Political activists who want to slash taxes, ban dog racing
and blow up the health care status quo are blitzing toward the finish of their ballot question campaigns in a flurry of
advertising and retail politicking.
But opponents of those and other measures are also poised
for the final countdown to Election Day, with polls showing several key measures could go either way.
Gov. Paul Cellucci began the stretch run for Question 4
supporters yesterday with a bus tour around the Bay State -- on which he and other Republicans stumped for the income tax
rollback.
"We're going to be focusing on traditional get out the vote
campaigns, phone banks and literature drops," said John Brockelman, executive director of the state Republican Party.
An influx of $40,000 from Citizens for Limited Taxation is
financing a final radio ad blitz in support of Question 4, which seeks to cut the state's income tax rate from 5.85
percent to 5 percent.
Results from a new Boston Herald/WCVB TV poll show Cellucci
& Co. may need the help. Support for the income tax cut has narrowed dramatically since August, with 47 percent now in
favor and 37 percent against.
The most critical number, however, is the 16 percent who are
undecided. Conventional wisdom on ballot questions dictates that late deciders generally break against the initiatives.
"This is not any different than what we thought it would
be," said Jack McCarthy, a spokesman and organizer for opponents to Questions 4 and 6. "Ours was the story that took
longer to tell."...