Thursday, February 18, 2010
Proposal protects and strengthens a fundamental right of democracy
The Portland Press Herald: As the Maine Legislature considers bills to modify the citizen initiative and people's veto process, it should emphasize transparency without burdening citizens' fundamental right to direct democracy.
In particular, Mainers should support LD 1690, An Act To Prevent Predatory Signature Gathering and Ensure a Clean Citizen Initiative and People's Veto Process. It gives voters more information and control over their role in direct democracy. The rights of citizen initiative and people's veto, guaranteed under Maine's Constitution, have allowed citizen movements to make wide-ranging improvements in state policy.
Just over three years ago, I joined hundreds of Opportunity Maine volunteers all over the state to gather close to 70,000 signatures for what came to be called the ''Opportunity Maine initiative.'' The proposal to wipe out student loan debt for Maine college graduates via a state income tax credit was approved for the November 2007 ballot. But for only the sixth time in state history, the Legislature passed it outright.
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