Gov. Paul LePage may seek referendum to abolish income tax

[TexasTowelie]

Gov. Paul LePage is still eyeing ways to accomplish his long-stated goal of eliminating Maine’s income tax.

Rather than try to sway a wary Legislature, the governor is looking at a referendum question that would let voters decide whether to do away with “this unruly income tax.”

LePage told Portland radio station WGAN Thursday that legislators are increasingly out of the loop, given the state’s growing reliance on ballot questions that put the decision in the hands of voters instead.

“The Legislature's relatively irrelevant," the two-term governor said.

Read more: http://www.sunjournal.com/news/maine/2017/01/05/gov-paul-lepage-may-seek-referendum-abolish-income-tax/2055156

[guillaumeb]

1. Thereby exploding the deficit, and creatign a crisis situation.

What could go wrong?

[Kilgore]

5. Well we have no income tax in Washington state and it seems to work here

And we are a very blue state.

[guillaumeb]

6. How does the state fund programs? eom

[Kilgore]

8. Our funding comes from

Sales tax ~7% depending on location

Property tax ~ 1%, depending on location of, appraised value

Tax on gross business receipts of 0.1% to 1% depending on industry

Fuel tax for road maintenance

Probably are some other minor ones, but these are the bulk of state revenue sources.

[guillaumeb]

9. I cannot imagine how a state can run programs on so little.

Illinois has 12.6 million population versus 7 million for Washington.

[onecaliberal]

2. Yay no more roads or bridges or power grids. Are they really that stupid

[TexasTowelie]

3. Yes,

or was that a trick question?

[onecaliberal]

7. Rhetorical, I guess.

[Chasstev365]

4. Gee wiz: Why are property taxes so high?

I just don't understand! Dumbasses!