$410K and counting for People’s Veto effort
By Wally EdgeJust in case you were wondering how much it can cost to get 90 thousand signatures in a few months time, you need look no further than the PAC reports for Fed UP With Taxes. As of July 15th, the group has paid National Petition Management $410,000 dollars, which works out to about $4.50 cents a signature....so far.
Of course, the 410K doesn't include all the "volunteers" working for the cause. You know; the lobbyists, PR firms and chamber staff toiling away on behalf of the people.
The folks opposed to the signature collection - Health Coverage for Maine- raised $100,000 from Don Sussman -a guy who made billions from hedge funds and really likes Maine. Also, the Maine State Employees Union threw in $10K because their employees like higher beer prices and want to make sure they never have to have Dirigo Health for their workers. Anyway, they spent their money on efforts to keep the Lobbyist's Veto off the ballot.
As far as I can tell from the PAC reports, the opposition made some phone calls, wrote a few op-eds, sent out some post cards and had some hippies badger signers at the polls. I have to believe that Mr. Sussman is fairly comfortable with risk, but I wonder if he truly appreciates what a waste of money that effort was.
The final reports to the Ethics Commission are not due until July 22nd.
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Who is Donald Sussman anyway?
I'm no xenophobe, but I have a problem with this out of stater Sussman bankrolling the tax-and-spend Baldacci Democrats fighting tooht and nail to stop a repeal of a new $70 million tax increase. And correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the same Donald Sussman who is in bed with Chellie Pingree?
The State of Maine has been ill served by Democrats for far too long. And now, instead of evolving into a political force that represents the newly defined best interests of Mainers, they are bringing in money from some out of state sap who goes GaGa over blonde hair and an expensive bottle of beer.
Sussman has given hundreds of thousands to Pingree
The Bollard (a small community leftwing paper in Portland) had a great article about the connection between this ultra-rich hedge fund guy and Pingree. The hypocrisy of the Pingree campaign is absolutely stunning. Corrupt is also another word that comes to mind....
Fed up with taxes
I tired of out-of-state business interests waging these high priced campaigns to get their way in Maine. To add insult to injury they hire an out-of-state company to collect the signatures to the tune of more than 400K. The petition process was intended to let the people of Maine override the legislature and Governor not to let Soda industry buy votes to change Maine policy.
I would have supported the petition had it had been used to organize Maine people to oppose unreasonable taxes. By going out-of-state Fed up with taxes has prevented that organizing effort and shown their contempt for Maine people.
That is non-sense. They
That is non-sense. They hired an out-of-state firm to organize this effort.
Maine people, not out-of-staters, Maine people signed these petitions.
Your excuse, out-of-state money is a straw man. Just an excuse to support the taxes. If your reasoning was sound, you would support the effort because the Sussman-Pingree connection was out-of-state.
Face it .... Maine citizens signed the petition, not the beverage companies.
C'Mon, Jon...
Thank you, Nobdy's Fool.....
Jon, this is an effort by Mainers. 90,000 Mainers signed the petition, and in November, it's Mainers who will decide to affirm or deny these new taxes.
Unfortunately, the way Maine's People's Veto process works, it's next to impossible to collect 55,000+ signatures in about a month and a half. It is these paid signature collectors who made it possible for Mainers to have a say on this law.....since the Maine State Legislature wasn't ready to afford us that right.
Also, it should be added that, even though compensated, you still have to be a registered Maine voter to circulate a petition here in Maine. They may have been organized, and working for an out-of-state firm, but they were still Mainers themselves.
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