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Drink tax is kept off ballot
Category: Alcohol Sales · State: Pennsylvania · Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Allegheny County Board of Elections yesterday ruled that both referendum questions on the 10 percent drink tax should not be placed on the November ballot because they are illegal according to county and state law. In a ruling that seems to be a bigger blow to the restaurateurs and bar owners than it is to the county, the three judges temporarily serving as Board of Elections members unanimously declined to certify either ballot initiative. Bar and restaurant owners wanted to decrease the drink tax to 0.5 percent from 10 percent. The county wanted a referendum to offset a loss in drink tax revenues with a property tax increase. The county judges, appointed to replace the regular board members because of their public positions on both measures, cited established case law -- Hempfield School District v. Lancaster County -- to knock down the referendum petition by the group Friends Against Counterproductive Taxation, called FACT. FACT is composed of restaurateurs and bar owners who have opposed the drink tax since it was proposed together with a $2-a-day tax on car rentals to fund mass transit. It submitted 44,598 petition signatures to the county elections office last month in support of a ballot initiative to ask voters whether they want a reduction in the drink tax.
Initiative will aim to cut subsidies to retail stores
Category: City Government · State: Texas · Source: Austin Daily Texan
On the Nov. 4 ballot, Austin residents will not only face a decision between McCain and Obama, but also whether to prevent the city from subsidizing retail stores. If approved, a new citizen-led initiative called Stop Domain Subsidies will halt any tax rebates or subsidies provided by the city to retail stores. City officials designed the subsidies to generate more tax revenue by attracting more retail stores. In its last meeting, the city council approved the initiative's wording for the Nov. 4 ballot. Brian Rodgers, a local real estate investor, started the campaign in response to the 2003 city council decision to provide Endeavor Real Estate Group and its partner Simon Property Group Inc. with tax rebates for 20 years to develop retail space in Austin. In May of that year, the development company proposed to build a large mall center with 700,000 square feet of luxury retail and restaurant space called The Domain. In a 6-1 decision, council members approved the project and included a $65 million tax rebate to be provided over 20 years to the developers in the contract, Rodgers said. If Rodgers' initiative is unsuccessful, the city will also return 50 to 80 percent of the mall's sales tax to the developer. The money would allow The Domain to further generate profit.
Voters to Be Asked Whether To Limit Citizen Initiatives in Polk
Category: City Government · State: Florida · Source: Lakeland Ledger
County commissioners decided Wednesday to ask residents whether they want to squelch themselves. By a 4-1 vote, commissioners agreed to put four proposed charter amendments on the Nov. 4 ballot. The changes, if approved by voters, would make it harder for citizens to change the county charter or enact ordinances commissioners refused to consider. They would also prevent any question regarding citizen initiatives or tax referendums from being considered at any time other than during general elections every two years. Commissioner Jean Reed was the lone dissenting vote on the measures involving charter amendments. The tax amendment proposal passed unanimously.
Honolulu judge rules in favor of anti-rail petition
Category: City Government · State: Hawaii · Source: Bizjournals
A Honolulu judge ruled Thursday that the city clerk’s office must accept an anti-rail petition. Members of Stop Rail Now say they believe the ruling paves the way to allow Oahu residents to vote on a proposed ordinance this fall that reads, “Honolulu mass transit shall not include trains or rail.” Circuit Court Judge Karl Sakamoto’s decision means the city clerk must accept and verify within 20 days whether Stop Rail Now has gathered a sufficient number of valid signatures. City Clerk Denise De Costa had argued the petition was delivered too late to be placed on the Nov. 4 ballot. Stop Rail Now said it has collected more than 49,000 signatures and will deliver the petition Thursday afternoon.
Crafton turns in signatures for English Only
Category: English · State: Tennessee · Source: Nashville City Paper
Councilman Eric Crafton turned in the signatures of reportedly 12,503 registered Davidson County voters to the Metro Clerk's office Thursday, clearing the way for the English Only charter amendment proposal to be on the ballot in November. Crafton also conceded at least a portion of the approximately $20,000 the petition drive cost came from a national English First group. He said he did not know what percentage. "I wasn't the one adding them up, so I don't know how much," Crafton said. The signatures will need to be verified by the Davidson County Election Commission, which Crafton said should take about two weeks. The English Only charter amendment proposal states that no one has a right to any Metro government services in any language except English. Crafton said the Nashville English First group, which sponsored the initiative raised about $20,000 for the effort, which primarily consisted of mailing petitions to voters. Crafton did not disclose the funding for the initiative, but said he would do so once the signed petitions were verified by the Election Commission.
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