In the Bangor Daily News’ letters to the editor of March 31-April 1, two former one-term state representatives and one former senator made some serious and unfounded allegations.

In their letter, they imply that I am in favor of and would support another tax increase. They equally allege that the reason for the current budget shortfall is that the Legislature is spending too much money and will not cut spending.

These former legislators clearly are not in touch with what has happened in Augusta since 1996, even though two of them were here during this time period.

Taxpayer dollars are spent primarily in accordance with the priorities of Maine citizens. Education, tax relief, health care, protection of Maine people and protection of the environment are the major areas of state spending.

Throughout the period 1996 to the present, the Legislature cut taxes of $450 million annually. Over the same time period, the General Fund increased $905 million. Half of the increased spending was returned to municipalities in the form of increased funding for education and property tax relief.

During this period, there was property tax relief to the tune of $98.6 million, an increase statewide for K-12 education of $234 million and an increase of $73 million for higher education. Again, these items represent half of the increase in spending over the last five years.

Meanwhile, during this time period, the rate of inflation increased at total of 15.9 percent. Inflation counts for one-third of increased spending over the five-year period.

The remaining half of increased state spending has occurred in providing services to Maine children and families; providing health care; mental health and mental retardation services; protection of Maine citizens; and protection of the environment. As a result of increased state services to children, state financial assistance to the needy declined $10 million, or 21.6 percent during this period.

Medicaid payments, which are returned within the local community, represent $227 million. This includes payments to local nursing homes, doctors, dentists and health-care professionals. Law enforcement and our court system increased $58.6 million. Again, these funds returned to the local communities.

Since none of the three former legislators are in office now, I would like to advise them of exactly what my committee – the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations – has recommended. The budget that we proposed insists upon a reduction of $150 million in spending.

I would like to note that this budget has absolute bipartisan support in the House of Representatives. Republicans and Democrats alike in this body, support this budget.

Our colleagues in the Senate have proposed a budget that spends much more than the budget approved by the House. The Senate budget has full bipartisan support in the Senate, and that includes Sen. Paul Davis, R-Piscataquis.

The most recent Senate budget amendment proposes a virtual raid on the Maine Learning Technology Endowment Fund – commonly known as the Laptop Fund – to the tune of its entire amount, $51 million. Continued funding of technology in Maine schools is, thereby, jeopardized. The budget that I helped craft refuses to tap into this fund.

The most recent Senate budget amendment uses many fiscal gimmicks such as transferring funds from one fund to another to avoid the appearance of raiding the State’s savings account, The Rainy Day Fund. The budget that I helped to craft does not do that.

We need to be fiscally prudent and conserve our savings account for a true rainy day.

These are serious times and we need serious people to work together cooperatively to solve our problems. This is no time to spread unfounded fears, misrepresentations and vicious partisan attacks.

We have a challenge before us. Let’s all pull together for the benefit of our state.

Sharon Libby Jones of Greenville represents District 111 in the Maine Legislature.