Nation's Voters Slash Taxes, Reject Betting

Around the nation yesterday voters endorsed proposals to limit taxes or spending in five states, rejected propositions to extend legal gambling in three states, and favored an ordinance to restrict the legal rights of homosexuals in Florida while opposing a similar ordinance in California.

Voting returns from Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Texas, and Michigan showed residents of this states favoring tax cut proposals modeled after California's Proposition 13 by margins of approximately two-to-one. In Arkansas a similar ballot issue was trailing early this morning.

Florida voters opposed by a margin of three-to-one a proposition to allow casino gambling on a 21 mile strip in Miami Beach. Virginians narrowly rejected a proposal to allow pari-mutual betting at horse-racing tracks, and New Jersey residents decided not to allow jai-alai sports betting in their state.

Florida voters yesterday also refused to add an equal rights amendment to their state constitution. A California proposal to ban smoking in all public places failed, as did a Missouri attempt to institute a right-to-work law. And the voters of Philadelphia refused to reform their city charter to allow Mayor Frank Rizzo to seek an unprecedented third term in office.