Two days ago, Maine Governor John Baldacci gave an unfortunate – if not odd – Inaugural Address as he began his second term. It was disappointing to hear that the message of this past election cycle – the promises that our elected officials “heard the call� to truly lower taxes and strengthen our economy by doing so- appear to have been short-lived. Instead, the Governor delivered a spiteful message to those who chose to attend the Inaugural festivities at the half-filled Augusta Civic Center.
The Governor took immediate and direct aim at the recent citizen's initiative known as the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, a tax-and-expenditure limitation law that had its roots as model legislation drafted right here at The Maine Heritage Policy Center, and that was advanced by an army of volunteers who continue to believe that Maine can do better. Here, as in other sections of his statements, the Governor grossly misrepresented the facts and overshadowed any other efforts he would later outline to lead a wary state:
•The Governor claimed that the initiative was the “so-called� Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Let’s be clear: there is nothing “so-called� about it. The bill’s title is “An Act to Create the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.�
•The Governor defined the Taxpayer Bill of Rights as a property tax reform proposal. But of course, it is not. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights is a spending limit that requires the state to finally stop living beyond Mainers’ ability to pay – and would require voter approval for both state and local tax increases.
•The Governor stated that this referendum’s origins were outside Maine. Yet, they were not. In fact, The Maine Heritage Policy Center worked on drafting this as model legislation in 2004 – very much without the input of out of state interests.
•And finally, the Governor indicated that the voters rejected the idea. True – but we cannot forget that 46% of voters supported the Taxpayer Bill of Rights – while only 38% supported the re-election of the Governor.
Yet still, the Governor appeared bitter and took away from the bold opportunity afforded him at this ceremony by making this unnecessary slap at the 55,000 Maine people who signed the petitions, and the 247,175 Mainers who voted for the proposal. That’s 37,248 more votes than he received.
Rather than reaching out to those who supported the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, and working to engage them, heal wounds, and persuade them that he was ready to lead based on his vision of tax reform – he instead insulted those who worked for its passage – most of them volunteers – and he marginalized the nearly 250,000 voters who supported an effort to strengthen Maine’s economy.
This was an odd way to start an effort to bring this state together. It was, at best, an inauspicious start for the Governor’s final four years holding elected office.
