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Wisconsin Question 2, Public Debt Amendment (April 1969)
| Wisconsin Question 2 | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic State and local government budgets, spending, and finance |
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| Status |
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| Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment |
Origin |
Wisconsin Question 2 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Wisconsin on April 1, 1969. It was approved.
A "yes" vote supported amending the constitution to allow the state to contract public debt under certain conditions. |
A "no" vote opposed amending the constitution to allow the state to contract public debt under certain conditions. |
Election results
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Wisconsin Question 2 |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
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411,062 | 61.40% | ||
| No | 258,366 | 38.60% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for Question 2 was as follows:
| “ | Shall section 7 of article VIII of the constitution be amended to permit the state to contract public debt, limited in amount, in order to acquire. construct. develop, extend, enlarge or improve land, waters, property, highways, buildings, equipment or facilities for public purposes, and eliminate reliance on the present method of financing such expenditures through leases with dummy building corporations? (Note: Adoption of this amendment would end the practice of borrowing through 'dummy' building corporations which, as of 12/1/67, bad an outstanding indebtedness of $382,511,869. Beginning 1/1/71 borrowing through state public building corporations would be unconstitutional, and all bonds issued for the state building program would be backed by the full faith and credit of the state.) | ” |
Constitutional changes
Note: Hover over the text and scroll to see the full text.
(Article VIII) Section 7.
(2) Any other provision of this constitution to the contrary notwithstanding:
(a) The state may contract public debt and pledges to the payment thereof its full faith, credit and taxing power to acquire, construct, develope, extend, enlarge or improve land, waters, property, highways, buildings, equipment or facilities for public purposes.
(b) The aggregate public debt contracted by the state in any calendar year pursuant to paragraph (a) shall not exceed an amount equal to the lesser of:
1. Three-forths of one per centum of the aggregate value of all taxable property in the state; or
2. Five per centum of the aggregate value of all taxable property in the state less the sum of: a. the aggregate public debt of the state contracted pursuant to this section outstanding as of January 1 of such calendar year which are applicable exclusively to repayment of such outstanding public debt and, b. the outstanding indebtedness as of January 1 of such calendar year of an entity of the type describe in paragraph (d) to the extent that such indebtedness is supported by or payable from payments out of the treasury of the state.[1]
Note: The above text is only the portion of the amendment added.
Path to the ballot
- See also: Amending the Wisconsin Constitution
A simple majority vote is required during two legislative sessions for the Wisconsin State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 50 votes in the Wisconsin State Assembly and 17 votes in the Wisconsin State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source.
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State of Wisconsin Madison (capital) |
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