Dear Editor:

Question 2 is on the ballot because the legislature has been unable to get its act together to provide state funding for education at 55 percent as mandated by another voter referendum in 2004, and also because the legislature has failed to address fair and balanced tax reform measures.

The question asks voters if we support additional funds for K-12 education by enacting a 3 percent surcharge on income over $200,000 a year. It would raise about 147 million dollars, all of which is mandated to go only to classroom instruction.

As a former high school teacher, elementary school administrator, and present school committee member, I support a "yes" vote on this question. Money from this initiative would be deposited into a special fund which could be used only for classroom instruction, and would be distributed to cities and towns by the existing formula for statewide distribution of aid to public schools. Our school district will not see any new money from this initiative, because we have adequate property valuation to support an adequate education; many other towns do not. That's how the state aid formula works, to ensure all Maine kids get an adequate education.

Question 2 puts the 3 percent surcharge on only the income over $200,000, and it seems to me, results in a more balanced tax picture than the one we have at the moment, where an income of $40,000 is taxed at the same rate as an income of $1,000,000, and it does so in support of the most important work of our society; namely, that of providing the best possible learning environment for kids in classrooms across the state.

Bruce MacDonald

Boothbay