Voters across the U.S. rejected a number of significant ballot measures in November that would have made changes to state tax systems.

In Massachusetts, citizens voted by a wide margin -- against a proposal to repeal the personal income tax. (See Oct. 15 Bus & Motorcoach News.)

In North Dakota, voters soundly rejected proposals to cut the personal income tax in half and significantly reduce the corporate tax.

Colorado voters said no to a sales tax increase of 1 percent that would have been dedicated to specific social services. They also said no to a ballot measure that would have shifted part of the revenue from the state severance tax on oil and gas to cover highway costs.

And, in Oregon, voters were asked if they wanted to lift the cap on the amount of federal income tax paid they can deduct on their state income taxes, and they said no.

But while voters were saying no to various tax initiatives, they generally were approving transportation-related ballot measures. Initiatives totaling $71 billion for transportation-related funding won approval, according to one industry tabulation.

In 17 states, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association tracked 37 state and local transportation funding-related ballot initiatives. Of the 37 measures, 32 -- or 86 percent -- asked voters to initiate, extend or increase taxes, or approve bonds to fund transportation improvements. Twenty-five -- 78 percent of the bond and tax measures -- were approved with an average vote of 63 percent, according to the association.

Among the most expensive initiatives was a $9.9 billion bond issue in California, to partially finance a high-speed train between San Francisco and Southern California.

However, Washington voters rejected Initiative 985, which would have opened car pool lanes and diverted a slice of state automobile sales taxes toward traffic-relief projects (see Oct. 15 Bus & Motorcoach News).