At 8:44 AM -0500 11/11/1999, Kevin B. Rhodes wrote:>
>I am surprised that more states have not done what Maine did. When we had
>emissions testing supposedly forced upon us by the Feds, a Peoples
>Referendum was called (basically a petition signature gathering thing)
>putting the issue on the ballot. It was voted out by such a landslide that
>you would not believe it! This was after the state government had signed a
>many, many million dollar contract with an out of state testing firm who
>had already spent millions building the test centers. The buildings are
>still here and there - all boarded up. Got to love a state that is filled
>with crusty natives (like me!) who won't be pushed around!
>
>Kevin Rhodes
>Portland, Maine
Wow! can I move there? I have the misfortune of living in a state (RI)
ruled by a inbred bunch of pols that have a hard time saying no to having
any of their Federal Highway $$$$ taken from them.
Around here, it works like this- legislators aprove a highway project, pols
shake down construction companies for a "contribution" to their next
campaign (or Las Vegas vacation). Construction companies glady fork over
the dough, knowing full well that if they don't, they'll never see a public
works contract again. And round and round it's gone on like this for
decades!
Next time you drive your TR through "Little Rhody" and get you fillings
knocked out, you'll understand why the roads are so crappy.
BTW-there is no voter initiative in RI! A citizen cannot start a petition
drive to put a referendum on the ballot! Only referemdum's approved by the
legislators appear on the ballot. It would take a change to the state
charter to allow this. How does one change the state charter? The
legislature has to appove it! How many times has this change been shot
down at the state house? More times than there are potholes in the road!
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