The Maine Legislature's Appropriations Committee is getting ready to tackle a new round of budget cuts in the next few weeks. As members of the legislature speak to the public about the pain and difficulty of these cuts, I think it is important to remember who put the public in the position to feel this pain. With years of allowing state expenditures to grow at an unsustainable rate, the members of the Maine legislature apparently thought the economy would sustain growth forever.
A Bangor Daily News article from 13 July, 2009 reports that the Appropriations Committee believes that it may need to cut $50 million from this years budget. Representative Sawin Millet (R-Waterville) believes that the two year budget may need to cut more than $100 million. Under state law the committee is already required to cut $30 from the second year of the current budget. Governor John Baldacci has already issued an executive order that freezes state hiring, overtime expenditures and travel.
When trying to figure out how the State of Maine got into this budgetary mess, one only has to look at the history of state expenditures. According to the Maine.gov website, Maine general funds expenditures have increased from $2.153 billion in 1999 to $3.083 billion in 2008. As recently as 2007, state expenditures increased at a rate of 7.1% over the previous year. These spending increases were well above the rate of inflation and represented a serious expansion of state government. This type of state government growth is a foreseeable outcome when a state is run out of single party rule.
The legislature will have to make the coming cuts mostly in the areas of education and human services as these expenditures make up 80% of the state budget. By allowing these programs to grow so rapidly over the years, the legislature has made a significant portion of the population dependent on these programs for support. As the people of Maine feel the pain in the coming months, I hope that the voters can remember who is responsible for this problem. While state Republicans are not innocent in this situation, a little party diversity in Augusta would have been extremely helpful in controlling the growth of Maine's expenditures.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Manie Turnpike Authority demonstrates Government Waste
The 10 July, 2009 issue of the Bangor Daily News contained an article about the new Maine Turnpike Authority administration building. While the article was a general fluff piece about the building, it got me thinking about the waste in this quasi government agency. Remember that these are the type of organizations that President Obama wants placed in charge of our health care and energy policy.
The Maine Turnpike Authority oversees the operation of the 109 mile long Maine Turnpike which is located in southern Maine. The annual revenue of the MTA is approximately $86 million. The new administration building is 55,000 square feet and was built for $11.9 million. By way of comparison, a new 200,000 square foot Super Walmart building is built for around the same amount of money but of course they do not have two story oak paneled lobbies. The MTA is using the building for its 116 office workers (this is office workers not toll booth workers or maintenance crews). If you break this down, that is over 500 square feet of administrative space per mile of turnpike and more than one administrative worker per mile of turnpike.
I know this story is about a relatively small quasi government agency, but can we really expect more efficiency from government agencies on a national scale. Citizens need to think real long and hard about the efficiency of government before turning over a large sector of the economy like health care to them.
The Maine Turnpike Authority oversees the operation of the 109 mile long Maine Turnpike which is located in southern Maine. The annual revenue of the MTA is approximately $86 million. The new administration building is 55,000 square feet and was built for $11.9 million. By way of comparison, a new 200,000 square foot Super Walmart building is built for around the same amount of money but of course they do not have two story oak paneled lobbies. The MTA is using the building for its 116 office workers (this is office workers not toll booth workers or maintenance crews). If you break this down, that is over 500 square feet of administrative space per mile of turnpike and more than one administrative worker per mile of turnpike.
I know this story is about a relatively small quasi government agency, but can we really expect more efficiency from government agencies on a national scale. Citizens need to think real long and hard about the efficiency of government before turning over a large sector of the economy like health care to them.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Maine Gay Marriage Law Repeal Effort
According to the 09 July, 2009 issue of the Bangor Daily News, the Stand for Marriage Maine coalition has gathered enough signatures to place the vote to repeal the Maine gay marriage law on the ballot. The necessary 55,087 signatures were gathered in a month and the coalition still has several more weeks to gather additional signatures.
Once the signatures are submitted and verified the law which is scheduled to go into affect on 12 September will be suspended pending the outcome of the vote. Supporters of the gay marriage law state that they fully expected the measure to end up the November ballot when it was passed by the state legislature. The issue should be hotly contested and increase voter turn out in an off year election.
In my opinion, this is a matter that is not worth the fight by either side. The institution of marriage has been basically destroyed by the government for years now. With no fault divorces, a welfare system that rewards single parent families, and marriage tax penalties, it is no wonder that the divorce rate in this country is so high. If marriage is not of extreme importance due to your religion or moral standings, it does not make logical sense to get married anymore. I do not think this is good for our society but I do think it is where we are at. At this point, I would rather see marriage become a personal or religious institution and have the government get out of it all together.
Once the signatures are submitted and verified the law which is scheduled to go into affect on 12 September will be suspended pending the outcome of the vote. Supporters of the gay marriage law state that they fully expected the measure to end up the November ballot when it was passed by the state legislature. The issue should be hotly contested and increase voter turn out in an off year election.
In my opinion, this is a matter that is not worth the fight by either side. The institution of marriage has been basically destroyed by the government for years now. With no fault divorces, a welfare system that rewards single parent families, and marriage tax penalties, it is no wonder that the divorce rate in this country is so high. If marriage is not of extreme importance due to your religion or moral standings, it does not make logical sense to get married anymore. I do not think this is good for our society but I do think it is where we are at. At this point, I would rather see marriage become a personal or religious institution and have the government get out of it all together.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Maine DEP Unsupportive of Renewable Energy Project
With the emphasis on clean and renewable energy, Tidewalker Associates might think that they could expect some state support for their tidal power proposal for Half Moon Cove, just south of Pleasant Point, Maine. Apparently, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection has a different take on this issue. During a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission meeting about the project on 24 June, 2009, DEP official Dana Murch described the project as “highly problematic” and unlikely to receive state approval.
The developer describes the Cobsook Bay project on their website as follows:
“ The entrance to Half-Moon Cove which borders Perry and Eastport (Maine) is the focus of this interest due to its narrow and relatively deep cross-section which would enable the harnessing of the tides for the production of electricity. In this case, the investigation will concentrate on the construction of a barrage (dam) to maximize production by utilizing tidal exchanges which average 18 feet during a typical lunar cycle. Tidewalker Associates will also investigate the use of current driven (or hydro-kinetic) devices as a secondary / supplementary and less effective manner for tapping the energy resources of downeast Maine.
In the case of the tidal barrage, the project with a capacity of 16 megawatts (MW) would generate approximately 38 million kilowatt-hour (kWhr) in a normal year which is equivalent to the annual demand of electricity for roughly 10,000 consumers. In comparison, a current driven turbine with a diameter of 16 feet installed at the entrance to Half-Moon Cove would generate approximately 120 thousand kWhr per year for a unit with an installed capacity ranging from 0.10 - 0.20 MW. In terms of equivalency, nearly 300 current driven turbines or hydro-kinetic devices would be needed to match the production of the tidal barrage.”
A 25 June, 2009 article in the Bangor Daily News stated that the DEP objections to the project centered around a potential 2-3 foot rise in the water level at low tide in the cove. This water level change would only affect the low tide height and would not effect the levels at high tide. Murch also expressed concerns about the economic viability of the project.
First of all, why is the economic viability of this privately funded project of any concern to the Maine DEP? Their agency has no jurisdiction on the funding or profits of a privately funded company. They are supposed to be there to oversee environmental regulations but apparently they believe this gives them authority over all areas.
This type of project would provide a major economic boost to this depressed area of the state. A source of cheap electricity is a major draw for any potential business. Estimates are that electricity rates from this project would be $0.13 to $0.15 below the state average per kwh. The project itself would create jobs for the area, business relocation to the area would create jobs, dependence on foreign fuel would be reduced and greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced.
The Maine legislature needs to rein in the DEP on these energy production issues. Our society needs energy production in order to function and thrive. Every means of production has environmental drawbacks whether it be wind, solar, nuclear, fossil fuels, or tidal power. We need to decide what environmental cost and economic cost that we will pay. If the dependence on foreign suppliers for fossil fuels is to risky and the greenhouse gas emissions are going to kill us all, then perhaps a couple of feet rise in the low tide mark is a price that is o.k. in order to power our homes and industry.
The developer describes the Cobsook Bay project on their website as follows:
“ The entrance to Half-Moon Cove which borders Perry and Eastport (Maine) is the focus of this interest due to its narrow and relatively deep cross-section which would enable the harnessing of the tides for the production of electricity. In this case, the investigation will concentrate on the construction of a barrage (dam) to maximize production by utilizing tidal exchanges which average 18 feet during a typical lunar cycle. Tidewalker Associates will also investigate the use of current driven (or hydro-kinetic) devices as a secondary / supplementary and less effective manner for tapping the energy resources of downeast Maine.
In the case of the tidal barrage, the project with a capacity of 16 megawatts (MW) would generate approximately 38 million kilowatt-hour (kWhr) in a normal year which is equivalent to the annual demand of electricity for roughly 10,000 consumers. In comparison, a current driven turbine with a diameter of 16 feet installed at the entrance to Half-Moon Cove would generate approximately 120 thousand kWhr per year for a unit with an installed capacity ranging from 0.10 - 0.20 MW. In terms of equivalency, nearly 300 current driven turbines or hydro-kinetic devices would be needed to match the production of the tidal barrage.”
A 25 June, 2009 article in the Bangor Daily News stated that the DEP objections to the project centered around a potential 2-3 foot rise in the water level at low tide in the cove. This water level change would only affect the low tide height and would not effect the levels at high tide. Murch also expressed concerns about the economic viability of the project.
First of all, why is the economic viability of this privately funded project of any concern to the Maine DEP? Their agency has no jurisdiction on the funding or profits of a privately funded company. They are supposed to be there to oversee environmental regulations but apparently they believe this gives them authority over all areas.
This type of project would provide a major economic boost to this depressed area of the state. A source of cheap electricity is a major draw for any potential business. Estimates are that electricity rates from this project would be $0.13 to $0.15 below the state average per kwh. The project itself would create jobs for the area, business relocation to the area would create jobs, dependence on foreign fuel would be reduced and greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced.
The Maine legislature needs to rein in the DEP on these energy production issues. Our society needs energy production in order to function and thrive. Every means of production has environmental drawbacks whether it be wind, solar, nuclear, fossil fuels, or tidal power. We need to decide what environmental cost and economic cost that we will pay. If the dependence on foreign suppliers for fossil fuels is to risky and the greenhouse gas emissions are going to kill us all, then perhaps a couple of feet rise in the low tide mark is a price that is o.k. in order to power our homes and industry.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Senator Snowe feels that Capitalism is not enough
When you look at the cell phone industry, there seems to be enough competition out there to let market forces provide consumers with good options. In a capitalistic society, this should allow the consumers to vote with their dollars on what is the best service. Even in rural Maine, there seems to be a lot of companies that want to provide cell phone service. Apparently Rep. Senator Olympia Snowe feels that these market forces may not be enough for consumer protection in Maine.
In a 7 July, 2009 article in the Bangor Daily News, Snowe threatens cell phone companies with FCC action if they do not do a better job in providing universal access and protecting consumers. I understand the role of the government in regulating public utilities as they have a virtual monopoly on providing electric or land line service to an area but why should the government be active in an area that the consumer has so many choices. Competition should drive the companies to providing more serviceable options to consumers. If there is a vacuum in one particular area of service, new companies should pop up to fill that vacuum. I know it is kind of unpopular now but that is how capitalism works.
Why do our elected officials feel that they have the right to insert their noses into every issue? It may be because most of the voters are basically acting like little children looking for an adult figure to protect them from themselves, but I digress.
With huge federal deficits, an energy policy that is in shambles, two wars continuing, rogue nations developing nuclear weapons, social security becoming unstable, and numerous other major issues, Snow should perhaps be lending her voice to issues that may be more critical to our nation. Just because a government official receives complaints on an issue does not necessarily make it a government issue.
In a 7 July, 2009 article in the Bangor Daily News, Snowe threatens cell phone companies with FCC action if they do not do a better job in providing universal access and protecting consumers. I understand the role of the government in regulating public utilities as they have a virtual monopoly on providing electric or land line service to an area but why should the government be active in an area that the consumer has so many choices. Competition should drive the companies to providing more serviceable options to consumers. If there is a vacuum in one particular area of service, new companies should pop up to fill that vacuum. I know it is kind of unpopular now but that is how capitalism works.
Why do our elected officials feel that they have the right to insert their noses into every issue? It may be because most of the voters are basically acting like little children looking for an adult figure to protect them from themselves, but I digress.
With huge federal deficits, an energy policy that is in shambles, two wars continuing, rogue nations developing nuclear weapons, social security becoming unstable, and numerous other major issues, Snow should perhaps be lending her voice to issues that may be more critical to our nation. Just because a government official receives complaints on an issue does not necessarily make it a government issue.
Maine Budget Woes do not affect the Turtles
Many Mainers may be under the illusion that the economic downturn and tax shortfalls are leading to cuts in services out of Augusta. This is not the case if you happen to be a snapping turtle or an eastern painted turtle. The state has installed 15 new turtle crossing signs in Wells, South Berwick and York. The locations of the signs were determined through a migratory study of the turtles that utilized small transistors glued to the back of nearly 100 turtles. Since the primary migratory times are June and July, the state plans on removing the signs at the end of that period and reinstalling them each year. I could not find a total cost to this program but I am sure it is well worth the cost even if it saves just one turtle from the rolling death of a tire wheel.
The story of this effort to save these turtles was carried in the Maine Sunday Telegram and included the stories of heroic motorists stopping in the road to save turtles. Efforts like this are helping to prevent what Mark Usinger of Portland, Maine described as the “carnage” of squashed turtles on Maine roads. I will not be surprised when we receive the first report of a turtle rescuing motorist that is run down by a tractor trailer truck why aiding one of our shelled friends in a crossing. I seem to remember from my driver’s ed days many, many years ago that you should never suddenly stop or swerve to avoid any creature in the road that is smaller than a dog as your actions are more dangerous than the outcome of hitting the animal. I am not sure if this is the accepted standard anymore.
One story that I found extremely concerning was related by wildlife biologist Jonathan Mays. He told of a concerned motorist that had found an endangered Blanding’s turtle trying to cross the Maine Turnpike. Fortunately, the driver was smart enough to realize that she should not carry the turtle across the highway but she did need help getting the turtle to safety.
So in Maine we will continue our great efforts to save the turtles. No matter what the cost is in human blood and treasure. We will do what is necessary.
The story of this effort to save these turtles was carried in the Maine Sunday Telegram and included the stories of heroic motorists stopping in the road to save turtles. Efforts like this are helping to prevent what Mark Usinger of Portland, Maine described as the “carnage” of squashed turtles on Maine roads. I will not be surprised when we receive the first report of a turtle rescuing motorist that is run down by a tractor trailer truck why aiding one of our shelled friends in a crossing. I seem to remember from my driver’s ed days many, many years ago that you should never suddenly stop or swerve to avoid any creature in the road that is smaller than a dog as your actions are more dangerous than the outcome of hitting the animal. I am not sure if this is the accepted standard anymore.
One story that I found extremely concerning was related by wildlife biologist Jonathan Mays. He told of a concerned motorist that had found an endangered Blanding’s turtle trying to cross the Maine Turnpike. Fortunately, the driver was smart enough to realize that she should not carry the turtle across the highway but she did need help getting the turtle to safety.
So in Maine we will continue our great efforts to save the turtles. No matter what the cost is in human blood and treasure. We will do what is necessary.
Bangor Daily News uses Howard killing to push agenda
The 7 July, 2009 issue of the Bangor Daily News carried a front page article about the 25th anniversary of the Charlie Howard killing to pursue their own editorial agenda. For those unfamiliar with the tragic tale of Howard, he was attacked and killed in Bangor, Maine by three teenagers in Bangor, Maine. The teenagers kicked Howard and threw him over the railing of State Street bridge and into the Kenduskeag Stream where he drowned. The three teenagers identified as Daniel Ness, Shawn Mabry and Francis Mabry apparently attacked Howard due to the fact that he was openly gay.
The Bangor Daily News used this sad anniversary to make social comment and editorial on their front page. The article contained the following paragraph:
“Politicians, activists and clergy contacted for this article were reluctant to link Howard’s legacy - whatever it may be - to same-sex marriage. But the current wrangling over the issue, some said, shows how far the state has come in the past 25 years and how far it still has to go toward equality:”
Judy Harrison, the reporter on this article, was obviously trying to use this article on Howard’s death to frame an issue that she wanted to address. She is looking to use the anniversary of the Howard death to equate those that oppose the same-sex marriage law with the criminals that committed this crime. That the failure to support all of the gay rights legislation is one step away from a hate crime.
Howard’s death which was an obviously horrendous event has absolutely nothing to do with the same-sex marriage issue. The tragedy of the event was that three teenagers were so out of control that they took actions that killed a man. The fact that they did this because he was gay should have little bearing on our disgust over their actions. If they had done this to a Jew, a Muslim, a member of a rival gang or some crazy member of the KKK, would their actions have been any more or less horrible? If they had not killed Howard for being gay, they would probably of committed some horrendous act on some other poor soul for upsetting them in some way.
The Bangor Daily News should stick to fact reporting on their front page stories and save this type of social framing to their editorial page. This anniversary is a front page story as this story shook the community 25 years ago. But that tragic event had little or nothing to do with the political debate taking place in the state today.
The Bangor Daily News used this sad anniversary to make social comment and editorial on their front page. The article contained the following paragraph:
“Politicians, activists and clergy contacted for this article were reluctant to link Howard’s legacy - whatever it may be - to same-sex marriage. But the current wrangling over the issue, some said, shows how far the state has come in the past 25 years and how far it still has to go toward equality:”
Judy Harrison, the reporter on this article, was obviously trying to use this article on Howard’s death to frame an issue that she wanted to address. She is looking to use the anniversary of the Howard death to equate those that oppose the same-sex marriage law with the criminals that committed this crime. That the failure to support all of the gay rights legislation is one step away from a hate crime.
Howard’s death which was an obviously horrendous event has absolutely nothing to do with the same-sex marriage issue. The tragedy of the event was that three teenagers were so out of control that they took actions that killed a man. The fact that they did this because he was gay should have little bearing on our disgust over their actions. If they had done this to a Jew, a Muslim, a member of a rival gang or some crazy member of the KKK, would their actions have been any more or less horrible? If they had not killed Howard for being gay, they would probably of committed some horrendous act on some other poor soul for upsetting them in some way.
The Bangor Daily News should stick to fact reporting on their front page stories and save this type of social framing to their editorial page. This anniversary is a front page story as this story shook the community 25 years ago. But that tragic event had little or nothing to do with the political debate taking place in the state today.
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