Mainers vote on taxes, medical marijuana, schools

PORTLAND, Maine — Maine residents faced a full slate of ballot measures beyond the closely watched gay marriage vote on Tuesday.

Residents casted votes on questions involving taxes, medical marijuana, schools and transportation funding.

Outside of gay marriage, the most contentious referendum was Question 4, which asked voters if they supported a measure to limit future increases in state and local government spending and taxes to the rate of inflation plus population growth. Voter approval would be required to exceed the limits.

The so-called Taxpayer Bill of Rights was modeled on a similar referendum that Maine voters rejected in 2006, 54 percent to 46 percent.

Supporters said the measure would rein in government spending, create jobs and put money in people’s pockets. Opponents claimed it would hurt schools, transportation infrastructure, health care and other services.

Tom Zimmerman of Portland voted for the referendum, saying it doesn’t cut government spending, but merely limits it.

“The politicians have demonstrated over the past 10 or 20 years that they can’t help themselves but to increase spending faster than our incomes,” he said.

In Augusta, Guy Twombly said he voted against the proposal, just like he did three years ago.

“I think it’s a bad idea,” Twombly said.

Question 2 on the ballot asked if voters supported cutting motor vehicle excise taxes on vehicles less than six years old, while exempting hybrid and other highly fuel-efficient vehicles from sales tax and three years of excise taxes. Supporters said the measure would save Maine taxpayers $80 million a year while promoting cleaner air and greater fuel efficiency, but critics maintained it would result in a tax shift and would have to be made up by higher property taxes.

Question 3 asked voters if they wanted to repeal a 2007 state law that required school districts to consolidate. Critics said school consolidation doesn’t make sense for many school districts and hasn’t delivered on promised savings, but consolidation supporters said it saves Maine millions of dollars each year.

Question 5 aimed to change the state’s medical marijuana law, which passed in 1999, by expanding the conditions under which people can be prescribed marijuana and allowing dispensaries from which the drug can be distributed to patients. Supporters said the law would give people with chronic illnesses a legal and convenient way to obtain marijuana, but critics said it lacked controls and would increase the availability of the drug to people not authorized to have it.

Question 6 asked voters if they supported a $71 million bond issue for highway, bridge and other transportation needs. Officials said the bond would make the sate eligible for $148 million in federal and other matching funds.

Question 7 asked if residents would support a constitutional amendment to give city and town clerks an additional five business days to certify signatures on direct initiative petition drives.