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Summary of Question 1

The proposed law would limit certain taxes, and change laws relating to school budgets and compulsory binding arbitration. It would impose a limit on state and local taxes on real estate and personal property equal to 21/2% of the full and fair cash value of the property being taxed. If a locality currently imposes a tax greater than 2Vi% of that cash value, the tax would have to be decreased by 15% each year until the 21/2% level is reached. If a locality currently imposes a tax of less than 21/2%, it would not be allowed to increase the tax rate. In either situation, a city or town could raise its limit by a 2/3 local vote at a general election.

The proposed law would provide that the total taxes on real estate and personal property imposed by the state or by localities could never be increased by more than 21/2% of the total taxes imposed for the preceding year, unless two thirds of the voters agreed to the increase at a general election.

It would further provide that no law or regulation which imposes additional costs on a city ortown, or a law granting or increasing tax exemptions, would be effective unless the state agrees to assume the added cost. A division of the State Auditor's Department would determine the financial effect of laws and regulations on the various localities.

The proposal would limit the amount of money required to be appropriated for public schools to that amount voted upon by the local appropriating authority. It would also repeal the law which provides forcompulsory binding arbitration when labor negotiations concerning police and fire personnel come to an impasse. In addition, the petition would provide that no county, district, or authority could impose any annual increase in costs on a locality of greater than 4% of the total of the year before.

The proposed law would also reduce the maximum excise tax rate on motor vehicles from $66 per thousand to $25 per thousand, and it would allow a state income tax deduction equal to one half of the rent paid for the taxpayer's principal place of residence.

1980 - Worcester County - Question 1Do you approve of a law summarized below, which was disapproved by the House of Representatives on May 6, 1980, by a vote of 5-146, and on which no vote was taken by the Senate before May 7, 1980?

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Worcester County Results
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City/Town Ward Pct Blanks Total Votes Cast
Totals
159,366
106,663
14,021 280,050
Ashburnham
 
1,109
717
33
1,859
Athol
 
2,664
1,688
153
4,505
Auburn
 
4,484
2,926
451
7,861
Barre
 
962
922
99
1,983
Berlin
 
705
354
22
1,081
Blackstone
 
1,877
832
162
2,871
Bolton
 
831
491
21
1,343
Boylston
 
1,125
656
44
1,825
Brookfield
 
647
383
38
1,068
Charlton
 
1,558
1,027
99
2,684
Clinton
 
3,945
1,611
255
5,811
Douglas
 
1,154
559
75
1,788
Dudley
 
1,960
1,465
317
3,742
Fitchburg
 
10,103
3,709
1,642
15,454
Gardner
 
4,658
3,028
276
7,962
Grafton
 
2,969
2,321
167
5,457
Hardwick
 
576
449
36
1,061
Harvard
 
1,244
1,049
40
2,333
Holden
 
3,931
3,127
358
7,416
Hopedale
 
1,355
760
45
2,160
Hubbardston
 
590
263
16
869
Lancaster
 
1,586
800
64
2,450
Leicester
 
2,295
1,825
178
4,298
Leominster
 
8,381
5,272
636
14,289
Lunenburg
 
2,749
1,355
75
4,179
Mendon
 
1,063
441
39
1,543
Milford
 
6,367
4,311
477
11,155
Millbury
 
3,246
2,254
216
5,716
Millville
 
408
361
39
808
New Braintree
 
186
119
10
315
Northborough
 
3,197
1,869
84
5,150
Northbridge
 
3,090
1,873
409
5,372
Oakham
 
329
193
12
534
Oxford
 
2,878
1,543
325
4,746
Paxton
 
1,182
771
48
2,001
Petersham
 
330
248
14
592
Phillipston
 
226
178
14
418
Princeton
 
749
509
20
1,278
Royalston
 
235
189
8
432
Rutland
 
1,081
785
21
1,887
Shrewsbury
 
6,333
4,755
555
11,643
Southborough
 
2,060
1,084
60
3,204
Southbridge
 
2,934
3,061
1,062
7,057
Spencer
 
2,453
1,936
296
4,685
Sterling
 
1,862
760
47
2,669
Sturbridge
 
1,347
1,099
221
2,667
Sutton
 
1,592
941
87
2,620
Templeton
 
1,473
970
58
2,501
Upton
 
1,323
672
62
2,057
Uxbridge
 
2,516
1,364
156
4,036
Warren
 
963
554
79
1,596
Webster
 
3,509
2,124
463
6,096
W. Boylston
 
2,152
1,129
73
3,354
W. Brookfield
 
792
448
53
1,293
Westborough
 
3,875
2,658
181
6,714
Westminster
 
1,537
1,077
52
2,666
Winchendon
 
1,641
818
172
2,631
Worcester
 
32,979
27,980
3,306
64,265
County Totals
159,366
106,663
14,021 280,050