Last weekend, the Bangor Daily News ran an opinion piece by a supporter of Democrat-turned-independent candidate for governor Eliot Cutler. The piece was written by Ed Karass, who retired from his position as state controller last summer, after 28 years in Augusta. Karass questioned GOP candidate Paul LePage’s record as mayor of Waterville, claiming that, while LePage managed to lower taxes by nearly 14 percent during his tenure, his efforts fell short of notable fiscal reform.
When it comes to lowering Maine’s sky-high tax burden, we can all agree that our political leaders need to be as aggressive as they can. But Karass and Cutler represent the height of hypocrisy when it comes to tax policy. Not only is their combined history void of any record of tax relief, they are both plainly uninterested in the concept at all. In fact, a look at their recent statements show both Karass and Cutler as clear advocates for an increase in taxes on Maine’s citizens.
Last August, in an interview with the Kennebec Journal, Karass made the assertion that the next governor would be unable to lower taxes. Karass made the case for a “right-sized government,” and had this to say about taxes: “We may find ourselves in a position where taxes have to be increased but no new programs are brought on board. We may have to increase taxes just to pay for what we currently have.”
On Aug. 31 of last year, Cutler wrote a post on his campaign blog that celebrated Karass’ perspective. Cutler wrote that “Ed Karass is right, and we need to listen,” and declared him a “hero.”
A hero? Mainers have suffered for too long under an oppressive tax structure to find “heroes” in people so oblivious to the problem. Karass’ 28 years in Augusta, and Cutler’s 30 years in Washington and China, have resulted in a startling numbness to the pain this economy is causing the working people of this state.
Unfortunately, this numbness is common in Augusta. Too many in our state government see their goal as self-perpetuation, and the plight of Mainers outside the bureaucratic bubble is a secondary concern. As Karass puts it, “Those of us who have been here for some time, who have been career-oriented in state government, have always taken a longer view.”
This “longer view” means tax relief can come later. After the special interests get their funding, after the bloated bureaucracies are preserved, after career creatures of Augusta like Karass reach retirement, then maybe we can discuss tax relief.
We all understand that times are tough for Maine’s economy, and that difficult measures will have to be taken. Most Mainers understand, though, that out-of-control government spending and a crippling tax burden are the reasons we got here in the first place. Maine needs to get spending under control, and get its tax burden to a level where businesses can once again flourish. Maine needs job growth more than anything now, and the apparent Cutler-Karass plan to raise taxes will only restrict that growth. A Cutler administration would take one of the central problems with Maine’s economy and make it worse, stifling job growth and dooming Maine to four more years of economic stagnancy.
Career Augusta bureaucrats will never provide the solutions we need to get out of this mess, and Eliot Cutler should look elsewhere for inspiration. Perhaps he would be better served to find his heroes in the working people of this state, who carry the burden he plans to add to.
Christie-Lee McNally is executive director of the Maine Republican Party.