Endorsements 2006

John Baldacci for Governor

Any leader who can close a $1.2 billion budget gap without raising broad-based taxes, who could begin Pine Tree Economic Zones, enact Dirigo Health, lead on the creation of the Community College System and launch Maine’s broadband access program has built a commendable record. But John Baldacci did all this while successfully fighting to keep mills open and while joining the effort against a federal attempt to shutter military bases here. He deserves to be re-elected.

This record began with an ambitious agenda in 2002 when he left his safe seat in the U.S. House of Representatives to return to Maine to run as governor. A look back at his goals shows generally positive results. For instance, he promised to raise the state’s share of K-12 funding to 50 percent, up from 43 when he began, and he hit that target in the current budget. He promised to eliminate the business equipment tax and did so. He promised to hold spending flat against gross state product and he beat that measure handily. He pledged to raise international trade by 25 percent, and it is up 39 percent from the first half of 2002 to the first half of 2006.

Gov. Baldacci’s willingness to too often let others explain the policy and its implications inadvertently hid a record that is better than its reputation. He has acknowledged recently that he should have been out front on issues more often, a positive sign of a stronger governorship in his second term.

Olympia Snowe for Senate

Sen. Olympia Snowe’s willingness to take – and maintain – a principled stance, that is sometimes at odds with her party, coupled with her ability to develop bipartisan compromises on important issues have served her and Maine well in the Senate. Her consis-tent popularity indicates Mainers are pleased with her work in Washington and that she should be re-elected.

Sen. Snowe has sharpened her criticism of the administration’s handling of the war, calling for a re-evaluation of U.S. policy in Iraq. She stood up to party leadership and President Bush and forced a tax-cut package, a signature of the 2000 presidential campaign, to be cut in half because it was unaffordable. Sen. Snowe was a member of the so-called Gang of 14 that negotiated a compromise to end a Senate deadlock over judicial nominations. She has also successfully challenged the administration’s push for Medicare cuts and a change in the Navy’s shipbuilding policy that could have devastated Bath Iron Works.

In a Congress that will remain closely divided, working across the aisle will be critical to passing legis-lation on health care, energy, Iraq and other critical issues.

Mike Michaud for 2nd District

During his two terms in Washington, Rep. Mike Michaud has developed a solid understanding of the issues and politics that are important to Maine. He has worked tirelessly for legislation to assist economic development, especially in the rural parts of the state, to allow veterans to more easily get the health care treatment they need and to secure funds for transportation projects in the 2nd District.

Rep. Michaud has led on legislation to create a Northeast Regional Economic Development Commission, which would enable the region to seek funding for economic development projects like the development of armored tents at the University of Maine and an Auburn company’s work on using paper mill sludge as a source of hydrogen, an alternative energy source.

Likewise, on veterans’ issues, Rep. Michaud has sponsored legislation that would allow veterans to use local providers for some of their health care needs. This would save veterans from having to travel hundreds of miles for treatment and will boost rural hospitals that need more patients.

Tom Allen for 1st District

Rep. Tom Allen began his congressional career advocating for lower prescription drug prices for Medicare recipients. Now that Medicare’s Part D has provided drug coverage with ineffectual price negotiation, the need for Rep. Allen’s proposal is more apparent than ever. To that issue he has added legislation to create guaranteed, discounted insurance coverage for small businesses (50 or fewer employees) that meet state requirements and provide participating insurers with reinsurance coverage.

In areas such as ethics reform for members of Congress and for lobbyists, on environmental issues and economic development, Rep. Allen has worked with colleagues on sensible legislation. As a member of the minority, his work is more likely to end up as part of a larger bill than standing on its own, but the impor-tant thing is that it is included.

Rep. Allen is sharp on the details of his proposals and has a deep understanding of the possibilities in Congress. He has served the state well in crucial areas of legislation and has demonstrated the energy and drive to continue his work.

No on Question 1

Groups that support the Taxpayer Bill of Rights ballot initiative fairly say that Maine has been largely unsuccessful in lowering its tax burden, a result of the absence of leadership on state and local budget reform. But instead of placing their trust in the public’s ability to understand its responsibility, their solution is to install narrow, formulaic tax-and-spending restrictions. TABOR is the mechanical alternative to representative government.

Maine must not be so willing to surrender.

TABOR badly accounts for the rise and fall of demands on government services. It hands over to a legislative minority the ability to determine any tax or spending increases. It tells local government how much it can spend. It relies on the Consumer Price Index even though government doesn’t buy the same products as a typical consumer. Its taxation provision violates this state’s constitution, according to Maine’s attorney general.

TABOR’s negating, confining view of Maine is not necessary. Positive, pro-growth alternatives such as the new Brookings Institution report on Maine do much more than cut spending by dictating limits. The Brookings report, called “Charting Maine’s Future,” calls for cuts too, but it actually identifies areas of Maine government that are wasteful, it shows where Maine is being ineffective and seeks savings without wholesale harm to services.

Rather than accepting TABOR’s fiscal straitjacket, Maine citizens should put on their work clothes and take part in the remaking of their state and local governments.

Yes on Question 2

If Question 2 sounds like bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo, it is. However, it serves the important goal of clarifying the timetable for the citizen-initiative process.

Most people aren’t aware that there was confusion, even conflict, over when petition signatures must be turned in for a measure to be considered for the ballot. But after ruling by The Maine Supreme Judicial Court, it became apparent that with the secretary of state’s deadline for drafting a petition question and the time town clerks needed to certify the signatures as valid, petitioners had only 345 days, not the required full year, to gather signatures.

Question 2 fixes this by amending the Constitution to clarify that the signature collection and verification process must be completed within 18 months. This gives petition organizers more time to launch a campaign and collect signatures and town clerks sufficient time to validate them.