Petitions for Maine tax-reform vote challenged
11/18/09 | 14 comments

Petitions for Maine tax-reform vote challenged


By The Associated Press

AUGUSTA, Maine — An Augusta businessman is challenging the petitions leading to a people's veto vote over the tax reform law enacted by the Maine Legislature last spring.

The Kennebec Journal in Augusta reports that Charles “Wick” Johnson III, owner of Kennebec Technologies in Augusta, filed the challenge in Kennebec County Superior Court.

Earlier this month, state election officials authorized a June referendum on the law, which creates a flat income tax of 6.5 percent, broadens the sales tax to apply to a number of currently untaxed services, and raises the food and lodging tax.

In his appeal, Johnson claims there are enough invalid signatures on the people's veto petitions to force officials to call off the June vote.

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14 comments on this item
On 11/18/09 at 1:06 PM, garysavard wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

What the devil is Mr. Johnson's problem, anyway? Is he so afraid that the majority of Maine voters will see through the smoke and mirrors tax shift the democrats and Gov. Baldacci rammed down our throats and it will be voted down in June? I wonder what his story is?

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On 11/18/09 at 2:26 PM, Beelzebubba wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Ol' Wick was on the Board of Trustees for the University of Maine...that should say it all right there.

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On 11/18/09 at 2:57 PM, schoonerdog wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Beelzdbubbz.....Right on the money......

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On 11/18/09 at 3:38 PM, JonAlbrecht wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Bound to happen. Just 1020 over the limit. Too close not to be challenged. The Republican Party's reputation for voter fraud and dishonesty being well established the signatures had to be challenged.

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On 11/18/09 at 3:57 PM, Beelzebubba wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

There goes Jon again with the party bashing. Google ACORN, dude.

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On 11/18/09 at 4:01 PM, JonAlbrecht wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Google ACORN. Fine organization just has been targetted by the Republicans because it helps minorities vote and they vote 90% of the time for Democrats. Its part of the Republican campaign to suppress the black vote throughout America. So far no one has shown ACORN doing anything wrong much less illegal.

And yes I'll continue to bash the Republican Party as long as it continues its attacks on the American middle class.

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On 11/18/09 at 4:45 PM, Jmwld1 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

This guy must be in a business that was exempted from the tax increases. This tax increase is a business buster, plain and simple. It will be voted down in June for sure. What a waste of time and resources. Time to vote out these guys that keep trying to dump more taxes on the people of the Maine. They should spend more time trying to get our roads fixed. Get a life business person.

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On 11/18/09 at 5:11 PM, Beelzebubba wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Jon, I switched to a registered "independent" a few months ago...the two major parties are both corrupt. Wake up, dude.

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On 11/18/09 at 5:15 PM, Thinkaboutit wrote: Click here to view hidden comment         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
On 11/18/09 at 5:24 PM, Beelzebubba wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Thinkaboutit - that was uncalled for. Maine taxpayers of all stripes want a leaner gummint (okay, most of us) - one need not display bigotry to achieve their view.

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On 11/18/09 at 5:29 PM, schoonerdog wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Jon.......Take the blinders off, the democrat party is so corrupt and lacking in oversight they will do anything to keep the money flowing. It starts at the top, and goes all the way down to state politics. This is one more glaring example of the dems not listening to the people, because they think people are stupid. How dumb do you think the rest of us are??

If there is any chance of the money supply being shut off, the dems in conjunction with the media will bash, squash, ridicule, degrade, and try to discredit the person or practice.

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On 11/18/09 at 5:39 PM, Beelzebubba wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I shall put all of this political nonsense in a mathematical equation :

Republicans+Democrats+Bush+Obama=disaster

Graze off the range, folks. It's gonna get ugly.

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On 11/18/09 at 6:31 PM, LarryTheMainiacGuy wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

We need to disband both parties and all join the AMERICAN party.

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On 11/23/09 at 2:28 PM, iminmaine wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

A one party system? Now that would democratic.

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