Incumbent Faults Rise in Patronage Under Baldacci, New Taxes to Prop Up Failed Dirigo Health
By Will Tuell
Downeast Coastal Press,
Sept 30, 2008
Rep. Howard McFadden, the Dennysville Republican running for re-election in House District 30, renewed his opposition to Maine's school consolidation law at the September 23 meeting of the Machias Rotary Club. McFadden also talked about the state's budgetary woes, Dirigo Health, and the need for alternative energy sources including liquefied natural gas and nuclear power.
McFadden, who has supported repeal of Maine's school consolidation law since it was first passed in June 2007 and later amended this past spring, said that, in his view, the Department of Education (DOE) and the state Board of Education have lost respect with local school officials and others.
“What I'm hearing is that the education department has no credibility with any of the superintendents around the state and a lot of other people that I've talked to. And the state board doesn't have any credibility because of this RSU [regional school unit] fiasco.”
McFadden said that DOE officials, who are appointed to their positions, are forced to choose between their jobs and supporting Gov. John Baldacci over the issue. “We have a big problem in state government,” McFadden said. “The big problem is the commissioner of education is appointed by the governor. ...The education commissioner should be elected ... because [as an appointee] she must do what the governor says to get her $110,000 a year. If she doesn't she'll be gone.”
McFadden said the governor and his appointees in the DOE have lost credibility because their grand reorganization/consolidation law had ulterior motives. “The bottom line is that this law doesn't mention closing schools,” he said, “but that's what it's all about. It's all about closing small schools. They want to consolidate them and get rid of them.”
McFadden also too a dim view of the new Essential Programs and Services (EPS) funding formula, calling it an “urban formula for a rural state,” whereby more money is transferred from the poorer, rural areas of the state to the wealthier, more urban regions.
A rural area might typically receive only 84 percent back on teachers' salaries, bus drivers salaries, cooks, teachers aides and ed techs, he said, “while down in the Portland area they're receiving 107 percent to 108 percent. This is backwards to me. This is like reverse Robin Hood—robbing the poor and giving to the rich. ... The EPS formula is an urban formula for a rural state. It works in Portland; it works in Bangor; it works in Lewiston. It works in a large area where they have 2,500 kids, but it doesn't work in this area.”
McFadden Predicts Massive Budget Crunch, Takes Aim at Dirigo, Political Patronage
McFadden also predicted that the state faces a severe budget crunch this fiscal year, and accused state budgeters of playing “little tricks” on taxpayers to make people think Maine is in a better position financially.
“It looks to me right now that we're probably going to have a $200 million to $300 million shortfall on our next budget. That means there are going to be more cuts. You read in the paper where on July 1 the state had a surplus. Let me tell you why they had a surplus. The state, very cleverly, doesn't pay any bills in June. That's why they have a surplus. Then, in July, which is a new fiscal year, they start paying their bills and they're in the red again.”
McFadden suggested that many of the state's financial woes can be attributed to Dirigo Health, a program designed to provide state-subsidized health insurance to the uninsured, but which has seen low enrollments and runaway costs since its creation.
“There's around 12,000 people signed up right now for Dirigo Health,” said McFadden, “but they needed 140,000 people to make it feasible. … As a result, the Legislature passed a new bill which levies 1.8 percent on hospital and doctor bills, and it also levies taxes on beer, wine and soda. This is why you're seeing a taxpayers revolt.”
The group Fed Up with Taxes successfully launched a petition drive asking voters to repeal the beer, wine and soda tax legislation. The issue will be put to voters in the form of a people's veto this November.
McFadden also offered harsh words over the issue of political patronage—members of the Legislature retiring for high paying state jobs, based on political connections.
“We have probably over 200 positions in state government where they make over $100,000 a year. The Governor only makes $75,000. Of course he has his perks, his house, his travel, that sort of stuff. There's too many positions up there; they're paying too much money. Some of these [legislators] when they get termed out, he [Governor Baldacci] just finds a job for them.”
Strong Supporter of LNG Down East
“We need to harness wind power. I know we have some people against it—the environmentalists, they have their rights also—but we need to harness wind power,” said McFadden. “We need to harness hydro-power, and we also need to probably look at nuclear power. I know it might not be the safest thing there is, but if it's cared for properly, I think it's pretty safe.”
McFadden said he strongly favored the development of a liquefied natural gas facility in Washington County. “I push LNG,” he said. “I know a lot of people are against LNG, worrying about ruining Cobscook Bay. ... But the big problem that we're having is that the Canadians do not want it.”
Citing environmental concerns, they appear to oppose it because they don’t want the competition it would entail for their own LNG facility now being built in St. John, New Brunswick, that the Canadians are already building a terminal in St. John, said McFadden. “They say it's not safe in Head Harbor Passage, and in the St. Croix River, but it's safe for them to put the LNG in our pipelines and ship it across the state of Maine into Massachusetts. That's safe, because it's to their advantage.”
McFadden will face off against Pembroke Democrat Dennis Mahar on November 4. District 30 includes Alexander, Amherst, Aurora, Beddington, Cooper, Crawford, Deblois, Dennysville, East Machias, Eastbrook, Franklin, Great Pond, Jonesboro, Mariaville, Marshfield, Meddybemps, Northfield, Osborn, Pembroke, Wesley and Whitneyville, and the unorganized territories of Centerville Township, East Central Washington (part, including Edmunds, Marion and No. 14 Townships), East Hancock (part), North Washington (part) and Northwest Hancock.