When voters close the curtains behind them on Election Day, they'll have a bit more information available to them than in the past.
Mainers will see estimates of what the various citizen-initiated referendums would cost the state, as required by a new law passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. John Baldacci.
The legislation's sponsor, Rep. Emily Cain, D-Orono, said she hopes the new law gives Mainers the information they need to make important decisions.
"I'm a huge supporter of the citizen's initiative process. I think it's a wonderful tool Maine has," Cain said. "It's not fair for citizens to not have all the information we could give them. I think the electorate is smart enough to understand the money's got to come from somewhere."
There have been a fair number of citizen referendums in Maine over the years, on issues ranging from casino gambling to black bear baiting to preserving working waterfronts. There are four referendum questions on the ballot this fall, and the fiscal impact statements will be posted on each of them, said Julie Flynn, deputy secretary of state.
One question would set up a framework for a medical marijuana system in Maine. Another seeks to decrease automobile excise taxes. One would repeal Maine's school district consolidation laws. And another would impose spending caps on state and local government.
Such "fiscal statements" have always been available. The nonpartisan Office of Fiscal and Program Review has worked up such estimates for the comprehensive citizen's guide published by the Secretary of State's Office for each election.
But while those guides have been available online, and through a limited print run, the new law makes them more conspicuously present. The law requires that the fiscal impact statements:
• Be posted in each voting booth.
• Be displayed in public places in each polling district, along with a sample ballot, at least seven days before the election.
• Be printed in each of the state's daily newspapers, along with a summary of the referendums, seven to 10 days before the election.
The law also addresses the signature-gathering part of the citizen initiative process – the part that actually puts the proposed laws before the Legislature. Before a registered voter signs a petition, the signature gatherer now "must offer the voter the opportunity to read the proposed initiative summary and fiscal impact statement."
The new law applies only to citizen referendums, not people's veto efforts. A people's veto is an attempt to ask voters to overturn a law. A citizen-initiated referendum is legislation crafted by Maine voters and submitted to the Legislature. The proposal goes to a referendum if the Legislature and governor decline to make it law.
Director Grant Pennoyer said the Office of Fiscal and Program Review has prepared fiscal notes on the excise tax and spending cap questions. The office will be working on the other two this summer, he said.
The office estimates the spending cap would cost the state roughly $4,000 in general fund revenues in the fiscal year that starts July 1, and about $3.6 million in highway fund revenues.
Repealing the school consolidation laws would cost state and local governments about $69.5 million in the next fiscal year, the office estimated.
The spending cap referendum was drawn up by the Maine Heritage Policy Foundation. Martin Sheehan, director of communications at the foundation, said his group supported the transparency aspect of the new law.
"That's what it's all about," Sheehan said. "I hope people pay attention."
The proposed legislation would cap spending, and provides formulas to use excess revenues for "rainy day" savings and tax relief.
"If (residents) keep more of their own money, that's a good thing," Sheehan said. "If they see...
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