By now you’re aware that I’m a big fan of democracy. You know, having a government of the people, by the people and for the people. However, there is an unfortunate consequence of democracy. Sometimes we have to spend all year talking about a really stupid idea until we get to reject it in November.
You’ve already noticed that other writers of columns and letters to the editor keep bringing up the subject of the so-called Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) that will be a referendum on the ballot this fall. They will keep it up and I’ll just have to keep on exposing the (at best) ridiculous and (at worst) highly damaging features of this proposal they are pushing.
We are proud of our communities and many of us participate in local governance. Many of us go to town meetings and/or serve on municipal committees like town councils or planning boards. We sit through budget deliberations and plans for a Community Center, help with decisions about policing systems and school bus routes. All that is important to us. And it all takes a lot of time. But it’s worth it, to be involved.
Well, maybe we’ll actually like “life under TABOR,” because we’ll get to spend a lot more time and effort and money on the process of local governance than we are now. Let me explain.
TABOR’s tax and spending restrictions don’t only affect the Maine state government. For municipalities, TABOR requires that the following actions must be adopted through an Override Process:
• Exceeding a “growth allowance”
• Increasing tax rates, such as the property tax mil rate
• Increasing the property tax base
• Creating a new fee
• Increasing an existing fee
Let’s say a town figures out that their solid waste plan isn’t breaking even anymore because the tipping fees have increased. Nothing new. They can manage it by a $2 increase in the annual transfer station sticker. So the Town Council includes a $2 increase in the Town Budget and it all works out. But under TABOR, here’s what would happen next.
Because this increase in an existing fee is included in the budget, it would first have to be approved by a two-thirds vote (called a super-majority) of the Town Council or at the Town Meeting. And then, a town-wide referendum vote must be held. And before that vote can happen, there would have to be a mailing to all the residents that includes detailed financial information covering an eight-year period and 500-word commentaries both supporting and opposing the proposed referendum. Even if you don’t count our time on this, the cost of these required voting procedures will clearly outweigh the revenue increase that started the whole thing!
Proponents of TABOR repeatedly state that the issue is about including people in tax and spending issues. Yet, the super-majority provisions in TABOR empower a small minority to block the involvement of the voters entirely. Apparently, the people only need to be heard on an issue if a small minority of naysayers agree.
These rules are an insult to our ability to govern ourselves. Talk about “big government” meddling in our affairs! Most communities have chosen not to adopt the anti-democratic “super majority” voting procedures, so why should we let those towns be overridden by such a stupid statewide referendum?
Keep our Communities Strong: Vote NO on TABOR! Get your absentee ballot now for the June 13 primaries.
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