SOS working on signatures

 The Secretary of State’s Office is continuing to check the petitions that have been submitted to call for a people’s veto of the new tax reform law.

 After taking some time away to get ready for this November’s election, Deputy Secretary of State Julie Flynn said they are back to looking at the signatures for at least another few weeks.

 A group of Republicans, led by Sen. David Trahan and Party Chairman Charlie Webster, turned in about 60,400 signatures on Sept. 11 to try to overturn the new law.

 Members of the Legislature’s Taxation Committee spent hours Thursday talking about how to apply the new law to the tax code, should it able to take effect in January as scheduled.

 The law lowers the income tax from 8.5 to 6.5 percent, expands the sales tax to previously untaxed items, and raises the meals and lodging tax. Supporters say it will lower the tax burden for most Maine families and bring stability to state revenues by  spreading out the sales tax base.

 But Trahan and Webster predict that while the sales tax will be permanently expanded, the income tax will inch back up in future years.

 If they do have enough signatures, the law will be put on hold until after a June vote by the public. Expect a nasty campaign — and a difficult legislative session — if this issue makes it to the ballot.