In forums ranging from formal public hearings to chats down at the corner coffee shop, Mainers have made it clear for months they want two things, and tow things only, from the Legislature when it convenes in January to deal with the state’s revenue surplus — fair, meaningful tax relief and no bickering.

They may get the former, in large part because the state’s wacky tax system creates so many easy targets, but hopes for the latter already have taken a hit.

The hostilities started in earnest a few days ago when Republican leadership issued a gushing statement declaring their unswerving support for fully funding education with a 5 percent increase in state aid. A noble gesture unfortunately marred by several gratuitous partisan jabs at Democrats, who apparently loathe fully funding education.

The image of Republicans as champions for spending more money on schools only to find themselves thwarted again and again by miserly Democrats is amusing. And, of course, Democrats probably have a little of this coming. They were warned last spring when they passed the budget early in the session and thus needed only a simple majority that Republicans would hold a grudge for being made irrelevant in the voting. Elephants do have that memory thing going for them. Besides, as anyone who knows how to work a calendar knows, the next election is a scant 11 months away and it’s never too soon to stake out the high ground.

But enough’s enough. Before the spitting, clawing and hissing goes any further, both parties would do well to remember this: the $185 million surplus isn’t their money. It belongs to the overtaxed citizens of Maine and they expect legislators to behave themselves. Pay the state’s bills, fix what’s broken, put some in the bank and then go home. If lawmakers want to grandstand, they should put together a bleacher bond issue and send it out to referendum.

There is no question state funding for education is one of the most serious problems to be addressed. Years of cuts in the money coming from Augusta have driven up property taxes, causing hardship and hard feelings in town after town. But the problem goes beyond the amount of money available to the formula itself, an equation so twisted that in recent years some of the state’s wealthiest districts have seen increases and some of the poorest reductions. Before Republicans, or Democrats for that matter, get too bogged down by dollar signs, they may want to wait until a special commission studying ways to improve the formula reports to them in January.

After years of dreary budgets, of shrinking revenues, of rising costs, of needs unmet and promises unkept, the task before the next Legislature should be a welcome change of pace. The good times are rolling and deciding what wise and prudent things to do with a pile of unexpected cash is a great responsibility for lawmakers. It also might actually be fun if they don’t spoil it.