Pubdate: Wed, 03 Nov 1999 Source: Los Angeles Times (CA) Copyright: 1999 Los Angeles Times Contact: Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053 Fax: (213) 237-4712 Website: http://www.latimes.com/ Forum: http://www.latimes.com/home/discuss/ Author: Douglas J. Rowe, Associated Press Writer MAINE OKS MEDICAL MARIJUANA PLAN Maine defeated a ban on certain late-term abortions and approved a proposal to legalize medical marijuana Tuesday as voters elsewhere decided on measures ranging from a ban of ATM fees to sweeping tax changes. The anti-abortion proposal lost with 201,115 voters or 55 percent opposed and 162,963 or 45 percent in favor, with 88 percent of precincts reporting. The medical marijuana measure had 223,957 votes, or 61 percent, to 140,637, or 39 percent. Oregonians defeated a measure that would have allowed murder convictions by an 11 -1 jury vote instead of a unanimous one. San Francisco were deciding for the first time anywhere on extra charges of $1, $2 or more for using another bank's automated teller machine. The move to eliminate the fees was leading in early returns. In Washington state, voters approved America's most sweeping tax-revolt proposal -a ballot measure coupling a big car-tax cut with veto power over all future taxes and fees. It substitutes an annual fee of $30 per car to replace a much-maligned tax of 2.2 percent of the vehicle's value -hundreds of dollars for many motorists -for a tax break worth $750 million a year. The measure requires state and local officials to go to the electorate anytime they wanted to raise a tax or fee -a basic shift of tax-writing power that no other state has adopted to this degree. Nearly the entire political establishment, from Gov. Gary Locke down to town councils, was united in opposition, joined by an unlikely coalition of business, labor and environmentalists. And for the second time in four years, Washington voters rejected a proposal to ban most commercial fishing nets from state waters by a margin of 58 percent to 42 percent even though backers said it could save taxpayers' money in the fight to restore dwindling salmon runs. Foes said the measure would cripple an entire industry, wiping out hundreds and maybe thousands of jobs, without saving many salmon or any other fish. The Maine referendum to ban what abortion-rights opponents call partial-birth abortion was similar to measures adopted in some 30 states, though the courts have barred or sharply restricted 20 states from enforcing them. With recent court decisions going both ways, the showdown seems headed for the U.S. Supreme Court. The medicinal-marijuana referendum authorizes possession and use for specific medical conditions when patients are advised by a doctor they might benefit from the drug. The list of qualifying ailments includes loss of appetite from AIDS or cancer treatments, glaucoma and seizures. Voter approval means the legislation could take effect within 60 days. Since 1996, five states -California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Arizona -and the District of Columbia have passed medical marijuana initiatives. Also in Maine, Falmouth residents soundly rejected a ballot measure that would have nullified a homosexual-rights ordinance adopted unanimously by the Town Council last spring. Among other measures: - -In a nonbinding referendum, the city of Ketchum, Idaho, decided to keep the 25 -year-old tradition of a mock six-gun shoot-out on Main Street during the community's annual Wagon Days festival. Supporters viewed it as good fun, but opponents mindful of the slayings at Columbine High School in Colorado wanted to do away with any show of violence. - -Voters in Missoula, Mont., defeated a measure to adopt a higher minimum wage of $8 for municipal employees and people whose employers receive at least $5,000 in city assistance. (The federal minimum wage is $5.15. Some 40 U.S. cities and counties have such laws in some form.) - -Voters approved a $2.3 billion bond issue for 28 statewide road improvements in Colorado, including widening congested Interstate 25, which runs through Denver. A measure to expand a light-rail system in the Denver area also passed. - -A constitutional amendment to restrict Mississippi state legislators to back-to-back terms was defeated. Mississippi, which has a history of long-serving politicians, becomes the first state to reject limits after 18 other states adopted them in recent years. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D