AUGUSTA — State Rep. Bernard Ayotte (R-Caswell) posted a perfect 100 score when it came to voting for small business interests during the two years of the 124th Legislature. The Maine chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) analyzed roll call votes to calculate scores for all 186 members of the Legislature.
“I’m proud of my record in support of jobs and a stronger Maine economy,” said Rep. Ayotte, a second-term legislator who serves on the Natural Resources Committee. “Our economic problems are well known – a low rate of job creation, a poor business climate and a tax and regulatory burden that impedes business startups and expansion. I use my vote whenever I can to improve our situation to benefit the people of our state and to block bills that would worsen the damage.”
David Clough, director of the Maine NFIB, stated the scores are based on votes on bills of particular interest to small business owners, who create most of Maine jobs. “The scores serve as a guide to evaluate lawmakers’ understanding of the issues important to small business,” he said. “A perfect score of 100 shows that the legislator is in tune with the entrepreneurs and company builders who are the engines of growth in the state’s economy.”
The NFIB used seven key bills to arrive at the scores. Among the bills considered in the scoring was LD 1495, a tax restructuring plan that expanded the sales tax to 103 services, raised the meals and lodging tax to 8.5 percent and eliminated the mortgage interest deduction. The Democrats passed the bill without a single Republican vote in the House, and the governor signed it into law. Last June, the voters of Maine repealed the law by 62 percent to 38 percent in a People’s Veto referendum.
Another bill in the mix would have created an experimental sales tax holiday over the Columbus Day weekend, similar to tax holidays in place in 16 states. The bill failed in the House on a party line vote. Another bill created a new 2.14 percent tax on doctors’ bills to fund the Dirigo Health program, which is widely seen as a failure. That bill passed the House and Senate on party line votes and is now law. The NFIB opposed it.
The NFIB’s list also included a bill allowing an individual to collect unemployment benefits even if the person is collecting vacation pay at the same time, leading to what some call a “double dip.” Vacation pay was previously offset against unemployment benefits. The Democratic majority in the House and Senate passed that bill on party line vote.
