A strong message

We are opposed to the proposed U.S. constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget. Two years ago, we participated in a federal budget-balancing exercise sponsored by then Rep. (now Sen.) Snowe, the Concord Coalition and Citizens for a Responsible Government. Approximately 80 people (sitting at tables of eight to 10 each) spent about four hours one cold night at Eastern Maine Vocational Technical College in Bangor looking at the federal budget categories — both income and expenses.

All the tables had a mix of fiscal conservatives, moderates and liberals. These were Maine men and women from all walks of life and all ages — although most were middle-aged. No special education or training was required to participate. We knew no one at the session.

Each table first decided when they wanted the budget to be in balance — when annual deficits were reduced to zero. Then each table chose the mix of income increases and expense decreases to meet their goal. Some tables even started to meet the challenge of reducing the multi-trillion dollar debt!

One thing stands out in our mind from that night — all tables, by consensus, chose to increase the gasoline tax — as being a simple and effective way to raise revenue and start to allocate the total cost for fossil fuels. Most tables chose increasing it by 50 cents over a period of time.

The message of that exercise is that the public can make these hard decisions and we want our representatives to make them too, without the constitutional amendment. It was a common-sense, public-spirited group that night. We did not haggle; we did not pontificate; we were listening to no special interest; we listened to each other and discussed the issues before us. Philip H. Person Pamela W. Person East Orland