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property and 4 mills for all other property, based on | | equalized state valuation, for the purpose of supporting | | public education from kindergarten to grade 12 and that | | directs the Legislature to enact comprehensive tax reform | | subject to voter approval, would you prefer to provide the | | increased level of state financial support for public | | education by increasing the sales tax rates in Maine by 2 | | percentage points or, in the alternative, by removing some | | of the exemptions from the sales tax and restricting any | | sales tax rate increase to no more than 1%? |
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| | | Question #1: Do you favor paying for the plan by raising | | the sales tax rates by 2%? |
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| | | Question #2: Do you favor paying for the plan by removing | | some sales tax exemptions and increasing sales tax rates | | by no more than 1%?" |
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| | | The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall | | vote by ballot on this question and designate their choice by | | a cross or check mark placed within a corresponding square | | below the word "Yes" or "No." The ballots must be received, | | sorted, counted and declared in open ward, town and plantation | | meetings and returns made to the Secretary of State in the | | same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The | | Governor shall review the returns and, if it appears that a | | majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of the Act, the | | Governor shall proclaim that fact without delay, and the Act | | takes effect 30 days after the date of the proclamation. |
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| | | The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each | | city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of | | this Act necessary to carry out the purposes of this | | referendum. |
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| | | Sec. 25. Application. That section of this Act that amends the | | Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 1513 and that section | | of this Act that enacts Title 5, section 1521 apply to fiscal | | years beginning with fiscal year 2003-04. |
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| | | This bill provides for a statutory referendum designed to | | achieve tax relief for residents and businesses in the State | | and implement comprehensive tax and education funding reform. | | The bill provides property tax relief by establishing a cap on | | local property taxes of 12 mills on secondary residential | | property and 4 mills on all other property for the purpose of | | funding public education. Additional money for public | | education could be raised from the property tax only if | | approved by the voters at a |
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