TABOR II is the same bad idea voters already rejected.
Maine voters rejected TABOR in 2006 and a TABOR-like proposal in 2004 because they were flawed ideas that would have hurt Maine schools, families, and local communities. Now TABOR is back. Maine voters should reject it again, this time, once and for all.
Many states have rejected TABOR and only Colorado has passed it. It was such a disaster for schools, healthcare and the economy that Colorado voted to suspend it. Why would we make the same mistake Colorado did?
TABOR was a bad idea before...
and it's a worse idea now in the middle of a recession. In the middle of the worst economic crisis we've seen in decades, TABOR makes even less sense today than the last time Maine voters rejected it. TABOR's rigid and arbitrary formula will lock in current cutbacks for years to come-and it will make it even harder to digout of the current recession and create the jobs that Maine needs.
TABOR II would undermine Maine's tradition of local control.
We value our long-standing tradition of local control and town meetings. It is the way each community makes decisions to address its unique priorities and challenges. TABOR II would simply replace local decision-making with a complicated, one-size-fits-all formula that imposes the same cumbersome and expensive decision-making process on all Maine cities and towns. Voters in each community should be able to decide these issues for themselves.
TABOR II will hurt schools, families, and our local communities.
The current recession has already led to $27 million in cuts to our public schools and more cuts are coming this year. TABOR II will prevent the State from ever providing appropriate funding for our public schools which will hurt our kids' chances for a quality education and a better future for Maine. Seniors could face cuts to important services like home healthcare and meal delivery programs. Vital public safety services could also face signiecant cuts. TABOR II would simply make tough times tougher for thousands of Maine citizens and communities.
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Maines Tabor II Repeats Mistakes of Colorado, Endangers Public Services and Business Climate
Maine’s 2009 ballot initiative, “An Act to Promote Tax Relief” (known as TABOR II), imposes tight restrictions on expenditures for the broad range of state and local services that help support Maine’s economy and quality of life. The spending growth permitted under TABOR does not allow for these services to continue at their current levels.