PARIS – State Rep. H. Sawin Millett of Waterford blasted the Legislature for failing to come up with a tax reform or tax relief plan before it adjourned April 30.

“I’m kind of embarrassed, really, that we failed to address the most important issue facing our state in any concrete way,” especially with citizen-initiative referendums looming in both June and November, Millett said during Wednesday’s groundbreaking for the new Oxford Hills Business Park.

In his role as the Legislative Committee chair of the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors, Millett, a Republican representing District 68, released a statement Wednesday. In it, he blamed the lack of action on a failure of leadership among House and Senate leaders and Gov. John Baldacci.

“Tax reform was a topic of considerable legislative discussion over the past four months, but no action was taken,” he said.

A Maine Municipal Association proposal that would require the state to fund local education at 55 percent of cost will be on the June 8 primary ballot, he noted.

Then, in November, voters will decide whether to support a second citizen-initiative, this one by Carol Palesky to limit future growth in property valuations and impose a cap on municipal property tax rates.

The Legislature did pass a statute last month that would accomplish that same goal – using a new “essential programs and services” subsidy model – but on a five-year phase-in period, he said.

“It remains to be seen as to whether MMA and the Maine Education Association will see this statutory promise as being sufficient to cause them to publicly withdraw their support for the June ballot question,” Millett said.

“There was a complete lack of good faith negotiations between or among House and Senate Democrat and Republican Leaders and Gov. Baldacci,” Millett said.

A special session may be called by the governor in late August or early September, said Millett, which “could be the vehicle to engage in serious discussions” on tax reform in Maine, which has one of the highest tax burdens in the nation.