To the Editor:
I am responding to Senator Chris Johnson’s comments in the Jan. 16 issue of this newspaper.
When Senator Johnson took office I hoped he could realistically represent us, but have been sadly disappointed. His repeated statement “tax cuts for the wealthy” is particularly disturbing. According to the Maine State Tax Code, a single taxpayer with no deductions making $19,500 annually pays the top tax bracket. Is it realistic to call that person wealthy?
Driving around, I really see quite a few storefronts vacant in small towns; check out Thomaston. These are former taxpayers who are hurting. Presenting half of the story on issues like cuts in revenue sharing and expanding Medicare are simply wrong. The state is again facing a budget shortfall, at the same time as many town governments refuse to deal with reality. The town that I presently live in supplies its municipal workers with a medical plan with zero deductibles, zero co-pay, free dental and a free life insurance policy to boot.
The tax and spend policies Senator Johnson champions, however they are spun, have to be paid for by taxpayers.
Senator Johnson states Medicaid expansion will be mostly paid for by the federal government. The reality is it will be paid for by taxpayers and the promises being made are coming from the same people who stated that “you can keep your insurance policy if you like it.” We all are finding out how that is working out.
Senator Johnson ran his campaign on creating jobs. As of this letter I have seen no practical improvement in that area. It is a travesty that commercial grade electric power is not available through the heart of Senator Johnson’s constituency on Rt. 1. That would create jobs.
As a business owner in Nobleboro I am disappointed in Senator Johnson’s lack of effort in this area. Tax and spend policies have to be paid for by taxpayers. That is reality.
