If I hear one more time the slogan, “Save our Schools,” I’m going to become completely undone.

The opponents of Question 4, commonly known as TABOR II, which, if passed would require voters to approve state and local spending increases that exceed the rate of inflation and population growth, have begun a campaign of fear and ignorance. I cannot in good conscience allow my fellow Mainers, especially my fellow citizens of Gray, to fall prey to such disingenuous reasoning that the Save our Schools folks are putting forth.

The politics of fear are loathsome and I protest.

I ask: did we not just pass a law that requires all school budgets to be approved by the voters? Have we not seen an increase in voter participation and interest in the process as a result of that law? The answer is yes to both. Even though you the citizen have a say in how the monies for education are spent by your school or district, and even though the transparency long needed to repel corruption has come to pass, the schools still stand. Amazing!

The idea that our children in the Lakes Region, or anywhere, will be huddled together, frozen and miserable because there is no heat is not even laughable, it is vile. The school lunch programs will not subsist of sawdust bread and gruel, and the buses will not stop running. How do I know this? Because the good citizens of this state would not condone such. They would look at their legislators and say no! Just as they have been doing with their schools for over a year.

Perhaps, by making spending increases accountable our concerned citizens may even notice that our state government is not fulfilling its obligations to fund 55 percent of education costs as mandated by Maine’s spending limit law LD 1.

State spending has increased 46 percent from 2000 through 2008 while the rate of inflation for the same period has only gone up by 25 percent. The property tax numbers are even worse; these have jumped 58 percent as compared to the 25 percent rate of inflation. Yet even with all the extra dollars from property taxes, fees, personal income and business taxes, our state and local governments are perpetually “crying poor”. They ask us to pay more and more each year. They tell us to tighten our belts, and to sacrifice for the good of the community. And as the good citizens of Maine do just that – sacrifice – those who ask so much of others, do nothing themselves. Why would any person not want to have a greater say in how their tax dollars are being spent? Given the fact that we as citizens are forced to be thrifty if not frugal in our own finances, should we not expect as much from those who are supposed to represent us?

So is it ignorance of the above facts and of the nature of our people that compels the formation of such slogans? Perhaps, and if it is mere ignorance that has people chanting away like so many sheep bleating ( I never ever chant personally) then does that not say to you the voter “Be wary?” It does to me, for legislation formed, or rejected, based on false premises or misleading rhetoric does nothing to advance our communities or state. It undermines not only the system of democracy but so too the confidence of our people in the process.

If it is not ignorance of the facts, then we are left with the more insidious option that they are glossing over and hiding the truth to further their own agenda and possibly self interest. Some may say, “That is politics Al, get over it.” To which I reply “Does it make it right?” If we fail to have an open, honest debate of the evidence for and against any measure that will affect our communities, then we cheat ourselves and our children. For by failing to frame our arguments and beliefs in honesty then we condone and accept dishonesty as the norm.

The most troublesome aspect of the Save our Schools slogan is that it is based not in logic or honesty, but in pure hyperbole designed to elicit emotion and nothing more.

Allen Butler is a resident of Gray.