When the governor took office he vowed to put “people over politics” and to “move the state forward.” 

If adopted, his proposed budget asks those of us struggling the most economically to continue to struggle, while the wealthiest in the state will have their 2011 income tax cut preserved.  

His dramatic cuts to revenue sharing with Maine’s towns, the elimination of property tax relief through the Circuit Breaker and the Homestead Exemption and cuts to programs that help job-seekers will move Maine’s families backward, not forward.

When all taxes are taken into account (payroll, state and local sales taxes, user fees and property taxes) low wage-earners typically pay more of their income in taxes than the wealthy do (Robert Reich-“Beyond Outrage). The share of income going to top earners has increased substantially in recent decades while their tax liability has shrunk. They haven’t been paying their “fair share,” and the LePage budget reinforces this trend.  

People over politics?

We’ve endured a labor mural fight, attempts to undermine long-standing environmental laws, obscene quotes by the governor on the national news, the withholding of voter-approved economic development bonds, allegations of inappropriate meetings with unemployment hearing officers etc.

Is there anyone out there who feels all these distractions have moved us forward?

Eighteen months from now we’ll have the chance to end this circus. 

Surely we can do better.

Maryann Larson, New Gloucester