
Amendment 1 amends the constitution to exempt goods and properties from being taxed if those goods are being stored in warehouses and are headed for the Outer Continental Shelf(i.e., the oil rigs). REJECTED
Amendment 2 would allow the Education Excellence Fund to appropriate $75,000 per year to the Louisiana Educational Television Authority(the authority responsible for Louisiana's PBS stations outside of New Orleans) and add the Thrive Academy(a charter school in Baton Rouge) and the state's laboratory schools(college-run schools specifically meant to teach future teachers, educators, and researchers) to the list of schools that receive annual payments. APPROVED
Amendment 3 would allow the Legislature, by a 2/3 vote, to extend the authority of the State Board of Tax Appeals to consider the constitutionality of taxes, fees, or things in its jurisdiction. Currently, the board has the authority to settle disputes over taxes and set guidelines for the state, but they can't say they are constitutional or not. APPROVED
Amendment 4 would amend the constitution to allow New Orleans to grant partial or full property tax exemptions on properties with 15 housing units or less, or impose tax freezes on those properties with values kept at what they were a year before the exemption went into effect. REJECTED
Amendment 2 would allow the Education Excellence Fund to appropriate $75,000 per year to the Louisiana Educational Television Authority(the authority responsible for Louisiana's PBS stations outside of New Orleans) and add the Thrive Academy(a charter school in Baton Rouge) and the state's laboratory schools(college-run schools specifically meant to teach future teachers, educators, and researchers) to the list of schools that receive annual payments. APPROVED
Amendment 3 would allow the Legislature, by a 2/3 vote, to extend the authority of the State Board of Tax Appeals to consider the constitutionality of taxes, fees, or things in its jurisdiction. Currently, the board has the authority to settle disputes over taxes and set guidelines for the state, but they can't say they are constitutional or not. APPROVED
Amendment 4 would amend the constitution to allow New Orleans to grant partial or full property tax exemptions on properties with 15 housing units or less, or impose tax freezes on those properties with values kept at what they were a year before the exemption went into effect. REJECTED
Question 1 is a bond issue vote...nothing to report here.
Question 2 is an amendment that would allow people with physical disabilities that prevent them from signing their own names such as Parkinson's, ALS, Quadriplegia, or double amputees, to use an alternative signature to sign onto ballot initiatives. Currently, the state constitution requires original signatures only. Maine's already passed laws allowing alternative signatures for candidate petitions. APPROVED
Question 2 is an amendment that would allow people with physical disabilities that prevent them from signing their own names such as Parkinson's, ALS, Quadriplegia, or double amputees, to use an alternative signature to sign onto ballot initiatives. Currently, the state constitution requires original signatures only. Maine's already passed laws allowing alternative signatures for candidate petitions. APPROVED
New Jersey will be voting on an amendment that would extend the $250 property tax deduction that veterans currently receive if they happen to be property owners or co-op shareholders to retirement centres and nursing homes that house veterans. The centres would be required to pass the deduction to their veteran residents in the form of credit or outright payment by cheque or debit. APPROVED
Pennsylvania will be voting to include Marsy's Law to the Constitution. Like all the others, this will pass.
Prop 1 is an amendment that would allow elected and appointed municipal judges to hold more than one office in more than one municipality at the same time. Currently, this is only allowed for appointed municipal judges in Texas Municipal Courts, which are fairly low-level affairs just a step up from Justices of the Peace. Simply, it would allow municipal judges to run and be elected in more than one city, which is currently only allowed if they're appointed to the post. REJECTED
Prop 2 would amend the constitution to allow the Water Development Board to issue $200 million in bonds to develop water, sewer, and drainage projects in economically distressed areas. APPROVED
Prop 3 would amend the constitution to allow the legislature to allow cities and counties to offer temporary property tax exemptions in state disaster areas. APPROVED
Prop 4 would amend the constitution to ban the state from levying any income taxes on individuals. Texas already has no state income tax, and currently all income tax proposals have to be approved by voters. By making it a constitutional amendment, it raises the bar to a two-thirds majority of the legislature instead of a simple majority. APPROVED
Prop 5 would dedicate all sporting goods sales tax revenue to the state Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission. Currently, the Legislature decide how much tax money goes to them. APPROVED
Prop 6 would amend the constitution to allow the legislature to double the amount of bonds that the state could give the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas(CPRIT) from $3 billion to $6 billion, and limit the state to issuing $300 million of bonds annually. CPRIT was created with Prop 15 in 2007 with the initial $3 billion, but they're expected to run out of money as soon as next year, so this would keep them going until roughly 2050. APPROVED
Prop 7 is another amendment that would double the General Land Office's(Texas' agency in charge of land and mineral rights that actually pre-dates the state itself) allowed contribution to the state education fund from $300 to $600 million. It would also allow the State Board of Education to contribute $600 million to the fund from land-related proceeds. APPROVED
Prop 8 would create the Texas Flood Infrastructure Fund, which would be used by the Water Development Board to fund things such as drainage projects, canals, levees, and river walls. APPROVED
Next, we have Prop 9. This would exempt precious metals being held in precious metal depositories from property taxes. APPROVED
Finally, we have Prop 10. This proposal would amend the constitution to allow law enforcement animals, upon their retirement, to be given to their handlers or other qualified caretakers if it's in the animals best interest. Currently, police dogs and horses and the like are classified as salvage and have to be either auctioned, donated to a charity, or put down. This would add giving them to their handlers as an option. APPROVED
Prop 2 would amend the constitution to allow the Water Development Board to issue $200 million in bonds to develop water, sewer, and drainage projects in economically distressed areas. APPROVED
Prop 3 would amend the constitution to allow the legislature to allow cities and counties to offer temporary property tax exemptions in state disaster areas. APPROVED
Prop 4 would amend the constitution to ban the state from levying any income taxes on individuals. Texas already has no state income tax, and currently all income tax proposals have to be approved by voters. By making it a constitutional amendment, it raises the bar to a two-thirds majority of the legislature instead of a simple majority. APPROVED
Prop 5 would dedicate all sporting goods sales tax revenue to the state Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission. Currently, the Legislature decide how much tax money goes to them. APPROVED
Prop 6 would amend the constitution to allow the legislature to double the amount of bonds that the state could give the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas(CPRIT) from $3 billion to $6 billion, and limit the state to issuing $300 million of bonds annually. CPRIT was created with Prop 15 in 2007 with the initial $3 billion, but they're expected to run out of money as soon as next year, so this would keep them going until roughly 2050. APPROVED
Prop 7 is another amendment that would double the General Land Office's(Texas' agency in charge of land and mineral rights that actually pre-dates the state itself) allowed contribution to the state education fund from $300 to $600 million. It would also allow the State Board of Education to contribute $600 million to the fund from land-related proceeds. APPROVED
Prop 8 would create the Texas Flood Infrastructure Fund, which would be used by the Water Development Board to fund things such as drainage projects, canals, levees, and river walls. APPROVED
Next, we have Prop 9. This would exempt precious metals being held in precious metal depositories from property taxes. APPROVED
Finally, we have Prop 10. This proposal would amend the constitution to allow law enforcement animals, upon their retirement, to be given to their handlers or other qualified caretakers if it's in the animals best interest. Currently, police dogs and horses and the like are classified as salvage and have to be either auctioned, donated to a charity, or put down. This would add giving them to their handlers as an option. APPROVED
First, we have SJR 8200. This is a constitutional amendment that would allow the legislature to pass legislation that would change or address the lines of succession for public officials and their duties in case of catastrophic emergency such as a terrorist attack or a tsunami or an earthquake. Currently, the legislature can only do this in periods of wartime. APPROVED
Also on the ballot is Initiative 976. It was an initiative to the legislature drafted by Tim Eyman, an anti-tax conservative who's well known for referenda in Washington and in trouble for taking initiative campaign money and using it for himself, but the state legislature has adjourned for the season, so it's going to the voters. This proposal, if approved, will limit annual licence fees for all vehicles under the weight of 10,000 pounds to $30 unless approved by the voters, base all vehicle taxes on Kelley Blue Book values rather than MSRPs like now, repeal motorhome weight fees, repeal a 0.3% tax on new vehicles, get rid of some fees on electric vehicles, and repeal parts of SB 5987, passed in 2015, that allow Sound Transit(Seattle and Tacoma's transit authority) the right to levy motor vehicle excise taxes.
Washingtonians will also be voting on Referendum 88. Earlier this year, the legislature passed Initiative 1000, which amended Initiative 200 from 1998. I-200 banned the state from using Affirmative Action or preferential racial treatment. I-1000 amended that to allow Affirmative Action in Washington. Referendum 88 is a People's Veto that would overrule I-1000 and keep Affirmative Action banned in the state. A "No" vote would mean that voters support the veto while a "Yes" would uphold I-1000.
There's also 12 advisory questions, but they wont be discussed here.
Also on the ballot is Initiative 976. It was an initiative to the legislature drafted by Tim Eyman, an anti-tax conservative who's well known for referenda in Washington and in trouble for taking initiative campaign money and using it for himself, but the state legislature has adjourned for the season, so it's going to the voters. This proposal, if approved, will limit annual licence fees for all vehicles under the weight of 10,000 pounds to $30 unless approved by the voters, base all vehicle taxes on Kelley Blue Book values rather than MSRPs like now, repeal motorhome weight fees, repeal a 0.3% tax on new vehicles, get rid of some fees on electric vehicles, and repeal parts of SB 5987, passed in 2015, that allow Sound Transit(Seattle and Tacoma's transit authority) the right to levy motor vehicle excise taxes.
Washingtonians will also be voting on Referendum 88. Earlier this year, the legislature passed Initiative 1000, which amended Initiative 200 from 1998. I-200 banned the state from using Affirmative Action or preferential racial treatment. I-1000 amended that to allow Affirmative Action in Washington. Referendum 88 is a People's Veto that would overrule I-1000 and keep Affirmative Action banned in the state. A "No" vote would mean that voters support the veto while a "Yes" would uphold I-1000.
There's also 12 advisory questions, but they wont be discussed here.