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Summary of Question

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 - Essex CountyDo 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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Essex County Results
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City/Town Ward Pct Blanks Total Votes Cast
Totals
190,874
99,491
12,324 302,689
Amesbury
 
3,209
2,000
364
5,573
Andover
 
8,240
5,268
298
13,806
Beverly
 
12,275
5,673
711
18,659
Boxford
 
1,890
912
33
2,835
Danvers
 
8,499
3,264
312
12,075
Essex
 
1,002
547
37
1,586
Georgetown
 
1,843
1,026
76
2,945
Gloucester
 
7,268
4,988
601
12,857
Groveland
 
1,667
721
41
2,429
Hamilton
 
2,346
1,211
94
3,651
Haverhill
 
11,877
7,378
1,064
20,319
Ipswich
 
3,930
1,919
178
6,027
Lawrence
 
12,542
9,041
1,571
23,154
Lynn
 
21,711
9,707
1,901
33,319
Lynnfield
 
4,636
1,811
120
6,567
Manchester-by-the-Sea
 
1,703
1,343
110
3,156
Marblehead
 
8,565
3,658
202
12,425
Merrimac
 
1,291
652
70
2,013
Methuen
 
11,581
5,517
528
17,626
Middleton
 
1,463
577
55
2,095
Nahant
 
1,603
627
54
2,284
Newbury
 
1,545
866
53
2,464
Newburyport
 
4,369
2,887
335
7,591
N. Andover
 
5,536
4,172
308
10,016
Peabody
 
15,906
6,343
861
23,110
Rockport
 
1,868
1,967
134
3,969
Rowley
 
1,319
518
55
1,892
Salem
 
11,581
6,015
938
18,534
Salisbury
 
1,680
864
139
2,683
Saugus
 
8,621
3,126
482
12,229
Swampscott
 
5,030
2,538
478
8,046
Topsfield
 
1,952
1,185
37
3,174
Wenham
 
1,243
697
64
2,004
W. Newbury
 
1,083
473
20
1,576
County Totals
190,874
99,491
12,324 302,689