Representative Joy Speaks the Unspeakable

Representative Joy (R-Island Falls) has done the unthinkable and spoken the unspeakable.

He has called out the local schools and towns on their spending spree over the past few years. You can say what you want about Governor Baldacci when it comes to the budget crisis – but it indisputable that this Governor along with the majority of the Legislature have truly been committed over the past few years in their efforts to direct more money back to schools–more than 400 million and counting.

Representative Joy in his press release captured the essence of the issue nicely when he stated,

“We need to remember that whether school money comes from the state or local property taxes, it’s all tax money,” Rep. Joy said. “The state cannot fund any programs on its own without first taking that money away from taxpayers. The state has no money of its own. So if people complain that this bill would shift more costs to the local level, they need to remember that tax dollars are tax dollars, no matter which pocket they come out of. The schools have spent this additional $449 million as if it were a windfall instead of being meant for property tax relief.”

Representative Joy tackles a number of issues with this bill ranging from how the money for schools is counted, the issue of local control, a general the lack of fiscal responsibility and the seething anger over local property taxes.

The fact that the bill was let in by all 10 members of the Legislative Council should send chills down the spines of the local government establishment and their Augusta minions.

This could be the Public Hearing of the Session.