MAIN
UPDATE

In Solidarity for 
Peace, Bread and Justice!

A Joint Project of the Maine Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods
and 
Maine Equal Justice

Volume 10  No. 2

 June 2006


MAIN & MEJP Join Community Voices Against TABOR

Dear MAIN members:

This spring the Maine Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods took a stand against the so-called Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR). MAIN joined the statewide Community Voices Against TABOR coalition. The coalition is a group of over 75 organizations throughout the state of Maine committed to educating our members and others about the harmful effect TABOR could have on the state of Maine.

As most of you know, Mainers will vote this November 8th on the TABOR referendum initiative. MAIN will be urging our members and others to join us in voting against TABOR.

I recently learned about the experience with TABOR in Colorado, which is the only state in the nation to have TABOR as law. I can tell you that it didn’t work in Colorado and it won’t work here in Maine. TABOR’s government spending formula at the state and local level is so restrictive and extreme that over time the state and our municipalities will be forced to make significant cuts to public services.

I truly believe that TABOR will undo many of the achievements made by MAIN, MEJP and other allies over the years.

TABOR threatens all of our achievements.

It threatens:

  • The strides that we have made in Maine to provide health care for low-income families, seniors, people with disabilities and other adults;
  • The safety net to help low-income people in need; and
  • The State’s ability to respond to new needs or changes at the Federal level. For example, work the State did to prevent MaineCare members and those on the Elderly Drug Program from losing drug coverage during the transition to the new Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program.

MAIN will be sending out more detailed information about TABOR over the next few months leading up to the election. Please be on the lookout for this information and share it with your family, friends and neighbors.

MAIN also needs your help with:

  • mailings,
  • phone calls,
  • letters to the editor, and
  • going door-to-door to register low-income people to vote and share info on TABOR.

If you can help, please contact us. Together, we can make a difference!

For Peace, Bread & Justice,
Russell Anderson

More information on TABOR

MAIN Update Table of Contents

MAIN Home Page

MEJP Home Page