Raising taxes won’t solve state’s budget problems

In politics, an ounce of performance is worth a pound of promises, and Maine taxpayers are eagerly waiting for our governor and elected officials to keep their promise and not raise broad-based taxes on the people of Maine.

As Maine taxpayers are focused on enjoying some better weather in the summer days ahead, state lawmakers are preparing how to responsibly solve the mess we are in and brace for another showdown over the state’s budget crisis.

At the center of the debate are the plans of the governor and majority Democrats to borrow $450 million to pay for current government expenses. Opposing this plan and standing up against the irresponsibility of the “government on a credit card scheme” are Republican lawmakers and a coalition of concerned citizens seeking to place a people’s veto of the borrowing plan on the ballot for a public vote. Organizing under the name “Don’t Mortgage ME,” these citizens are concerned about passing the debt from this borrowing on to future generations of Mainers.

And while the people driving the efforts of “Don’t Mortgage ME” represent a wide array of differing viewpoints and backgrounds, it is their shared vision for a better Maine that fuels their cause. Central to that vision is the belief that Maine’s fiscal crisis is directly related to our state’s long-time spending problems.

Compounding our state’s spending addiction is the enabling mechanism of taxation, something Gov. Baldacci and majority Democrats in Augusta know about all too well. Despite a pledge for no new taxes, the governor has continually extended and expanded our tax statutes. The favored means of the governor and his majority Democrats, however, are those hidden fees, a clever euphemism for the word “taxes.”

At this time, some are even suggesting that raising taxes may be a viable alternative out of the current fiscal morass we find ourselves in.

Maine is ranked as the No. 1 most highly taxed state in the country. According to the Tax Foundation’s recent calculations, Maine has retained its No. 1 ranking for the ninth straight year; truly an alarming tradition that certainly hasn’t helped our economy, and only compounded state budget matters.

As a state representative I have demonstrated my concern for my communities through my commitment to making a meaningful difference for all the residents of my district and for the people of Maine. It has been an honor to serve the people in the down east communities of Cutler, Eastport, Lubec, Machias, Machiasport, Roque Bluffs, Whiting and Trescott Township in the Legislature. I have brought my knowledge and experience together with a citizen’s perspective and a promise to always look at government through my constituents’ eyes.

But like the pounds of promises made every year in Augusta, the performance of bringing meaningful job growth, economic development, and lower taxes in the state has too often fallen short for the people. Like many of you, I am a parent, a taxpayer and a hardworking informed citizen who sees a government in Augusta that not often enough sees things through the people’s eyes.

As leading opinion makers in Augusta recently pointed out, “everybody knows that taxes are out of control in Maine.” So, when those well-intentioned lawmakers among us say some form of new taxation should be considered, nothing could be more disastrous for our state’s economic well-being. Whether it’s a “sick tax,” a “big box store” tax, or a “sales tax,” raising taxes of any kind is not the answer.

Raising taxes, even if temporary, on the already tax-strapped people of Maine won’t get us out of the problem we are currently in; it will only make it worse. A great statesman once said that, “for a [state] to try and tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.” In both cases, it can’t happen, and makes those attempting either look foolish.

This budget debate is not about partisan politics, it’s about keeping to our promises and putting what’s best for Maine people first. Taxing the already strapped citizens will have as many negative long-term affects as the borrowing of millions will have on future generations of Mainers.

So, while the people’s veto presents itself under the banner of “Don’t Mortgage ME,” it also should go without saying we also take our stand, declaring “don’t tax ME,” either.

We shall soon see if the performance in Augusta can measure up with the promises. I know I’ll keep mine.

Harold Ian Emery is a Republican serving his first term, representing the people of District 32 in the Maine Legislature. He lives in Cutler and works as a fisherman. He serves on the Marine Resources Committee.