Maine People's Alliance - Medicare Part D "Doughnut Hole" Press Release

Hundreds of MPA members demonstrate commitment to their communities and the democratic process by volunteering to help defeat Question 1

BANGOR, LEWISTON, PORTLAND—This evening, the Maine People's Alliance will end its successful campaign to educate Mainers throughout the state about the dangers of TABOR and the need to vote “No” on Question 1. By the end of the night, hundreds of volunteers will have come together to protect Maine families and communities from the spending cap initiative known as TABOR.

“While we are confident that Mainers will defeat Question 1 today at the polls, regardless of the outcome, our campaign to defeat TABOR has been an incredible success organizationally. We have hundreds of new members who joined MPA specifically to help protect Maine from the disastrous consequences seen in Colorado after TABOR passed there. Now, having learned how to conduct campaigns of this sort, these new members will join MPA in our other campaigns, such as the fight for Universal Single Payer Health Care, successful implementation of Dirigo Health, ensuring that all Mainers have access to affordable housing, eliminating mercury from the Penobscot River and adoption of a comprehensive chemicals policy for the state,” said Jesse Graham, Maine People's Alliance associate director.

MPA’s “Defeat TABOR” campaign was one of the most intense campaigns ever conducted by the organization. Over the course of roughly three months, MPA members, canvassers and staff contacted more than 45,000 Mainers, educating them about the dangers of TABOR. In a massive outreach effort, hundreds of volunteers went door-to-door in communities throughout the state, made phone calls to thousands of Mainers, and participated in numerous informational sessions held in homes and at events throughout Maine.

“Because the passage of TABOR would affect so many of us in so many different ways, the volunteers who have come out to help defeat the initiative have included people from all walks of life: high school students, retirees, teachers, coaches, nurses, social workers, teenagers, parents and grandparents,” added Graham. “But their basic reason for getting involved has been the same—defending our communities and families from a threat that would threaten valuable public services that we can only afford as a community of taxpayers.