GOP wary to support people’s budget veto Ex-Republican lawmaker pushing agenda

AUGUSTA – Republican legislative leaders who backed an earlier “people’s veto” campaign to repeal a controversial borrowing provision of the state budget are distancing themselves from a new petition drive targeted at other budget provisions.

The latest effort is being led by Stavros Mendros of Lewiston, a former Republican state representative who wants to block raising the cigarette tax, reduce state aid to cities and towns, scale back a tax break for businesses and hike corporate taxes.

GOP leaders say that while they agree it was a bad idea to raise taxes to balance the budget that took effect July 1, they are skeptical about using the “people’s veto” in such a manner.

“I wouldn’t personally go out and work to further this petition effort” because referendums should only be used to repeal budget decisions that are “completely over the top,” like taking out a loan to keep the state in the black, said House Minority Leader David Bowles, R-Sanford.

The tax hikes in the budget are fiscally irresponsible, but they are “a more honest way of approaching budget problems” than deficit spending without voter approval, said Assistant House Minority Leader Joshua Tardy, R-Newport.

Sen. Peter Mills, R-Cornville, a leader of the earlier fight to erase the $450 million revenue bond from the budget, said the borrowing plan “may well have been unconstitutional” but raising taxes is not.

The best way to fight high taxes is to elect legislators who oppose tax hikes, said Senate Minority Leader Paul Davis, R-Sangerville.

Mendros and his supporters need to gather 50,519 voter signatures to get the repeal question on the ballot.

If they succeed in doing so by Sept. 16, it would go to a vote next June.

The Maine Republican Party had backed the anti-borrowing referendum drive before it was abandoned. The party’s executive director, Michael Leavitt, said the new campaign is completely independent of the party.

Leavitt said that while Maine voters are overtaxed, the newly approved tax hikes are constitutional, unlike the borrowing plan.

Mendros shrugged off the lack of support among GOP leaders, saying: “They’re legislators and they fight the battle [against higher taxes] in the Legislature. I’m a private citizen and this [referendum campaign] is where my voice is heard.”

“Somebody needs to draw the line on taxes,” Mendros said, and if the Legislature won’t do it, the voters should.

Although Mendros described his referendum drive as a bipartisan effort, Democratic leaders in the Legislature have been quick to condemn it, characterizing it as irresponsible.