STATEHOUSE
Last chance for bonds package
Democrats hope to convert a few Republicans
By Susan M. Cover scover@mainetoday.com
MaineToday Media State House Writer
AUGUSTA -- When lawmakers return to the State House today they will have 13 bills left on the agenda, the most controversial of which is an $85 million borrowing package.
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The bill, L.D. 1826, failed on the final Senate vote Wednesday, leading Democrats to table it in hopes of finding more support for it over the weekend.
The package includes nearly $70 million to pay for rail and highway improvements and the Ocean Gateway Deep Water Pier in Portland. There is $5 million for ocean wind energy sites, $5 million for water and wastewater improvements, and $5 million for a new dental clinic and to expand access to dental care across the state.
Borrowing $85 million is estimated to cost nearly $19 million in interest, bringing the total cost of borrowing to almost $104 million, according to the state's fiscal office.
On Friday, Appropriations Committee Senate Chairman Bill Diamond, D-Windham, put out a statement urging Senate Republicans -- who unanimously rejected the proposal -- to come on board.
"Job creation is not a partisan issue," he said in the statement. "Both parties believe putting people to work is the highest priority of this Legislature and the package before us does that in an affordable way."
Diamond cited figures from the Association of General Contractors, a construction industry trade group, which estimates 2,750 jobs will be created or saved by the bond money.
Yet in their weekly radio address Saturday, Republicans held firm, saying the package is just too big.
"One after another, Republicans' good faith, affordable and fiscally responsible plans were summarily dismissed, by a Democratic majority, so confident that they would prevail that they were unwilling to negotiate," said Assistant Senate Minority Leader Jonathan Courtney, R-Springvale.
Unlike many legislative actions, bonds need two-thirds support, which means they require at least some Republican support. In the House, the $85 million package passed by just one vote.
In the Senate, at least four Republicans would need to vote in support to meet the threshold if all Senators are present at the time of the vote.
If approved by the Legislature, all but $5 million of the bonds would go on the June 8 ballot for voter approval. The money for dental services would be on the November ballot.
Other bills still pending include:
* "An Act to Prohibit Furnishing a Place for Minors to Use Illegal Drugs"
* "An Act to Improve the Seed Capital Investment Tax Credit Program"
* "An Act Regarding Energy Infrastructure Development"
* "An Act to Waive Certain Penalties Imposed against School Administrative Units if the State Has Not Fulfilled Its Goal of Paying 55 percent of the Costs"
The Senate is scheduled to come in at 10 a.m., followed by the House at 1 p.m.
Susan Cover -- 620-7015
scover@centralmaine.com
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12 COMMENTS
wingnut said...
NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!
April 12, 2010 at 12:57 AM Report abuse
WhoME said...
This bond Package would end up costing the state a ton. The state of Maine should not own the RR tracks, it will cost a small fortune to maintain the RR tracks. We do not need more spending!
April 12, 2010 at 5:39 AM Report abuse
bunny said...
Please vote no we can't take anymore on plate we have enough furlow days now. Some one has to pay for these bonds if these business need rail services then those businesses effected should buy it. Please Repulicans use good common sense today and vote nonono.
April 12, 2010 at 5:41 AM Report abuse
Govt2Big said...
wingnut is right and I hope people will call their Senators this morning and ask them to Say No! to more bonds and wasteful spending. The extreme liberals are pushing our future generations into a deeper and deeper pit called socialism... wakeup folks before it's too late! No More Bonds!
April 12, 2010 at 6:12 AM Report abuse
BHSR said...
Dems don't know the word NO. Did they nationally when the majority of the country said NO to health care? They said they would do it anyway, cause the people don't know what they want, and we know best. They will keep pushing here as well on this until they force it onto people here. NO is NO
April 12, 2010 at 6:16 AM Report abuse
taxmesomore said...
Sadly if this pork package passes, the public will vote it in at the polls. Also, I love it when the Republicans worry about our debt levels yet want to increase our income taxes by reversing tax reform!
April 12, 2010 at 7:09 AM Report abuse
CommomSense said...
Democrats....here the people NO! PS: You fired in November...go find a job to help pay back the other idiotic Bonds...
April 12, 2010 at 8:00 AM Report abuse
DeanBoy said...
$19 million in interest!!!! This certainly needs to be defeated.Tax and spend democrats at work.
April 12, 2010 at 8:20 AM Report abuse
ProConserv said...
OK liberal democRAT progressive dolts...here comes some hate speech...ready?...I HATE SOCIALISM!
April 12, 2010 at 9:20 AM Report abuse
Ripple said...
tax,borrow and spend, can the Dems come up with anything else besides digging the hole deeper that we are trying to crawl out of? Maine is in debt $11,000,000,000, and their only answer is to borrow more. We desperatly need a change of control in Augusta
April 12, 2010 at 9:27 AM Report abuse
common_cents said...
Every voter can find something to dislike about the entire package--With the abandonment of long held principles for running public schools, the legislature has emerged as 'whores' for money dangled in front of them by the current regime in Washington----they WANT TO BE PANDERED TO; TO BE BOUGHT OFF! JOBS...talk about a credibility test that has everyone laughing at the cupidity of Mitchell & co.; and irrelevance to the currently categories of unemployed or people graduating----hire all those female 'counselors' to work on roads projects? REALLY? Even if actually created the cost of each job is $60,000. hmm. CRUISE SHIP TERMINAL IN PORTLAND...giving money to the Portland city government is the quickest way to get rid of it. Besides, Portland already has TWO cruise ship terminals, and quandered money on a non-working waterfront, container terminal,taking out the rail connector, etc.
April 12, 2010 at 10:20 AM Report abuse
hillbilly said...
For once I am all for something being done in Augusta. Let's hear it for bondage as a package deal.
April 12, 2010 at 1:33 PM Report abuse