2016 Maine Question 2

none July 2021 Question 2: Citizen Initiative An Act To Establish The Fund to Advance Public Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education 383,428 373,848 771,708 2016 Maine Question 2 results.svg county Yes #B6C8D9 50–60% 1px #AAAAAA solid No #DEDEBD 50–60% 1px #AAAAAA solid Maine Question 2, formally An Act to Establish The Fund to Advance Public Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education,Maine Citizen’s Guide to the Referendum Election https://www1.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/citizensguide2016.pdf live https://web.archive.org/web/20161018205450/https://www1.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/citizensguide2016.pdf 2016-10-18 2016-10-15 State of Maine Office of the Secretary of State was a citizen-initiated referendum question that appeared on the Maine November 8, 2016 statewide ballot. It sought to increase state aid to public schools by instituting a surcharge of 3% on Maine income taxes for those with income above $200,000 a year. As the Maine Legislature declined to enact the proposal as written, it appeared on the ballot along with elections for President of the United States, Maine's two U.S. House seats, the Legislature, and various local elections. The question was passed by roughly 10,000 votes. The surtax created by the question was repealed as part of state budget negotiations on July 3, 2017 that added $162 million to public education funding from general revenue. Background In 2003, Maine voters passed a referendum calling for the state to pay for 55% of the cost of operating public schools, as a way to reduce pressure on local property taxes. That percentage had never been met.http://bangordailynews.com/2015/07/10/business/maine-budget-deemed-credit-negative-for-cities-towns/ Moody's: Maine budget 'credit negative' for cities, towns Bangor Daily News July 10, 2015 March 12, 2016 To attempt to reach that target, a group called Stand Up for Students announced that it would start a petition drive to implement a 3% surcharge on Maine income taxes paid on those with incomes above $200,000 a year, estimated to be the top 2% of earners in Maine.http://bangordailynews.com/2015/10/07/news/state/group-proposes-taxing-top-2-percent-to-help-state-meet-education-funding-law/ Group proposes taxing top 2 percent to help state meet education funding law Bangor Daily News October 7, 2015 March 12, 2016 It is estimated that such a tax surcharge would result in $110 million a year in revenue.http://bangordailynews.com/2016/03/02/politics/petition-to-force-more-maine-school-aid-clears-ballot-hurdle/ Petition to force more Maine school aid clears ballot hurdle Bangor Daily News March 2, 2016 March 12, 2016 The petition drive was carried out by some paid signature gatherers, but was largely done by volunteers from the Maine Education Association and the Maine People's Alliance, a liberal organizing group. MEA members were offered $25 Visa gift cards for every 100 signatures they gathered.http://stateandcapitol.bangordailynews.com/2015/12/17/group-that-wants-maine-to-spend-more-on-public-schools-nears-petition-goal/ Group that wants Maine to spend more on public schools nears petition goal Bangor Daily News December 17, 2015 March 12, 2016 The office of Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap certified that the proposal qualified for the ballot on March 2, 2016, stating that 66,849 signatures were valid. The exact wording of the question was disputed. Secretary Dunlap proposed the wording "Do you want to establish a fund to support kindergarten through 12th grade public education by adding a three percent surcharge on Maine taxable income above $200,000?". During the required public comment period before the wording was finalized, the Governor's Office filed an objection to the proposed wording, stating that the word 'tax' or 'surtax' should be used instead of 'surcharge'. Doing so, they stated, would have been consistent with prior referendums calling for generating revenue. A Stand Up for Students spokesman called the objection an effort to confuse voters, citing tax cuts enacted by Governor Paul LePage. Dunlap had until June 24 to make a final decision, which was only possible to appeal by going to court.http://www.mpbn.net/post/lepage-administration-challenges-wording-education-ballot-question#stream/0 LePage Administration Challenges Wording of Education Ballot Question MPBN June 13, 2016 June 13, 2016 Dunlap released the final wording of the question on June 23, which read as "Do you want to add a 3% tax on individual Maine taxable income above $200,000 to create a state fund that would provide direct support for student learning in kindergarten through 12th grade public education?" http://stateandcapitol.bangordailynews.com/2016/06/23/maine-secretary-of-state-revises-wording-of-all-five-november-ballot-questions/ Maine secretary of state revises wording of all five November ballot questions Bangor Daily News June 23, 2016 June 23, 2016 Campaign The Maine State Chamber of Commerce formed a PAC called No on Question 2 on August 2, 2016. Chamber President Dana Connors said that while they support strong education funding, it should be done in a manner that does not affect the economy. He went on to state that such a tax would discourage professionals from living in Maine.http://bangordailynews.com/2016/08/02/politics/maine-chamber-of-commerce-forms-pac-to-oppose-new-tax-to-fund-education/ Maine Chamber of Commerce forms PAC to oppose new tax to fund education Bangor Daily News August 2, 2016 August 2, 2016 Notable endorsements Supporters Maine Association of School LibrariesEndorsements https://standupforstudentsmaine.org/46-2/endorsements/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20160916050355/http://standupforstudentsmaine.org/46-2/endorsements/ 2016-09-16 2016-09-15 Stand Up for Students Citizens Who Support Maine’s Public Schools Maine Children's Alliance Maine Education Association Maine Parent Teacher Association Maine Small Business Coalition Machinists (IAM) Local S7 Maine People's Resource Center Maine People's Alliance Maine AFL–CIO Maine State Employees Association Maine Center for Economic Policy Opponents John Baldacci, former Governor of Mainehttps://stateandcapitol.bdnblogs.com/2016/09/15/john-baldacci-opposes-education-tax-question-on-november-ballot/ John Baldacci opposes ballot bid to tax high earners more to hike school aid September 15, 2016 Paul LePage, Governor of Maine Stephen Bowen, former Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education Jim Rier, former Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education Maine Heritage Policy Centerhttps://mainepolicy.org/the-wrong-choice-for-me-question-2-report/ The Wrong Choice for ME: Question 2 Report October 11, 2016 Maine State Chamber of Commerce Bangor Daily Newshttp://bangordailynews.com/2016/10/15/opinion/editorials/with-question-2-maine-gets-higher-taxes-same-education-system-that-needs-improving/?ref=OpinionBox With Question 2, Maine gets higher taxes, same education system that needs improving Bangor Daily News October 15, 2015 October 16, 2016 MaineToday Media newspapers; Portland Press Herald, Kennebec Journal, Morning Sentinelhttps://www.pressherald.com/2016/10/30/our-view-vote-no-on-question-2-make-augusta-fix-schools/ Our View: Vote 'no' on Question 2: Make Augusta fix schools The Editorial Board October 30, 2016 Polling Date of opinion pollConducted bySample size(likely voters)YesNoUndecidedMargin of Error October 20–25, 2016https://www.pressherald.com/2016/10/31/margins-of-support-shrink-for-3-of-the-6-maine-ballot-issues-poll-indicates/ Leads shrink for 4 of the 6 Maine ballot issues, poll indicates Edward D. Murphy October 31, 2016 University of New Hampshire 761 57% 34% 9% ±3.6% September 15–20, 2016https://www.pressherald.com/2016/09/28/support-for-tax-to-fund-education-splits-along-party-lines-in-survey/document/ Education tax poll data September 28, 2016 University of New Hampshire 506 60% 32% 8% ±4.3% Results Uncertified results indicated that Question 2 passed by a margin of around 10,000 votes. Due to the closeness of the result, opponents of Question 2 filed a petition for a recount, then withdrew their petition on November 29.Carrigan Don Petitions for recount on Questions 1 and 2 http://www.wcsh6.com/news/politics/voice-of-the-voter/petitions-for-recount-on-questions-1-and-2/352715558 WSCH6 Portland WCSH-TV 10 March 2017July 2023 InternetArchiveBot yes Graham Gilligan Group withdraws request for recount of education surcharge vote http://www.pressherald.com/2016/11/29/first-of-2-maine-referendum-recounts-will-start-thursday/ The Portland Press-Herald November 29, 2016 MaineToday Media 10 March 2017 +Question 2 ResultsTabulations for Elections held in 2016 http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/results/results16-17.html#tally Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions Maine Department of the Secretary of State 9 March 2017 January 26, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170126194830/http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/results/results16-17.html#tally dead County Yes Votes No VotesAndroscoggin49.84%28,13350.16%28,317Aroostook51.55%18,20948.45%17,117Cumberland52.44%91,03947.56%82,568Franklin48.69%8,20051.31%8,641Hancock48.72%15,83151.28%16,662Kennebec49.56%33,21150.44%33,807Knox53.67%12,55546.33%10,839Lincoln49.67%10,85050.33%10,993Oxford50.49%16,08949.51%15,777Penobscot47.10%38,36952.90%43,102Piscataquis42.23%3,94857.77%5,401Sagadahoc51.40%11,31348.60%10,698Somerset46.04%12,16553.96%14,258Waldo51.27%11,77648.73%11,192Washington46.49%7,75953.51%8,930York52.80%61,13747.20%54,663UOCAVA76.31%2,84423.69%883Total50.63%383,42849.37%373,848 Repeal The creation of the surtax became a point of contention in state budget negotiations for the 2017–2018 budget, with Governor LePage and minority House Republicans opposed to any tax increases in the budget. A budget that did not eliminate the surtax passed the Republican-controlled Maine Senate, but not the House, leading to a shutdown of Maine state government at the end of the fiscal year on June 30.https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/06/30/maine-senate-gives-initial-budget/omGsdYeYyjoGTse6aPlNXM/story.html With no budget deal, Maine partially shuts its government Boston Globe July 1, 2017 March 20, 2018 Three days later, negotiators agreed to, and LePage signed, a budget that eliminated the surtax but added an additional $162 million for public education to the budget.https://www.pressherald.com/2017/07/03/house-vote-again-falls-short-in-state-budget-saga/ LePage signs budget, ending state government shutdown after 3 days Portland Press Herald July 4, 2017 March 20, 2018 References External links Stand Up for Students, supporters of the initiative No Gain 2 Maine https://web.archive.org/web/20161023135342/http://votenoonquestion2.com/ October 23, 2016 opponents of the initiative Category:United States education law Category:2016 Maine ballot measures Category:Taxation in Maine