Senate GOP Leadership: Governor, Get Your Veto Pen Ready!
Weston, Rosen Urge Baldacci to Reject Tax Shift Plan if Pushed Through Legislature
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 19, 2007
AUGUSTA – Senate Republican Leader Carol Weston, of Montville, and Assistant Senate Republican Leader Richard Rosen, of Bucksport, have called on the Governor to veto the tax shift proposal developed by the Taxation Committee if it is approved by a majority of legislators.
The Senate Republican leaders have pointed out that this plan, which the committee has dubbed as tax reform, does not provide needed tax relief for the people of Maine. The two leaders, speaking on behalf of a majority of their caucus, have asserted that any tax plan should provide Mainers with real and tangible tax reductions, and make Maine a more affordable place to live and work.
The proposal offered by the Taxation Committee would allegedly provide some tax relief for certain Mainers while enacting a massive expansion of the state sales tax; increasing the meals, lodging and snack taxes; and eliminating tax deductions.
“This tax shift will do more harm than good for the State of Maine,” Sen. Weston said. “We need a plan that reduces taxes for all Mainers, not a plan that creates a series of new winners and losers with a tax reform roulette wheel.”
Republicans in both chambers of the Legislature have been firm in their opposition to the plan since details were finally released by the Taxation Committee. In the Republican Radio Address last weekend, Senator Dana Dow, of Waldoboro, provided an extensive list of many new services that would be subject to a sales tax if the legislation is pushed through*.
Sen. Rosen reaffirmed the commitment his party has made to fight the tax shift plan in the Legislature, but recognized the difficulties Republicans face as the minority. “We [Senate Republicans] are going to do everything we can to beat this legislation in the Senate,” he said. “Unfortunately, there are limits to what we can achieve facing a Democratic majority.”
This reality has prompted Senate GOP leadership to call on the Governor to exercise his veto power if Republican efforts to defeat the bill in the chambers fail. Weston and Rosen both cited public comments made by the Governor pointing out that real tax relief must be a priority. A May 27th Portland Press Herald article reports that “tax relief remains a top priority and achievable goal,” of the Governor’s, while a June 15th Bangor Daily News article quotes the Governor saying of the Taxation Committee’s work “My bottom line is it has to be about tax relief…It has to be about reducing spending.” In that article, the Governor goes on to say that any plan “has got to have broad support, not just bipartisan support.”
Sen. Weston stressed the Governor’s potential role in the fate of the committee’s tax shift plan. “If the majority in the Legislature is unwilling to do what is best for the people of Maine, then it should be the responsibility of our Governor,” she said. “He has publicly affirmed his commitment to work for real tax relief for the people of Maine, and we feel it is his duty to veto this plan if we cannot kill it in the Legislature.”
CONTACT:
William Thompson 287-1505 (o)
Communications Director, Senate Republican Office
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