It’s that time again, time to exercise our precious right to vote.

The spin doctors are once more trying to manipulate us into voting their way. Their tools are innuendo, half-truths and slick TV ads. Their motivation? Probably money.

On the bear hunting question, let’s be humane. If you must hunt, you will still be able to hunt if this bill passes. The only thing is, you won’t be allowed to bully the bears.

About the Palesky tax cap: Its opponents are using scare tactics in their determination to block this bill. Is property tax the only revenue our state, cities and towns have? No. We also have: legal gambling with the lotteries; ever-escalating turnpike tolls; exorbitant auto excise tax; sales tax; state income tax; various licensing fees; and probably other sources we don’t know about.

Where is all that money going? To six-figure salaries for state and city bigwigs? Let them bite the bullet and take a pay cut. A family can live comfortably in Maine for less than $99,000 a year. Maybe some of those high-ticket jobs could even be eliminated. Even a sales tax increase to 5.5 or 6 percent would offset the decrease in property tax revenue.

As others have pointed out, everyday people must live within their budget. If we can curb expenses to fit our income, our great state of Maine should do no less. We cannot afford to do otherwise.

My most important message: Get out and vote.

Anne S. Ceplikas, Auburn

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