Recently, former House Speaker-turned-Democratic Party Chair Pat Colwell challenged my position that Gov. Baldacci didn’t deserve a B in the recent gubernatorial rankings by the Cato Institute.

Cato states that itsgrades include proposals by governors – which is where we see the report’s flaw. Baldacci’s grade was, in part, due to his once proposing to lower Maine’s top income tax rate. This had the legislative and media life of one day.

In contrast, Cato reports that New Mexico’s governor, Democrat Bill Richardson, earned a B when he proposed and signed into law a plan to cut the top income tax rate from 8.2 percent to 5 percent. Richardson also proposed a dramatic cut to the state’s capital gains tax. The legislature gave him what he wanted.

Tennessee’s governor, Democrat Phil Bredesen, also received a B. Cato states that Bredesen has proposed scrapping TennCare, and if he succeeds in his move toward a less government-controlled health care program, Tennessee could become a model for the nation.

TennCare has been cut, and Tennessee should be a model. Maine is instead moving toward socialized medicine with the poorly subscribed Dirigo Health.

What has stopped Gov. Baldacci from delivering similar relief?

Moribund results are due in part to the partisanship and leadership in the last Legislature. Perpetuating the problem and ignoring Maine’s precarious economic position through revisionist history now continues that unfortunate trend.

We’ll stick to nonfiction, promoting public policy solutions that will lower taxes and health insurance premiums for all Mainers.

Bill Becker, executive director,

The Maine Heritage Policy Center

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