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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-11-05 State Election Warrant ��� TOWN WARRANT Seal For State Election � The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Middlesex, ss. , To either of the Constables of the Town of Reading, Greetings: In the name of the Commonwealth you are hereby required to no- tify and warn the inhabitants of said Town, who are qualified to vote in elections , to meet in the following places designated for the four precincts in said Town: namely, ,� Precinct 1 Killam Elementary School Precinct 2 Joshua Eaton School Precinct 3 Community Center Building �. Precinct 4 Memorial High School on � TUESDAY, THE FIFTH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 1974 at seven o'clock A. M. for the following purposes: To bring in their votes to the Election O£ficers for: GOVERNOR for this Commonwealth LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR £or this Commonwealth ATTORNEY GENERAL for this Commonwealth SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH for this Commonwealth TREASURER AND RECEIVER-GENERAL for this Commonwealth AUDITOR OF THE COMMONWEALTH for this Commonwealth REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS £or Seventh Congressional District COUNCILLOR for Fifth Councillor District SENATOR for First Essex and Middlesex Senatorial District REPRESENTATIVE IN GENERAL COURT for Thirty-second Middlesex Representa- tive District � DISTRICT ATTORNEY £or Northern District COUNTY COMMISSIONER for Middlesex County SHERIFF for Middlesex County Also to vote YES or NO in answer to the following questions: QUESTION NO. 1 � PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION Do you approve of the adoption of an amendment to the constitution aummarized below, which was approved by the General Court in a joint session of the two branches held August 25, 1971 , received 212 votes in the affirmative and 39 in the negative, and in a joint session of the two branches held June 6, 1973, received 235 votes in the affirma- tive and 19 in the negative? YES SUMMARY NO The proposed constitutional amendment, if approved, would replace � the present Article 52 of the Articles of Amendment to the Constitution of Che Commonwealth and would empower the General Court, by concurrent vote of the two fiouses, to take a recess or recesses amounting to not more than thirty days. The present Article 52 permits such receases but provides that "no such recess shall extend beyond the sixtieth day". from the ba�nning of the legislative session. QUESTION NO. 2 � PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION Do you approve of the adoption of an amendment to the constitution summarized below, which was approved by the General Court in a joint session of the two branches held August 25, 1971 , received 177 votes in the affirmative and 65 in the negative, and in a joint session of the two branches held June 6, 1973, received 166 votes in the affirma- tive and 93 in the negative? YES NO Town Warrant State Election November 5, 1974 � � SUMMARY �hA proposei constitufiotst amendment, if approved, would provide for a census in the year 1975 and every tenth year therea£ter of the inhabitants of each city and town as a basis for determining the repre- sentative, senatorial and councillor districts £or the ten year period beginning with the first Wednesday in the Eourth January £ollowing the taking of the census, provided that the districts as established based on the 1971 census shall terminate on the first Wednesday in January, 1979. The census shall specify the number of inhabitants residing in each precinct of a town and each precinct and ward of a city. Under the proposed amendment, the Hovse of Representatives would consist o£ 160 members, in contrast to the present membership of � 240, and the Senate of 40 members. The General Court would at its first � regular session after the year in which the census is taken, divide the Commonwealth into 160 representative districts and 40 senatorial districts of contiguous territory so that each pepresentative and each senator will represent an equal number of inhabitants as nearly as may be; and such districts shall be formed, as nearly as may be, without uniting two counties or parts of two or more counties and with respect to zepresenta- tive districts , without uniting, as nearly as may be, two towns or parts of two or more towns , two cities or parts of two or more cities, or a city ead a town, or parts of cities and towns , into one district, and without dividing any town containing less than 2500 inhabitants. The General Court would be permitted to pass laws to limit the time within which jvdicial proceedings may be instituted calling in question any such division. The proposed amendment further provides that every rep- resentative, for one year at least immediately preceding his election, shall have been an inhabitant of the district for which he is chosen, and every senator shall be an inhabitant of this Commonwealth for five years at least preceding his election and at the time of his election shall be an inhabitant of the district for which he is chosen. Every representative and senator shall cease to represent his district when he shall cease to be an inhabitant of the Commonwealth. The manner of calling and conducting the elections for represettatives and senators and councillors and of ascertaining their election, shall be prescribed by law. The amendment vests original jurisdiction in the Supreme Judi- � cial Court, upo❑ petition of any voter of the Commonwealth, filed with the clerk of said court, £or judicial relief relative to the establishment of House of Representatives, councillor and senatorial districts. QUESTION NO. 3 PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION Do you approve of the adoption of an amendment to the constitution summarized below, which was approved by the General Court in a joint seeaion of the two branches held June 7, 1972, received 250 votes in the affirmative and 3 in the negative, and in a joint session of the two branches held June 6, 1973, received 243 votes in the affirmative and 0 in the negative? YES SUMMARY NO The proposed constitutional amendment would repeal section 2 of Article 46 of the Articles of Amendments to the Constitution o£ the Com- monwealth (the "anti-aid amendment" , so-called) , and replace it with a new section 2 , for the purpose of allowing grants in aid to private higher educational institutions or to students, or parents or guardians of students, attending such institutions. The proposed amendment would delete the first clause of the pres- ent section 2, which requires that all moneys raised by taxatio❑ in the towns and cities for the support of public schools, and all moneys ap- �� propriated by the Commonwealth for the support of common schools shall be applied to or expended in only those schoold conducted according to law under the order and superintendence o£ the authorities of the town or city in which the money is expended. The effect of the deletion o£ the first clause of section 2 would be to remove the constitutional pro- hibition against the use of public moneys, which have been raised by taxation or appropriated for support of public schools, for grants in aid to private Algher educational institutions or to students, or par- ents or guardians of students, attending such institutions. . ��� Town Warrant State Election November S, 1974 The proposed amendment would also alter the second clause of � the present section 2 by removing the prohibition against a grant, . appropriation or use of public money or property or loan o£ pvblic credit by the Commonwealth or any political subdivision Eor the pur- pose of founding, maintaining or aiding any school or institution o£ learning, whether under public control or otherwise, wherein any de- nominational doctrine is inculcated, or any other school or any col- � lege which is not publicly owned and under the exclusive control , order/and superintendence of public officers or public agents. In place of the foregoing, the proposed amendment would prohibit the grant, appropriation or use of public money or property or loan of credit by the Commonwealth or any political subdivision �or the purpose of . founding, maintaining or aiding any primary or secondary school which � is not publicly owned and under the exclusive control , order and super- intendence of public officers or public agents. The proposed amendment would also add to the present section 2 a provision that nothing therein shall be constrved to prohibit grants tn aid to private higher educational institutions or to students, or , parents or guardians of students, attending such institution. � QUESTION NO. 4 LAW PROPOSED BY AN INI2IATIVE PETITION Do you approve of the adoption of an amendment to the constitution summarized below, which was approved by the General Court in a joint session of the two branches held May 17, 1972, received 131 votes i❑ the affirmative and 121 in the negative, and in a joint session of the two branches held May 8, 1974, received 139 votes in the a£firmative and 119 in the negative? YES SUMMARY NO The proposed constitutional amendment would revise Article 78 0£ � the Articles of Amendment to the Constitution to permit the expenditure of money from the highway fund for mass transportation lines and other mass transportation purposes in such manner as the Legislature may di- rect. The highway fund includes receipts from fees, duties, excises, � �d license taxes relating to registration, operation or use of motor � vehicles and taxes £rom the sale of motor vehicle fuels. The expendi- ture of money from such fund is presently restricted to highway and bridge construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair, enforce- ment of state traffic laws, and administration of the tax statutes which provide highway fund receipts. QUESTION NO. 5 LAW PROPOSED BY AN INITIATIVE PETITION � Do you approve of a law summarized below which was disapproved in the House of Representatives by a vote of 73 in the affirmative and 150 in the negative and was disapproved in the Senate by a vote of 16 in the affirmative and 22 in the ❑egative? YES SUMMARY NO Provisions of the act establish an independent Corrupt Practices Commission, with five members to be appointed by the Governor to staggered five year terms. The Commission has subpoena powers and is to investigate, by means of secret hearings, candidates compliance � with all state and federal laws relating to political campaign con- , tributions and expenditures and corrupt practices. If probable cause � is shown, the Commission is required to direct the Attorney General to � take £urther action in the proper form and is required to make public a report of such action. In cases involving the campaig❑ practices of � the Attorney General himself, a special attorney is to be appointed. If no probable cause is shown, the Commission is to state so publicly. Further, the proposed act extends the application of the current statvte regarding the disclosure of campaign expenditures and contribu- tions to all candidates for office above the town and city level , with the exception of President and Vice President of the United States. The act requires all such candidates to receive and disburse all amounts greater than $25 by check, and makes it a crime to knowingly receive cash payment from a candidate or his committee for a service costing more than 525. The act also requires candidates to designate a single � bank as depository of funds and asneCovkee�r, with records of receipts i and expenditures to be open to public scrutiny. Town Warrant State Election November 5, 1974t� Provisions o£ the act extend present campaiqn spending Iimits to cover all media expenses and require all media f'vms (including televi- sion, radio, newspaper, billboard, magazine, advertising, public rela- tions, printing, opinion polling, computer, telephone, telegraph) to report the purchase of inedia services by candidates. Media expenses of candidates for the offices of district attorney, clerk of court, register of probate and insolvency, register o£ deeds, county commissioner, county treasurer and sheriff are limited to S.07 for each resident of the res- pective electoral district. Other provisions of the act require candi- dates, upon o££icial announcement or filing of nomination papers, to re- port all political receipts and expenditures since the date of the last general election for the office sought, and count such expenditures to- � ward spending limits. The act also limits candidates to one political committee. The act establishes a maximum penalty o£ one year imprisonment and/or $10,000 fine for individuals engaged in corrupt practices, and a $50,000 fine for corporations so involved. In addition, the Attorney General is permitted to bring an action for the removal of a candidate whose elec- tion was materially aided by corrupt practices on the part of the candi- date or one acting in his behalf, where such removal is otherwise auth- orized by law. QUESTION NO. 6 Should the General Court enact legislation during the nineteen hun- dred and seventy-five session reorganizing state government by creating a Department of Health Systems Regulation which shall have the power to administer the medicaid program, control and set rates for nursing homes, hospitals, and other health providers under medicaid, license and in- spect health facilities, and regulate private health insurance policies, medical and hospital service plans?? YES NO QUESTION NO. 7 � D, Shall licenses be granted in this city (or town) for the sale of all alcoHolic beveraqes by hotels having a dining room capacity of not less than ninety-nine persons and lodging capacity of not less than fifty rooms? YES NO E, Shall the town of Reading grant liaenses for the sale of alco- holic beverages to be consumed on the premises to legally chartered clubs within the bo�ndaries of said town? "' YES The pblls will be open from 7 A. M. to 8 P. M. NO And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting an attested copy thereo£ in at least three public places in each o£ the four pre- cincts of the town not less than seven days prior to November 5, 1974, the date set for the meeting in said warrant, and to cause this warrant to be published in the Reading Chronicle one day at least prior to said date. Hereof £ail not and make due return of this warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk at or before the time appointed for said meet- ing. Given under our hands this twenty-third day o£ October, A. D„ 1974. � A true copy. Attest: Edward P. Cameron Robert S. Cummings Joseph F. Anderson James 3. Sullivan, Jr. Constable of Reading Selectmen o£ Reading � ; . COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Middlesex, ss. Officer' s Return, Reading: By virtue of this Warrant, I, on October 25, 1974, notified and I warned the inhabitants of the Town. of Reading, qualified to vote in elections and town affairs, to meet at the place and at the time spec- ified by posting attested copies of this Warrant in the following public places within the Town of Reading: Precinct 1. First National Stores, 275 Salem Street SoAnn's Variety Store, 143 Salem Street Fire Station, 67 Pleasant Street Precinct 2. Dragon Corner Store, 206 West Street � � Hanson' s Service Station, 4 West Street Blais-Porter, 452 Main Street Precinct 3. Masonic Building, 604 Main Street � Municipal Building, 16 Lowell Street Community Center, 52 Sanborn Street � B & M Railroad Station, High Street Precinct 4. Zitzow's Store, 287 Lowell Street Convenient Food Mart, 1349 Main Street Old Hose House, 1249 Main Street The date of posting being not less than seven days prior to Novem- ber 5, 1974, the date set for the meeting in this Warrant. 2 also caused an attested copy of this Warrant to be published in the Reading Chronicle in the issve of October 31, 1974, the same being more than one day prior to the date of said meeting. . (s) Joseph F. Anderson � Constable o£ Reading STATE ELECTION � November 5, 1974 Pursuant to the Warrant and the Constable's Return thereon, a � State Election was held at the time and places specified in the War- rant and was called to order by the Wardens in the precincts as follows: Precinct i��� Killam Elementary School Henry A. Murphy, Jr. Precinct 2.� Joshua Eaton School John H, Crooker Precinct 3 Cpmmunity Center C. Dewey Smith Precinct 4 Memorial High School Russell H, Stone, Jr. who then partially read the Warrant, when on motion of Florence E. Campbell , Precinct 1; John F, Cronin, Precinct 2; Ann Cusato, Precinct 3• Leon A. LflFreniere, Precinct 4, it was voted to dispense with further reading of the Warrant, except the Constable' s Return, which was read by the Wardens in charge. � The ballot boxes were examined by the Wardens in charge and found to be empty and all registered 000. The polls were then declared open at 7:00 A. M. and were closed at ■ 8:00 P. M. with the following results: � Whole number of votes cast 8, 340.