I am skeptical that any kind of “tax shift” (Sun Journal, May 26) will make much difference in the tax burden in this state. It sounds great until officials start talking about “making up the difference.”

So the income tax rate gets lowered, but the lost revenue is made up in other ways.

What difference will it make to let me keep more of my money in my paychecks if it is taxed away in some other way?

Increasing the meal or lodging taxes will result in fewer restauraunt meals and lodging customers. It’s simple economics – when something is more expensive, people do less of it. Adding a tax to the price of a meal makes it more expensive and, therefore, it happens less. Fewer restauraunt patrons means fewer servers, cooks and dishwashers needed; fewer lodging customers means fewer hotel and campground employees.

All that is being proposed is to re-arrange the deck chairs on the Titanic.

This state needs real tax relief, meaning less of the taxpayers’ money gets taken. Every state that has truly lowered its tax burden has experienced economic growth, resulting in an increase in revenue.

It has worked every time it has been tried.

Gerard Gelinas, Lewiston