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Robert Charles on Budget & Economy

 

 


Our state is spendthrift with no accountability

Q: On budget and spending: Our rates are 5.8% to 7.1% income tax. Would you lower those? Or where would you cut?

CHARLES: We are talking about a state that grew from $7.1 billion to $14 billion in eight years. That has never happened in the state of Maine and never anywhere in the United States. We are talking about a state that is spendthrift and the reason is we have no accountability whatsoever in the state. We are in an environment where we need oversight. When you begin to do real oversight, you will find literally billions of dollars.

PINGREE: I would work hard to ensure we have a balanced budget that invested in our health care system, that invests in housing, and ensures a quality education for our kids.

BENNETT: The ugly truth is that we have not had any transparency. It has been six years since we have had a public hearing. That is the reason the state budget has grown 77% in 10 years, twice the rate of inflation.

Source: C-SPAN transcript on 2026 Maine Gubernatorial race , Oct 1, 2026

If you double the budget it becomes unsustainable

Bad decisions--decisions that constantly grow government, concentrate power, take liberties away--are being made by tone-deaf, arrogant, power-hungry, self-absorbed, un-listening legislators and a Democrat governor, attorneys general, and secretaries of state, you hurt people.

What does that mean? It means if you double the budget in seven years, double taxes, in a place already struggling with the highest property, and near-highest total tax burden, it becomes unsustainable.

Source: The Maine Wire, "Game," on 2026 Maine Gubernatorial race , Apr 7, 2025

Other governors on Budget & Economy: Robert Charles on other issues:
ME Gubernatorial:
Angus King
Ed Crockett
Hannah Pingree
Janet Mills
Paul LePage
Rick Bennett
Shenna Bellows
Troy Jackson
ME Senatorial:
Angus King
David Costello
Demi Kouzounas
Graham Platner
Janet Mills
Susan Collins
Troy Jackson

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Page last updated: Oct 11, 2026; copyright 1999-2022 Jesse Gordon and OnTheIssues.org