ACT volunteers will knock on doors encouraging residents to register to vote and to vote for “progressive candidates, from the school board to the White House,” said ACT Maine State Director Rich Pelletier. ACT supports Democrat John Kerry for president.

An organizational meeting will be held at 11 a.m. at the IBEW Union Hall, 238 Goddard Road, Lewiston. “We’ll talk about what our program is. We’re hoping to find people willing to take responsibility for their town or sections of their cities,” Pelletier said. Around 1 p.m. ACT representatives will hit Auburn streets. For more information, call 333-3640 or go to www.act4victory.com.

Mainers “are excited and energized” after Kerry picked U.S. Sen. John Edwards for his running mate, Pelletier said.

Edwards “is charismatic,” he said. A product of rural American and public schools, Edwards was the first in his family to attend college and is the son of a mill worker. Edwards is someone Mainers can relate to, Pelletier said.

Cianchette: Kerry/Edwards too liberal for Mainers

The head of the Bush/Cheney campaign in Maine disagreed that the Kerry/Edwards ticket will resonate with Maine residents. Peter Cianchette of South Portland, called the ticket “the most liberal team in modern history.”

Both Kerry and Edwards are ranked among the most liberal senators, the former Republican gubernatorial candidate said. “The bottom line: This ticket is out of the mainstream, out of touch with kitchen-table issues important to Maine people.”

Some examples Cianchette offered: Both voted against authorizing $87 million be spent on the Iraq war and against the Bush tax cuts. Tax cuts are important to overtaxed Mainers, Cianchette said.

The Republican Party came under fire for being too negative about Edwards so quickly. Kerry announced at 9:01 a.m. Tuesday he chose Edwards; at 9:05 the Republican National Committee dispatched an e-mail calling Edwards “a disingenuous, unaccomplished liberal and friend to personal injury trial lawyers.”

Cianchette said it’s important for his party to quickly point out problems so that voters understand candidates’ ideology. “There’s a limited amount of time before the election. Every day is important,” he said. “You have to be ready and nimble, and have your opinion.”

Harriman: Will taxpayers pay for anti-tax cap campaign?

The head of a group supporting a 1 percent property tax cap said he is concerned taxpayers will end up paying for some of the campaign against the tax cap.

Phil Harriman, a former state senator from Yarmouth and co-founder of Tax Cap Yes!, said some of the people opposed to the cap “are the high inside fastball, professional, political types” who want to defend and protect the growth of government.

The opposition includes the Maine Municipal Association, the Maine Educational Association and labor groups. Because the MMA represents municipalities and the MEA represents teachers, that money comes from taxpayers, Harriman said.

The opposition recently hired Larry Benoit of Cape Elizabeth to lead the anti-tax-cap campaign. Benoit is a consultant and former aid to Gov. John Baldacci.

Leading up to last month’s referendum on the tax cap issue, the MMA paid for television ads through its reserve account, not with money from taxpayers, an MMA spokesman said.

Benoit said when his coalition is formed next week, it will accept money from other PACs, individuals, organizations and companies. All funds to oppose the tax cap will comply with state election laws, he said.

By Staff Writer Bonnie Washuk