Two encouraging moves by state leaders late last week suggest that the progress Maine must make in large-scale tax reform – reform that is possible only if the major political parties cooperate – is within reach this winter. Pledges from leaders to cooperate with each other often are made in the fall only to be buried by acrimony by the first snow of winter; but in both cases this time the comments were more than post-election blather.

First, Gov.-elect John Baldacci told his Democratic Party to get over the bruised feelings from the last election and be prepared to work with Republicans to make major changes in state government. He pointed out that he had been hit with the negative ads himself many times but would not let them get in the way of the agenda ahead: closing the budget shortfall, reforming the state tax system, building a health care system.

Politicians who think the next governor is simply offering nice words after winning the election will soon learn different. Gov.-elect Baldacci worked with the GOP when he was in the state Legislature, as a member of Congress and has pledged to continue to reach out.

A needed act based on the experience of political reality.

Second, Rick Bennett, the Senate president and ranking state Republican apologized for fliers distributed just before the election, specifically a mailer in a race between GOP candidate Les Fossel and Democratic Rep. Chris Hall. The comments concerned Rep. Hall’s British birth and were inappropriate, as were mailers in other races because they went beyond looking at a candidate’s record and made conclusions about character. But the Senate president had it right when he said in a statement, “While we should not shrink from challenging our opponents’ records, we should do it in a way that is respectful of public sensibilities.”

If this bipartisan recognition is a sign that lawmakers have more important work to do than amass power by hurting their opponents, the work ahead seems less daunting. No one should doubt that either party has enough clout to stop the other from succeeding – the majority party of the Senate is still to be determined. But the focus must remain on the immediate business of Maine lawmakers: closing the budget gap, relieving the burden on property taxes, building a health care system.

Each is a session’s worth of work. Each will require the support of the large majority of legislators and the new governor. The battles of the election must be forgotten for the sake of legislating.