On the four very important referenda on the ballot on Tuesday, November 4, we strongly recommend voting

"NO-YES-YES-YES"

QUESTION 1 – Repeal indexing the gas tax? NO

QUESTION 2 – Expand the “bottle bill” to include water bottles, juice, sports drinks? YES

QUESTION 3 – Repeal the law allowing casinos in Massachusetts? YES

QUESTION 4 – Give all workers the right to earn sick time? YES 

TAKE OUR RECS ON THE ROAD -- download/print our ballot question voting guide.

Share the word on social media: #MAVoteNYYY - Vote No, Yes, Yes, Yes

Download LIT PIECES from our field leaders for use in your canvasses. 

QUESTION 1 – NO

Repeal indexing the gas tax, defunding road and bridge repair? NO

Voting no keeps the gas tax indexed to inflation providing funds for repairing infrastructure. On
bridges alone, 53% are now “structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.” Roads, bridges, and the
T need to be repaired even when there’s inflation or the political winds shift.

• Over HALF of MA bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, via SafeRoadsBridges.com
• Allies on "No on 1":
  • Mass. Taxpayers Foundation says: vote NO on Question 1!
  • AAA of Southern New England: "It's a Safety Issue" (via SafeRoadsBridges.com)
  • Chambers of Commerce across MA (see full list of "No on 1" endorsees: saferoadsbridges.com/endorsements)
• How your representatives voted on the gas tax
• Where we stand on the gas tax
• Our guest blogger Lizzi Weyant discusses question 1, here
• CommonWealth Magazine - Gas tax indexing ballot question could stump voters - Sept 2014 - http://bit.ly/YlPsyc
• RELATED: Time to get serious - CommonWealth Magazine - http://bit.ly/YW9f8s
• THE ECONOMIST - America’s crumbling infrastructure: Bridging the gap - June 2014 - http://bit.ly/ZqY1bC
  • "Republicans—who control most statehouses and governorships—will have to stay their urge to shrink government and cut taxes. The party often argues that the federal government should spend less and let the states make more decisions about how to tax and spend. On infrastructure at least they have got their wish. Now is the time for them to show that they mean it."

QUESTION 2 – YES

Expand the “bottle bill” to include water bottles, juice, sports drinks? YES

Update the Bottle Bill to include what we now drink – water, sports drinks, tea... We recycle 80%
of beverage containers with deposits, but only 23% without deposits. Plastic is a resource when
it’s recycled; it harms the environment forever when it’s not. Plastic bottles are 99% petroleum,
so recycling decreases oil use. Towns and cities would save $6.7 million per year in trash disposal
costs; that’s why 209 have endorsed Yes-on-2.

• FAQ on Question 2 (PDF): what changes, where does the  money go? 
• Know who's funding the attacks against Question 2
  • "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Bottle Bill?" Blog at Blue Mass Group, by PM member JCohn!
  • "Bottle bill foes hope you buy in" -  Yvonne Abraham - The Boston Globe - 
  • Ads with Inaccurate Data Aid Foes of Wider Bottle Law - The Boston Globe - http://bit.ly/1n2V5go
    • "beverages frequently cost more in New Hampshire, which does not have a bottle redemption law"
    • "if the question passes, [bottle revenue not redeemed by consumers] will be designated for environmental programs."
    • "nondeposit bottles outnumber deposit bottles by three to one in the litter found in public parks, even though they make up only 40 percent of the market."
    • "only 47%of Massachusetts cities and towns offer curbside recycling, reaching 64% of the population"
    • "the ads opposing Question 2 [are], fueled by nearly $8 million in contributions from the American Beverage Association and large supermarket chains."
    • "two spots that contain the inaccurate statistics have aired more than 500 times in recent weeks"
    • "Many of the TV stations that run the ads, which have been a lucrative source of income, did not return calls for comment. Bill Fine, president and general manager of WCVB-TV, said his station would continue to air the spots. He described the ads as “what has come to pass for customary political discourse.”"
• Read about the Act to update the bottle bill
• See how your representatives voted on the bottle bill
• Why cosponsoring bills matter -- the bottle bill

QUESTION 3 – YES

Repeal the law establishing casinos in Massachusetts? YES

The house always wins - owners are the only real winners. Casinos’ business model depends on
fostering addiction. The human costs and municipal costs are huge with increased crime,
bankruptcy, and addiction. Local businesses and their jobs are lost. Forbes rated casino jobs as
among the worst-paying in America while Moody’s rated the industry as “poor” because of
oversaturation. There are other ways to revitalize!

• Repeal the Casino Deal: repealthecasinodeal.org/
• See how your representatives voted on expanding gambling legislation
• Towns get revenue from the Lottery. Casinos will decimate lottery revenue. 
  • "the state’s largest city, stands to lose at least $15.4 million in local aid from lottery revenues when casinos open. Worcester, the second largest city, could lose at least $3.4 million. And Springfield, the third largest city, could lose at least $3 million." Read more.

QUESTION 4 – YES 

Give all workers the right to earn sick time? YES 

Currently, one million workers in MA cannot earn sick time. Earned sick time improves employee
retention and productivity. A healthier workforce is better for everyone. The new law would apply to
businesses with 11 or more employees, and is part of a national effort.

• Raise Up Massachusetts
• Progressive Massachusetts' vision for earned sick time for all workers
• See Stacie's blog post here.
• Newton goes all in for Earned Sick Time
• Join the fight now
• Join a canvass for Question 4 in your community -- Progressive Mass Events are here and all Raise Up events are here.

GOING CANVASSING?

Bring along Lit. Pieces with "NO - YES - YES - YES"

The PROGRESSIVE MASS REFERENDA VOTER GUIDE (PDF) - print for your own reference or to share with your community. [single column to email or 3-column to cut/distribute]

Also check out excellent materials on the ballot questions produced by our local Chapters and talented grassroots organizers! Download fliers here:

• JP Progressives (PDF/postcard size)
• Progressive Needham (PDFs/bookmark size and full page)
• Progressive Watertown (PDF/half-page)
• W. Roxbury organizers (PDF/single-column; 3 column)
• (in progress/check back) Progressive Lexington (bookmark-size)

 DOWNLOAD IMAGES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA

IN SPANISH:

The Editors at Blue Mass Group has also endorsed "No on One, Yes on the Rest"--