AUGUSTA, Maine - Democrats at the State House are taking aim at Republican Gov. Paul LePage's proposal to do away with municipal revenue sharing, saying that it will increase property taxes and force some people from their homes.
In the Democratic weekly radio address, state Rep. Christine Powers, of Naples, says the governor is trying to get the state to back out of a longstanding commitment to help fund the operation of cities and towns, and keep property taxes in check.
"The governor's proposal is part of a larger pattern in which the state tries to shift costs down to the local level, essentially balancing the budget on the backs of property tax payers," Powers says in the address. "When the state avoids responsibility for the money it spends, your taxes go up."
The governor has also proposed allowing municipalities to collect property taxes from some non-profits, but Powers says most Maine communities don't have any non profits, and so would be stuck.
