AUGUSTA – Voters like Roger Brown of Lewiston, who voted for Question 1 Tuesday because he anxiously wants his property taxes reduced, will likely see little relief this year or next, according to Gov. John Baldacci Wednesday.

The referendum that voters approved Tuesday requires the state to immediately increase its share of local education spending to 55 percent and pay for all special education costs. The change would cost the state about $250 million more a year, but supporters say it would also lower property taxes.

More money for education will happen, but it will arrive more slowly, Baldacci said at a press conference Wednesday. “We’re going to do it over time,” he said, without offering specifics.

“The people have spoken and I’ve heard them clearly,” he said. But Baldacci noted that based on the Maine Constitution, the language for actually implementing the intent of the referendum won’t be introduced to lawmakers until after they convene in January, with the plan taking effect on July 1, 2005.

And that language – for example, specifics on how much the state will increase education spending and how fast – may change as it goes through the legislative process, Baldacci added.

Critics were quick to respond. They said that given lawmakers’ record for not acting on property tax relief, Baldacci is inviting voters to support the 1 percent tax cap referendum in November.

“He lives in another world,” said Carol Palesky, who with her Maine Taxpayers Action Network put the tax cap plan on the ballot. “People can’t wait two, three years.”

She called the governor’s plans “disgraceful,” and said failure to fully implement Question 1 and provide property tax relief by November will encourage voters to pass the tax cap. “It’s a definite plus for us,” Palesky said.

Phil Harriman of Tax Cap YES! agreed. “It just reinforces why people should support the tax cap,” he said. Without citizens leading politicians to tax relief, “we will just hear more talk and no action,” Harriman said.

Baldacci said he’s optimistic voters will reject the tax cap when they understand that the cap is a “meat-ax approach” and that the state will spend more on education, but not without making sure there are measures in place to control spending at all levels of government and to reduce property taxes.

Tuesday’s referendum requires the state to come up with more education money, but it does not require municipalities to use that extra money for property tax relief.

Saying that even supporters of Question 1 recognize its $250 million annual additional cost “can’t be paid for all at once,” Baldacci said he’ll work with Maine communities, educators, advocates and businesses to implement the referendum in a way “that honors the people’s will and protects Maine’s economy.”

To pay for it, Baldacci said his first approach “will not be raising taxes.”

Baldacci declined to say what year the state would attain shouldering 55 percent of all local education costs. Phasing in that spending increase, as opposed to fully funding it immediately, does not undermine the referendum process, he said.

“No one should foreclose any options,” he said. “My goal is to have property taxpayers recognize they’re going to get the property tax relief they were looking for yesterday.”

Citizens “are looking to me to be out front, showing the leadership and clarity of what these issues are,” Baldacci noted.

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