rlp@cbscd5.UUCP (R L Platt) (11/09/83)
It's 6 PM on election day here in Columbus, the evening news is already reporting a record voter turnout - basically due to two issues on the ballot. Ohio elected a new governor last year - Richard Celeste(D). One of his first acts as governor was to permanently increase the state income tax by 90%. (The state had a large projected deficit partially attributed to having the second highest unemployment rate in the U.S.). He also raised business taxes, including the addition of a tax on computing services. The taxes were passed by a slim majority in the legislature with the vote along party lines. The two amendments were placed on the ballot by initiative. The first one requires a 3/5 vote to pass future tax increases. The second expires the new tax increases on June 1984. The election was preceded by a flurry of blatant propaganda by parties on both sides of the issue. Proponents of the issues blamed Celeste for the economic mess he inherited. Opponents of the issues threatened that if the issue passed schools would close, college tuition would rise, and services would be drastically cut. Will the issues pass or be defeated? I'll post the results tomorrow. R. L. Platt cbscd5!rlp