AUGUSTA, MAINE -- Augusta politicians continue to prove their contempt for Maine taxpayers and their refusal to answer calls for less government spending and lower taxes.

Recent polls show that between 42 and 55 percent of Mainers cite taxes or the economy as the number one issue facing Maine today. And just last November, voters repealed a $70 million tax increase on doctor visits and beverages by a two to one margin. Augusta politicians ignore these messages, however, driving their tax-and-spend schemes to expand government with new massive tax hike proposals.

LD 1088, submitted by House Democratic Leader John Piotti, would burden all Mainers with the largest expansion of the sales tax in the state's history to allegedly reduce income taxes for a fraction of Maine's wage earners. This tax shift plan-Piotti's third attempt to pass the very same law-adds sales taxes to hundreds of previously untaxed services. It also increases meals and lodging taxes and taxes paid for selling or buying a home.

A proposal submitted by the Governor and Chair of the Insurance and Financial Services Committee raises taxes on doctor visits by 2.4 percent. Proving just how out-of-touch Augusta's political class really is, this proposed tax hike is 33 percent higher than the tax on doctor visits that was repealed last November. A third proposal crafted by the Transportation Committee would raise Maine's gas tax by five cents, on top of the 1.1 cent increase from the automatic annual gas tax hike, raising taxes by an additional $85 million.

"Augusta politicians will never have enough of our money," said TABOR NOW Chairman David Crocker. "These reckless tax hikes show just how determined Augusta politicians are to take as much of our money as the law allows. That why we need TABOR NOW more than ever-to change the law so politicians stop treating Mainers like their personal ATM. With TABOR NOW on the ballot, relief is just one election away."

• YOU decide whether politicians can pass a new tax or tax increase
• YOU decide if state spending should balloon above inflation plus population growth
• YOU decide if the gas tax should increase every year
• YOU decide whether property taxes should grow faster than your paycheck
• YOU can see how your town or city is spending your tax dollars, and compare your town's spending to other towns in Maine