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Showing posts with the label Maine Constitution rules for posting bond question on ballot

Statutory Bond Question Requirements Amplify -NOT Negate Maine Constituion

TWEET THIS http://goo.gl/VcBj8O UPDATE NOV 11 2014:  Since I wrote This post- I cam across the statute governing Bond Ratification- as amended by the 2013 legislature It looks to be that the sentence "To meet the requirement that the signed statement of the Treasurer of State accompany any ballot question for ratification of a bond issue, the statement may be printed on the ballot" was amended by adding this "or it may be printed as a separate document that is made available to voters as provided in Title 21-A, sections 605-A and 651" Section 605-A no longer exists and I am tracking it down. Section 651 says it can be posted outside the guardrail which separates voters from the rest of the world. I am writing a new post to cover this new information Update Nov 12, 2014!   The link I originally referenced is here ,  THIS IS HOW THE LAW WAS WRITTEN IN  2011 - showing the process of incrementalism at play In this link  part of the sentence below is struck out

Maine Constitution Rules For Posting Bond Question On Ballot !

TWEET THIS  http://goo.gl/L29LbO UPDATE! I just voted in Boothbay, Maine, where the bond questions on the ballot are not compliant with what is essential for the validity of the bonds to be issued pursuant to the Maine Constitution. None of the requirements set forth in Article IX Section 14 were on the ballot. Only the total amount of the bond debt and the interest is listed with each bond question. This means that constitutionally, what ever the outcome of the vote, the enactment of the bonds cannot be ratified. Article IX. General Provisions. Section 14.  Authority and procedure for issuance of bonds.   ........Whenever ratification by the electors is essential to the validity of bonds to be issued on behalf of the State, the question submitted to the electors shall be accompanied by a statement setting forth the total amount of bonds of the State outstanding and unpaid, the total amount of bonds of the State authorized and unissued, and the total amount of bonds of t