AUGUSTA – Opponents of the Bush administration’s tax-cut plan have called on Maine’s U.S. senators to put working families first.

An Augusta rally Wednesday was part of an effort in 42 cities in 27 states. Organizers called their coalition “Fair Taxes for All.”

In Maine, Dirigo Alliance leader George Christie said financing the tax cuts envisioned by President Bush would drain resources needed to meet needs in the areas of health care and education.

The advocates urged Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins to favor a Medicare prescription drug benefit over what the coalition describes as a big tax break for the rich.

Bush is seeking a tax cut of $1.6 trillion over the next 10 years.

Last week, the Senate passed a version reducing the size of the tax cut by one-quarter. Earlier, the House of Representatives approved the full $1.6 trillion.

According to the Fair Taxes for All coalition, three in 10 Maine families – 49,000 in all – would receive no benefit from the Bush tax plan.

For the majority of Maine tax filers, who have incomes below $44,000 a year, the average tax cut would be $287, the coalition said.

“Rather than spend the surplus this way, we should use it to meet pressing state and national needs – like providing a Medicare prescription drug benefit for all the nation’s seniors,” Christie said in a prepared statement.

Christie said such a benefit would help 201,621 Medicare recipients in Maine.

The Fair Taxes for All coalition plans to distribute 17,000 postcards to be sent on to Snowe and Collins, urging them not to support a budget resolution that omits a Medicare prescription-drug benefit for all seniors.

Coalition backers listed Wednesday included numerous organized labor groups and the Maine Democratic Party.