Yes 383,428 Invalid or blank votes 14,432 Location Maine, United States | Valid votes 757,276 Date 8 November 2016 | |
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383,428 7001506300000000000♠50.63% 373,848 7001493700000000000♠49.37% 757,276 7001981300000000000♠98.13% | ||
Maine Question 2, formally An Act to Establish The Fund to Advance Public Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education, is a citizen-initiated referendum question that has qualified for the Maine November 8, 2016 statewide ballot. It seeks to increase state aid to public schools by instituting a surcharge of 3% on Maine income taxes for those with income above $200,000 a year. As the Maine Legislature and Governor Paul LePage declined to enact the proposal as written, it will appear on the ballot along with elections for President of the United States, Maine's two U.S. House seats, the Legislature, and various local elections.
Contents
Uncertified results indicated that Question 2 passed by a margin of around 10,000 votes. Due to the closeness of the result, opponents of Question 2 filed a petition for a recount, then withdrew their petition on November 29.
Background
In 2003, Maine voters passed a referendum calling for the state to pay for 55% of the cost of operating public schools, as a way to reduce pressure on local property taxes. That percentage has never been met. To attempt to reach that target, a group called Stand Up for Students announced that it would start a petition drive to implement a 3% surcharge on Maine income taxes paid on those with incomes above $200,000 a year, estimated to be the top 2% of earners in Maine. It is estimated that such a tax surcharge would result in $110 million a year in revenue.
The petition drive was carried out by some paid signature gatherers, but was largely done by volunteers from the Maine Education Association and the Maine People's Alliance, a liberal organizing group. MEA members were offered $25 Visa gift cards for every 100 signatures they gathered. The office of Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap certified that the proposal qualified for the ballot on March 2, 2016, stating that 66,849 signatures were valid.
The exact wording of the question that will appear on the ballot has been disputed. Secretary Dunlap has proposed the wording "Do you want to establish a fund to support kindergarten through 12th grade public education by adding a three percent surcharge on Maine taxable income above $200,000?". During the required public comment period before the wording is finalized, the Governor's Office has filed an objection to the proposed wording, stating that the word 'tax' or 'surtax' should be used instead of 'surcharge'. Doing so, they state, would be consistent with prior referendums calling for generating revenue. A Stand Up for Students spokesman called the objection an effort to confuse voters, citing tax cuts enacted by Governor Paul LePage. Dunlap has until June 24 to make a final decision, which can only be appealed by going to court.
Dunlap released the final wording of the question on June 23, which will read as "Do you want to add a 3% tax on individual Maine taxable income above $200,000 to create a state fund that would provide direct support for student learning in kindergarten through 12th grade public education?"
Campaign
The Maine State Chamber of Commerce formed a PAC called No on Question 2 on August 2, 2016. Chamber President Dana Connors said that while they support strong education funding, it should be done in a manner that does not affect the economy. He went on to state that such a tax would discourage professionals from living in Maine.