Governor LePage Urges Citizens to Contact Their Legislators about Eliminating the Income Tax

May 4, 2015

For Immediate Release: Monday, May 4, 2015 Contact: Adrienne Bennett, Press Secretary, (207) 287-2531

AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage is encouraging citizens to contact their legislators to support his bill to eliminate the income tax, which would put 1.2 billion dollars back into the paychecks of all working Mainers.

“Eliminating the income tax is the largest wage increase that Mainers could get,” said Governor LePage. “You work hard for your money, you earned it and you should keep it. You know much better than government how to spend your own money.”

The Governor is proposing a Constitutional amendment that will eliminate the income tax and prohibit the Legislature from enacting any income tax in the future. His bill, LD1367, “Resolution, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Eliminate the Income Tax,” would require a two-thirds vote of the Legislature, then approval by Maine voters at a statewide referendum in November following passage of the bill.

The ballot question would be: "Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to prohibit the Legislature, beginning January 1, 2020, from enacting or imposing a tax on the income of any person and prohibiting the State from levying or collecting an income tax for any period beginning on or after January 1, 2020?"

“We have taken a cautious approach toward eliminating the income tax,” said Governor LePage. “We are phasing it out over time until it is gone. We first reduced the top rate from 8.5% to 7.95%, giving tax relief to two-thirds of Mainers. In addition, 70,000 low-income Mainers no longer pay income tax. My tax reform plan would further reduce the income tax from 7.95% to 5.75%, which would be a 40 percent reduction in the income tax since I took office. My goal is to reduce the income tax to 4% by the end of 2018. The Constitutional amendment would ensure it continues to go down after I leave office.”

Whether citizens agree with the Governor’s plan or not, he encourages them to contact their legislators to make their feelings known. “The citizens of Maine hold the true power, not me and not the Legislature,” said Governor LePage. “If you want to eliminate the income tax and put more money in your paycheck, pick up the phone and call your legislators, write them a letter or send them an email. Your voice is important: make sure they hear it.”