With the general election six months away, May seems a little early for political attacks. Nonetheless, my opponents are already at it, publicly distorting my voting record on education and other important matters.

It’s been said that in war, the first casualty is the truth, and I suppose the same could be said for politics. So I thought it would be a good idea to set the record straight on my voting record in the Maine Senate, representing the people of District 13.

When I was running for the Senate, I stated that one of my highest priorities would be education funding. There are several reasons for this, but most importantly, I believe that a vote for more public school funding is a vote for investment in our most precious resource, our young people. They are the doctors, teachers, bridge builders, scientists and farmers of tomorrow. They are Maine’s future.

As a former teacher, I understand how vital it is for educators across the state, in rural and urban areas, to have the necessary tools to give every student his or her best chance to succeed.

At the same time, I am also a business owner, and am keenly aware of the importance a strong economy has on our ability to adequately fund our schools. Simply put, the more money that is generated from a growing economy, the more we have for our schools.

That is why I was very concerned about an ill-conceived referendum that called for a significant tax increase in order to get more money for public schools.

While the intention may have been good, in practice it would have been devastating to Maine’s economy. The tax would have been especially harmful to Maine’s small businesses that employ so many of us, as well as to our efforts to attract professionals such as doctors and researchers. It would also have had the negative effect of discouraging investment in Maine and existing businesses would have been less likely to expand.

After hearing from so many of those who would be impacted during one of the longest public hearings I have seen at the State House, it became clear to me that we needed to find a balance between adequately funding our schools and protecting our economy.

That is precisely what I voted for. The Legislature was able to pass a budget that eliminated the surtax on Maine’s small, family-owned businesses while also approving the largest one-time increase in education funding in state history, and for the first time achieved the elusive goal of the state funding 55 percent of local education costs.

This was the best possible outcome, given the circumstances. We were able to give schools the funding that they need, thereby avoiding significant property tax increases in many communities, and, at the same time, avoid imposing a job-killing tax on our local businesses.

Again, we are in an election year, a time when facts often take a back seat to political rhetoric in the form of mailers, TV ads, radio ads and online ads. But I hope this clears up where I stand with regard to education funding.

If you come across one of these false attacks on my voting record, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss it with you. Please contact the Senate Republican Office at (207)287-1505.

Senator Dana Dow (R-Lincoln) represents Maine Senate District 13. He is the chair of the Legislature’s Taxation Committee and also serves on the Insurance and Financial Affairs Committee.