Rep. Thomas Shields letter published March 11 reminds me of that old chestnut, “He who would rather curse the darkness then light a single candle.” Using the figures provided in the letter, it appears that the governor is trying to fill a budget gap of $1 billion, a quarter of which was approved in last November’s general election as a referendum to increase the state’s percentage of education funding.

It is clear that Rep. Shields doesn’t agree with what the governor has proposed to do with the state budget. What is much less clear is what Shields would do differently.

The taxpayers of Maine deserve legislators who bring light to this discussion, not curses.

Mark Coursey, Auburn