A few comments after reading the Jan. 10 edition of the Press Herald:

• Local & State section: “Food bank gives out 35 percent more meals” in 2014. Would it be unfair to give Gov. LePage at least partial credit for this achievement?

Or perhaps the simple declaration that Maine is “Open For Business” wasn’t enough to actually help create an economy that works “for all Mainers.” (A category that, by the way, includes children, the homeless, students and the unemployed and underemployed.)

• Business section: “Real median family income in Portland” was $62,479 in 2012 and $67,195 in 2000 (adjusted for inflation). I guess that the income of middle-class wage earners, unlike hunger in Maine, wasn’t a “growth industry” over the past 13 years.

But wait, there was one segment of wage earners whose income actually did increase over that time span, according to Federal Reserve data: the top 10 percent. Which also would be the answer to the question: “Who benefits most by cutting the top income tax rate?”

• Your front-page headline “LePage budget puts tax code in crosshairs” might better read, “LePage budget takes aim at seniors, middle-class wage earners and the working poor,” all of whom will see net tax increases under the proposed tax changes.

Tom Kircher

Biddeford

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