Chairman's Blog
TABOR NOW has its public hearing
Yesterday TABOR Now supporters attended a hearing in Augusta before the Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. Under the citizen initiative process, the Legislature has the option of passing TABOR unchanged as regular legislation. And as a legislative 'bill', TABOR is first considered by the relevant legislative committee, in this case the Taxation Committee, which hears public testimony for and against the measure before making a recommendation on whether the TABOR bill 'ought to pass'.
The hearing was quite extraordinary because of the 20 to 5 ratio of supporters to non-supporters present to testify. Speaking for the bill were many citizens who'd taken a day off from work as well as great organizations like Maine Leads, The Maine Heritage Policy Center and the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Waterville mayor Paul LePage spoke at length about how government could be reengineered and taxes lowered while Mary Adams provided historical insight to the committee about government growth and oppressive taxation since the 1970s. I threw down the gauntlet before the committee, telling them bluntly that if the Legislature couldn't restrain itself, then the citizens of Maine would restrain them. I told them that the Legislature itself was our campaign's best advertisement. Fighting words, to be sure, but all true.
Among the supporters, the mood was confident, assertive and optimistic about a Maine in which the government restrains itself and emphasizes liberty and prosperity rather than control.
The few speakers who opposed the bill represented the usual self-interested groups who feed themselves at the expense of Maine's people. Their vague and self-serving testimony was in complete contrast to the clear, focused pleas from initiative supporters.
The Taxation Committee received our testimony with a certain measure of resignation. I think they know that the monster they've helped to create is out of control and that there is no political will in Augusta to restrain it. While I don't think they'll mark TABOR as 'ought to pass', I do think they know that fed-up voters will enact TABOR this fall.
As the campaign heats up, I'll be sharing more thoughts, insights and observations about TABOR and life in Maine, so please stay tuned.
Yesterday TABOR Now supporters attended a hearing in Augusta before the Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. Under the citizen initiative process, the Legislature has the option of passing TABOR unchanged as regular legislation. And as a legislative 'bill', TABOR is first considered by the relevant legislative committee, in this case the Taxation Committee, which hears public testimony for and against the measure before making a recommendation on whether the TABOR bill 'ought to pass'.
The hearing was quite extraordinary because of the 20 to 5 ratio of supporters to non-supporters present to testify. Speaking for the bill were many citizens who'd taken a day off from work as well as great organizations like Maine Leads, The Maine Heritage Policy Center and the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Waterville mayor Paul LePage spoke at length about how government could be reengineered and taxes lowered while Mary Adams provided historical insight to the committee about government growth and oppressive taxation since the 1970s. I threw down the gauntlet before the committee, telling them bluntly that if the Legislature couldn't restrain itself, then the citizens of Maine would restrain them. I told them that the Legislature itself was our campaign's best advertisement. Fighting words, to be sure, but all true.
Among the supporters, the mood was confident, assertive and optimistic about a Maine in which the government restrains itself and emphasizes liberty and prosperity rather than control.
The few speakers who opposed the bill represented the usual self-interested groups who feed themselves at the expense of Maine's people. Their vague and self-serving testimony was in complete contrast to the clear, focused pleas from initiative supporters.
The Taxation Committee received our testimony with a certain measure of resignation. I think they know that the monster they've helped to create is out of control and that there is no political will in Augusta to restrain it. While I don't think they'll mark TABOR as 'ought to pass', I do think they know that fed-up voters will enact TABOR this fall.
As the campaign heats up, I'll be sharing more thoughts, insights and observations about TABOR and life in Maine, so please stay tuned.
David Crocker, Chairman
TABOR NOW