To help fund education, we, the Maine voters, decided in November to raise income taxes by 3 percent on those who earn more than $200,000 per year. But Gov. LePage is using sleight of hand to make it look like he’s raising those taxes while in reality he is lowering them!

Yes, the new rate is 3 percent higher than the tax rate for those earning minimum wages, but it is lower than the current tax rate. There are small breaks for all taxpayers.

But according to the Jan. 15 Maine Sunday Telegram analysis, under LePage’s plan, the top 10 percent of Maine families would save an average of $4,288 per year, which adds up to more than all the rest of us will save. So much for the 3 percent surtax approved by the voters. So much for our mandate that the state pay 55 percent of education expenses.

Our governor would also eliminate the estate tax for those who inherit millions while enlarging sales taxes, which we all have to pay. Meanwhile, towns are forced to increase property taxes to pay for education.

LePage is proud of his tax legacy, which if he has his way would cut $600 million per year from state income taxes over his two terms. But what about schoolchildren? The working poor who can’t afford health care? Those defeated by heroin? The mentally ill? The homeless? All of these have been betrayed by LePage administration.

I charge the Legislature to follow the mandate of the voters and serve the people of Maine before they consider further tax cuts.

Victoria Adams

West Kennebunk

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