AUGUSTA, Maine — The taxpayer bill of rights campaign is pushing a study that says Maine has a poor national ranking for economic outlook due largely to its tax policies.
Jonathan Williams of the American Legislative Exchange Council, an author of the study, told a news conference in Augusta that Maine ranks No. 47 for its economic outlook. Williams compared that ranking to No. 2 for Colorado, which has passed a taxpayer bill of rights. Rhode Island, Vermont and New York ranked 48th to 50th in that order.
Maine voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to adopt so-called TABOR II, which would limit increases in state and municipal government spending and taxes.
Opponents say such a law in Colorado has resulted in cuts that have undermined state and local services.