In the March 7 article, “Maine effort to tax nonprofits raises eyebrows across USA,” Gov. Paul LePage calls nonprofit organizations “takers.”

Really? Many of these so-called “takers” are staffed by volunteers, interns and part-time employees. They provide millions of hours for many social services that tea party libertarians claim should not be provided by government.

Now LePage wants to damage and destroy them. Why?

Just who are society’s real takers? How about those who feel no obligation to support the society that enabled their prosperity and sustains them? Many of the wealthy oppose paying taxes and invest in ways to dodge them, complaining about being unfairly oppressed.

The four states with the most regressive tax structures are Washington, Florida, Texas and South Dakota. They have no income tax, causing the consumers and small businesses to shoulder a larger share of supporting the state budget. Those states rely upon property and consumption taxes, resulting in the poorest 20 percent of the population paying 9 percent to 13 percent of their income in taxes, while the top 20 percent pay just 2 percent to 2.4 percent.

If someone earning $1 million per year has to pay 8 percent, he would still have $920,000 left over. I could live with that.

So just who is LePage working for? Certainly not the majority of Mainers.

Brad Sherwood

Waterville