Gauging the Referendum's Outcome: City Managers Predict 'Yes' Vote

In the privacy of voting booths, where Cambridge voters will today be alone with their wallets, pocketbooks, and civic on science, the fate of hundreds of municipal employees and millions of dollars in services will be decided.

Whether city voters choose to back the city council and various local lobbying groups in supporting the full over-ride, or whether they elect to continue to receive property tax reductions, has been clouded by various technical issues such as the ongoing 100 percent evaluation and by Gov. Edward J King's local aid package, proposed just in time to play a key role in today's balloting.

The central question, though, is one of simple human nature.

Many voters are eager Indian-givers, as shown by the overwhelming passage of Prop 2 1/2 state-wide 17 months ago. Now that property owners have taken back a significant portion of their tax contribution, they are not eager to open the way for continued high levies.

Here in Cambridge, voters defied the state-wide trend in 1980 and rejected Prop 2 1/2 by an almost 2-1 margin. If any Massachusetts community is likely to over-ride Prop 2 1/2, it is Cambridge, with its unusually informed electorate and progressive city council.

But despite the total lack of organized opposition to the referendum questions, it will be very difficult for pro-over-ride forces to match the impressive 1980 anti Prop 2 1/2 showing.

The appeal of lower taxes within immediate grasp poses a tough psychological opposition for groups such as the Cambridge Coalition, which advocates the full over-ride.

Though services would have to be cut drastically without at least a partial over-ride, even Question I faces an uphill battle against apathy and the high cost of living.

Without a high turnout by students and other younger--and typically liberal--voters, the power of the buck may be too strong for Cambridge's collective city conscience.