Public debate over Gov. Paul LePage’s two-year budget proposal has polarized the people of the state of Maine. On the surface, this debate seems to affirm the ideological differences that have sharply divided Maine’s two major political parties this legislative session. Let’s take a practical look at the root of this ideological divide.

Proponents of the governor’s proposal argue that by spending less and thus reducing the tax burden on Maine families and businesses, we create an environment for economic growth.

Opponents argue that Maine lawmakers should tax “the rich” to make up for a budget shortfall and minimize spending cuts. It should not surprise those who pay taxes that the individuals who support rampant spending on government want to protect it — many of them helped create the very programs they claim must now be protected.

It is a circle that never ends, creating a funnel of dollars taken from hardworking Mainers and put directly into the government bureaucracy’s coffers.

In an effort to determine if the so-called “millionaire tax” could serve as a suitable vehicle to help Maine close our current budget gap, Maine People Before Politics took a look at how other states have fared in balancing their budgets with a similar tax.

Thirteen states in the country currently impose a top marginal tax rate for higher income earners. Depending on the state’s individual tax structure, these top marginal rates range as high as 11 percent.

What can we learn from the states that have attempted to use a millionaire tax to balance state budgets? Collectively, all 50 states in our nation face $112 billion in budget deficits. Of this total deficit, the 13 states imposing a millionaire tax find themselves holding the bag for $58.9 billion, or 53 percent of the total state deficits — that’s right, they hold more than half. This figure is twice what it would be were the deficits distributed evenly amongst the 50 states.

Take a look at the tax figures provided by our own state’s Revenue Service and you may see why these other states have fared so poorly. Maine Revenue Services reveals that, since 2003, Maine has seen wild fluctuations in the number of tax filers claiming income of $1 million or more.

In 2003, Maine had 400 residents claiming income that eclipsed $1 million. Throughout the decade, the number of wealthy fluctuated, peaking at 780 in 2007 and declining back to 430 in 2009.

State models project as many as 784 tax filers may claim income of more than $1 million in 2013, yet national economic trends, energy prices and changes in global and national business conditions make this narrowly focused prediction virtually impossible to nail down.

So trying to peg the state’s finances to the incomes of the wealthy doesn’t work so well when that number fluctuates so wildly year to year.

Once we move beyond the ideological discussion as to whether Maine should impose an additional tax on wealth in this state, it is easy to observe that the millionaire tax states have been left with increasingly uncertain state revenues and the largest share of state deficits in the nation because of their poor decisions to impose such a tax.

Maine can’t afford to tie our budget, and thus our core government services, to the income of a few wealthy residents. Uncertain national and global economies should raise red flags to those who would impose a tax on Maine’s wealth and expose our core services and most vulnerable to the whims of Wall Street and the national economy.

This is not to mention that Maine should welcome those with means to move — or stay — in our state. It is hard to hire an employee when you have no wages to pay. Those with wealth have the means to create jobs, to purchase items that employ Maine people and to contribute to society through the arts and other charitable giving.

We should also note that Maine already has a low threshold for what is considered “rich” in our state. Maine’s top marginal rate on individuals — the highest percentage of tax that can be paid — hits those earning just under $20,000 or households earning $39,950 or more.

So before you decide to play the class card and attack a neighbor for earning more due to their stress, sweat and labor, consider that Maine’s former liberal legislative leaders might have also considered you to be “rich.”

Maine lawmakers should reduce spending, preserve core services and chart a course for stable economic growth that allows for the crafting of future state budgets without the risk of national economic fluctuations that could leave Maine’s middle class to foot the bill.

The time for gambling is over. Our children’s education, our elderly, our veterans and truly needy depend on state services to survive.

Maine can’t let them down in coming years because Wall Street has a couple of bad quarters, which is the norm not the exception. Maine state employees already face this reality in their pension system — and the ensuing debate has seemed to pit the hardworking Maine taxpayer against those public employees who serve them.

Maine people can’t afford budget deficits, ideological divides or economic uncertainty. Maine should move forward in a stable and united fashion, not with the fiscal uncertainty that additional dependence on a small, fluctuating pool of wealth creates.

Jason Savage is executive director of Maine People Before Politics based in West Enfield.