People can now vote absentee or wait until the primary Election Day on June 8, but in any case, please note Question 1 : the People’s Veto. This question determines whether people want to accept or reject the recently passed “tax reform” bill.
In the usual fashion of those more interested in political advantage rather than being open and clear, the question has been worded so that when people vote “yes” they are rejecting it, and if they vote “no,” they really do want it. Any other time, to vote “no” would be to reject an issue. So goes life in the state capital.
The bill can be found on the Internet; search for “Maine Legislature” and then seek out LD 1495. Of the 36 pages I downloaded, almost immediately (page 2) the law takes away the deductions and personal exemptions for people’s federal income tax return. This is supposed to be balanced by a paltry 2 percent reduction in the Maine income tax rate from 8.5 percent to 6.5 percent.
But then legislators added 102 new things to be taxed. Those people have a great imagination and have added taxes to pet care, home care, car care, all sorts of events and entertainments and many services. The administrative costs for collecting those new taxes will be high. The entire list is available from yestoreject@gmail.com.
A “yes” vote would reject the measure, and we could start over to reform Maine’s tax structure.
Thomas F. Shields, Auburn
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