No. 17 (1975)
Number 17. October 4, 1974
Cite as Mass. Op. Att'y Gen. No. 17, Rep. A.G., Pub. Doc. No. 12 (1975)
Number
17.
October 4, 1974
Honorable John F. X. Davoren
Secretary of the Commonwealth
State House
Boston, Massachusetts 02133
Dear Secretary Davoren:
In a letter dated September 9,
1974, you have asked me whether the
P.D.
12
59
following question
is one of public policy
in accordance with G.
L.
c.
53.
§
19:
"Shall the Representative from this district be instructed to
vote for the passage of a comprehensive land use planning bill
in order to protect areas of critical environmental concern?"
It
is my opinion that the question is an "important public question'" in
which
"every
citizen
of the Commonwealth
has an
interest" and
is
therefore a question of "public policy" within the meaning of G.
L.
c.
53, §
19. see Op. Atty. Gen.
1970/71-9; see also 1939 Op. Atty. Gen., p.
99,
1955 Op. Atty. Gen.,
p.
51. Consequently, the question may prop-
erly be
included on
the
election
ballot
in
the
Representative
District
which you have mentioned, namely, the
15th Worcester.
You have requested further that
I supply your office with a suitable,
statement of the question for presentation upon the ballot.
It
is my opin-
ion
that
the question should be printed on
the
ballot
in
the following
form:
"Shall the Representative from this District be instructed to vote
for the passage of a comprehensive land use planning
bill
in order
to protect areas of critical environmental concern within the Com-
monwealth?"
Very truly yours,
ROBERT H. QUINN
Attornev General