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Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:12 am
by ∞∞∞
So beside the state and federal items, what measures do you have on your local ballots? It's always interesting to see what things communities around the nation are trying to pass.

Fairfax County:

-Should the County add a 4% meals tax, 70% of which to go to schools and 30% for county services and capital improvement?
-$120,000,000 bond for transportation?
-$107,000,000 bond for parks and facilities?
-$85,000,000 bond for human services and community development?

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:23 am
by 93henfan
Delaware doesn't do local ballot initiatives for the most part. Typically, the only local initiative will be a referendum (i.e. property tax increase) for the local school district, completely independent of the November cycle. Counties do not have initiative/referendum authority. Municipalities over 1,000 people do. Luckily I live in an unicorporated area (for now).

Most statewide business (pot, etc) is a straight up and down state senate/house vote.

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 9:38 am
by 89Hen
Term limits for our County Council. I want every single one of those MFer's gone, so I'm all for it.

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 10:08 am
by 93henfan
89Hen wrote:Term limits for our County Council. I want every single one of those MFer's gone, so I'm all for it.
I know you live in MontCo, where sanity doesn't reign, but who in their right mind would vote against term limits?

I mean, voting against it is basically saying, "please, career politicians, we want you to stay forever and fuck us hard!"

What in the living hell is wrong with people? This measure has to pass right, even in MontCo? Tell me it will pass. I want to believe that our country is not completely derailing.

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 10:11 am
by 89Hen
93henfan wrote:
89Hen wrote:Term limits for our County Council. I want every single one of those MFer's gone, so I'm all for it.
I know you live in MontCo, where sanity doesn't reign, but who in their right mind would vote against term limits?

I mean, voting against it is basically saying, "please, career politicians, we want you to stay forever and fuck us hard!"

What in the living hell is wrong with people? This measure has to pass right, even in MontCo? Tell me it will pass. I want to believe that our country is not completely derailing.
There are people that think the Council is doing a good job. They're not.

But, yes, I think it will pass.

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 10:12 am
by 93henfan
89Hen wrote:
93henfan wrote:
I know you live in MontCo, where sanity doesn't reign, but who in their right mind would vote against term limits?

I mean, voting against it is basically saying, "please, career politicians, we want you to stay forever and fuck us hard!"

What in the living hell is wrong with people? This measure has to pass right, even in MontCo? Tell me it will pass. I want to believe that our country is not completely derailing.
There are people that think the Council is doing a good job. They're not.

But, yes, I think it will pass.
Whew!

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 10:23 am
by 89Hen
93henfan wrote:
89Hen wrote: There are people that think the Council is doing a good job. They're not.

But, yes, I think it will pass.
Whew!
BTW, since you asked, the Washington comPost actually is against it passing...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... story.html

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 10:25 am
by 93henfan
89Hen wrote:
93henfan wrote:
Whew!
BTW, since you asked, the Washington comPost actually is against it passing...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... story.html
I'm glad the Washington Post gave up on their objectivity charade.

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 10:27 am
by Ivytalk
89Hen wrote:
93henfan wrote:
Whew!
BTW, since you asked, the Washington comPost actually is against it passing...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... story.html
Standard establishment opposition view: let the voters decide, avoid the tyranny of the unelected staff, too many greenhorns, yadda yadda. :blah:

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 10:49 am
by bandl
∞∞∞ wrote: Fairfax County:

-$120,000,000 bond for transportation?
That's a SHIT-TON of traffic cones!!

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 3:55 pm
by AshevilleApp
Asheville has 3 bond proposals.

Parks and Rec-$17 million
Affordable Housing-$25 million
Infrastructure (Streets, sidewalks, bike lanes, etc.)-$32 million

I voted yes on the affordable housing and infrastructure bonds, and no on the parks and rec. Nothing against parks and rec, but some of the earmarks seem crazy to me.

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:50 pm
by 93henfan
AshevilleApp wrote: I voted yes on the affordable housing and infrastructure bonds
They don't have tents in NC? Or is this to buy tents?

Re: RE: Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 7:43 pm
by DSUrocks07
93henfan wrote:
AshevilleApp wrote: I voted yes on the affordable housing and infrastructure bonds
They don't have tents in NC? Or is this to buy tents?
It's NC, so who knows what their policy is for pitching tents.

Sent using Tapatalk because 89Hen hates this.

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 2:45 am
by AshevilleApp
93henfan wrote:
AshevilleApp wrote: I voted yes on the affordable housing and infrastructure bonds
They don't have tents in NC? Or is this to buy tents?
We do, but all these crazy private property folks won't allow us to pitch them. Some even call out the Highway Patrol. :ohno:

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 7:09 am
by clenz
We had 3

1. Reduce Linn County Board of Supervisors from 5 to 3. It was expanded from 3 to 5 in 2009 with the "rule" that the 5 would share the salary of 3 (80% pay). In 2012 they approved a measure to give themselves all full pay (over 100K each plus full benefits). That has pissed people off so now it's up for a vote, and will likely pass, to reduce it back to 3. I voted for that.

2. $40 million for drinking water conservation measures. I voted for it

3. Move our city to a ward city council system rather than all of our city voting for every seat. It's one of the fastest growing cities in the state with over 40,000 people. I had never heard of city of any real size not being a ward system. I voted yes.

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 7:42 am
by Ibanez
We have nothing. We're voting for POTUS, US Sen/HoR, State Senate and House, School Board, Solicitor, Clerk, Coroner, County Council, Sherriff and a Soil & Water District Commissioner.

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 7:44 am
by Ibanez
clenz wrote:We had 3

1. Reduce Linn County Board of Supervisors from 5 to 3. It was expanded from 3 to 5 in 2009 with the "rule" that the 5 would share the salary of 3 (80% pay). In 2012 they approved a measure to give themselves all full pay (over 100K each plus full benefits). That has pissed people off so now it's up for a vote, and will likely pass, to reduce it back to 3. I voted for that.

2. $40 million for drinking water conservation measures. I voted for it

3. Move our city to a ward city council system rather than all of our city voting for every seat. It's one of the fastest growing cities in the state with over 40,000 people. I had never heard of city of any real size not being a ward system. I voted yes.

Ooooh. 40,000 people. How metropolitan. :thumb: :thumb: What's that, like 39,990 whites, 5 blacks and 5 Hispanics?

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 8:10 am
by clenz
Ibanez wrote:
clenz wrote:We had 3

1. Reduce Linn County Board of Supervisors from 5 to 3. It was expanded from 3 to 5 in 2009 with the "rule" that the 5 would share the salary of 3 (80% pay). In 2012 they approved a measure to give themselves all full pay (over 100K each plus full benefits). That has pissed people off so now it's up for a vote, and will likely pass, to reduce it back to 3. I voted for that.

2. $40 million for drinking water conservation measures. I voted for it

3. Move our city to a ward city council system rather than all of our city voting for every seat. It's one of the fastest growing cities in the state with over 40,000 people. I had never heard of city of any real size not being a ward system. I voted yes.

Ooooh. 40,000 people. How metropolitan. :thumb: :thumb: What's that, like 39,990 whites, 5 blacks and 5 Hispanics?
Well, it's part of a metro that is the second largest in the state behind only Des Moines. It's doubled in size in the last 2 decades so to not have wards at this point is dumb. The town has 9 elementary, 3 middle schools and 2 high schools with a third middle school being built. If we are sectioning kids off based on where they live to better suite them, why shouldn't we treat the city the same

The racial make up, not sure why it matters for if we should use a ward system, is about 38,000 white, 600 latino, 500 black and then the other 900 (from what I can tell based on being around town) are western Asia like Pakistan and India.

To blow your mind, on my street I have 3 families that are of Indian/Pakistani heritage, 2 black families and a family that lived in Australia and moved into the neighborhood the same time we did.

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 8:13 am
by GannonFan
Crazy ballot measure in PA - there's a yes/no question on whether to establish the mandatory retirement age for state supreme court justices at age 75. Nothing controversial about that, until you realize, if you realize, that there is a mandatory retirement age in place right now and the age is 70. I'm fairly educated and I didn't learn this until yesterday. Would it really have been that fair/unfair to write the question saying whether you thought the age should be raised from 70 to 75? I guess if you wanted the age to be 75 you would write it the way they did. PA politics are historically notorious and we keep living up to that heritage every day.

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 8:19 am
by Ibanez
clenz wrote:
Ibanez wrote:

Ooooh. 40,000 people. How metropolitan. :thumb: :thumb: What's that, like 39,990 whites, 5 blacks and 5 Hispanics?
Well, it's part of a metro that is the second largest in the state behind only Des Moines. It's doubled in size in the last 2 decades so to not have wards at this point is dumb. The town has 9 elementary, 3 middle schools and 2 high schools with a third middle school being built. If we are sectioning kids off based on where they live to better suite them, why shouldn't we treat the city the same

The racial make up, not sure why it matters for if we should use a ward system, is about 38,000 white, 600 latino, 500 black and then the other 900 (from what I can tell based on being around town) are western Asia like Pakistan and India.

To blow your mind, on my street I have 3 families that are of Indian/Pakistani heritage, 2 black families and a family that lived in Australia and moved into the neighborhood the same time we did.
Where do you live again? Cedar Rapids?


And i'm just messing with you on the demographics. :thumb: I live in a town of 10,000( in South Carolina) which is considered a suburb of Charlotte (810k, 2.2M in the metro area)

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 8:21 am
by 93henfan
Your typo of "requirement" made me first think that PA was requiring that justices be 75 to hold office.

Whew!
GannonFan wrote:Crazy ballot measure in PA - there's a yes/no question on whether to establish the mandatory requirement age for state supreme court justices at age 75. Nothing controversial about that, until you realize, if you realize, that there is a mandatory retirement age in place right now and the age is 70. I'm fairly educated and I didn't learn this until yesterday. Would it really have been that fair/unfair to write the question saying whether you thought the age should be raised from 70 to 75? I guess if you wanted the age to be 75 you would write it the way they did. PA politics are historically notorious and we keep living up to that heritage every day.

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 8:23 am
by Ibanez
93henfan wrote:Your typo of "requirement" made me first think that PA was requiring that justices be 75 to hold office.

Whew!
GannonFan wrote:Crazy ballot measure in PA - there's a yes/no question on whether to establish the mandatory requirement age for state supreme court justices at age 75. Nothing controversial about that, until you realize, if you realize, that there is a mandatory retirement age in place right now and the age is 70. I'm fairly educated and I didn't learn this until yesterday. Would it really have been that fair/unfair to write the question saying whether you thought the age should be raised from 70 to 75? I guess if you wanted the age to be 75 you would write it the way they did. PA politics are historically notorious and we keep living up to that heritage every day.
I thought the same thing. :lol:

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 8:34 am
by GannonFan
93henfan wrote:Your typo of "requirement" made me first think that PA was requiring that justices be 75 to hold office.

Whew!
GannonFan wrote:Crazy ballot measure in PA - there's a yes/no question on whether to establish the mandatory requirement age for state supreme court justices at age 75. Nothing controversial about that, until you realize, if you realize, that there is a mandatory retirement age in place right now and the age is 70. I'm fairly educated and I didn't learn this until yesterday. Would it really have been that fair/unfair to write the question saying whether you thought the age should be raised from 70 to 75? I guess if you wanted the age to be 75 you would write it the way they did. PA politics are historically notorious and we keep living up to that heritage every day.
Yeah, fixed that. My bad.

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:05 am
by 89Hen
GannonFan wrote:Would it really have been that fair/unfair to write the question saying...
C'mon GF. You're not naive enough to think they want to be fair when wording these questions. I've posted this before, but this is how the gerrymandering in MD got passed a couple years ago...
Establishes the boundaries for the State’s eight United States Congressional Districts based on recent census figures, as required by the United States Constitution

Yes or No?
Of course you want to vote for the Constitution. :roll: :ohno:

Re: Local Ballot Measures

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 10:48 am
by Gil Dobie
I voted to remove the power of pay from the legislators. Their pay will be determined by a citizens panel, not the lawmakers.