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Maine Fore River Bridge Bond Issue, Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 4 (1950)

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The Maine Fore River Bridge Bond Issue Referendum, also known as Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 4, was on the September 11, 1950 ballot in Maine as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, where it was approved.[1][2] The measure authorized the issuing of up to $7 million in bonds to fund the construction of a combination highway and railroad bridge across Fore river between the cities of Portland and South Portland in Cumberland County.[3] This amended Section 17 of Article IX of the Maine Constitution.[4]

Aftermath

See also: Maine Fore River Bridge Toll, Referendum Question No. 4 (1951)

The following year, a legislatively referred state statute was defeated that would have made the bridge across Fore River into a toll bridge until all the bonds issued for its construction were retired.

As of September 12, 1955, $7 million in bonded indebtedness remained on the Fore River Bridge.[5] The debt was the same on October 12, 1959.[6]

Election results

Maine Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 4 (1950)
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Yes 106,952 65.94%
No55,24834.06%

Election results via: Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library, Proposed Constitutional Amendments 1820-

Text of measure

See also: Maine Constitution, Article IX, Section 17

The language appeared on the ballot as:[2]

PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 4

"Shall the constitution be amended as proposed by a resolution of the legislature to authorize the issuing of bonds in an amount not exceeding $7,000,000 to be used for the purpose of building a combination highway and railroad bridge across Fore river as authorized by the legislature?" [7]

Constitutional changes

The full text of the constitutional changes made by this measure can be read here.

Similar measures

In 1951, a legislatively referred state statute to make the Fore River bridge a toll bridge was voted upon.

Other measures that have been used to seek funding for similar bridge projects include the following:

See also

External links

Footnotes