The gridlock in Augusta, unfortunately, shows no sign of breaking, and I’m sorry to report that the legislature has still not wrapped up its work that was supposed to conclude back in April due to disagreements over several issues.

We were called back in for a special session in June to take care of matters left unfinished when the legislature abruptly adjourned in April. Since then we have been back in Augusta several times, and here it is mid-July, and there’s still no telling when the 128th Legislature will adjourn for good.

One of the main sticking points is how much money should be given to publicly funded candidates who use Maine’s Clean Election system. Legislators reached an agreement on the amount that should be given to these candidates during the two-year budget negotiations last year. But there was a typo in the bill that would normally be corrected with an “errors bill.” Republicans and Democrats in the House, however, have been unable to come to terms on correcting the language, and that is preventing Clean Election candidates from receiving much of their funding.

Caught in the crossfire of this battle is the important tax conformity legislation which I have discussed before. The tax conformity legislation was created to align Maine’s tax code with the federal tax overhaul approved by Congress last year.

As the chair of the Taxation Committee, I was proud to help negotiate an agreement with Democrats and Republicans on tax conformity. It is frustrating to see it still tied up in the legislature and being used as a political football, because it is the people and small businesses of Maine who will be affected most by it.

Our failure to pass tax conformity would likely cost Maine’s small businesses millions of dollars and create headaches for many tax filers who will have to maintain two sets of books, one for the federal code and another for the State of Maine. I know what negative consequences our failure to pass tax conformity will have on my business, and I am deeply concerned about what it will mean for businesses across the state.

There has been some progress at the State House, however. I am pleased to report that the legislature did pass a transportation bond to maintain our state’s roads and bridges, as well as an education bond to help renovate classrooms and provide funding for the University of Maine System and the our community colleges. Voters will have the final say on whether to support these borrowing packages during the November election.

It is highly unusual for Maine lawmakers to be in Augusta this time of year. We are a citizen legislature, made up of individuals who have careers and other commitments outside of Augusta and usually only count on being at the State House between January and June during the first session of our two year terms, and between January and April of the second session.

Furthermore, Maine taxpayers are picking up the tab for the cost of this seemingly never-ending special session. It is time for cooler heads to prevail so we can pass the tax conformity bill and send our lawmakers home.

Senator Dana Dow (R-Lincoln) represents Maine Senate District 13 and serves on the Legislature’s Taxation and Insurance and Financial Affairs Committees.