When it comes to putting people to work, stimulating the state's economy and creating an environment hospitable to growth and success for Maine families, state and local politicians have got it all wrong.
When politicians look around and see Mainers out of work and struggling to get by, their solution is not to cut taxes or relax unnecessary regulations that keep businesses out of Maine.
No, that would require those politicians to reduce how much of our tax dollars they spend each year. Instead, Augusta politicians increased spending to add thousands of new taxpayer-paid government positions to the public payroll.
Between 2000 and 2008, state government spending spiked 46 percent. Have you been able to increase your personal spending by that much in the last decade?
Not unless you found somebody else to pay for it, and that is exactly what Augusta politicians have done – forced the citizens and taxpayers of Maine to fund a massive increase in government spending.
While Maine government was on this spending binge, our economy was suffering. During that same time, more than 13,000 hard-working Mainers lost their jobs. Business owners were simply unable to keep these people employed because of the poor decisions made by politicians in Augusta.
Unfazed by this disturbing trend, those Augusta politicians actually increased spending to add 3,400 taxpayer-paid government positions to the public payroll.
"Misplaced priorities" doesn't even begin to describe what is going on in Augusta.
Beth O'Connor
Berwick
Is it my imagination? Or has Maine turned into a series of big ugly W.A.R.T.S.?
We Are (over)Regulated, (over)Taxed and seem to be Satisfied to let members of our Legislature pass foolish new laws that don't make sense.
Nobody has time to examine and perhaps eliminate what's currently on the books. It seems to be easier to add another regulation or restriction and follow that up with another tax, surcharge or fee.
Perhaps all the promises dissolve after Election Day? What do you think?
Gary Dixon
Ocean Park
