05/30/2008
Augusta didn't give you a voice when the Legislature adopted new taxes to fund the Dirigo program. There was no public hearing. And with minimal debate, the taxes were adopted in just one day--April 15--which effectively prevented the public from being able stop the taxes before they were enacted into law. Between the evening of April 15 and the morning of April 16, a majority in the Legislature passed a significant tax hike--some say as much as $75 million a year--to fund the Dirigo program.
You didn't have an effective voice then, but you can have an effective voice now.
How did NFIB members in Maine vote on the special Fax Ballot in late April?
- 94 percent said the new 1.8 percent tax on healthcare bills (paid clams) should be stopped by a people's veto.
- 85 percent said the higher taxes on beer, wine, sodas, and syrup used in flavored drinks should be stopped by a people's veto.
A coalition of business groups, including NFIB and individual businesses, are seeking more than 55,000 signatures from registered voters so that the new Dirigo taxes can be put to a vote by the people in November.
That's a lot of signatures, and there's not much time to get them collected. The coalition, Fed Up With Taxes, has until 5 p.m. on July 17 to submit the signatures to the Secretary of State.
How can you help?
- Sign the petition
- Make your business available for signature gathering for an hour or so
- Support the coalition with a small financial contribution
To get involved, contact Christ Carlozzi at Christopher.Carlozzi@NFIB.org.
FAQ on the petition drive
What happens if the petition drive is successful in gathering sufficient signatures and the new taxes are put to a vote in November?
First, the taxes cannot take effect until after the November vote. Second, and very importantly, the Dirigo program will continue to be funded as it is now through an assessment on health insurers. The people's veto effort does not take away funding, as implied by Dirigo supporters; rather, it challenges the new taxes to fund Dirigo.
What about the overall Dirigo program?
Many NFIB members have expressed concern or opposition to the Dirigo program itself. They want to see Dirigo changed significantly. This issue will come up in the legislature in its 2009 session. The people's veto does not shutdown the Dirigo program, because the program already exists. The legislation enacted into law in April primarily concerns the funding of the program.
How are the signatures being collected?
Signature gathering is a formal, legal process. The people gathering the signatures are professionals and trained volunteers. Maine law is very specific on what must be done to gather valid signatures, so only skilled people are being used in order to avoid legal problems and possible invalidation of signatures.
