This is in response to an article printed April 20, “Lawmakers exhausted.”

In the article, Rep. Nancy Smith from Monmouth is quoted saying, “Given what we had to work with, the fact that we could (balance the budget) without raising taxes and minimizing the damage was a success.”

I could not disagree with her more.

Recently, on two occasions, Rep. Smith voted to increase taxes on the people of Maine. The first, LD 2247, raised the tax on beer, wine, soda and health insurance claims, and LD 2313 raised fees on vehicle registration and vanity plates. Are those two bills not tax increases?

There are some in the Legislature who feel the Dirigo Health insurance program is working well, and taxing sins such as beer, wine and soda is a great way to pay for Dirigo. Punishing people who buy those products, as well as those who buy their own health insurance or receive insurance from their job is unacceptable. There is already a two percent tax on health insurance claims, and LD2247 raises it another 1.8 percent. With one of the highest insurance rates in the nation, don’t we pay enough for health insurance already?

There is talk of a citizens’ veto petition being formed to stop LD2247, and I hope the citizens of Maine will sign the petition.

I also hope everyone will look up the voting record of their representatives in Augusta and find out who supported that bill.

Darryl Johnson Jr., Wales