Taking prudence for a spin

By the time the Legislature reconvenes this morning, Gov. King’s veto count may have reached 25, perhaps higher. The number contrasts starkly with the measured, calming phrases — fiscal prudence, the need to balance worthwhile goals with available resources — the governor has used to explain his objections.

But measured, calming phrases are no substitute for informed decision-making. If Gov. King’s public statements explaining his veto of an amendment to the Family and Medical Leave Act are any indication, the gap between word and deed may be considerable.

In a speech before a Portland business group last week, Gov. King used this bill, deliberated, debated and approved by both chambers of the Legislature, as Exhibit A of the kind of well-intentioned mistake that could drive the last employer from Maine.

Here’s the spin he put on it for a roomful of Southern Maine movers and shakers: It would grant working parents 24 hours of unpaid leave a year to attend teacher conferences; it would cost shirtmaker C.F. Hathaway, with 500 employees, the lost-time equivalent of six full-time jobs and a good $120,000 a year; it would turn the otherwise commendable parent/teacher meeting into the last straw.

It’s a good anecdote; too bad the governor didn’t tell his audience the rest of the story. The bill also covers leave for a child’s medical and dental appointments. While teachers can be flexible about conferences, any parent knows how difficult it is to schedule medical and dental appointments for a child. Conferences are desirable; appointments are essential. One can, if necessary, be done over the phone; the other cannot. The governor intentionally and unfairly trivialized this bill.

And he now concedes that the Hathaway example was pulled out of thin air, developed without any input from the company. The leave is unpaid; it is an unlikely candidate for abuse. The replacement’s wages are a substitute for the regular worker’s wages, not an addition, so the $120,000 figure is a utter fabrication. The leave, by law, must be arranged 30 days ahead of time. In many cases, a smart company can plan ahead, rearrange schedules and eliminate the need for replacements.

If the governor had talked to actual employees about this, he might have learned that many have to call in sick for an entire day when all they really need is an hour or two of leave. If the governor had talked to anyone at Hathaway, he could have avoided making that fine company, without its knowledge or consent, appear to have a problem letting workers take their kids to the doctor or dentist. Or even to meet the teacher.

The governor’s point, of course, is that small regulations add up to onerous burdens. It’s a fair point, but one that can be made without the kind of misleading political spin that belongs on the campaign trail, not in the governor’s office. Legislators often put a lot of thought into their lawmaking. They now must wonder whether Gov. King does the same with his vetoes.