No-nonsense Dem launches blistering attack on clueless colleagues for pushing policy Americans will hate

A no-nonsense Democrat in Maine has blasted her colleagues for pushing an out-of-touch tax policy on their constituents that could cost them their re-election.

Portland City Councilors discussed raising taxes during a workshop meeting on Monday night, reported the Portland Press Herald.

The city's finance director, Brendan O'Connell, said they will likely face roughly $20 million in budget 'challenges' for the 2026 fiscal year.

Councilors posed potential tax increases between 3.2 percent and 7 percent, which prompted a surprising reprimand from District 5 Councilor Kate Sykes.

'I think we just need to get real about this. None of us are going to be re-elected if we don't get real about this,' Skyes said. 

'If it's not completely obvious to all of the Democrats here at the table, the American public is done, okay, with the way the way that we have gone forward in the past.'

Concerns about inflation and the economy motivated most American voters in the 2024 Presidential Election, according to Public Religion Research Institute data.

Increasing housing costs and everyday expenses was the most critical issue to 57 percent of Americans and 79 percent of Trump voters.

Skyes - who was the former co-chair of the Maine Democratic Socialists of America - suggested a 3.2 percent increase because it is on par with the rate of inflation.

'We need to be really considering the impact to the average property tax owner, the working class people of our city who are spending an enormous amount of money for services that do not help them,' Skyes said.

'I want to see if we do any tax levy increase at all that it is budget neutral for people. Let's raise taxes on people who can afford it. I am all for that. But our tax system is deeply regressive, and it's just untenable politically.'

In polling before the election, Trump dominated the key issues that decided the election.

Voters repeatedly said he was the strongest candidate on inflation, jobs, and the border.

Inflation peaked at a 9.1 percent annual rate in June 2022 during global supply chain problems after the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Overall consumer prices have fallen since then but have ticked up in recent months, from 2.4 percent in September to 2.9 percent in December.

Trump said he owed his victory to Americans' anger over immigration and inflation, specifically the rising cost of groceries.

'When you buy apples, when you buy bacon, when you buy eggs, they would double and triple the price over a short period of time,' he told NBC's 'Meet the Press. 'And I won an election based on that. We´re going to bring those prices way down.' 

However, in Trump's first week back in the White House, little in his initial blitz of executive orders directly tackled those prices besides directing federal agencies to start 'pursuing appropriate actions.'

He is taking steps to lower energy costs, something that Trump hopes will have ripple effects throughout the economy.