Democrats see the income tax measure as an opportunity for two significant victories: One, to open the door to progressive taxes in the state; and two, to bolster education for years to come.
But in Colorado, where the state has enacted a Taxpayer Bill of Rights that requires all tax hikes to pass a popular vote, anti-tax sentiment runs deep. Thad Tecza, a professor at the University of Colorado, said that history, combined with conservatives’ high-profile victory in a pair of recent recall elections that turned on gun regulation, have emboldened right-leaning activists.
"Both of these, there's going to be lots of money spent in favor of them, and not a lot of money opposed to them," Tecza said. "But the general mood of the state is anti-tax."
New York: More Gambling?
Gov. Andrew Cuomo's desire to attract more tourists — especially to upstate New York — is behind his push to expand gambling. This fall, New Yorkers will consider a constitutional amendment that would allow lawmakers to "authorize and regulate" up to seven casinos. The amendment doesn't specify whether the state will tax privately-run casinos or open its own. Either way, supporters say the new casinos would create jobs and generate tax revenue that could be used to boost school funding or lower property taxes.
Business interests have lined up behind Cuomo, but people traditionally wary about expanded gaming are concerned. A statement from the New York State Catholic Conference raised familiar worries: "With their flashing lights, free-flowing alcoholic drinks, all-night hours and generally intoxicating atmosphere," the statement said, "casinos are more likely than other gambling options to lead to bad decisions and catastrophic losses."
A Siena College poll released this week shows varying support depending on how the question is posed. When asked generally about expanding gambling, 46 percent of respondents said they supported it, and 46 percent said they opposed it.
But when respondents were asked the specific wording of the ballot question — which says the casinos would be built "for the legislated purposes of promoting job growth, increasing aid to schools, and permitting local governments to lower property taxes through revenues generated" — support jumped to 55 percent and opposition fell to 42 percent.
A lawsuit filed this week by a Brooklyn attorney says the phrasing is unconstitutional.
New Jersey: Wage Hike
New Jersey could become the 11th state with a minimum wage that increases automatically if voters approve a constitutional amendment this fall.
The amendment would set the rate at $8.25 per hour, up from the current $7.25, and provide for annual increases. It also would require the state to increase its own minimum if the federal minimum (currently $7.25 per hour) ever exceeds it.
As Stateline previously reported, more states are adopting minimum wages that are indexed to inflation or increases in the cost of living. Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Vermont and Washington already have such policies, and in all of them except Vermont the moves were approved at the polls.
Popular support seems strong in New Jersey. A Monmouth University poll last month put support at 65 percent among registered voters, with just 12 percent saying they’d vote against it.
Texas: Questions on Water and Housing
With drought a continuing concern, Texas voters this fall will consider a constitutional amendment that would tap the state’s rainy day fund for $2 billion to pay for water infrastructure projects. The measure would grant the Texas Water Development Board, appointed by the governor, the power to direct funds to priority projects.
There are eight other amendments on the ballot, but as University of Texas professor and former state legislator Sherri Greenberg said of the water issue, “This is big.”
“There will be a tremendous push to pass that one,” she said.
The state’s Proposition 6 has spawned strange political alliances, with Republican legislators backing its passage along with business interests and environmental groups such as the state’s chapter of the Sierra Club. The opposition is a mix of rural Texans, tea-party-style fiscal conservatives and staunch conservationists.
The divide is rooted in long-running disagreements over water rights in the state.
Supporters say the state has waited too long to enact a water management plan. Business leaders see the additional funding as an investment in the future, with the state’s growth potentially hamstrung until a long-term water solution can be implemented. But opponents contend the arrangement would disregard the concerns and input of local residents.
A poll released this week by the nonpartisan Texas Lyceum found that 49 percent of likely voters support the plan, while 36 percent are opposed. Because turnout is expected to be extremely low, the results could be much closer.
Texans also will consider Proposition 5, which would legalize the reverse mortgages available to homeowners in many other states. Texas has a history of keeping a tight lid on housing policy (for years the state didn’t allow home equity loans). A reverse mortgage allows homeowners to draw on their home equity for cash or similarly fluid assets without having to sell the property. Unlike a traditional home equity loan, a reverse mortgage doesn’t need to be repaid until the homeowner sells the property.
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