The tax plan put forward by the Maine State Chamber of Commerce is good policy, it solves the problems underlying the citizen’s tax revolt, and it presents a powerful political opportunity for legislators and the governor to regain command of government.

There are two substantive issues motivating the tax cap referendum. One is that property taxes are forcing some people to leave homes and communities where they have built their lives. That shouldn’t be allowed to happen. The other is our consistent ranking as one of the highest tax-burden states in the country.

The Chamber plan strikes at the core of both problems. First, it provides relief to every single Maine resident who is paying more than 4 percent of their income in property taxes, and it caps property taxes at no more than 6 percent of income for nearly everyone. No one would be forced by property taxes to leave their home.

That component of the Chamber plan costs $20 million, all of it given back to taxpayers for direct and immediate property tax relief. (Compare the efficiency of that $20 million with the $250 million now required by the school funding referendum.)

The other component of the Chamber plan limits government spending overall. Total personal income in Maine grows at an average rate of just under 5 percent annually. The Chamber plan would limit the growth of government spending to about half that rate, guaranteeing that our tax burden declines over time. The spending limit would be applied to all levels of government: municipal, county, state, and school district.

This restrictive spending cap would remain in effect until Maine’s tax burden drops to the middle one-third of states, at which time government spending could grow at the same rate as personal income grows.

Together, the property tax relief and the spending limits in the Chamber plan accomplish what I believe the citizens of Maine have been asking government to do.

Why do I also refer to the Chamber plan as a powerful political opportunity?

Whoever of us is elected to the legislature this November will be entering an institution that is rapidly losing the confidence of the people. It is not about Democratic leadership, or Republican leadership, or Independent leadership. It is about an institution that needs to regain the command of government, and the trust of the people.

Whatever we do, we need to do it aggressively and quickly. The Chamber plan may be the one shot we get to unite behind something that isn’t watered down compromise mush that won’t feel very satisfying to anybody. The Chamber plan gets the job done, simply and effectively.

Republicans should love that we would be imposing real and highly restrictive spending caps that would guarantee that our tax burden declines going forward. Republicans should give up on the impossible notion that they will ever get the two-thirds vote necessary to put spending caps in the Maine constitution. The spending caps in the Chamber plan are real. Let’s embrace them.

Democrats should be thankful for a plan that allows government spending to grow at all, when Maine citizens are polling about 50-50 on a tax cap that would immediately and radically eliminate a huge portion of government. The Chamber plan is a steal by comparison. The most highly respected business consortium in Maine is saying that government spending can continue to grow slowly. What more could Democrats want in the midst of a citizen’s tax revolt?

I know I have a certain luxury in being an Independent, and not having to think about the political costs and benefits to my party of supporting one policy or another. But the price of partisanship and power-broking was too high last session, no matter what party you represent.

We have a narrow window of opportunity here, not just to do the right thing, but to restore the capability of the legislature to lead. This plan is a winner for Republicans; it’s a winner for Democrats; and it’s a chance to get the job done well. Please let’s not allow politics to get in the way.

Richard Woodbury of Yarmouth is an economist and an independent representative to the Maine State Legislature.