Group goes to court for referendum
11/3/09 | 20 comments

Group goes to court for referendum


From Staff and Wire Reports

AUGUSTA, Maine — A Maine anti-tax group has gone to court against the state because election officials have failed to meet a deadline to rule on a referendum proposal.

Still Fed Up With Taxes said Monday it directed its lawyer to file a petition in Kennebec County Superior Court forcing Secretary of State Matt Dunlap to complete certification of the people’s veto petitions.

The deadline to complete the review was Oct. 13. State election officials, however, missed the deadline to certify the petition signatures because of the workload involved with staging today’s election featuring seven ballot questions, Dunlap said.

Still Fed Up With Taxes wants to repeal a major tax overhaul enacted by the Legislature earlier this year that reduces the income tax rate for Mainers earning less than $250,000 while applying the sales tax to more goods and services. The tax restructuring package also raises Maine’s meals and lodging tax from 7 percent to 8.5 percent in order to shift more of the tax burden onto tourists and out-of-state visitors.

The group turned in petitions supporting a referendum to repeal the tax law in September. If the petition signatures are certified, a people’s veto question will appear on next June’s ballot.

In a statement, Sen. David Trahan, R-Waldoboro, accused Dunlap of ignoring his statutory duty to complete the review.

“Our volunteers worked day and night through one of the coldest and rainiest summers on record to get enough signatures and have them turned in by the required date,” said Trahan, one of the leaders of Still Fed Up With Taxes.

Dunlap said his staff is “within sight” of completing the certification process but that today’s election was their first priority. Dunlap pointed out that the court paperwork was filed on one of his office’s two busiest days of the year, with the other being Election Day.

“We are going to be done within a week. I am comfortable saying that,” Dunlap said.

Bangor Daily News writer Kevin Miller contributed to this report.

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Comments
20 comments on this item
On 11/3/09 at 12:57 AM, JWBooth wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Dunlap is a PARTY HACK who is just following the instructions of the party bosses. Time to throw him in jail for contempt of the Constitution.

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On 11/3/09 at 2:16 AM, otisfieldman wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

If the shoe was on the other foot Mr,Dunlap would have the papers in the trash if it was a minute past the turn in time, What go's around comes around

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On 11/3/09 at 5:30 AM, rnblnchrd wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Just another example of the party of 'hope&change - tax&spend' that has been running this state into the ground. vote em all out !

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On 11/3/09 at 6:06 AM, WTF266 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Totally agree, Dunlap is a looser who needs to go asap, along with many others in this pathetic state government. I could not even believe that this state government is enacting laws like this one, and also the homosexual marriage law. These issues are for US to decide, not this handful of liberal jerks who are all puffed up on their own supposed power.

Also...poke them right in the eye with TABOR II.

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On 11/3/09 at 6:09 AM, WTF266 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Another thing...let's not forget Dunlap issuing Maine ID's to ILLEGAL ALIENS.

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On 11/3/09 at 6:38 AM, Govt2Big wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Dunlap is only making excuses, as our infamous state government is always hiring temporary workers to assist with various jobs they want-to-finish in a timely manner. That was nothing but an excuse from our Far Left leaders, and I'm glad the GOP is holding their feet to the fire. The state deserves to be taught a lesson, and their waste and corruption needs to be stopped.

Who's willing to step up and go after the clowns running this state?

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On 11/3/09 at 8:59 AM, mainelion wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Dunlap was told by his Democrat bosses not to announce the petition results until after the election today. Like the good little lap dog that he is he's folllowing orders. He should be thrown out and prosecuted for failure to follow the constitution. Does the man have no principles? I guess we already know the answer to that. A typical politician, and I mean that in the worst possible context.

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On 11/3/09 at 9:25 AM, LawDisOrder wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Business as usual in Augusta. Jobs get done when it favors one party, not another.

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On 11/3/09 at 9:29 AM, reaganite wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Dunlap's pathetiic. So isn't our Dilbert-on-steroids state govt.

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On 11/3/09 at 9:29 AM, ElectraGlide wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

((( All you people voting Yes on #1 )))

@ If you can not vote the right way in what our Very own Constiution shows Us how to Vote@

?? Why Pray tell should I Trust You on Anything on What to Do in these Days of Change ??

>>> You Yes Voters have just Voted to Support Bogotry in Maine and the USA <<<

>>> You Yes Voters have just Dishonered this State and Country <<<

&& You yes Voters have just Dishonered What God Truly Stands for &&

@@@ So why should I support the Dishonerable People of Maine @@@

&&& Because Electra will Stand Up for Equality and Justice For ALL &&&

@@@@@ &&& Even if Someday that would be about You All &&&@@@@@

(((( All Ready for Equality for All~~~No on # 1 the ole fashion Way )))) ((( :~o ) )))

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On 11/3/09 at 10:10 AM, OontGroont wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

That's BIGotry. Unless BOGotry is in a "special" docitionary.

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On 11/3/09 at 10:12 AM, OontGroont wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Correction: Doctionary

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On 11/3/09 at 10:18 AM, OontGroont wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

And yes! I agree with Otis, those idiots in the Goverment think they are above the law, they would have certainly thrown out the petion if it was 30 seconds late. But, oh no, if they are late, oh we will get to it as soon as we can. Dick wads!

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On 11/3/09 at 10:20 AM, OontGroont wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Correction: petition. This comment section need a spell check.

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On 11/3/09 at 10:40 AM, ElectraGlide wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

OontGroont~~~~~Agree on Dat Spell check thangy ((((:~o) )))

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On 11/3/09 at 11:03 AM, Stevey_Dee wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

If you guys would quit chewing on your tongue and drooling on your keyboards the words you type may come out right :)

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On 11/3/09 at 11:33 AM, JonAlbrecht wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Well the lunatic fringe is in fine fettle today. Dunlap gains no advantage by delaying the certification. If the fringe had not put all these wacked out citizen initiatives on this ballot, their new wacked out initiative would have been certified by now.

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On 11/3/09 at 12:53 PM, letterreader wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Need a spell checker? I would rather think you need an education. O, I'm sorry, I meant to say 'edumacation', so you can understand me.

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On 11/3/09 at 3:25 PM, blueskiesaboveme wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Oh waah people. Your going to have to wait a few extra days....Oh the humanity! A few extra days wait!

Oh how we suffer under the oppression of our government making us wait a few extra days!

Give me a break.

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On 11/3/09 at 4:50 PM, Beancount wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

blueskiesaboveme, the state government does not make the welfare recipients wait for that monthly "ca'ching." These folks are only asking for the law to be followed, the same ones that they are obliged to follow and that the state government holds their feet to the fire on. Come on.

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