All the newspapers proclaimed budget shortfalls, cutting state support to education, the state’s embarrassing inability to reimburse MaineCare providers – and what do the Democrats in our Legislature propose? Why, they propose to raise their own salaries!

Growing numbers of Maine residents are unable to afford medical insurance because of the state’s mandates imposed on the dwindling number of insurance providers. Yet, our Democratic Party leadership’s top priority is getting more money for themselves from the public’s pockets.

First there was Rep. Burns, D-Berwick, trying to impose a “need-based” salary structure. Now there is Rep. Tuttle, D-Sanford, proposing a “survival” salary, which has been co-sponsored by the entire Democratic Party “leadership” team. (I use the term “leadership” loosely because we have seen precious little of it from them.)

Two things strike me as foolish here. After the defeat of TABOR (and the prior defeat of the Palesky tax cap), the Democrats in Augusta, led by Gov. Baldacci, claimed they had “heard the message” from taxpayers wanting something done about Maine’s highest-in-the-nation tax burden. Now, the Democrats are calling for the Legislature to become a year-round legislative body, something Mainers have said loud and clear they don’t want. The Legislature gets into our pockets enough by being part-time; think how bad it would be if they were full-time.

Democrats, get real. We want tax reduction, not salary enhancement!

Ria Biley

Rockland