Maine: Fed Up With Taxes

Fed Up with Taxes, the group behind the people’s veto of the beer, wine and soda taxes, will face a fine of up to $10,000 for filing a late campaign finance report.

The matter will be taken up in the weeks after the election. Jonathan Wayne, executive director of the Ethics Commission, said that they will be encouraged to ask for a fine reduction.

Fed Up with Taxes, the group behind the proposed people's veto of the beer, wine and soda tax, has made protecting Maine businesses a key theme in its campaign this fall.

However, a review of the political action committee's finance reports show that it has spent a small proportion of its budget on campaign services from Maine businesses.

The group is backing Question 1, which would repeal the taxes created at the end of this year's legislative session to fund Dirigo, the state's health insurance program.

Newell Augur, chairman of Fed Up with Taxes, and outgoing Maine House speaker Glenn Cummings (D-Portland) will debate both sides of Question 1, which asks voters to repeal the recently passed beer, wine and soda taxes to support the Dirigo health care program.

Fed Up with Taxes is the group behind the people’s veto.

The debate will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday in Room 1 of Payson Smith Hall at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.

UPDATED 4:20 p.m. with a statement from the No on One Coalition 

UPDATED 3:57 p.m. with details of Health Coverage for Maine's finance report

UPDATED 3:51 p.m. with comments from Newell Augur of Fed Up with Taxes

Fed up with Taxes, the group behind the people’s veto of the recently passed beer, wine and soda taxes, raised $1.5 million during the third quarter, bringing their grand total up to $2.1 million.