THE “INITIATIVE” PUBLIC INPUT SUMMARY

The “Initiative” Public Input Summary

As of Friday, August 24, 2007 at 12:00 Noon

Reorganization – Natural Resources

Combine the Departments of Conservation, IF&W, Environmental Protection, Marine Resources, Forestry and Agriculture into one department of Natural Resources. Abolish LURC, contract with neighboring communities where UT development is being proposed for permitting and regulation.
From: Ryan D. Pelletier; PO Box 55, St. Agatha, ME 04772; townmanager@ainop.com;
543-7305
Merge IF&W and DMR into one unit. These two departments have significant mission commonality with one providing oversight for freshwater and inland gaming and the other saltwater environs.
From: Sen Karl Turner
Merge the departments of Agriculture and Conservation into a single department with a single commissioner.
Merge departments of IFW and Marine resources.
Merge all drinking water programs in DHHS under DEP.
State Planning Board, DEP, IF&W and Conservation Commission should all be brought together. Often the DEP and Conservation agencies tell the State Planning Board what can and cannot be done and where. We don't need three or four different agencies all telling one what the other can or cannot do. Further, it becomes a regulatory nightmare. Just one agency should be able to do it. We don't need ten. That way you'll have one agency going in one direction and you could cut about half of the personnel.
From: LizWLane@aol.com
If you can't outsource the activities of the following groups, why can't the Department of Conservation be combined with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Atlantic Salmon Commission, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Department of Marine Resources, Maine Port Authority and the Department of Environmental Protection. It would do a better job at protecting the environment and eliminate redundant and/or conflicting regulatory nightmares. Call it the Department of Environmental and Wildlife Conservation and show the rest of the country what environmental leadership is all about.

Reorganization – Other

Merge the Departments of Community & Economic Development with the Department of Professional & Financial Regulation as proposed by the administration in the first session of the 123^rd.
From: Sen Karl Turner
The Maine Turnpike Authority and the Department of Transportation have many common elements as regards highway and bridge infrastructure. Merge the MTA into the DOT.
From: Sen Karl Turner
Eliminate the State Planning Office. Move its economic related activities under the Budget Office rename as Office of Budgeting and Planning. All other programs within SPO should be moved to the Department of Conservation or the DEP as appropriate.
Merge DFPR under DAFS but place all consumer protection functions in the AG's office.
Merge all of the cultural agencies under SoS.
Department Affected - Maine Department of Labor 1) Eliminate Local Workforce Investment Boards. These Boards function as little more than "middle men" obtaining and transmitting information to and from Maine CareerCenters and the Department of Labor. CareerCenters can provide the required information directly to the Department of Labor and vice versa. Any oversight or administration mandated by the Workforce Investment Act can be provided solely by the Maine Jobs Council and/or Department of Labor. LWIB's are an unnecessary layer of administration with administrative budgets out of proportion to the work they perform.
Move the Maine Development Foundation to the State Planning Office.
Move the Disability Rights Center and Pine Tree Legal Assistance to the Maine Human Rights Commission.
Merge the Board of Trustees of the Maine State Retirement System with the DOE retirement system.
Merge the Board of Trustees of the Maine Technical College System ($42,000,000) and the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine System ($190,000,000). Combine the systems and use the savings to offer free Community College enrollment to all resident students who average a "B" grade or higher.
Consolidate the system offices for UMS and MCCS, as well as Maine Maritime
Reorganize more departments in state government and hand out bonuses and extra vacation to any state employee that comes up with an idea that streamlines and or increases efficiency and reduces state spending in their department. I also think every department should be audited by an efficiency expert.
From: Chris Russell; E5@maine.rr.com
I strongly suggest the elimination of the Maine Geological Survey. That bureau duplicates the work of the Federal agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and perforce fills no useful niche in State government. The entire staff could be placed within existing government structure, except for the State Geologist, who either could be given early retirement or a position with the University. If he chooses to leave, the title of State Geologist should be settled on the Head of the Geology Department at UMaine, an action in keeping with similar efforts in other states. I have no idea of the annual budget of the MGS, but expect that it is in the range of three million dollars when salaries, office rental supplies, and other expenses are included. Maine owns no energy resources to help support excess state government as states like Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, West Virginia, and other states do, and for our state to support an unnecessary bureau such as the MGS is misdirected. Thank you!
From: John O. Maberry; 14 Crockett Cove Drive, Deer Isle 04627
It seems to me savings could be accomplished by combining the food inspection services of DHHS and the Department of Agriculture under one Agency.
Decrease the size of government. Align salary increases to similar positions in the private sector. Government salaries tend to increase every year. Private sector salaries often do not increase during down economic times and will often increase faster than inflation during better economic times.
Merge the financial, personnel and other administrative support functions for the Constitutional Officers into a new Constitutional Officers services center. Options as whether it be freestanding, included with other DAFS service centers or included in Legislative offices?
Consolidate state government in much the same way as the schools are being consolidated. With computers there should be ways to do state business more efficiently.
From: Bob Sprague; 106 Donworth Road, Stockholm, 04783; bergenne@ainop.com

Legislature

PLEASE consider REDUCING the SIZE of the LEGISLATURE! If school districts are expected to reduce their numbers to 80 districts, there is even more reason to reduce the Legislature, perhaps also to 80. With fewer members, they might even be able to get more accomplished in a more timely fashion. LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS MIGHT BE ALTERED TO COINCIDE WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS - IT'S WORTH CONSIDERING! THINK "out of the box" but be cautious with reducing services to the poor and elderly. They need all the help they can get. Thanks for listening.
From: Gouldsboro
I think that much could be saved by cutting the numbers of legislators in half. That would cut the numbers of staff by a similar amount and save a whole bunch of money. The number of bills should be limited as well and the session shortened.
From: George A. Fogg, Chair of North Yarmouth Taxpayers Assoc.; 56 Deer Run Road North Yarmouth, ME 04097; gafogg@verizon.net; 207-846-6333
Move to unicameral legislature. One assembly, no senate, limit the number of bills put up by each member.
Shrinking the legislature--we don’t need 180 -plus people.
Rid the legislature of half (actually more than that) the elected officials. We have too many people trying to make decisions.
Cut the size of the legislature to a unicameral system - 2 reps per county, 64 total people! Use the savings to fully fund the Homestead Exemption program!
From: Robert Reed; 58 Albert Street; scoutreed@aol.com; 782-5482
Reduce the size of the legislature.
Not enough time or space here to lay it all out for you, but, end SPECIAL sessions. Get your work done on time and that's that. In the real world, you would get fired if your work was substandard or late or incomplete at the end of the day? Regionalize the government such as the new school admin system is being revamped. Thanks.
From: Gary Dion; 27 Nottingham Dr; catsle@metrocast.net; 651-0590
While we're consolidating school districts, let's also cut the size of the state legislature in half. Maine has one state senator per 36,000 constituents, while 25 states have over 100,000 constituents per senator (highest is one per 846,000). For the representatives, Maine has one per 8400, 25 states have at least 37,000 per representative (highest is one per 425,000). Let's have the legislature demonstrate a little leadership! It will reduce salaries, overhead, infrastructure, health benefits, pensions, and probably a lot more I haven't listed.
From: Judith Foster; rcfoster@suscom-maine.net
Reduce or cut out all together raises for Maine politicians for a period of one year---I can guarantee that if the politicians are willing to tighten their belts, then the citizens of Maine will be more willing to follow suit. AND THIS DOES NOT MEAN TO DO IT RIGHT AFTER A PAY RAISE HAS BEEN VOTED IN--that would certainly be seen as a slap in the face of all Maine citizens.
From: Jill Gott; 170 Garland Street, Apt # 2, Bangor, Maine 04401; 945-5999
Take money away from law makers!!!!!!! They shouldn't be allowed to vote themselves pay raises! That would save the state a lot of money.
From: Arthur Koch Jr; Searsport ME; fireman@psouth.net
Reduce the number of Legislators.
Freeze the legislators pay. The legislators are not forced to run for election so why do we have to pay them such a high salary. If they don't like the pay they don't have to run. Pay them similar to New Hampshire's salary. Their salary and benefits are more than some workers are paid for 40 hours a week.
From: kcrcun@megalink.net
We elect the legislators to vote for us but we have no control of their salary or benefits. The voters should have some say as to their benefits and salary.
I recommend cutting the Legislature in half and establishing a unicameral government that meets every two years. The members’ salaries are not much but the Per Diem is very high. Maine has the same size legislature as states with a population 10 or 12 times higher or more. Less people does not change the representation of constituents but it make for a more efficient government. Less people means less bills for consideration and more time to focus on real priorities.
From: RICHARD DUFFY; mengcold1@adelphia.net; 242-5944
Since the State is taking local control away from its people by dramatically reducing local school boards and superintendents by saying we can do with far less the same government officials should also reduce the size of our legislature. I realize this will never be done because no one in the state government will allow their job to be eliminated, but sees no problem eliminating jobs in education. Maine doesn't need such a large legislature!!!
Reduce the Legislature down to one Representative and one Senator per County.
From: Dan Vaughan; 19 Lawn Ave, Gorham, Maine 04038; sfcvaughan@gwi.net;
839-2029
We need to cut our legislative body in HALF!! Too many representatives for our small population. Then...limit the terms to 2! That should give us a good start on cutting the budget.
From: June Cushing
Perhaps we should cut our legislature and their hefty pay raises (they give themselves), as well as their hefty health care benefits in retirement. Why should anyone get 80% retirement benefits after working only 8 yrs(the # allowed to buy in), and only 4-6 months out of the year at that!!!!! If you were a legislator before 1991 (I believe this figure is correct), you had 100% health care coverage in retirement!!! How much is this costing the citizens of the state? Most working people don't have any of these benefits. Why should hard-working citizens have to pay for state workers health benefits and after such a short amount of service to our state? I'm a teacher and we get 40% benefit coverage in retirement. If this is good enough for teachers working more months out of the year and usually more career years, than it should be good enough for the legislature and other state workers. Let's also cut the # of legislators, much like they want to do with school administration (which I agree with). We don't need all this heft in such an unpopulated state, and a state where usually the citizens vote on referendums in the end anyway!

Eliminate health care coverage for all elected officials.
From: Frank Rier; 9 School Bus Rd; frankrier@yahoo.com; 320-1111
Cut by at least one half the Legislature. Not only would that save the cost of those saved positions, it would hopefully cut nearly in half the number of bills introduced by legislatures. This would be a tremendous savings directly and indirectly as less invasive and frivolous bills would be debated and considered. In fact I always feel safer when the legislature is not in session. It seems that taxpayers are always in jeopardy when the legislature is in session as they tend to create new expenses to be funded and paid for without regard to the grief that causes the citizens of Maine.
Remove all state employees and legislators current health insurance and replace it with the Dirigo Health program.
Reduce the number of state legislators
I would suggest cutting the size of the legislature for a good start. After reading of the so called savings on school consolidation and seeing the reports coming from school districts and towns that are going to be adversely affected by increased costs, my suggestion is the best one I can come up with short of asking everyone that voted for the bill to resign.
My suggestion to save the state of Maine and its taxpayer’s money, is to do away with taxpayer’s campaign financing for all Candidates running for State office. My reasons for this are simple: taxpayers already foot the bill for everything in the state and towns, including education, running the town, public safety, and welfare when needed. Why then should we be called upon to foot the bills for every candidate who decides to run for state office? Let the candidates raise funds the old-fashioned way, through being popular and going door to door, or giving family-style, community-minded spaghetti suppers at the Elks Clubs. What is wrong with doing things the old-fashioned way? This taxpayer financing of big elections is overblown, unnecessary waste of our good tax dollars, and I for one would like to see it STOPPED. That will save Maine 4 or 5 million every two years - I say, it is worth re-visiting this issue! Why do the politicians think they have the right to automatically be handed everything on a silver platter? For that matter, I prefer to enact "Term Limits" on legislators. Now that makes better sense!
From: Holly & Sylvia Reed; 80 Bay View Street; Camden Maine; Reedh@ctrealtor.com; 236-3167
We don't need all the reps that we have. They vote them self a pay raise when they want one. We retirees get one each year but most of it goes Medicare so we don't gain much....
We have too many representatives.
From: 786-3590
I would like to see the amount of legislators cut in half. And the remaining ones be only allowed to present one bill a session. That way they would be more careful in presenting the most important ones.
From: Terry Weston; westonx2@aol.com
Why does this State have so many Representatives in Augusta? We have many more than Some States that are much larger than ours! You're trying to streamline how many Superintendents we have,(GREAT IDEA) let’s keep it going and Streamline State Reps. Why do these State Reps. not have to pay for their own lunches. You mentioned cutting some of the perks. once but nothing ever became of it, or I guess they voted it down. But every other person that works and pays taxes in this State has to buy their own lunch, Why Shouldn't They!!!
From: James W. Dunn; jwdwinggss@hotmail.com
My suggestion is to decrease the number of legislators that serve in the House and Senate in Maine. Although I know they will never vote themselves out of a job, it is time that we streamlined our government so that the number of legislators is in line with those serving in other (more populous) states. The need for this became blatantly obvious to me the year that a law was passed regulating taking bathroom breaks at Bingo games! It is clear to me that we have too many representatives serving – with far too much time on their hands. The number of laws presented for consideration in each session seems excessive. Perhaps if there were fewer legislators they could focus a bit more on what is really needed to efficiently run the state!
Decrease size of legislature.
Reduce the number of legislators in Augusta. Let them vote and attend meetings via teleconference and email.
From: Chris Russell; E5@maine.rr.com
Cut the Legislature to 75% of its current size.
From: Joe McAllister; 16 Wildwood Lane, Gray ME; kelciecoll@maine.rr.com;
657-7375
Cut back on the number of state representatives. Go by county and not districts.
From: Julia Comeau; jacomeau63@gmail.com
Only pay for the government officials’ medical insurance while they are in office not for life or at least have them pay a fair share of for the insurance!
From: Clifford Shamrock; shammies29@hotmail.com
Eliminate the new Legislative Office that was supposed to produce significant savings. I don't believe this office has made any recommendations that produce savings.

Position Eliminations

The legislature should review the number of management level employees in state government and establish a goal to eliminate at least one layer of management in each state agency. Supervisory/Management level employees should have at least 5 direct reports. Flattening an organization is preferable to eliminating line level staff that interacts with the public. There also appears to be an excessive number of financial administration employees when compared to states with similar populations such as New Hampshire. This data can be found in the U.S. Census Bureau database. Can financial administrative duties be consolidated in a manner similar to what is being requested of the School Districts?
There are several positions that could be eliminated:
1. State Nuclear Safety Advisor - Salary more than $75,000 per year, total cost with benefits more than $100,000. Maine has no nuclear facilities whatsoever, except for the low-level waste site in Wiscasset. Why do we need this position?
2. Associate Commissioner, DAFS. Salary more than $90,000, total cost with benefits is $120,000.
3. Development Program Manager in DECD Office of Innovation. Salary more than $60,000, total cost with benefits is $85,000. This is clerical or low-level administrative work.
Eliminate the Office of the Public Advocate and related staff. Enhance the requirements of the public utility commission to err on the side of the rate payer while insuring the regulated entities secure the necessary rate of Return on Equity/Return on Investment.
From: Sen Karl Turner
Outsource the Single State Audit and downsize the State Audit staff. This idea was proposed via an LD introduced in the first session of the 123rd.
From: Sen Karl Turner
Eliminate the public affairs and legislative liaisons at the department level.
From: Sen Karl Turner
Eliminate the collection and publishing of heating oil prices and the jobs associated with same.
From: Sen Karl Turner
Eliminate the collection and publishing of land based and wireless telephone plans for consumer guidance and the positions associated with same.
From: Sen Karl Turner
Get rid of political appointed positions who have no expertise in areas they are working in and are getting high salaries. Have too many departments that overlap and give conflicting decisions. Need to go back and look at all programs and eliminate ones that are no longer viable. We can not afford all the high benefit healthcare and retirement benefits in the public sector. Private sector has cut back and the public sector must do it too. We will never attract business with our unfriendly business climate and high taxes and high cost of doing business. I don't see anything being done because our State leadership will never make the hard choices unless citizen initiatives over react and cut ability of the legislature to increase expenditures above the inflation rate.
From: A concerned taxpayer and citizen.
Get rid of the OIT group and hire some competent systems design contractors. Invest in professional development in 21st century skills at all levels while at the same time, flatten the levels and broaden span of control.
From: A concerned taxpayer and citizen.
Consolidate all HR Back office functions to a central location.
Implement a hiring freeze.
Eliminating all "public relations" positions in the executive departments and give the Governor's office an extra position or two to do the PR work for the departments. Savings = about $1 million.
I have been an employee of the Maine Department of Corrections (DOC) since 1978. Since that time I have seen the DOC central office staff swell from a small handful of people to the present prodigious number. But from the viewpoint of a probation officer or prison guard, the DOC central office is much less efficient and responsive than it used to be! There is no need to have several associate commissioners and a large number of collateral bureaucrats with their secretarial staff. The DOC used to be run, and run well, by a single commissioner acting alone. Pruning back the DOC central office staff would save vast amounts of money. If this is true of the DOC, a relatively small department of state government, how much more true of the large departments!
Follow the recommendations of the Brookings Report and eliminate management personnel where they exceed the average of rural states Brookings used for comparison.
From: Jonathan Albrecht; 170 Common Rd; jalbrecht@saunders-usa.com
Reduce the size of the government. Fire one out of every ten managers and assistant managers (hey, it happens in the "real world," why not cut backs in gov't?)
Eliminate the office of Professional Regulation.
Eliminate the State Department of Education.
Cut back the Maine Warden Service, who apparently have nothing better to do than harass the owner of that Chinese restaurant in Freeport.
Department Affected - Maine Department of Labor 1) Please request and review the latest BES Management Survey. The survey reflects poor management and managerial attitudes at BES in Augusta. Clearly, managerial personnel and positions with BES in Augusta should be reevaluated. In addition, BES is top heavy with managerial positions.
Several years ago the state hired 2 people, at $50,000 each plus travel expenses, to verify that the Department of Purchases was not buying from "sweat-shops". It would have been much less expensive to have just told the buyers "don't buy from sweat-shops". This was an insult to the purchasing department and a total waste of money. Get rid of those 2 positions (I can only hope that they've already been terminated...but I doubt it).
Eliminate the State Board of Property Tax Review and save over $100,000 - this group certainly isn't doing its job.
Maine Fire Protection Services Commission? I don't see a Maine Police Protection Services Commission...get rid of it and save a quick $15 - $20K.
I think something that should be closely looked into is all the individual licensing and registration boards. I am sure that there could be many cuts there. If you look into for example, the massage license board, there is a secretary, another person who in-takes and processes license applications and then sitting above them is a person who only looks into applications with problems. It would appear this persons only job is to deal with complaints or massage applications with problems. How many people a year are applying for a massage license that it requires 3 people? If you multiply this by all the other type of professional license boards it adds up fast. It should be investigated to see exactly how many cases or applications a year require special attention and what this entails and how much time the person is actually spending working on these cases. It may be possible to reduce spending by looking into how many of these individual licensing boards could be condensed together. i.e. massage with acupuncture, etc.
Did you read the KJ series on Hunger in Maine? The Governors response was to hire 20 more people. DUH!! Why not follow the recommendations of the writer and change the rules to help more people rather than hire more STATE EMPLOYEES?
From: RICHARD DUFFY; mengcold1@adelphia.net; 242-5944
Reduce the number of employees at DHS. They seem to create more family problems than they solve.
When riding around and seeing state workers on the side of the road there is always someone or two standing around watching people work....put those people to work and cut a few needless jobs.
From: rodj1988@yahoo.com
Double Dippers, Identify those individuals who have retired and were rehired in the same position and let them go.
From: Dan Vaughan; 19 Lawn Ave, Gorham, Maine 04038; sfcvaughan@gwi.net;
839-2029
The Maine State Prison can afford to lose a few Captains in its top heavy organization, with supervisors playing liaison to other supervisors.
Maine DOT can afford to lose a few useless supervisors, who would never make it in the real world with their lack of job knowledge.

I work in state government. We have clerks who enter documents into a data base that should be scanned. It is a waste to pay people to do things that simple technical upgrades could do.
Reduce all state departments by 40% by combining all administrative positions to oversee all departments that have similar fields. The education system has been able to do this by streamlining administrators. I see no reason that state government cannot follow suit and saving the taxpayers money.
Trim state government employees by 20% (particularly middle management positions)
From: Susan; Portland, Maine
Hire an independent efficiency expert to evaluate all management positions for cost effectiveness. The state is management top heavy, and in general the managers do not know what they or their subordinates are doing. When managers spend more time playing solitaire than working, they need to go.
From: Joe McAllister; 16 Wildwood Lane, Gray ME; kelciecoll@maine.rr.com;
657-7375
The Maine Department of Labor located at 45 Commerce Drive in Augusta has seen a reduction in the work force (mostly clerks) by approximately 50% over the last few years, yet the management levels remain virtually the same. A few months ago, the Benefits Section and the Tax Section were combined as a cost saving measure and because of the diminishing amount of clerical workers. The amazing thing is that each Section had a highly paid Director. When the two Sections were combined BOTH Directors were kept. They are now called CO-DIRECTORS. It may be mostly Federal Dollars, but it is still my tax dollar and is absolutely foolish and wasteful.
The department of corrections is very top heavy, I think if you cut some of the deputy wardens and administration staff you would be able to hire more officer at a lesser pay out. If it’s this way in the dept of corrections it probably is in other departments as well.

I think State of ME staffing levels should be looked at.
Fire some state police officers.

State Employee Salaries and Benefits

If all state employees were asked to contribute at least 25% towards the cost of their health insurance, it would cut the cost of government by millions.
All participating state employees should contribute to their group health insurance with a payroll deduction. The group coverage is a bargain itself; the taxpaying public should not be expected to pay the entire cost. All participating MSRS retirees should also contribute to their health insurance from their payouts.
From: Margie Rosenbaum; nmrosey@earthlink.net
Allow all new state employees (educators too) to enroll in Social Security.
One standardize union contract for all union employees.
Have state employees pay for healthcare.
The State's cost for state employee basic group life insurance was increased this year from 14 cents per $1000 to 26 cents per $1000. This was done after an internal actuarial review by the Retirement Board. This increase in premiums will cost the General Fund between $3-$10 million over the biennium, depending on what class of employee you include in the analysis. My recommendation is to require the Maine State Retirement board to solicit competitive bids from group life insurance providers for basic life insurance coverage. The large increase implemented by the board is inconsistent with the national downward trend in premiums in the group life insurance market, and deserves review. The federal government, for example, provides basic group life insurance to federal employees for 15 cents per $1000. A competitive bidding process, I believe, could potentially achieve significant General Fund (and Highway Fund) savings if the bids come in closer to the market average (which is around 16 cents per thousand).
Have the state government employees pay their share of health care. I know if the only person on the health and dental insurance is the employee the insurance is free. That really isn’t fair to the rest of the state people that are paying their full share and more.
I think that it's time for State employees to start footing their share on Medical Insurance. I think that the standard 80-20 policy (80 state 20 employee) would save the state millions.
From: Keith Ouellette; Keith.Ouellette@cariboumaine.org
All state employees should be joining Dirigo Health and pay premiums toward the coverage to reduce this all-too-generous benefit cost to the taxpayer and state budget.
From: sas@gwi.net
Health care benefits costs to our state employees needs to be examined closely and these costs need to be reported to the citizens of the state. I have a feeling this is where a lot of savings could be had, either by having folks have a larger co-pay or making them pay some of the costs themselves.

Make all state employees pay 20% of their health care costs.
From: Frank Rier; 9 School Bus Rd; frankrier@yahoo.com; 320-1111
Remove all state employees and legislators current health insurance and replace it with the Dirigo Health program.
I think any perks given to state/ Gov employees should be removed such as meal allowances, Packing a brown bag is good enough for the average working Joe.
From: Terry Weston; westonx2@aol.com
I am currently a State Employee. Instead of risking taking away the benefits that we are currently getting, as there are MANY of us that work very, very hard for the benefits that we do receive, I believe that someone should take a look at how many people are inefficient at their jobs. Where I work, there is a fellow employee that literally does NOTHING most of the day. They put aside what very little work they have to do, in order to shuffle paperwork and appear that they are doing something. They are off the books all the time because they don't feel like coming in. The section that they work in is currently a 3 person section. With what very little is done with their work, I believe that this section would be MUCH more suitable as a 2 person position as the other two people in the section already pick up the slack and do all the work. I believe that this happens a great deal in state government. If someone could come in and audit the amount of work that is done and what positions could be eliminated just by making sure that employee worthy people are currently in the positions and making sure that they know their job very well, we could save a TON of money and there wouldn’t be a risk of losing the benefits for everyone else. Just something to consider I guess....
Decrease amounts paid into state employee retirement plans.
State employees are wasteful, overpaid, and a burden on our system. So many feel protected because they work for the state and their seniority is so great, but realistically they should be managed the way "for-profit" employees are managed. Protection, salary increases, and the like should be based on MERIT. If I performed in corporate America the way most state employees perform, I'd have been out of a job. Tighten up that ship, you'll be able to improve efficiency and service while saving big $$.
Eliminate allowing workers to go to school on company time. And then get paid for both. Yes, I have seen it.
From: Joe McAllister; 16 Wildwood Lane, Gray ME; kelciecoll@maine.rr.com;
657-7375
State employees should pay a portion of their healthcare coverage.
Try cutting the payroll and bennes.
We think they should cut the raises from the employees who work for the state of Maine.
From: David; 26 Jewell Street; djperry78@yahoo.com; 897-4012
Have all state employees and retirees pay at least 5% of their health benefits costs. People need to know what medical insurance costs are.
From: Bob Sprague; 106 Donworth Road, Stockholm, 04783; bergenne@ainop.com

DHHS Issues

The largest savings could be realized, I believe, in the DHHS. I perceive that department as chaos incorporated. I lived in Massachusetts for nearly 20 years and what I see here for welfare waste and fraud is worse. To waste $50 million on the DHHS MECMS systems computer debacle is a prime example of why the public is so frustrated with state government. I have been told that people were let go for this mess but if the public doesn't know it they will think the worst. I am also aware that Maine's welfare requirements are more generous that that of the Feds. I am told that because of that we lose some federal funding. This is ludicrous. We are too poor a state to be that generous. If people on welfare are able to work than they should not be eligible for welfare. Either get a job or starve. Certainly Maine should not be looked to as an easier state to get on welfare than others. That needs to be fixed, now!
From: George A. Fogg, Chair of North Yarmouth Taxpayers Assoc.; 56 Deer Run Road
North Yarmouth, ME 04097; gafogg@verizon.net; 207-846-6333
I just read that the Governor is spending $1 million this year to hire 20 temporary employees to help process and update food stamp requests because our current system allowed people to remain eligible for food stamps when their income levels changed. Why don't we save the $1 million+++ by cutting out food stamps? Most of us have experienced being behind a person in the grocery store using food stamps. They eat better than I do! Like many others, I'm tired of my taxes supporting those that could very well work for their daily bread. Why can't the Governor sign in a new law that states everyone will work for their food? There are plenty of jobs available and these people will stop being a drain on the community, not to mention they'll get their self-worth back. The problem is that government has allowed these recipients to become dependent upon the system rather than dependent upon their own skills to support themselves. For those that are currently on food stamps, how can they continue to get these benefits with a change in income levels without the government knowing? To receive food stamps the household should be showing you a current pay stub. No current pay stub, no food stamps! Put the responsibility on them to prove that they are eligible. That would solve the immediate problem until the Governor signs in a bill that makes "everyone" work for their keep. Just because President Lyndon Johnson placed all these social crutches out to be used doesn't mean we have to continue to lean on them. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.
From: Nancy Gaudet, ngaudet1@maine.rr.com
Clean out DHHS. Remove the director. Call in a private auditor to survey the accounts. DHHS is spending us into the poor house.
Everyone who receives an SSI check also qualifies for a Food Stamps EBT Card. There is a section on the EBT card for a cash benefit as well as a food stamp benefit. Everyone that receives an SSI check also receives a $10.00 state supplemental check. This state paper check can be eliminated as mailing fees by putting the state supplemental check on the cash section of the EBT card. The state DHHS oversees both programs: the supplemental $10 check and the EBT card.
From: Jim Dow, a constituent of Sen Hastings; 933-2061
For the state to save money at least 10,000,000 anyone getting welfare should have to take a urine test for drugs. That alone would free up welfare money for people who really need it and get the bums off. It would save the tax payers loads of money. I know this will never happen but I have to say it.
From: Brian Reny; Albion Maine; chinawoodworks@roadrunner.com; 207-437-2697
I am always outraged that so many working fathers (who pay child support) are not required to pay any health insurance for their children. I know quite a few myself. I was talking with a friend from work today who said he had to insure his boy until the age of 18. Why are fathers of children not required to pay for their children and why should the taxpayers? I also think (know) putting even a small co-pay on low income mothers they would cut emergency room visits I bet 70% over the course of a year. Many rush their child to the hospital for care for the sniffles and it costs the taxpayers a ton.
From: Dirk Emery; Central Maine; emery3435@midmaine.com 207-487-2464
The State of Maine should hold whoever is responsible for the mismanagement at DHS, particularly the fiasco with the computer system. If that same happened in private business, heads would roll. Why should the State allow sloppy work?
Child Support Enforcement for Non-TANF recipients - There should be an income eligibility test in order to receive child support enforcement services. Why should all taxpayers be paying to enforce court orders for individuals that can very well afford their own lawyers to enforce the court orders. Or have employers that are withholding child support submit payments directly to the third party. We are wasting millions of dollars to have the state be a middle man for non-welfare cases. The state needs to be involved when someone is receiving other State services, but not in non-welfare cases.
From: Amy Babb; P.O. Box 186, Richmond, Maine 04357; ababb@suscom-maine.net; 737-0936
Eliminate Dirigo Health Insurance - to most of us, it’s just another tax!
From: Robert Reed; 58 Albert Street; scoutreed@aol.com; 782-5482
If the Department of Human Services would reevaluate the food stamp program I feel they would probably find that there are quite a few recipients that receive benefits and are NOT qualified. This would be quite a savings for the Maine people who work hard to make ends meet and then experience others able to get benefits when they know they are playing the system!!!
To invest in infrastructure and the economy within this state, why not cut back on Welfare spending in order to provide more funding for education (which is the foundation of a solid economy), and transportation? If transportation funding could be used to make I-95 statewide (that is to say, central and northern Aroostook County), then infrastructure would literally pave the way for the economy to grow statewide, providing more jobs and better wages for all.
It is absolutely positively time to start restricted access to welfare programs to only those in the most desperate of needs and children. Specifically MaineCare. I am all for covering children who need care, but absolutely not their parents who should be working. It's time to start getting tough and the reforms needs to start and end with DHHS.
There are several problems with our welfare programs that could be addressed by consolidating the various programs into one. All assistance should be given through one source, regardless of the reason for the need or the source of the funding. The overhaul of the Career Centers is a good model to emulate. It might make sense to tie this program to school units, which are well-known buildings distributed throughout the communities of the state. It might make it easier for schools to help identified students' families to get the support they need, if the assistance office is physically (but not administratively) located within the school system's buildings. Localized overseers could be personally in touch with each person requesting aid. Funding for TANF, WIC, housing assistance, heat assistance, Mainecare benefits, and any other financial support could be funneled through a single point, avoiding duplication and reducing gaps. There are too many people whose situations demand welfare, but who are living miserably on the fringe, while some who are quite capable of supporting themselves make a comfortable living off playing the welfare system. Restructuring will not make dishonest people honest, but forcing them to go to a single office for every type of assistance might make it harder to cheat.
Some form of residency requirement for Medicaid - especially in mental health services - and some residency requirements for special ed. services in schools 6 months 1 year?
One thing that I am consistently seeing is that people on welfare will get a job here and be very good employees but have to quit or cut their hours down because they lose Cub Care for their children or other benefits. The system should encourage people to work or get an education so that the State is paying out less. The Emergency rooms are used by people on welfare when their child has a cold and people are in stores using Food Stamps to by Milk but have cash to by cigarettes. Who is paying for that? I also see people getting unemployment after being fired for not showing up to work. It’s all too easy. No one who runs these departments want to be criticized but either the system is wrong or the job isn’t getting done. Maybe more people on staff in each area will save money in the end. Create a committee of people (with no ulterior motive-like keeping their job) and revamp the system.
From: Laurie Sirois; 14 Albert Crossroad, St. Agatha, Maine 04772; laurie@evergreen99.com; 728-4900
The amount of money going into this Maine care program is absurd. They are getting free health care with no job, and I just had to pay for all of my employees' health insurance on a credit card, or they were going to cancel our policy. This is ridiculous.
I recommend establishing a Maine residency requirement of six months for any person applying for welfare. This is not a mean-spirited "end welfare" idea, but a common-sense way to change the incentives of those people who would move to Maine primarily because of our rather generous benefits.
From: Kenneth Goudreau; 73 Bass Harbor; kgnemo@msn.com; 244-7577
$25 million dollars a year is spent by Maine Care for people in Methadone programs. This is an absurd amount of money for the state to have to pay. Note that most of these programs are "For Profit" and have no intention of ever getting these folks off the stuff. Why should they as long as the state pays for it. My suggestion is to cut this benefit altogether. Why should honest taxpayers have to support junkies to stay on methadone for the rest of their lives. Just pay for detoxing them and if they choose to continue drugs after that then that's on them. One time detox will save this state potentially hundreds of millions of dollars over time.
Cut waste at DHS, by enforcing fraud and tighten loopholes.
A program should be implemented to oversee the sale of seafood caught and sold within the State of Maine by people who currently receive Food stamps and MaineCare and all other public assistance programs. Each fisherman (clam digger, etc.) should be issued an ID number that must accompany everything they catch and sell. This ID number should be turned over to their buyer who then must be required to keep a journal of everything they purchased and sold throughout the year to include the ID numbers. This journal should then be turned over to Revenue Services each year with their income tax records. If the buyer does not turn in the ID numbers then they should be required to pay the income taxes on the products they bought but have not indicated the ID number of the seller in their journal. There must be a way to cross reference the names of town licenses issued compared to the State licenses issued each year and also the court records of persons who have been arrested for digging, or fishing without a license.
Spend the extra monies to investigate the waste and fraud in the Human services Dept and their cases. There are cases here in Princeton where couples are getting divorced to pick up on State services only to move back in with each other once the programs start.
From my experience it seems that the State of Maine spends a lot of money on welfare. I have been told to my face, when I asked why some individuals moved here from a southern state, that Maine has the best welfare, they can live here and not work. People are moving here for this, sounds like the southern U.S. border issues. I think that those who are truly infirm and cannot fend for themselves are being well taken care of; there is in my opinion a lot of pork that can be cut from the DHS budget. In my workplace we have several workers who receive healthcare benefits under Mainecare. These same employees, who are full time and entitled to health insurance, are allowed to keep Mainecare and receive a declination bonus from the employer. A little double dipping there I think. Recipients of Mainecare who have another option should be mandated to use that, not the tax dollars of the citizens of Maine. A program that provides incentives to local businesses that hire current aid recipients and gets them off of the dole may also achieve two goals, remove many from the welfare roles and pump much needed money into small businesses who are struggling to stay afloat. I also feel that the program that provides section 8 housing is being misused. I can recall several instances in the small community of Presque Isle when this has happened and can give you names.
Cut back welfare, put a time limit on its collections. We wouldn't have so much to balance if there were more income earning citizens, and less untrained subsidized individuals eating away at this income.
From: George J Venturelli; 113 Yankee Ave Bangor, ME; gventure@verizon.net;
270-0246
The State Auditor has recently issued several audit summaries showing spending problems in DHHS, including the MR Waiver program - if you can provide me with an email address, I will forward those reports - they are quite enlightening.
From: Thom Watson; Rep. House District 62 (Bath); trwatson@street-law.com;
443-1606
I believe it would save Maine millions of dollars a year if the state would take the position that they are going to reimburse hospitals for direct patient care costs only. That is, the state should reimburse hospitals only for the salaries and benefits of the providers/care givers that are assigned to the patient, and the value of any medicines or other medical/therapeutic materials used in the care of the patient. This should include also the percentage of time the nursing aids, housekeeping, etc. spend per day per patient. In other words, Mainecare should not be used to pay administrative costs. Alternatively, some small overhead could be charged (say no more than 10% of total costs). Furthermore, the state should audit any hospitals receiving state aid for medical services, and the % of every dollar going to direct patient care vs. administrative costs should be published each year. Incentives should be provided to those entities that reduce their administrative costs. Let me know what you think?
From: Robert Wood; 90 Jillian Way; woodr@husson.edu; 941-7059
In the D.H.H.S. Area - Look at and CUT UPPER & MIDDLE MANAGEMENT JOBS! (Too many Chiefs and not enough Indians.). Suggestions in that area: D.S.E.R.:

1) There are Three Regional Managers: CUT THEM! They coast the taxpayers between $50,000 and $60,000 in salary and benefits and just take up space and O2 being just another layer between the public and the Commissioner. The one I know can't handle Financials, has to request a Tech to do an operation dealing with money. In offices that have more than one Region Coverage, look to see if the need for both Supervisors is warranted. Lay odds there is at least one where one could be cut.

2) Start using the Fee Structure for Non Welfare Clients. It's in the Statues at present it's all FREE and they waste a lot of agents’ time with unnecessary questions and demands. (That may cut down on the need for the Case Review Unit who gets paid a Range 22 doing what a Tech who it's believed to be a Range 18 does out in the field.) By the way the Tech does most of the taking of the concerns anyway according to the e-mails I get over the course of the week.

Suggestion for the TANF Area:

1) Residence requirement of min. of 6 months!

2) Hold at 5 years and then that is it. (Not Happening in Maine, as after 5 years we the taxpayer pays the freight as no reimbursement from the Feds.

3) As with other states, take the National Average of a family, believe it's 2.5 children, and pay only that in Benefits. (Can have more children just get the amount up to 2.5).

4) Person getting benefits has to have legal or in our state, primary residency of the child(ren) which prevents splitting families with 2 or more children between each parent, preventing collection of Child Support. Also prevents granny grants.

5) Get rid of the Gap Pass through as the State looses money here.

ASPIRE PROGRAM: Really needs a good look at! Period!
From: Phil Getchell; P.O. Box 361 Corinth, Maine; towncrier1@yahoo.com

· Let's try reducing spending on social programs. I believe the old adage "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach him how to fish and he'll feed himself forever" is true. I noticed that over the past decade the homeless population, for instance, has been on the increase. Other states, such as NH, have actually dropped off people in need of assistance in Maine. The news is out - if you need assistance, Maine has the program for you. If Maine is serious about being part of the global economy, it needs to help small and large business create jobs. I recently heard that 1 in 4 citizens of Maine are on welfare and that 60% of all Mainers receive some sort of assistance. It's about time the state stands up, as JFK did, and "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." Mainers are a hardy bunch. They'll take a hand out but they'd rather a leg up or a kick start to fend for themselves. Money saved on these reductions could be used on R&D to create jobs or perhaps go back to the over taxed citizen who may actually start a business. Thank you for your consideration
From: Alex

· I find it very upsetting that people can go into a store and use their food stamp card, and under the cash part, use it to buy alcohol and tobacco. Isn't this money to help them make it through the month. Why can't the cards not allow these items to be purchased. They are not an necessity. Also why is it that people who are on section 8 or government help not have to work, I have seen it time and time again that a woman just quits her job, so that the ex or ex boyfriend has to pay more or they can just have another baby so they don't have to work, why not at least they don't have to do anything. and more times than not they are awful parents. They get help for food, lodging, lights and heat, and phone. How come need more help to get these people working?
From: vperruzzi

· Welfare reform.

· Make clients of the TANF / ASPIRE program accountable. They don’t work, they are placed in volunteer positions only to last 2-3 weeks at the most if they show up at all. They are given in cash, money for glasses, clothing, car repair, daycare, food, living expenses, and other misc. monies with probably 80% of them not following through on work. CASH, how many daycares are going to start not accepting kids of parents who don’t work because they blow the cash given for the daycare. Yep we pay for daycare for people who don’t work. We pay for people to go to college to do nothing with the degree. This program seriously needs some looking into. How come Maine is the only state that lets its people live 18+ years on TANF? All other states only allow 5 years. Out of 250 clients that I deal with only 40 are originally from Maine...hmmmm makes ya think!!! If they didn’t move here for the welfare their parents did. They lie about living arrangements, working under the table, some get arrested for drug possession with thousands in cash on them, nothing is done about that as far as payment back to the state. When these welfare people are told to go to work, they run to Maine Equal Justice who says...noooo don’t make them go to work they have rights, they can sit home on welfare and the State of Maine says ok, and they are never forced to work and provide for them selves. Another thing to look into is the waste of help in each office, there are some that are so clerk happy and they waste so much time. A lot of offices are top heavy in employees in the wrong areas, re evaluate, send someone in to watch what goes on, don’t talk to people there, everyone thinks they are over worked. Then discuss the findings. The biggest area costing people money is in welfare bottom line. Have people just come and sit in the lobby at 35 Anthony Ave and listen...you have young people who believe they are entitled to everything under the sun, then you have the older couple, man or woman in their 80's looking for just $30 a month in food stamps because they cannot afford food because of rising rx costs, taxes etc...those older people are the saddest to watch because their pride exudes them.
From: nikal_50@hotmail.com

· Health and Human Services. Far too many people receiving benefits and too much fraud, waste and abuse. cut programs by 50%. Why is the responsibility of hard working tax payers to support the able bodied slackers.
From: Dan Vaughan; 19 Lawn Ave, Gorham, Maine 04038; sfcvaughan@gwi.net;
839-2029

· Why are you spending my tax money on cable TV for welfare recipients? Food, shelter, and clothing are the three life necessities. I can accept electricity and hot running water, but nobody NEEDS cable TV. People can go to the library and rent free videos or get a book.

The State needs to conduct an audit on DHHS and evaluate the wasteful spending on Illegal Immigrants receiving benefits, methadone addicts, Alcoholics receiving stipends for a treatable problem, free automobiles being given to Somalian’s with a pile of food stamps and free educations, when Maine natives can’t even afford college. I Thank Catholic Charities of Maine for dumping this on us all. DHHS can afford to lose 10 Million with its wasteful polices on programs and its enormous administration. Every time I take a road trip in Maine I find a new DHHS branch office.
The state of Maine needs to decrease social services until they are ready to embrace a business friendly attitude to provide better paying jobs which in turn would provide a better tax base to supply such services.
From: David Burchill; PO Box 1007 Alfred, Me 04002; burchill@roadrunner.com;
651-7905
I believe that it is time to take a good, long, hard look at the benefits that are given to people that call themselves disabled, or collect state aide for their families. I know of many people (within a mile radius, even) who collect a check every month as well as food stamps, and medical care that are very capable of working. It is taking a big portion of my paycheck to provide health care to my wife because they say, "You make to much money!" These are the people who seem proud that they can stay home, and get all of these services with out doing anything to earn them. When the average worker is laid off, or their hours are cut that they are given a complete run around to get help (sometimes even being denied because they made a few dollars over the guide line), but, yet, some people on disability, as well as some who collect state help (or, the old system called A.F.D.C.) have very little problems getting assistance if their food stamps run out before the end of the month, or need extra money to pay the rent because they used the money for a night on the town, or even worst, for drugs. I think it is time to review all these cases, create a stricter set of guide lines for