Who’s paying for the ad: The political action committee Citizens to Reduce Property Taxes Statewide

Party: Nonpartisan

TV ad title: “Unfairly”

Length: 30 seconds

Producer: Stevens Reed Curcio & Potholm of Alexandria, Va.

Market: Statewide, television

Announcer: Voice of Mechanic Falls Town Manager Dana Lee

Visuals: Ad opens with a tight shot of Lee talking into the camera. His face disappears while his voice continues. Images of the State House dome and messages in large text appear, then Lee is shown talking again.

Audio from Lee: “In 1984 the Legislature promised to fund 55 percent of the costs of education in the state of Maine. They’ve never fulfilled that promise. They’ve shifted hundreds of millions of dollars onto the property taxpayers in Maine, unfairly. There’s not much the property taxpayers can do about it. They don’t have a voice in Augusta, so we’re ignored. Property taxpayers are ignored. It drives me wild when I have to foreclose on somebody and take their home. I just firmly believe that you do not fund education by taking people’s homes. That’s ridiculous.”

Text that appears as Lee speaks: “The Legislature has broken its promise to Maine for nearly 20 years. The Legislature failed to properly fund our schools, again this year. Yes on Question 1 forces the Legislature to finally keep its promise. Yes on Question 1. Protects our homes and our schools. Vote Yes on Question 1. Send Augusta a message.”

Purpose of the ad: To convince voters that if they approve Question 1 on June 8, property taxes will go down in Maine, people will not lose their homes to high property taxes and schools will get the money they’ve been promised from the Legislature.

Accuracy: The Education Reform Act of 1984 did say that the state’s intent was to pay 55 percent of the costs of K-12 education. It is true that the 55 percent goal has not been met. The ad is incorrect, however, in its impression that state lawmakers have not significantly increased money to schools. According to the state budget office, money to schools has risen every year in recent years. In 1999, the state spent $593 million on K-12; in 2002, $664.1 million; and this year $713.4 million. A law passed this year mandates that in the next five years the state must increase school spending to 55 percent by 2009.

Passage of Question 1 may or may not bring about any property tax relief. Language behind the referendum mandates that the state send $240 million more a year to schools, but it does not force municipalities to lower taxes by the same amount once they get their share.

The ad does not mention that in order for the state to come up with an extra $240 million a year to give to schools, it will require lawmakers to increase state taxes and fees or cut programs.

As to Lee’s comments that “you don’t fund education by taking people’s homes,” the pro-referendum Maine Municipal Association does not collect data on the number of homes that towns have taken away from their residents, but a spokesman said “very few delinquent taxpayers” lose their homes. Lee said from 1997-2003, eight Mechanic Falls homeowners lost their homes because they could not afford their taxes. “I’m not hyping this.”

Our view: Question 1 is about shifting more of the responsibility for education funding from the local level to the state level. If the law passes, the state will be forced to raise taxes, most likely the sales tax, while cities and towns won’t be forced to reduce mill rates. Question 1 undermines local control and likely will result in an overall higher tax burden. Property taxes might not even go down.

How many people lose their homes due to property taxes? Not very many. Towns don’t like to do it and it seldom happens. It’s a scary idea. That’s why it’s in the ad.

We are sympathetic to the frustration felt by Dana Lee and other backers of this question, but Question 1 is not the solution.

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