Support Grows for LaMarche Water Policy
By Reader Comments
An AD WATCH analysis of the effectiveness and accuracy of Pat LaMarche's "Fair Return" ad (calling for a 1% tax on profits from companies that sell the clean water whose purity was paid for by Mainers) concluded by saying, "LaMarche's summation of the issue is plainspoken and straightforward and her message should appeal to tax-conscious Mainers who remain committed to adequate education funding."
We need to take care of our own. I don't know if an extraction tax for water is the best idea but at least it's an idea. Woodcock and the other elephants in the legislature have thrown in the towel on Maine's people before the game has started. Perhaps if the tax revenue was used to start a loan bank for businesses started by Maine residents it would be helpful. — Howard of Biddeford |
Several comments from the public were then posted at the Press Herald website. Here are a few of them:
Otis of Cumberland, ME
Aug 23, 2006 10:43 PM
Such an amazing compromise! Someone who cares about our future and environment, but also focuses on the strong state pride we Mainers' have in our native reasources, what a perfect governor!
Howard of Biddeford, ME
Aug 23, 2006 4:48 PM
The state of Maine suffers from one issue and it isn't high taxes. It is our own self inadequacy that thinks we must always rely on out of state corporations and now multi national corporations to have an economy in Maine. It's a three dollar bill of an argument and it's been around since our separation as a state from Massachusetts.
Don't we learn from past mistakes? People in Maine have broken their backs in mills run by out of staters for years. In the 1950's when local people wanted higher wages the mills went out of state for cheaper labor. Now because of national tax policy they are going overseas.
We need to take care of our own. I don't know if an extraction tax for water is the best idea but at least it's an idea. Woodcock and the other elephants in the legislature have thrown in the towel on Maine's people before the game has started.
Perhaps if the tax revenue was used to start a loan bank for businesses started by Maine residents it would be helpful. Look at the Indian nations. They have taken money from lawsuits and sale of land and used it to start businesses to help their people.
Pat LaMarche earns an A in my book for bringing something to the table besides the same old same old. Even if she doesn't win she's contributed to the depth of the campaign.
Dan of Portland, me
Aug 23, 2006 3:30 PM
The state of Montana long ago figured out that instead of being a whore for so many mining firms that it was time that the people of that state benefit by taking their fair share through an extraction tax. The most famous example of this nationally would be Alaska's dividends to its citizens from the extraction of oil in that state. In fact the example of oil is probably the most apt one since our clean water resources, like oil, are beginning to become a scarce commodity all over the world, where one billion people a day do not have access to clean water.
A Michigan court ordered Nestle to stop taking so much ground water from Michigan in November of 2003, thereby forcing nestle to look at their other holdings, chiefly Maine. Soon with Maine’s water being sent out of state and out of the country, the demand from less water rich states to our south will grow ever more, putting increasing pressure on Maine’s resources.
Let’s be clear that nestle water’s intention is to tank our water and ship it all over the globe. Don’t you think that we, the Citizens of Maine deserve to benefit from having some of the cleanest and most abundant water in the world? I do. And Pat LaMarche is the only candidate that realizes this is a growing problem. She, and only she, wants to get the best deal for Maine people from it while we still can.
