Chris Cinquemani

While we scrambled to meet income tax deadlines last April 15, Maine politicians passed $70 million in tax increases on health care and beverages to pump more tax dollars into Dirigo Health. In response, the state Chamber of Commerce, the beverage industry and other businesses united as the Fed Up With Taxes coalition to put a people's veto question on the November ballot, hoping voters will reject the new taxes.

Dirigo was supposed to be the closest thing to universal health care that Maine, and the nation, had ever seen.  Today, Dirigo is nationally recognized as a colossal failure.  Hopefully, the old saying "As Maine goes, so goes the nation" won't apply this time.

As PolitickerME.com continues to grow -- along with the rest of the Politicker.com national network -- we've added two new columnists to the mix of local news and views on our site covering Maine politics from the ground up.

CinquemaniChris Cinquemani is the communications director of Maine Leads, an Augusta-based non-profit working for lower taxes and government transparency in Maine. Chris previously served as field coordinator and communications director for the 2006 Taxpayer Bill of Rights Campaign, communications director for the Maine Senate Republican Office, and state director of the 2007 No More Than 4 Campaign to oppose extending term limits for state legislators.

Cinquemani's first column: "Oxford County casino proposal doesn’t pass ‘straight face test’"

CoteAdam Cote, born and raised in Sanford, is a former Democratic candidate for Maine's 1st Congressional District and is the president of the Maine Young Democrats. He served in the Army in Bosnia and Iraq and is a member of the Renewable Energy and Governmental Relations Practice Group at the law firm of Pierce Atwood LLP in Portland, where he lives with his wife and three young daughters.

Cote's first column: "Let's focus on what's important"

After voters shot down proposals to build a casino in Sanford in 2003, and a racino in Washington County last November, I figured the gaming industry in Maine held a losing hand, even with the slot machines ringing away in Bangor. However, a newly formed corporation, Evergreen Mountain Enterprises, is going all-in with a proposal to build a new casino in Oxford County.

I don’t object to casinos. You won’t find my name on the CasinosNO donor list. Casinos often bring new jobs and economic development to regions that could use a boost to the local economy. I even voted for that Washington County Racino last year, disappointing some of my Republican colleagues convinced that gambling contributes to a breakdown of values.