“If you go to bed with dogs, you just might get fleas.” -Unknown

Lane/Tommy: We have to ask, are we living in a mirage or a nightmare? One group claims we are doing well in Maine and another group states Maine is in dire straits. Who do you believe? For example, we hear from some real estate agents that the housing market has decreased significantly while state officials claim Maine’s housing market is doing fine. Obviously, it can’t be both ways at the same time so is someone hiding something from us?

Lane: A good case in point is Maine’s fiscal debt. Will we ever be told by our state leaders what that debt is? I have seen figures totaling more than $12 billion dollars and then I received an email showing another $4-plus billion for the state retirement system including health care for retired state workers, firemen and police officers.

That dilemma is compounded by the fact that no funding was proposed in the legislation that provided additional benefits. I have said many times that the Maine Legislature passes bills and then worries later about the costs incurred. It’s high time that this state is audited from top to bottom in order that we, the taxpayers, finally know how much each and every citizen owes toward the state’s financial liabilities, to say nothing about who should be fired.

Tommy: Where should I start regarding education? Are our students getting the best possible education for every tax dollar collected from us? The Department of Education in Augusta constantly declares how well Maine students are doing but recent data about the No Child Left Behind program contradicts many of the reports from Augusta. I wonder who’s telling the truth about the education system in Maine.

Although I hate to think of the cost involved in studies, has anyone tracked all of Maine’s students after they graduated from high school? We would also like information about what becomes of students who attended high school but who did not graduate. My local school brags on how many students go on to higher education. Some figures show a dramatic failure rate once students begin higher education. What we need is an accurate gauge of how well Maine students are prepared for furthering their education and then their future endeavors. This will let us know if our education system is a success and that our money is well spent. This would be for all students including those in such places as the REAL School located in Windham. If there has been no progress, why hasn’t our commissioner of education been fired by our governor?

Lane/Tommy: Another fairy tale in Maine is the illusion of tax relief. We will reiterate that politicians opposed to the Taxpayer Bill of Rights publicly stated that we would receive tax relief and reform if TABOR was defeated. The infamous LD 1, the farce that promised tax relief by reducing our property tax burden and increasing state aid for local education (something that was another unfunded mandate) is proof that we are being legislated from Never-Never Land by Captain Hook. In truth, all we see coming out of Augusta is a deepening tax burden for us with no relief in sight. Our legislators are promising tax relief by increasing taxes. Do our elected officials live on Fantasy Island and dream that the citizens of Maine don’t care how heavy their tax burden becomes?

Will Peter Pan come to the rescue of Maine taxpayers or will Captain Hook and his ship of legislators steal our precious gold?

Lane and Tommy, of Windham, have left on a quest to find Tinkerbell and her pixie dust so they can sprinkle it on the State House in Augusta. They have contracted with Captain Kirk and the Starship Enterprise and have departed for the second star on the right at warp speed straight until morning.