The op-ed commentary by Sen. Richard Bennett comparing Maine with New Hampshire (BDN, Jan. 12-13) was enlightening and points out some interesting facts, such as New Hampshire has a better business climate, a 29.6 percent higher gross state product rating, and a 30 percent higher productivity index. Another fact contained is that Maine has the highest tax burden of any state in the nation.

The business climate, our productivity and our take-home wages are directly related to the high tax climate. Maine’s state budget increased since 1996 by 55.8 percent and two years ago Maine had a $300 million surplus. Now, because of excessive spending over the past six years, we have a $250 million deficit. So now we must take our heads out of the sand as we visualize as to whom or what created these problems.

The excessive spending was created by a liberal Democratic-controlled Legislature and signed into law by a liberal Democratic governor hiding behind an independent label.

How do we begin to solve the problem of excessive spending and higher taxes? We begin first by calling our respective legislators and telling them to cut spending and not to delay any of the tax cuts the people have coming. Secondly, we start at the ballot boxes in June and November by not supporting liberal legislators (mostly Democrats). And third, we can keep a big-spending (no tax cuts), liberal out of the governor’s mansion. Fourth, we watch our new legislators and governor to see if they got the message and if they didn’t, we repeat steps one through three.

Charles J. Plummer

Eddington