Legislature left record of accomplishment

From all emphasis on the end of the recent legislative session, in this newspaper and elsewhere, one might be forgiven for thinking the legislature did little this year. That is hardly the case and, in fact, the legislature acted on many issues. Over the last two years, the 121st Maine Legislature has compiled an impressive record of accomplishment.

One of the key challenges we tackled was also one of the first – the bankruptcy of Great Northern Paper Co. in Millinocket. I had barely been a state senator for a month when I and hundreds of my constituents were thrown out of work by the shutdown of GNP in January 2003. It was a devastating blow to a region that has, for generations, depended on the mill.

Thanks to the outstanding response of everyone from local officials to Gov. John Baldacci and Rep. Michael Michaud, we were able to facilitate the purchase of GNP’s assets by Katahdin Paper, pass emergency legislation to provide temporary health care benefits to displaced workers and their families, and provide re-training opportunities to workers. I have worked with a number of employers who have or soon will open in the Katahdin region, including Brims Ness Corp., a developer of high-technology sensors.

Things are far from back to normal, but thanks to the efforts of many good people there is reason for hope.

There were many other matters before the Legislature, and we set a course that will benefit Maine people for years to come. First, we tackled major budget problems in a straightforward and responsible manner. A $1.2 billion structural gap and a subsequent $250 million shortfall in the MaineCare account required the passage of numerous supplemental budgets. Despite some awful proposals, we were able to enact balanced budgets without eliminating major services and without increasing taxes. This was far from easy and required difficult choices between education, health care, and other governmental services. As painful as these choices have been, they have left Maine with a leaner and more efficient government, one that is better prepared to meet the challenges of the future.

The major health care accomplishment of the 121st Maine Legislature was undoubtedly Gov. Baldacci’s Dirigo Health plan. This innovative effort to improve health care in Maine will deliver benefits to all Mainers. Due to Dirigo Health’s provisions to control health care and insurance costs, premium increases this year were the lowest in years. If you have health insurance, Dirigo has already saved money for you and/or your employer. The other major feature of Dirigo Health is a new low cost health insurance plan for small businesses and individuals. The plan will be available this summer. This new plan will expand access to health care and reduce costs for Maine businesses, allowing them to thrive and grow here in Maine.

The 121st Maine Legislature took concrete action on a number of other fronts to help Maine businesses and workers. Last year, we passed and the voters approved a $60 million economic development bond, which is now paying dividends through increased research and development. We helped workers by providing unemployment insurance for part-time employees and raising the minimum wage. However, Maine’s economy still has much room for improvement. Nearly 40,000 people remain out of work, with an unemployment rate well over 10% in some areas.

One answer to the problem of unemployment is to train people for our changing economy. To that end, we created the Maine Community College System. The System represents the transition of the Technical College System from a focus on skills training to serving as an inexpensive entry point for higher education. Today, a student can turn to the System for the skills necessary for a career in nursing or the machine tool industry, or to start toward a bachelor’s degree. Last year, I served on the Presiding Officer’s Task Force on Creating a Future for Youth in Maine and I am convinced that raising education levels is the key to both growing the state’s economy and raising the income of individuals.

Finally, as the Senate Chair of the Taxation Committee, I was involved in much of the discussion about tax reform. This year Maine voters will face two initiatives that claim to offer property tax relief – the MMA/MEA school funding initiative in June and the unconstitutional Palesky Tax Cap in November. Palesky is an irresponsible, short-sighted proposal. It is fiscally irresponsible and would greatly reduce home rule and local control by starving cities, towns and counties of funds. Real tax relief requires that governments at all levels live within their means, as state government has over the past two years.

I am proud of what we accomplished in response to the MMA/MEA initiative. Although it was little commented upon, the Taxation and Education committees did outstanding work this year in reforming the state’s commitment to K-12 education. We jointly produced An Act To Reduce the Cost of Local Government through Increased State Education Funding and Provide Property Tax Relief (LD 1924). This act commits the state to the essential programs and services model (EPS) for funding K-12 education – a model based on providing the necessary resources for schools and students to meet the Learning Results standards. It will increase the state’s share of K-12 education to 55% by 2010 and cap local education spending at about 8 mills by the same date. That will help property taxpayers and K-12 students.

The budget dominated discussions of the recent legislative session, but the 121st Maine Legislature will be remembered by what its groundbreaking efforts to expand access to higher education, make health care more affordable, and improve K-12 school funding.

Stephen S. Stanley of Medway is a state senator representing parts of Penobscot County.