Ballot Measure Filed By North Andover Man Would Ban Gas Limits

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — A ballot initiative brought by a North Andover resident and nine other Bay Staters would ban taxes that would reduce or restrict the supply of gasoline and other motor fuels, according to a list of initiatives released by the Attorney General's office Wednesday.

Ballot initiatives need to get 80,239 signatures by Nov. 17 to be eligible for the 2022 state ballot.

The Attorney General's office announced certification decisions on 30 proposed initiatives Wednesday.

The gas tax measure, which was certified, was signed by Paul D. Craney of North Andover along with nine other Massachusetts residents. Craney is the spokesman and a board member of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, which opposes the Transportation and Climate Initiative, a regional collaboration to combat climate change.

“We are pleased to learn that Massachusetts voters moved one step closer to having the final say on this important question," Craney said in a statement released by MassFiscal. "The TCI ballot question would allow ordinary residents to decide if the state should artificially limit the supply of gasoline and diesel fuels in order to increase fuel costs with hopes to drive down usage. This scenario is only appealing for a few people. Unfortunately, those same people have been making many of the decisions for the state."

Currently, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and D.C. are committed to the initiative's "cap and invest" plan, which the ballot measure targets, but the Rhode Island and Connecticut legislatures have yet to adopt the plan.

Under cap and invest, the total amount of allowed emissions would be capped and emissions allowances would be auctioned off by the state. The caps would go into effect in 2023.

The ballot initiative reads:

"Chapter 64A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following Section 14: Preservation of Fuel Supply

"The supply of gasoline, diesel fuel, special fuels or similar motor fuels available to meet consumer demand shall not be reduced or restricted by the imposition of any tax, fee, other revenue-generating mechanism, or market-based compliance mechanism."

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.