On Maine Politics

The battle over MPBN

Betty Adams — Mon, 16 May 2011 13:02:08 GMT

Executives from the Maine Public Broadcasting Network are expected to once again plead their case to state lawmakers Monday as they face the total elimination of all of their state funding.

Last week, Gov. Paul LePage proposed to keep the $4 million originally slated to go to MPBN over the next two years. He told the Associated Press that he has nothing against the network, he just needed to find $4 million to close a budget gap.

Along with MPBN executives, who stressed last week that the money amounts to 20 percent of their operating budget, a group of LePage supporters is expected to testify in favor of the cut.

Maine People Before Politics, which is run by two former LePage campaign staffers, sent out an action alert this weekend asking supporters to show up at 2 p.m. Monday when the Appropriations Committee will take public testimony on the cut.

The press releases praises LePage for his "courage" to do what's right and listed three reasons why it's a good decision.

1. Funding these entities "is outdated."

2. Maine people have "more choices than ever before in television and radio programming. The state should not spend taxpayer money to subsidize public television and public radio."

3. State funding leads to a competitive disadvantage for local radio and television. "These private companies have to go out and sell advertising to succeed. The taxpayer should not be subsidizing an entity that competes directly against Maine's small businesses."

It will be interesting to see where lawmakers end up on this issue.

Bill to raise speed limit in northern Maine

Betty Adams — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:08:39 GMT

A group of northern Maine lawmakers are backing a bill that would raise the speed limit on Interstate 95 from Old Town to Houlton.

Rep. Alex Willette, R-Mapleton, is the primary sponsor of L.D. 1557, which would let drivers legally go 75 mph on that stretch of highway. The after-deadline bill is headed to the Transportation Committee for a public hearing.

Flood sets aggressive budget timetable

Betty Adams — Tue, 03 May 2011 14:41:21 GMT

Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Flood, R-Winthrop, told fellow committee members Monday he hopes to have the budget voted out of committee by May 16.

In addition to work through the week, the committee will meet this Saturday, and the following Saturday and Sunday, in an effort to get the budget completed, Flood said.

Rep. John Martin, D-Eagle Lake, said he's not optimistic they can meet the May 16 deadline.

"I see no way this is going to get completed in two weeks," he said.

Flood acknowledged that it's an aggressive goal, but said he felt it was important to at least have a time line. The legislative session is scheduled to be completed by June 15.

The committee got another update from the retirement system Monday that included a new set of numbers. Later this week, the LePage administration is scheduled to release a change package that could total as much as $100 million, said Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Rosen, R-Bucksport.

New bill: Voters must approve tax and fee increases

Betty Adams — Mon, 02 May 2011 14:49:17 GMT

The Legislature's State and Local Government Committee took testimony Monday morning on L.D. 1248, which would require voters to approve tax and fee increases.

Sponsored by Sen. Mike Thibodeau, R-Winterport, the measure was supported by the Maine Heritage Policy Center and Mary Adams, a long time proponent of lower taxes. Others spoke in favor as well.

The bill is straightforward: If lawmakers approve a tax or fee increase, it would then go to voters for approval at the next scheduled statewide election.

But opponents, such as the Maine Center for Economic Policy, say the bill is unnecessary because lawmakers already have the power to send tax and fee increases to voters for approval if they deem it necessary.

The bill faces a committee vote and will then start its journey through the legislative process in the Senate.

Latin American group meets with LePage

Betty Adams — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:41:55 GMT

Ralph Carmona, president of Portland League of United Latin American Citizens, and Marc Mutty, treasurer of the group, met with Gov. Paul LePage today to emphasize the importance of Latinos to Maine and the country.

"The purpose of the meeting with the governor was to see if we can move forward and get beyond the kind of chaotic discourse that's occurred in the public arena," Carmona said. "To express our disagreements with him on a number of issues."

One of those disagreements comes over an executive order LePage signed in January that requires workers at the state Department of Health and Human Services to verify that those seeking assistance are in the country legally.

Carmona presented the governor with a program from last month's Cesar Chavez ceremony, which LePage did not attend. Carmona has also been critical of the governor for directing that all Department of Labor conference rooms be renamed, including one that was named after Chavez.

Carmona said LePage brought up the issue of the labor mural removal. LePage asked Carmona if he thought it was fair that money from an unemployment fund went to art work instead.

Carmona said the decision to remove the mural goes beyond dollars and cents.

"Working people like all people look at quality of life beyond just a direct benefit or a direct wage," he said. "They look at all the things around them."

Carmona said the governor did assure him that he wanted to travel to Lewiston and Portland to hold forums with immigrants.

LePage sets "positive tone" with GOP caucus

Betty Adams — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:29:14 GMT

Senate President Kevin Raye, R-Perry, said Gov. Paul LePage set a "positive tone" Thursday at a meeting with Senate Republicans.

The governor, also a Republican, talked to the caucus about the budget. Earlier this month, he told Capital News Service reporter Mal Leary that he would veto the budget if it didn't include all of his major elements, namely tax cuts, pension system reform and welfare reform.

But Thursday's discussion had a different tone, Raye said.

"Today was a much more constructive tone, a much more positive tone," he said. "The governor understands that the final budget will not be the precise budget he presented."

Having said that, Raye said he is confident that those "fundamentals" will be in the final product. It's just that the details may change.

"Gov. LePage's imprint will be very strong on the budget," Raye said.

LePage's veto threat rang somewhat hollow, given the requirement that after today -- March 31 -- the Legislature would need a two-thirds vote to approve the budget. So if it gets vetoed, the Legislature would have already demonstrated that it had the votes for an override.

This week, the Appropriations Committee completed public hearings on the $6.1 billion, two-year budget. The real work begins now, as lawmakers hash out what they can accept, what they can't live with, and what will get enough support from both parties to pass.

House Chairman Pat Flood, R-Winthrop, said earlier this week that he hopes to have the budget out of committee by May 10. That would leave a little over a month left in the session for the House and Senate to take votes and get a final document to the governor.

Maine's 'Open for Business' sign came from Alabama

Rick Wakely — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:38:49 GMT

After Gov. Paul LePage last week installed an "Open for Business" sign on I-95 in Kittery, some people wondered if the sign was installed on the right border. After all, the sign was manufactured by a company in Alabama.

Cynthia Rosen, the Knox County tea party activist who led a fundraising effort to buy the sign, said she initially looked for a Maine business to make the sign but was unable to find one that made signs that could meet Maine Department of Transportation specifications.

So she ordered the sign from Rice Signs of Auburn, Ala. The company makes signs for highway departments around the nation.

Rosen, who was the Knox County campaign coordinator for LePage, said she and her husband, John Stewart, raised the money for the 8-foot by 4-foot sign, which cost $1,376.73, including shipping.

The couple has $310 left over, which they plan to use to reimburse the state for installation costs.

Rosen said there may be a Maine company that can manufacture a highway sign, but she had to work quickly to get the sign ready for LePage's inaugural events.

"We couldn't locate a company in the state, and time was ticking," she said.

She and Stewart decided more than a year ago to raise money for the sign after hearing LePage say at a forum that he would erect such a sign in Kittery if elected.

She said the sign is an important symbol for the changes LePage plans to bring to state government.

"It just seemed like a tangible expression of what the change might mean," she said.

Underwood gets "Servivr" license plate

Betty Adams — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:02:43 GMT

Secretary of State Charlie Summers and a few of GOP state Senators gathered in the chamber this morning to give "Survivor" star Ashley Underwood a specialized license plate.

Underwood, a Benton native and former Cony High School basketball player, made it through another episode of the reality show that aired last night. A very thin Underwood was very careful about what she said to the Senators while receiving her vanity plate.

"Oh my gosh this is so awesome!" she said as Summers handed her the Chickadee plate with seven characters that said "Servivr."

Sen. Roger Katz, R-Augusta, and Sen. Thomas Martin, R-Waterville, participated in the event as her local Senators.

"Did you see snakes and tarantulas?" Katz asked.

Underwood said she saw all sorts of yucky things and was eaten by mosquitoes nearly every night. She noted that there was "no make-up" and "no razors" and that they got just one scoop of rice to eat in the morning and one scoop at night.

On Wednesday's episode, Underwood earned a reward that included eating donuts. She said normally, as a young woman, she's very concerned about eating junk food. But as a starving and sleep-deprived Survivor, she was more than happy to partake in the donuts.

The group quickly moved on to photos when Sen. David Trahan, R-Waldoboro, started asking questions that could lead one to conclude whether or not Underwood won the show. Katz, wearing his lawyer hat, stepped in to run interference and told Trahan that all his questions would need to be submitted in writing.

LePage more popular than Baldacci

Betty Adams — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 19:44:31 GMT

Republican Gov. Paul LePage is more popular with Maine voters than former Gov. John Baldacci was near the end of his term, according to a recent poll by Public Policy Polling.

The North Carolina-based polling firm said 43 percent of Mainers approve of LePage's job performance versus 48 percent who disapprove. About 9 percent of voters said they are undecided. Only 29 percent approved of Baldacci, a Democrat, according to a PPP poll last fall.

The poll showed a gender gap in LePage's support. More than half of women polled - 52 percent - said they disapprove of the new governor, versus 39 percent who approve. About half of all men polled - 49 percent - said they approve of LePage, versus 44 percent who disapprove.

The automated poll was conducted from March 3 to March 6 and surveyed 1,247 Maine voters. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percent.

Public opinion on same-sex marriage remains close, according to the poll. About 47 percent of Mainers approve of legalizing marriage for gay couples compared with 45 percent who oppose it and 8 percent who are unsure. Maine voters rejected a law allowing same-sex marriage in 2009, 53 percent to 47 percent.

Click here to see the full polling results.

Tobacco funds to spark fight

Betty Adams — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 14:37:03 GMT

The next major debate in the Appropriations Committee comes Friday, when those who receive funds or benefit from programs paid for by tobacco settlement money come to the State House.

The proposed budget would take nearly $18 million a year out of the fund and use that money to pay for the Medicaid program. Groups such as Serenity House are sounding the alarm, saying that cuts to substance abuse programs will mean the number of residential treatment facilities will drop from 13 to three.

Also, those who've benefit ted from a home visitation program for mothers and children plan to take part in a Friday press conference. And, as we reported earlier, there are job cuts related to the loss of Fund for Health Maine money, including workers who investigate reports of abuse and neglect in foster homes.

Expect more big crowds, and emotional testimony, starting at 10 a.m. on Friday.