About Question 6: the Protect Water and Nature Ballot Initiative

By Gracie Preston

Question 6 on Massachusetts’ November ballot will dedicate revenue from the existing state sales tax on sporting goods to a new Nature for All Fund. The fund could provide as much as $100 million annually to conserve and restore land and water and improve parks, trails, greenspaces, and other outdoor recreation areas, without raising taxes. A yes vote means creating a dedicated source of funding for nature and water, which could include more funding for mountain bike trails!

Question 6 is supported by the Nature for Massachusetts Coalition, a partnership of more than 90 outdoor and conservation organizations across the state, including NEMBA. NEMBA has worked alongside our partner organizations to help bring Question 6 before Massachusetts voters.

Question 6 reached the ballot through Massachusetts’ initiative petition process, which allows residents to propose a new law directly. Supporters, including NEMBA, fanned out across the Commonwealth to collect more than 122,000 signatures from voters, ultimately securing a place on the November ballot.

Prior to the petition, the proposal was presented to the Massachusetts Legislature, which had the opportunity to enact it into law. The legislative pathway resembles the processes described in Schoolhouse Rock’s hit “I’m Just a Bill”. Bills are introduced to the state Legislature to be debated, often edited, and voted on. Generally, a bill must pass both the House and the Senate, and be approved by the Governor before becoming law. In this case, the Legislative did not enact the proposal by the required deadline.

This is where the ballot process came into play. While the Legislature is an example of representative democracy, ballot initiatives are a form of direct democracy. Supporters collected an additional round of signatures, allowing Question 6 to go directly before voters. Now Massachusetts voters will decide whether the proposal becomes law.