On May 20, Sen. William Cohen endorsed a plan to replace President Clinton’s energy tax, and ease taxes on the rich, with caps on entitlement programs, for deficit reduction.

This would have a dramatic effect on all Maine’s senior citizens. Medicare premiums would soar and Social Security checks would be slashed, for those who can least afford it.

I don’t believe there is a person in Maine who would object to paying $10-$15 a month for the energy tax, to save parents or grandparents from this economic hardship.

Sen. Cohen also proposed cutting the earned income tax credit. This would be devastating for all Maine taxpayers with incomes of $28,000 or less.

Let’s keep the energy tax — it’s fair — and forget these painful spending cuts.

If Sen. Cohen wants to improve on the president’s plan, he should ask the rich to pay more, not the hard-working people of Maine. Catherine H. Bruno Camden