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Title: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Failed] Post by: Cincinnatus on March 22, 2012, 07:43:42 PM The Assembly will now consider the legislation introduced by the Representative from MA. Debate will last 72 hours.
Free Enterprise Zones Act 1. Upon the request of a municipal administration, or the petition of 10% of a municipality's registered voters, a referendum may be held on the next municipal or regional election day to declare said municipality a "Free Enterprise Zone." 2. a. Upon a majority of voters voting "yes" on the referendum, the municipality shall be designated a "Free Enterprize Zone." b. The Northeast Region must respect the results of all such referenda. 3. "Free Enterprize Zones" shall be assessed no regional taxes, be exempt from all regional regulations, and receive no funds from the Region. 4. a. The Governor shall nominate and the Assembly shall approve an independent Auditor General to oversee all Free Enterprise Zones. b. The Auditor General shall be empowered to assess fines to entities within Free Enterprize Zones which cause permanent environmental damage to the surrounding area, equal to the value of the damage caused. c. The Auditor General shall be empowered to revoke the Free Enterprise Zone status of a municipality if it is found that the public or private services provided within the Zone are significantly and pervasively deficient or discriminatory, compared to the status of public services prior to the establishment of the Free Enterprise Zone. d. All decisions of the Auditor General may be appealed through the courts and shall be treated as civil cases. e. Municipalities having their Free Enterprise Zone status revoked by the Auditor General may restore their status via a referendum as outlined in sections 1 and 2, but a two-thirds majority in the affirmative is required. After a period of 5 years, a municipality may restore its Free Enterprise Zone status via the normal procedure. Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Debating] Post by: Lincoln Republican on March 22, 2012, 08:45:24 PM This bill is a recipe for abuse and favortism.
The Northeast region has an obligation to treat all jurisdictions within the region equally, and this bill abrogates that responsibility. Far too much power will devolve upon the Auditor General and, being cynical here, but could be open to corruption, read payoffs. This bill is a train wreck waiting to happen. I will oppose this bill. Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Debating] Post by: Cincinnatus on March 26, 2012, 03:12:53 PM Debate time has expired. The Assembly will now vote on the final text. This vote will last 24 hours, or until all Representatives have voted.
Free Enterprise Zones Act 1. Upon the request of a municipal administration, or the petition of 10% of a municipality's registered voters, a referendum may be held on the next municipal or regional election day to declare said municipality a "Free Enterprise Zone." 2. a. Upon a majority of voters voting "yes" on the referendum, the municipality shall be designated a "Free Enterprize Zone." b. The Northeast Region must respect the results of all such referenda. 3. "Free Enterprize Zones" shall be assessed no regional taxes, be exempt from all regional regulations, and receive no funds from the Region. 4. a. The Governor shall nominate and the Assembly shall approve an independent Auditor General to oversee all Free Enterprise Zones. b. The Auditor General shall be empowered to assess fines to entities within Free Enterprize Zones which cause permanent environmental damage to the surrounding area, equal to the value of the damage caused. c. The Auditor General shall be empowered to revoke the Free Enterprise Zone status of a municipality if it is found that the public or private services provided within the Zone are significantly and pervasively deficient or discriminatory, compared to the status of public services prior to the establishment of the Free Enterprise Zone. d. All decisions of the Auditor General may be appealed through the courts and shall be treated as civil cases. e. Municipalities having their Free Enterprise Zone status revoked by the Auditor General may restore their status via a referendum as outlined in sections 1 and 2, but a two-thirds majority in the affirmative is required. After a period of 5 years, a municipality may restore its Free Enterprise Zone status via the normal procedure. Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Debating] Post by: Snowstalker Mk. II on March 26, 2012, 03:29:30 PM Nay
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Debating] Post by: tpfkaw on March 26, 2012, 05:49:00 PM Aye.
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Debating] Post by: Lincoln Republican on March 26, 2012, 10:20:22 PM Nay
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Cincinnatus on March 27, 2012, 03:19:12 PM Voting has expired. The Ayes are 2, Nays are 2. The vote is tied and requires action by the Governor.
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Snowstalker Mk. II on March 27, 2012, 03:21:40 PM Is the Speaker not allowed to vote?
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Napoleon on March 27, 2012, 03:34:43 PM I veto this bill.
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Lincoln Republican on March 27, 2012, 09:33:23 PM Thank you Governor.
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Napoleon on March 29, 2012, 04:04:39 PM If there is a less extreme and less bureaucratic approach there may be room for consideration.
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Cincinnatus on March 29, 2012, 07:19:45 PM The bill has been vetoed, and debate will resume immediately in response. Does the sponsor have any statements or amendments to offer that may sway the members of this Assembly?
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Snowstalker Mk. II on March 29, 2012, 07:55:46 PM As stated by Winfield, there is room for massive corruption within this system. In addition, I see no reason for regions to effectively secede from the Northeast, especially since no sane town would actually vote to do so. In addition, we are far too interconnected for what is effectively a city-state to get all its own needs by itself.
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Lincoln Republican on March 31, 2012, 10:39:47 AM This bill needs to be scrapped, period.
This bill is unnecessary, unworkable, and weakens the Northeast as a cohesive region. The proposal of a complicated system of referendums, which will only confuse voters, does nothing to improve this fundementally flawed bill. Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Cincinnatus on March 31, 2012, 09:15:24 PM Is the amendment friendly wormyguy?
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: tpfkaw on March 31, 2012, 09:32:29 PM Is the amendment friendly wormyguy? Yes, but with clause A removed (referenda are expensive, and holding them all the time would be confusing and cost-prohibitive). To make clause F make sense, I'll change Section 4 clause A to say "each Free Enterprise Zone" rather than "all Free Enterprise Zones." Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Cincinnatus on April 01, 2012, 08:06:05 PM Nix, wormyguy has decided to only accept part of your proposed amendment. If you wish, you can agree to this and we won't vote on the amendment at the end. Otherwise we will vote on the amendment in its entirety.
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Napoleon on April 01, 2012, 09:34:49 PM The Auditor General might need the power to decide which particular regulations are muted in free enterprise zones. We can't just blanket remove all regulations unless you subscribe to a misguided view that all government regulation is inherently bad.
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: tpfkaw on April 01, 2012, 10:10:38 PM This is just regulations at the regional level, not at the municipal or federal level. There's *already* absurd overregulation at the federal level. If an FEZ feels that they can't live without some regional regulation, there's nothing preventing them from reimplementing it at the municipal level.
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Cincinnatus on April 03, 2012, 09:51:22 PM Debate time has expired. The Assembly will now vote on the final text. This vote will last 24 hours, or until all members have voted.
Free Enterprise Zones Act 1. Upon the request of a municipal administration, or the petition of 10% of a municipality's registered voters, a referendum may be held on the next municipal or regional election day to declare said municipality a "Free Enterprise Zone." 2. a. Upon a majority of voters voting "yes" on the referendum, the municipality shall be designated a "Free Enterprize Zone." b. The Northeast Region must respect the results of all such referenda. 3. "Free Enterprize Zones" shall be assessed no regional taxes, be exempt from all regional regulations, and receive no funds from the Region. 4. a. The Governor shall nominate and the Assembly shall approve an independent Auditor General to oversee each Free Enterprise Zones. b. The Auditor General shall be empowered to assess fines to entities within Free Enterprize Zones which cause permanent environmental damage to the surrounding area, equal to the value of the damage caused. c. The Auditor General shall be empowered to revoke the Free Enterprise Zone status of a municipality if it is found that the public or private services provided within the Zone are significantly and pervasively deficient or discriminatory, compared to the status of public services prior to the establishment of the Free Enterprise Zone. d. All decisions of the Auditor General may be appealed through the courts and shall be treated as civil cases. e. Municipalities having their Free Enterprise Zone status revoked by the Auditor General may restore their status via a referendum as outlined in sections 1 and 2, but a two-thirds majority in the affirmative is required. After a period of 5 years, a municipality may restore its Free Enterprise Zone status via the normal procedure. 5. a. Upon the request of a municipal administration, or the petition of 10% of a municipality's registered voters, a referendum may be held within four weeks on removing the municipality's "Free Enterprise Zone" designation. Upon a majority of voters voting "yes" in this referendum, the municipalities "Free Enterprise Zone" status shall be revoked. b. Upon the request of a municipal administration, or the petition of 10% of a municipality's registered voters, a referendum may be held on recalling the Auditor General. Upon a majority of voters voting "yes" in this referendum, the Auditor General shall be removed from his or her position. Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: tpfkaw on April 04, 2012, 07:34:01 AM Aye.
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Cincinnatus on April 04, 2012, 10:35:48 AM Aye
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Snowstalker Mk. II on April 04, 2012, 02:02:52 PM Nay
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Lincoln Republican on April 04, 2012, 08:21:29 PM Nay
Title: Re: NE1: Free Enterprise Zones Act [Tied] Post by: Cincinnatus on April 04, 2012, 09:26:51 PM Voting time has expired. The vote does not reach a 2/3 majority. The bill fails.
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