FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 14, 2010
Contact: Matt Dunlap
(207) 626-8400

Secretary of State Matt Dunlap Announces the Order of June Ballot Questions

AUGUSTA , MAINE – Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap held a public drawing today to determine the order of the bond questions that will appear on the June 8, 2010 Referendum Election ballot.  The drawing was held in the Secretary of State's office.

"This is always an exciting moment in our election season," Secretary Dunlap noted. "With each question assigned a number, it becomes easier for voters, as well as question proponents and opponents, to clearly identify each question and to begin to engage in public discussion and debate."

Maine law requires the drawing process for ballot position and also requires the questions to be organized on the ballot by category as follows:  people's veto questions first, then citizen initiatives, followed by bond questions, referendum questions proposed by the Legislature, and finally, resolutions to amend the state Constitution.

On the June ballot there will be one people's veto question and four bond questions.  There are no citizen initiatives, no Constitutional resolutions and no legislative referenda.  Since there is only one people's veto question, that question will be first on the ballot.  Today's drawing determine d the order of the four bond questions.

In their correct order, the questions scheduled to appear on the June 8, 2010, statewide referendum ballot are:

Question  1  (People's Veto): "Do you want to reject the new law that lowers Maine's income tax and replaces that revenue by making changes to the sales tax?"

Question  2  (Bond Issue): "Do you favor a $26,500,000 bond issue that will create jobs through investment in an off-shore wind energy demonstration site and related manufacturing to advance Maine's energy independence from imported foreign oil, that will leverage $24,500,000 in federal and other funds and for energy improvements at campuses of the University of Maine System, Maine Community College System and Maine Maritime Academy in order to make facilities more efficient and less costly to operate?”

Question  3  (Bond Issue): "Do you favor a $47,800,000 bond issue to create jobs in Maine through improvements to highways, railroads and marine facilities, including port and harbor structures, and specifying the allocation of $4,000,000 of the transportation bond approved by voters in November 2009 to be used for capital rail purposes?”

Question  4  (Bond Issue): "Do you favor a $23,750,000 bond issue to provide capital investment to stimulate economic development and job creation by making investments under the Communities for Maine's Future Program and in historic properties; providing funding for research and development investments awarded through a competitive process; providing funds for disbursements to qualifying small businesses; and providing grants for food processing for fishing, agricultural, dairy and lumbering businesses within the State and redevelopment projects at the Brunswick Naval Air Station that will make the State eligible for over $39,000,000 in federal and other matching funds?”

Question  5  (Bond Issue): "Do you favor a $10,250,000 bond issue to improve water quality, support drinking water programs and the construction of wastewater treatment facilities and to assist farmers in the development of environmentally sound water sources that will leverage $33,250,000 in federal and other funds?”

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