Ohio Limits on State Debt Amendment (1977)

Ohio Limits on State Debt Amendment
Election date November 8, 1977
Topic State and local government budgets, spending, and finance
Status Defeated
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

Ohio Limits on State Debt Amendment was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Ohio on November 8, 1977. It was defeated.

A “yes” vote supported revising limitations on state government indebtedness.

A “no” vote opposed revising limitations on state government indebtedness.

Election results

Ohio Limits on State Debt Amendment
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		759,327	27.52%
No		1,999,791	72.48%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Limits on State Debt Amendment was as follows:

“

To adopt Section 1 of Article VIII and repeal Sections 1, 2, 2b, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 3, 7, 9, and 10 of Article VIII and Section 6 of Article XII of the Constitution of Ohio To repeal the general state constitutional debt limit of $750,000 and replace it with authority to incur debt from capital improvements by a two thirds majority vote of each house of the general assembly within specified limitations directly related to state revenues. To permit the state to contract debt without limitation on amount of purpose, in addition to the authority specified above, if that debt is submitted to a vote of the electors by a 3/5 majority vote of each house of the general assembly and approved by a majority of the electors voting on the question. To require the general assembly to retire at least 4% of the state's indebtedness each year. To permit the state to borrow funds to meet a current year's appropriations if any such loan is repaid out of that year's revenues. To repeal part of the constitutional requirements relating to a sinking fund and to require that the general assembly provide for the repayment of state debt. To enumerate purposes and amounts for which the first $640 million of capital improvement that would have to be appropriated. Shall the proposed amendment be adopted?

”

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Ohio Constitution

A 60% vote is required during one legislative session for the Ohio State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 60 votes in the Ohio House of Representatives and 20 votes in the Ohio State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

See also

1977 Measures

• 1977 Measures
• State and local government budgets on the ballot
• spending on the ballot
• and finance on the ballot
• 1977 legislative sessions

Ohio

• Ohio ballot measures
• Ohio ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Youngstown Vindicator, "State Questions and Issues," Novmeber 6, 1977