There Are Six, Count ‘Em, Six Referendum Questions on the Maine November Ballot

Did you know there are SIX referendum questions on the November 8 ballot for the State of Maine? From legalizing marijuana to raising the minimum wage to background checks on guns, the issues are big and the money spent by interest groups will be huge.

Here's an overview from Maine.gov.:

• Question 1: An Act to Legalize Marijuana
• Question 2: An Act To Establish The Fund to Advance Public Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education
• Question 3: An Act To Require Background Checks for Gun Sales
• Question 4: An Act To Raise the Minimum Wage
• Question 5: An Act To Establish Ranked-choice Voting
• Question 6: An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Improve Highways, Bridges and Multimodal Facilities

 The wording of the questions from Maine.gov

Question 1: Citizen Initiative
Legislation

Do you want to allow the possession and use of marijuana under state law by persons who are at least 21 years of age, and allow the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, testing, and sale of marijuana and marijuana products subject to state regulation, taxation and local ordinance?

Question 2: Citizen Initiative
Legislation

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?

Question 3: Citizen Initiative
Legislation

Do you want to require background checks prior to the sale or transfer of firearms between individuals not licensed as firearms dealers, with failure to do so punishable by law, and with some exceptions for family members, hunting, self-defense, lawful competitions, and shooting range activity?

Question 4: Citizen Initiative
Legislation

Do you want to raise the minimum hourly wage of $7.50 to $9 in 2017, with annual $1 increases up to $12 in 2020, and annual cost-of-living increases thereafter; and do you want to raise the direct wage for service workers who receive tips from half the minimum wage to $5 in 2017, with annual $1 increases until it reaches the adjusted minimum wage?

Question 5: Citizen Initiative
Legislation

Do you want to allow voters to rank their choices of candidates in elections for U.S. Senate, Congress, Governor, State Senate, and State Representative, and to have ballots counted at the state level in multiple rounds in which last-place candidates are eliminated until a candidate wins by majority?

Question 6:   Bond Issue
Legislation

Do you favor a $100,000,000 bond issue for construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation of highways and bridges and for facilities, equipment and property acquisition related to ports, harbors, marine transportation, freight and passenger railroads, aviation, transit and bicycle and pedestrian trails, to be used to match an estimated $137,000,000 in federal and other funds?