CLICKBACK ON TAXES, GAMES

As the world’s athletes compete to stand atop a medal podium, Maine was knocked from its top tax perch. Let us know what you think about taxes, tumbling, seaweed and nuclear power by going to bangordailynews.com. Look for the ClickBack logo in the Opinion section. You can answer these questions or post your own.

Maine’s taxing decline – what does it mean?

Last week, the Tax Foundation announced that it had recalculated tax burden – taxes paid compared to personal income – for the entire country. After years of blasting Maine for having the highest, or nearly the highest, tax burden in the country, the group said Maine now ranks 15th and was never higher than fifth. The amount of taxes Mainers pay hasn’t changed, but the notion that they are too onerous has eased. Is tax reform still needed? What about consolidation to reduce government spending? Isn’t that the real problem, no matter how tax burden is calculated?

Looking for Olympic-caliber coverage?

NBC has been broadcasting the Olympics for decades. By now, couldn’t the network find commentators who don’t call a race before it is over – and they are proved wrong as happened when Rowdy Gaines and Dan Hicks were certain the French would win the men’s 4×100 swim relay? Or blather about tiny mistakes without noting the positive in a breathtaking gymnastics routine? Is the Olympic coverage too America-centric? Do you want to see the best performances, regardless of the country the athletes are from? Or, should the focus be on Americans in competition, no matter the outcome?

Restricting rockweed harvesting – is it necessary?

Rockweed is everywhere along the Maine coast, prompting some waterfront landowners to complain about the brownish mat of seaweed they see from their deck. A Nova Scotia company is harvesting rockweed, which is used in a variety of food and cosmetics, in Maine. Some are calling for tougher regulations and restrictions. Is this necessary? Isn’t Maine overregulated already? Isn’t getting some value out of what many consider a nuisance a positive outcome?

Should nuclear power be part of the state’s energy mix?

The Maine Yankee nuclear power plant provided roughly half Maine’s electric power when it was decommissioned in 1997. Given the high cost of electricity from oil- and natural-gas-fired power plants, reader dick6273 asks: Should Maine consider building a nuclear power plant at the Wiscasset Maine Yankee site?

Go to bangordailynews.com and look for the ClickBack logo to share your thoughts. Some answers to these questions may be published on Friday’s OpEd page.