Robinhood in Reverse – Maine Democrats Rob the Poor

Robinhood’s merry band of men took from the rich and gave to the poor, any extra time spent on archery. Maine’s Democrats take from the poor and give to China – extra time just spinning. Seriously, Governor Mills and Augusta Democrats must think we are stupid, and just aren’t paying attention.

Having increased and nearly doubled spending over the past seven years from $6.8 billion to $11.7 billion – squandering on what no one has on what no one wants, plus $15 billion in federal pandemic money – they are back like a bad penny that keeps coming back. Now they are raising taxes again to try and fill a $450 million two-year deficit, beginning with $118 million this week.

Is this for real? Sadly, yes, and it’s irresponsible. Before we list the new taxes, ask yourself: Did the State’s size suddenly double? Do we need new taxes, for a state of 1.4 million souls, already the highest taxed for property in America, fourth highest overall tax burden, and with only an average income of $42,000 a year?

Why are taxes so high? One-party government is unstoppable. Democrats think your money is theirs. What do they spend it on? Countless, unaccountable programs. There is no DOGE in Maine. They spend it on unaudited entitlements, pet projects, housing, benefits, and IDs for illegal aliens.

Maine needs tax breaks for homebuilding, not new units for illegals – which was housing meant for homeless veterans, who ended up encamped in Portland, Bangor, Brunswick, and elsewhere.

Many were living under Casco Bridge in Portland, Maine’s Hooverville or “Millsville,” at Harborview Memorial Park, others camped at Bangor’s Texas Avenue and Cleveland Street.

What did Democrats do? Gave the new housing to illegals, cleared the encampments, “out of sight, out of mind,” but taking the time to hand out needles for addicts. What else with your taxes? Consulting contacts, experimental floating wind towers (billion-dollar cost), solar fields made in China, a 12 percent increase in university administration, 71 percent uptick for “ethics and elections” – with a Secretary of State who unconstitutionally sought to remove a presidential candidate in 2024.

What else? A 103 percent increase in state “administrative services,” 59 percent more for “environmental protection,” 16 percent uptick for an “attorney general” who allows organized crime to ravage Maine, while suing oil companies in California and limiting gun ownership.

Have you heard the latest? Democrats are pushing a 105 percent increase for “indigent legal services,” 26 percent more for a “human rights commission” that refuses to honor Title IX and hurts girls by making school sports unfair.

Anything else? Yes. A 60 percent increase for Indian tribes and 11 percent for Maine’s “Board of Education, even as Maine’s public schools – once the top in the nation – plummet in the rankings to 49th out of 50.

Could it get any worse? What are Democrats’ three largest cuts? Maine’s public employees’ retirement fund by 57 percent, fire protection commission by 99 percent (no lessons learned from California), and “efficiency trust Maine” by 100 percent. (See, 2024-2025 Biennial Budget Overview).

What can one say? It’s a disgrace, a gut punch to Mainers, and it gets worse. Now, Democrats hope to pass – with Republicans in the minority – huge tax increases for that $450-billion-dollar hole they have blown in Maine’s budget.

What’s the Democrat plan? You will not believe it. To tax your child’s Netflix and Disney channels, tax cans of paint, tax fishing and hunting licenses, tax prescription drugs (pharmacies pass it to consumers), and levy a 50 percent tax increase on cigarettes, with 65 percent of those paying the tax earning less than $25,000 a year.

So yes, Robinhood, step aside. Sherwood Forest’s merry men have a competitor, the dark, Robinhood in reverse: Governor Mills and her spendthrifts aim to rob the poor to finance the rich – unless they are stopped.

Note: This column originally misstated the scale of Maine’s forecasted FY26-27 deficit as $450 billion rather than $450 million. We regret the error.