HIGHER TAXES FOR MAINE

Prosperity through voter action April 18, 2008 Gov. Baldacci and a majority of legislators just raised your taxes. See how your legislators voted. They said they wouldn't but they did. They raised your taxes. It took days to write the bill, but quickly, in the dead of night and with little warning and no public hearing, a majority of legislators voted to raise your taxes on soft drinks, beer, wine and even health insurance. It was a sneak attack on your paycheck! And for business, it is just one more burden to running a company in Maine. According to a scathing editorial in the Kennebec Journal, a majority of legislators have increased the cost to live in Maine by more than $55 million even though most of them promised not to raise taxes or fees. So much for keeping your word or really understanding that gas, heating oil, food and other necessities have carved a big hole in every household budget and every weekly paycheck. In addition, it's a bill the Governor supported and signed! Those who opposed the tax increase deserve your thanks. Those who voted to raise your taxes deserve to know what you think and how you feel. You can start with the governor (john.e.baldacci@maine.gov). Please pass this along to your own e-mail list and request that they do the same. Here's the roll call vote for LD 2247 in the Maine Senate. YES = voted for higher taxes, NO = voted against higher taxes. Bartlett, Philip - Gorham - YES phil@philbartlett.com Benoit, Paula - Phippsburg - NO jbenoit@suscom-maine.net Bowman, Peter - Kittery - YES peterbowman@comcast.net Brannigan, Joseph - Portland - YES RepJoe.Brannigan@legislature.maine.gov Bromley, Lynn - South Portland - YES SenLynn.Bromley@legislature.maine.gov Bryant, Bruce - Dixfield - YES SenBruce.Bryant@legislature.maine.gov Courtney, Jonathan - Springvale - NO SenJon.Courtney@legislature.maine.gov Damon, Dennis - Trenton - YES dsdamon@panax.com Diamond, Bill - Windham - YES diamondhollyd@aol.com Dow, Dana - Waldoboro - NO danadow@adelphia.net Edmonds, Beth - Freeport - YES SenBeth.Edmonds@legislature.maine.gov Gooley, Walter - Farmington - NO wgooley@gwi.net Hastings, Dave - Fryeburg - NO dhastings@hastings-law.com Hobbins, Barry - Saco - YES bhobbins@hggm.net Marrache, Lisa - Waterville - YES drlisa@elmcitymed.com Martin, John - Eagle Lake - YES SenJohn.Martin@legislature.maine.gov McCormick, Earle - W. Gardiner - NO mccormick@prexar.com Mills, Peter - Skowhegan - NO pmills@mainelegal.net Mitchell, Elizabeth - Vassalboro - YES SenLibby.Mitchell@legislature.maine.gov Nass, Dick - Acton - NO SenRichard.Nass@legislature.maine.gov Nutting, John - Leeds - YES SenJohn.Nutting@legislature.maine.gov Perry, Joe - Bangor - YES kjjjperry@aol.com Plowman, Deb - Hampden - NO debraplowman@cs.com Raye, Kevin - Perry - NO SenatorRaye@wwsisp.com Rosen, Richard - Bucksport - NO rrosen113@aol.com Rotundo, Peggy - Lewiston - YES mrotundo@bates.edu Savage, Christine - Union - NO csavage@midcoast.com Schneider, Elizabeth - Orono - YES schneidersenate@msn.com Sherman, Roger - Houlton - NO RepRoger.Sherman@legislature.maine.gov Smith, Doug - Dover-Foxcroft - NO dsmith@kynd.net Snowe-Mello, Lois - Poland - NO SenLois.Snowemello@legislature.maine.gov Strimling, Ethan - Portland - YES ethanstrimling@hotmail.com Sullivan, Nancy - Biddeford - YES npsullivan@gwi.net Turner, Karl - Cumberland - NO SenKarl.Turner@legislature.maine.gov Weston, Carol - Montville - NO SenCarol.Weston@legislature.maine.gov FOR THE VOTE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, CLICK HERE! Let your legislators know how you feel about higher taxes fees. To contact your legislators or the Governor now, go to: myvoteatwork.com Or you may call and leave a message at the State House: Maine Senate: 1-800-423-6900 Maine House: (800) 423-2900 That's what we mean by Prosperity through voter action. We believe in Maine and we believe in you. Please, pass this along to your friends, family, co-workers, vendors and customers and ask them to do the same. Thanks! Tony Payne Executive Director tpayne@allianceformaine.org