Maine’s tax madness

The Legislature is being beguiled to reform Maine taxes. The current thrust to lower the upper tax bracket rate and shift the tax burden to an expanded sales tax is a move in the wrong direction.
A shift of some of the tax burden to vacation visitors is all well and good, but note that the shift, as currently proposed, is mostly on to those who can least afford it. Increasing and broadening the sales tax to include labor services strikes those who can least afford it — the poor and lower-middle class. They are again asked to make up for the reduced taxes on the upper-middle class. If you currently pay those taxes, it is because your income is higher than most.
Those who will benefit are those who make the most; including those who are writing the legislation.
The result in the changes will be to place a higher burden on lower income people and those who are retired and living on marginal income.
I would suggest that the sales tax be extended to vacation entertainment areas, but not services needed by the general public. Further, the top-level rates should not be lowered, but raise the level at which they take effect.
The proposed reform, combined with recent revisions to state funding programs, will drive higher property taxes on those who can least afford it, just as the recent education reform has done.
This madness must stop.
Elbert  Derick, Wales

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