BATH

Local legislators gathered at Bath Middle School cafeteria Monday to present The Opportunity Agenda, the Democrats’ counter proposal to the governor’s budget plan.

The highlight of the Democrats proposal is what they’re calling “the largest property tax cut in Maine’s history.”

“That’s the headline of the Democrats’ budget, is that we are offering every Mainer across the state the largest property tax reduction in the state’s history,” said Sen. Catherine Breen, D-Falmouth, who sits on the Appropriations Committee and has had a direct hand in formulating the Democrats’ budget proposal.

However, more than two-thirds of that cut comes from a referendum already passed by voters in November which places a 3 percent surcharge on all income over $200,000. Although Gov. Paul LePage has removed that surcharge in his budget proposal, it remains to be seen whether or not there is enough political will to overturn the voters in the state Legislature.

“We all have a choice to make about whether we support the governor’s budget which negates Question 2, or whether we support the Democrats’ budget which upholds Question 2, or something in the middle that might happen through negotiation,” said Breen.

The remaining proposals to lower Maine residents’ property tax burden include an increase in the Homestead Exemption to $30,000, expanding the Property Tax Fairness Credit and increasing Revenue Sharing to 3 percent.

Other features of The Opportunity Agenda include increased education spending for pre-K through college, increased direct care worker reimbursement and opioid epidemic funding.

The proposal also includes expansion of broadband internet to rural areas, which Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsic, noted would benefit towns like Arrowsic.

Sen. Everett “Brownie” Carson, D-Brunswick, spoke about his bill on public health nursing which would reverse the depletion of public health nurses in the state under the LePage administration. Though the bill was tabled by the Health and Human Services Committee, Carson said he would continue fighting to increase the number of public health nurses.

“What they’ve done, frankly maliciously, to get rid of the public health nursing system is just beyond unconscionable,” said Carson.

“But I’m going to get some public health nurses back on the job or die trying.”

“I like the Democrats plan,” said Catherine Buotte of Bath, a retired teacher. “I think we need to be spending more money on education. I think we need to follow through on proposition 2, which we voted for.”

“I think the whole thing shows what government, as people working together, can potentially do to make the state a better, healthier, more prosperous place, as opposed to the kind of things we’ve been seeing over the last six years from the LePage administration,” said Bath resident Don Lawson-Stopps. “I think this budget shows the values that make America the good place that it can be.”

Earlier in the evening, Vitelli referred to The Opportunity Agenda as a “statement of values about what’s important for the state.”

“And contrast that with what’s being proposed by the governor,” Vitelli said, “which is perhaps a reflection of his values, which in my view takes the state backward.”

Democrats will host more budget forums in the Midcoast in the coming weeks, with stops in Topsham, Woolwich and Brunswick.

The full plan can be found online at opportunityagendamaine.wordpress.com.

Confirmed forums

• Topsham Public Library — 1:30 p.m., May 6

With Sen. Eloise Vitelli and Reps. Denise Tepler and Seth Berry; joined by Senate Democratic Leader Troy Jackson

• Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick — 6 p.m., May 8

With Sen. Brownie Carson, Reps. Mattie Daughtry, Ralph Tucker and Jay McCreight; joined by Jackson

• Woolwich Town Office — 6 p.m., May 11

With Sen. Eloise Vitelli