The Republican Party’s plan to combine the two issues of income tax reduction and welfare reform into one referendum ballot is sleazy, manipulative and just plain wrong.

This is simply an effort to confuse voters by entangling two completely separate issues. Republicans hope to rely on people’s emotions overriding their common sense.

The income tax reductions will have devastating effects on many aspects of life in Maine — just look at what’s been happening in Kansas since the radical income tax cuts there. Property taxes will skyrocket, and people will be in danger of losing their homes.

Everyone will pay higher sales taxes. Overall, the average Maine resident will pay more in taxes yearly, not less. The income tax cuts are simply the Republican Party’s ongoing drive to benefit the wealthy.

The welfare reform measure is the continuation of Gov. Paul LePage’s war on the disadvantaged, disabled and elderly. It won’t solve the state’s economic problems, but it will hurt many people.

Hopefully, the secretary of state will determine that these two issues cannot be combined into one ballot question.

My advice to voters is to simply refuse to sign the petition if asked to do so. Perhaps these really bad ideas being pushed on the voter in a cynical and inappropriate way will fail to receive enough signatures and will die on the vine.

Bruce A. Letsch

Litchfield


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