PORTLAND, Maine - Elected officials from Portland, Lewiston, Westbrook and North Berwick held a press conference today in support of Ballot Question 2.
The question would add a 3 percent tax surcharge on incomes higher than $200,000 a year. That money would go to fund public k-through-12 education in the state.
Among the measure's supporters is Portland Mayor Ethan Strimling.
"People want to invest money in education, but the problem is, where do you get it?" Strimling says. "And this referendum makes very clear that the people of the state are saying, let's get it from the people who can afford it most, put it into the schools that need it most, and make sure our property taxpayers are not overburdened."
Supporters of Question 2 say it would raise as much as $157 million per year for public schools, ease property taxes in the state, and help prepare Maine kids to be productive members of the workforce;
Opponents say it wouldn't treat some towns fairly, that it would hurt small businesses, and could drive people and businesses out of Maine.
