For Immediate Release
August 27, 2003
Contact: Chip Gavin
207-626-8408

News Release

Secretary Gwadosky sets November ballot order
Public drawing assigns specific numbers to six quesitons

AUGUSTA - Secretary of State Dan A. Gwadosky in a public drawing today determined the order of the statewide ballot questions for the November 4, 2003 election.

"This is an important step in the election process," said Gwadosky when announcing the drawing. "Ordering and numbering the questions helps keep things clear during the ongoing public discussion on the issues. Everyone can at least agree that we're talking about the same question, even if the level of agreement ends there."

The drawing was held in the Department's offices on the first floor of the Nash School building at the corner of Sewall and Capitol streets in Augusta.

"Voters will soon see the beginning of the debate on these issues with specific question numbers attached to each," said Gwadosky. "We'll begin hearing 'Vote yes on this question' or 'Vote no on that question.' Today's drawing makes simple but important step possible."

The Secretary of State's responsibility for determining the order of the questions is set forth in Maine election law, 21-A M.R.S.A. The law first requires the questions to be organized on the ballot in order by category as follows: carry-over measures from a previous election; people's veto questions, citizen initiatives, bond questions, constitutional amendments, and other legislatively proposed referenda. The drawing set for Wednesday will determine the order of the questions within each category for which there are questions in the upcoming election.

A listing of the questions for the November ballot, in order, is attached.

In their correct order, the questions scheduled to appear on the November 4, 2003, statewide ballot are:

Citizen initiatives:

Question 1 (Citizen Initiative and Competing Measure)
(Citizen Initiative)
A. Do you want the State to pay 55% of the cost of public education, which includes all special education costs, for the purpose of shifting costs from the property tax to state resources?
(Competing measure)
B. Do you want to lower property taxes and avoid the need for a significant increase in state taxes by phasing in a 55% state contribution to the cost of public education and by providing expanded property tax relief?
(Against A and B)
C. Against both the Citizen Initiative and the Competing Measure

Question 2 (Citizen Initiative)
Do you want to allow slot machines at certain commercial horse racing tracks if part of the proceeds are used to lower prescription drug costs for the elderly and disabled, and for scholarships to the state universities and technical colleges?

Question 3 (Citizen Initiative)
Do you want to allow a casino to be run by the Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation if part of the revenue is used for state education and municipal revenue sharing?

Bond questions:

Question 4 (Bond issue)
Do you favor a $6,950,000 bond issue for the following for the following purposes:
(1) The sum of $2,000,000 to construct and upgrade water pollution control facilities; providing the state match for $10,000,000 in federal funds;
(2) The sum of $1,500,000 to provide grants to construct water pollution control facilities;
(3) The sum of $500,000 to clean up uncontrolled hazardous substance sites;
(4) The sum of $500,000 for the small community grant program to provide grants for rural communities to solve local pollution problems;
(5) The sum of $500,000 for the overboard discharge removal program to provide grants to municipalities and individuals to eliminate licensed overboard discharges to shellfish areas, great ponds and drainage areas of less than 10 square miles;
(6) The sum of $1,200,000 to support drinking water system improvements that address public health threats, providing the stat match for $4,140,000 in federal funds; and
(7) The sum of $750,000 to construct environmentally sound water sources that help avoid drought damage to crops?

Question 5 (Bond issue)
Do you favor a $19,000,000 bond issue to make repairs, upgrades and other facility improvements and enhance access for students with disabilities and upgrade classroom equipment at various campuses of the University of Maine System; the Maine Maritime Academy; and the Maine Community College System, which was formerly the Maine Technical College System, and to provide grants to construct and renovate public libraries and to improve community access to electronic resources?

Question 6 (Bond issue)
Do you favor a $63,450,000 bond issue for improvements to highways and bridges, airports, state-owned ferry vessels and ferry and port facilities and port and harbor structures; development of rail corridors and improvements to railroad structures and intermodal facilities; investment in the statewide public transportation fleet and public park and ride and service facilities; statewide trail and pedestrian improvements; and expansion of the statewide air-medical response system through construction of hospital helipads, building additional refueling facilities, upgrading navigational systems and acquiring training equipment to improve access to health care that makes the State eligible for $217,000,000 in matching federal funds?