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Mass. Voters Face Referenda Today On Nuclear War. Environment, Death Penalty

The Bottle Bill requires that minimum deposits of five and 10 cents, to be refunded to the consumer, be placed on all non-biodegradable containers of soft drinks, mineral water, and beer. Consumers would retrieve their deposits when they return the empty bottles. Storeowners would be entitled to a handling fee of at least one cent per container. The law would also provide extra unemployment benefits and, subject to legislative appropriation, job retraining for workers losing their jobs as a result of the law.

Opponents have charged that this would destroy job, drain the state's water supply (through the requisite washing of cans and bottles) and prove costly to taxpayers. A study sponsored by Governor King's office however, showed that the provision would create a net increase of over 2000 jobs as well as decrease water use and costs of garbage disposal and collection.

The polls indicate overwhelming popular support for the law, but supporters fear that the well-funded corporate campaign may swing voters at the last minute. This year as in 1976 when a similar referendum was defeated, opponents have poured an unprecedented amount of money into the effort.

Question 5: Weapons M. Moratorium

This non-binding referendum calls on "the President of the United States to work vigorously to negotiate a mutual nuclear weapons moratorium and reduction, with appropriate verification, with the Soviet Union and other nations."

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Similar referenda are on the ballot in eight other states and the District of Columbia. They pit those who say a "freeze" would hurt the United States' deterrence capabilities versus those who believe the arms race is too dangerous and that both nations already possess more than enough weaponry to ensure national security. Of the five questions on the ballot, this the most likely to pass--polls show support at greater than 60 percent.

QUESTION 4

REFERENDUM ON AN EXISTING LAW

Do you approve of a law summarized below, which was approved by the House of Representatives on November 10. 1961 by a vote of 108.49 and by the Senate on November 16. 1981 by a vote of 29.10?

YES

NO

The law requires that a refundable deposit be paid for certain beverage containers sold in Massachusetts.

Beverage containers of less than 32 ounces must have a refund value of at least five cents and larger containers a refund value of at least ten cents. This requirement applies to non-biodegradable containers of carbonated soft drinks, mineral water, beer and other malt beverages, but not to containers of other alcoholic beverages, dairy products, natural fruit juices of wine. All beverage containers subject to deposit must clearly indicate the refund value on the container.

The deposit is paid by the consumer upon purchase and most be refunded when the consumer refuse the empty container to a proper dealer or redemption center, so long as the container does not contain any material different from its normal contens Dealers and distributors are also subject to the same deposit and refund on the beverage containers they handle, and are also entitled to a handling fee of at least one cent per container.

No containers can be sold in the state if they are joined together by plastic rings or any other device that cannot be broken down by light or bacteria.

The law provides a bottler a reduction in corporate excise tax of one-tenth of one cent for each reusable beverage container which the bottler sells in the first three months of 1983.

The law takes effect on January 17, 1983

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