davis_square | Oct. 10th, 2008

Oct. 10th, 2008

teele-sq.livejournal.com

First a reminder that if you still need to register to vote in MA, your mail-in voter registration form must be postmarked by next Wednesday, October 15th. Call 1-800-462-VOTE to request a form. You can also register in person at City Hall, again, no later than Wednesday next week.

SUMMARY OF QUESTION 1
As required by law, summaries are written by the State Attorney General, and the statements describing the effect of a "yes" or "no" vote are written jointly by the State Attorney General and the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

This proposed law would reduce the state personal income tax rate to 2.65% for all categories of taxable income for the tax year beginning on or after January 1, 2009, and would eliminate the tax for all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2010. The personal income tax applies to income received or gain realized by individuals and married couples, by estates of deceased persons, by certain trustees and other fiduciaries, by persons who are partners in and receive income from partnerships, by corporate trusts, and by persons who receive income as shareholders of "S corporations" as defined under federal tax law. The proposed law would not affect the tax due on income or gain realized in a tax year beginning before January 1, 2009. The proposed law states that if any of its parts were declared invalid, the other parts would stay in effect.

WHAT YOUR VOTE WILL DO
A YES VOTE would reduce the state personal income tax rate to 2.65% for the tax year beginning on January 1, 2009, and would eliminate the tax for all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2010.

A NO VOTE would make no change in state income tax laws.

ref: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/ele08/ballot_questions_08/quest_1.htm

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teele-sq.livejournal.com

A YES VOTE would replace the criminal penalties for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana with a new system of civil penalties.

A NO VOTE would make no change in state criminal laws concerning possession of marijuana.

A previous thread of discussion can be found here.

( Full summary of Question 2... )

Ref: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/ele08/ballot_questions_08/quest_2.htm

ron_newman

Saturday: Over 20 different brass bands perform from 11:30 am to 9 pm, in outdoor locations all over Davis Square.

Sunday: Parade from Davis Square to Harvard Square, to join Oktoberfest.

Sunday night: Party at the Dilboy VFW from 8 to 11 pm.

Full details here.

teele-sq.livejournal.com

SUMMARY
This proposed law would prohibit any dog racing or racing meeting in Massachusetts where any form of betting or wagering on the speed or ability of dogs occurs. The State Racing Commission would be prohibited from accepting or approving any application or request for racing dates for dog racing. Any person violating the proposed law could be required to pay a civil penalty of not less than $20,000 to the Commission. The penalty would be used for the Commission's administrative purposes, subject to appropriation by the state Legislature. All existing parts of the chapter of the state's General Laws concerning dog and horse racing meetings would be interpreted as if they did not refer to dogs. These changes would take effect January 1, 2010. The proposed law states that if any of its parts were declared invalid, the other parts would stay in effect.
WHAT YOUR VOTE WILL DO
A YES VOTE would prohibit dog races on which betting or wagering occurs, effective January 1, 2010.

A NO VOTE would make no change in the laws governing dog racing.

I'm a big fan of the statement of opposition which basically ends with "if you pass this law, we're gonna f-ing sue."

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