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Rural Vs. Real Sustainable Level Allowed Under TABOR

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Rural Vs. Real Sustainable Level Allowed Under TABOR All Maine Matters Because All of Maine DOES Matter! Vol. 1, No. 8 August 2006 FREE Buying the Blaine House (With Your Money) By Reps. Henry Joy and John Churchill Is Governor John Baldacci using our The Morning Sentinel, which serves tax dollars to buy his reelection? That much of Kennebec, Waldo, Somerset would certainly appear to be the case. and Franklin counties, did not mince The governor recently signed into words. Its lead editorial on June 1 was law two bills that will immensely in- entitled “Buying votes for the governor crease the tax burden on the people of with our tax dollars.” The authors made Maine for years to come. The benefits their objections clear. “By seeking will flow to special interest groups, who votes through the state budget,” they undoubtedly will return the favor on wrote, “the governor and his allies in Election Day. the State House who helped pass this Simply stated, the governor is using legislation – many of whom are running our tax money to win four more years in for reelection themselves – feed the the Blaine House. His lavish vote-buy- public’s cynicism about politics and ing schemes could hardly come at a politicians.” worse time. Mainers already shoulder The Lewiston Sun Journal weighed the heaviest tax burden in the country. in on June 3. Its editorial was entitled Our state debts and unfunded liabili- “Two new perks for public workers will ties exceed $5.3 billion. Our job base cost us plenty.” “The Legislature, with is shrinking. And we will enter the next Democrats in control, took on two new budget cycle with a projected shortfall financial obligations that seem certain of $500 million. to grow,” the editors wrote. The edito- Route 11, Aroostook County. Under these grim circumstances, rial explained the new health care ben- the governor should be exercising ut- efits for public safety workers, noting most fiscal discipline. But plagued by that they will cost the state $1.3 million Taxpayer Bill of Rights dismal approval ratings, he is playing in 2008 and $3.1 million in 2009. “But by Gary C. Foster fast and loose with our financial future. unless something miraculous happens, As expected, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights For years, Maine has led the nation in His buying of votes is so naked and ob- those costs will rapidly increase. Thus, referendum is being sharply criticized and state and local tax burden. Incidentally, I vious that even newspaper editorials the state has incurred another costly have denounced it. condemned by those who depend on taxpay- doubt that this is what our state’s founders long-term obligation.” ers for their existence. had in mind when they adopted the motto The Portland Press Herald ran an ed- Needless to say, it is extremely rare itorial on June 5th under the headline In a rather bizarre interpretation, the “Dirigo.” Even under the economic cure-all when three major daily Maine news- “Police, firefighter benefit an election- MMA and others suggest that Taxpayer Bill LD1, our state and local tax burden has risen papers all attack the governor on their year giveaway.” After explaining how of Rights provision requiring a 2/3 vote for from 13% to 13.5%, demonstrating that this editorial pages in the same week. Bal- the plan works (more on that later), the a legislative body to increase the financial dog and pony show hasn’t worked. dacci usually gets a pass from a friend- editors summed it up thusly: “It’s a bla- hardship on Maine’s taxpayers beyond that What it really boils down to is the entitle- tant political move in a campaign year. ly media. which is reasonable is a change to minor- ment crowd’s fear of the voters. The unbri- Maine taxpayers will be paying for it ity rule. Currently 51% of our legislature dled tax and spend practices of government for decades.” Continued on page 10 can choose to increase our tax burden. That demonstrate that the taxpayers are perceived means 49% of Maine’s taxpayers are not rep- as a limitless resource to be exploited. There- resented in such a decision. Under TABOR, fore, allowing the taxpayers to participate in JOIN THE PAPER TRAIL (AND SAVE A TREE): IF YOU ARE 67% of Maine’s taxpayers would be repre- any decision to increase their tax burden is a CONCERNED LIKE WE ARE, READ THIS PAPER, CIRCLE A sented, and the taxpayers themselves would threat to this practice and to any entity that NUMBER, AND PASS IT ON TO A FRIEND. participate in the decision. Coupled with feeds from the public trough. consent of the voters, a supermajority would Though our legislature is aware of the burden they have strapped on the backs of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 certainly be a much stronger consensus as to the necessity and legitimacy of increasing the taxpayers, for decades they have failed spending and taxes above the reasonable and Rural vs. Real sustainable level allowed under TABOR. Continued on page 10 by Michael Pajak When the editor asked that I write a piece contacts who hail from above the fabled Vol- We are also on the web at http://allmainematters.com on “any issue you think might of interest to vo Line. Most of them tell me that line has conservatives in rural Maine” I suffered a mild been updated from its former demarcation panic attack. At this very moment I am at risk just north of Augusta to somewhere north of missing the deadline that I agreed to meet of Bangor and south of Dover-Foxcroft, per- out of fear of insulting the people of Maine haps Sangerville or Plymouth. I also hear that who have historically been the backbone of the name has been upgraded to reflect today’s This Month’s Contents more modern standards. The line between the our state. Buying the Blaine House (With Your Money) 1 What the heck do I know enough about “two Maines” is now called “the Lexus Line.” During my ruminations for this little ex- Rural vs. Real 1 to write on that might be of interest to con- cursion north via these pages I had a thought. Taxpayer Bill of Rights 1 servatives in rural Maine? I haven’t spent any Perhaps it is time to stop referring to “rural Communism - Underground But Alive and Well In America 2 substantial time north of the “Volvo Line” Maine” as such. Down here in the land of in years. My family and I have inhabited the Letter to AARP: Taxpayer Bill of Rights “Seminar” 2 subdivisions that are named after either the A Government For the People, By the People 3 People’s Republic of Portland for almost two predominant specie of tree that was removed decades. When we recently decamped from to make way for cul-de-sacs and three car ga- Major Development Proposed in Maine’s North Woods 4 the PRP to find our little piece of the wilder- rages, or the former view that was sacrificed Un-Debating Dirigo 4 ness to raise our youngest boy on we only got for the three-story McMansion, the term “ru- Stock Market Cars 5 as far as Sagadahoc County, just barely across ral Maine” conjures up images of trailers and The Token Conservative 5 the Kennebec! inbreeding… a land where the houses are on Islam’s Low Intensity Terrorism 5 The closest I ever get to Washington Coun- wheels and cars are up on blocks. In short, the Spin Machine Breaks Down in Speaker’s Office 6 ty is eating blueberries while reading the Calais deep south of New England. Some Maine Legislators Do Not Trust Their Constituents 6 Advertiser or the DownEast Times. Aroos- It isn’t a pretty image, and I am afraid it took County? Please pass the potatoes. I have taints the way folks down here set policy with Profiles in Rural Maine: Wallagrass & Soldier Pond 8 some cherished photos of my last ascent of regard to how to “deal” with the “problems” Globally-Acceptable Truths in the Land of Eden 11 Mt. Katahdin and make frequent promises up north. As one who toiled away in market- And Now for Something Completely Different 13 to my boy to take him there if I ever get a ing and sales for too long to admit, I propose Language and Liberty 13 vacation. Other than that I haven’t a clue, an image overhaul. Media Bias Against Guns 16 and cannot even make the claim of being a It is my suggestion that from this point for- Thoughts on Education 5 ward whenever referring to the vast majority true Mainer. In fact, by all appearances, I Straight from Nana Beth’s Kitchen 6 am a member of the group representing the of the state of Maine, the sparsely populated, economically-challenged region often called Crossword Puzzle 7 greatest threat to “rural Maine” – a person “the other Maine,” we call it like it is – The Cartoon 7 from away. I’ve even done time in New Jer- Real Maine. Letters to the Editor 14 sey! All those excuses aside, I am fortunate to Continued on page 12 have a great many personal and professional Page 2 All Maine Matters - Because All of Maine DOES Matter! Communism - Underground but Alive and Open Letter to the AARP Following Tax- Well in America By Michael A. Beardsley payer Bill of Rights “Seminar” By Pem Schaeffer It’s funny looking back, that for a cou- (Author’s note: the AARP is a leading member health care, trash collection, prescription ple of years, I thought Communism was of the “axis of opposition” to the Taxpayer Bill drugs, “oil,” meals on wheels, and other “pub- pretty much dead.
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