Should the governor or the Legislature change or actually kill a law that is the result of a referendum? Certainly there have been several referenda that I have not liked, but 381,438 Maine people voted for the three-percent surcharge of taxable income over $200,000, and I feel it should be instituted unless found to be unconstitutional or changed by another referendum vote.
The referendum issue would fund 55 percent of education costs and was approved by the people. It is a viable solution to the problem of how to fund public education that actually does go directly to the schools, helps to lower property taxes and helps struggling communities fund education.
Yet, Republicans in the House say they will not put the new law into effect, and they will close down the government at the beginning of June before they will allow that three-percent surcharge to support the people’s will for the state to pay 55 percent of education costs. A state government shutdown puts around 12,000 people who work for the government out of work with no pay.
When a new law is instituted by the Legislature and the governor, people of Maine are expected to obey the law. If one does not obey the law, he/she will have to pay the consequences. Why, then, can a law instituted by the people be ignored or changed because it is not convenient to some people?
Hugh Keene, Auburn
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