Maine $200 Excise Tax on Motor Vehicles Initiative (2020)
| Maine $200 Excise Tax on Motor Vehicles Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 3, 2020 | |
| Topic Taxes and Transportation | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type State statute | Origin Citizens |
The Maine $200 Excise Tax on Motor Vehicles Initiative was not on the ballot in Maine as an indirect initiated state statute on November 3, 2020.
The ballot measure would have replaced the state's formula for levying the annual excise tax on motor vehicles with an annual tax of $200. As of 2019, the formula for levying the tax on a non-commercial vehicle was based on the vehicle's maker's list price and the age of the vehicle. The ballot measure would have also extended how long a temporary registration plate is valid from 14 days to 30 days.[1]
Text of measure
Full text
The full text of the measure is available here.
Path to the ballot
Process in Maine
In Maine, the number of signatures required to qualify an indirect initiated state statute for the ballot is equal to 10 percent of the total votes cast for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election. Petitions can be circulated for up to 18 months, but signatures must be no more than one year old to be valid. Signatures must be filed with the secretary by the 50th day of the first regular legislative session or the 25th day of the second regular session. Maine's initiative process is indirect, which means sufficient initiative petitions first go to the legislature and only go to the ballot if the legislature rejects or does not act on the initiative.
The requirements to get an initiated state statute certified for the 2020 ballot:
- Signatures: 63,067 valid signatures were required.
- Deadline: The deadline to submit signatures was February 3, 2020.
Each petition signature is certified by the local registrar of voters. The signatures are then submitted to the secretary of state. If enough signatures are verified, the initiatives are sent to the legislature. If the legislature approves the initiative, it becomes law. If the legislature does not act on the initiative or rejects it, the initiative goes on the ballot. The legislature may submit "any amended form, substitute, or recommendation" to the people alongside the initiative; this alternative is treated as a competing measure.
Stages of this initiative
Scott D. Croteau filed the ballot initiative, which was approved for signature gathering on June 4, 2019.[1] The deadline to file signatures for a ballot initiative was February 3, 2020. The office of Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap did not receive signatures for the proposal.
See also
Footnotes
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State of Maine Augusta (capital) |
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