There is rhetoric: "We Will Not Raise Taxes" and then there is--

Reality: LD 2247 rasing taxes.

Without a public hearing members of the 123rd Maine State Legislature raised broad-based taxes on beer, wine, soda, flavored water, and health insurance transactions to help pay for the Dirigo Health insurance program.

These new taxes are meant to help bail out the financially troubled Dirigo health program. Dirigo would have run out of money by February 2009 without this bail-out.

Legislators also voted to use $5 million in tobacco settlement money and to borrow $3.6 million from the General Fund to “fix” the Dirigo program.

See who voted to raise your taxes by clicking images below:

LD 2247 (HP 1608) "An Act To Continue Maine's Leadership in Covering the Uninsured"

Sponsored by: Representative Hannah Pingree

VOTES:

Maine State Senate: (Click Image)

Maine State House: (Click Image)

.