Radio Address: Call to Action

March 10, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning.

I would like to thank you for tuning into today to the first of what will become a weekly radio address to the State of Maine.

As I sit here in the State House today, there is frantic activity going on as the Legislature works on the budget I presented in January.

I delivered to you a bold, aggressive plan that will transform State government, modernize MaineCare and reform a top-heavy school administrative system. Those plans have sparked an intense conversation in communities around the State and I have seen them firsthand in packed auditoriums from Portland to Presque Isle.

But the talking has now shifted to the Legislature where lawmakers are picking away at the budget, trying to find answers to the question that troubles us.

Unfortunately, too many voices in the State have fallen silent and allowed a vocal minority to have the field of debate to itself.

Right now, those with a vested interest in the status quo ? those content to just say no to any change ? are dominating the public discussion. They are using fear and misinformation to hide a simple truth. If Maine is to move forward, to continue to innovate, we cannot do the same old things in the same old way.

My plan for education would consolidate 290 school administrative districts into 26 and save State and local taxpayers $241 million over the first three years. While I will gladly consider reasonable changes in the plan, I will not allow taxpayers to be cheated out of those savings.

If we were building a statewide education system from the ground up today, no one would argue for our current structure. It places too much emphasis on administration and not enough on the classroom. It cheats our students out of the resources they need to excel, and stifles the State?s ability to invest in its economy ? all the while contributing to an unacceptably high tax burden.

My education plan provides real tax relief. It controls spending, focuses on student achievement and gives communities the resources to reduce property taxes.

But during last year?s campaign, many of the loudest voices demanded reduced state spending and tax relief. But during this debate about education reform ? a real plan that cuts state spending and reduces taxes ? those voices have fallen silent.

Where have they gone?

When I put my plan forward, I expected the hue and cry from the highly paid administrators who are trying to protect their own interests. I expected the arguments from school boards, reluctant to give up even a piece of their turf.

But I didn?t expect the silence from many of the state?s business and political leaders who for years have complained about State spending, high taxes and heavy-handed administration.

If you believe as I do, that the State?s tax burden is too high, that we must reach out to homeowners struggling with that burden every year, that significant savings can be achieved without harming critical services, then I need your help.

If you believe we need to improve science and math in our schools, I need your help.

If you believe that we need to invest in research, development innovation and private sector growth, I need your help.

As the Legislature wrangles with the difficult task of budget negotiations, it needs to hear from you.

Legislators need to know that parents, teachers and businesspeople throughout the state of Maine understand that change must come.

The forces that want to stop reform and entangle us with inaction are aligned. They are organized and effective, and their message is deceivingly simple: ?Go slow, leave things alone, don?t rock the boat.?

We can no longer afford to say ?no.? We have come to a crossroads where opportunity stretches out before us. But the pull of stagnation is strong and pushes us to take the easy path backwards.

Our people are experiencing the transition from an old economy to a new one. In the past our economy relied heavily on manufacturing to create wealth. Today we are moving to a new focus on innovative products and knowledge-based services. This change has brought pain and dislocation but it also heralds the possibilities of a prosperous future for all Mainers.

That Maine brand still represents quality, pride and integrity.

If we can preserve and enhance these unique assets, if we can develop and attract the new innovative businesses ? from biotechnology to alternative energy, from new forest products to specialty foods ? it will offer a truly sustainable prosperity.

But a bright future isn?t guaranteed or free. It must be earned with hard work and tough choices.

Now is the time for action.

No more studies.

No more delays.

No more waiting around.

If you want tax relief, if you want better schools, if you want to make sure that our children aren?t behind, and if you want a smarter, leaner State government ? stand with me now.

If you want change, then your voice must be heard. Today.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Investing in Maine's Future

March 17, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning and welcome to a weekend of big dreams and big celebrations.

For the 65 Division I college basketball teams that have played their way into the NCAA tournament, this weekend is the beginning of an odyssey that could lead them to the Georgia Dome and a shot at a national title.

When play began this week, everything was possible for the longshot team dreaming of a chance at a late season run for glory.

For the players, coaches and fans, the future ? the entire future ? can feel like it?s been boiled down to just six games.

Away from the court, the cheering fans and an all-out effort typical of March Madness, the future stretches out much further than April 2 and the title game, and the consequences for coming up short are much greater.

Right now in Maine, we?re facing our own version of March Madness. Politics and deal making threaten to derail our state?s chances at a dream year.

We have an opportunity ? today ? to do great things and to lay the foundation for a better tomorrow.

Unfortunately, talk in the Legislature has turned to questions of what CAN pass instead of what SHOULD pass.

I will continue to push the Legislature to produce real reform plans that will deliver quality education AND provide real tax relief.

If we are able to accomplish that, we could all consider this session of the Legislature a success. But the future demands that we do much more.

On Monday, I will share with you my plans for investing in the future of the state.

After two years of missed opportunities ? that?s how long it?s been since Maine voters last had the chance to approve bonds ? for the sake of our roads and bridges, and our children?s future, it?s time for the people to be allowed to set the state?s investment priorities, and to make known their hopes and dreams for the future.

Earlier this month, I met representatives of three major credit rating agencies from New York. These are the people who sit in judgment about the strength of Maine?s economy.

Unanimously, they agreed that Maine has the ability to invest more into our infrastructure and into helping our economy grow.

And as a matter of fact, Maine is one of the few states, they pointed out, that repay bonds in just 10 years. Most states take 20 or 30 years, driving up costs.

So, my investment plan will focus on five areas critical to the state?s future: Education, business and job growth, quality places and transportation.

I will ask the Legislature to send to voters a bond package that looks with a sharp eye toward tomorrow and puts resources to work today building new jobs and protecting those qualities that make Maine special.

You understand the importance of making smart investments. You are discerning, smart and engaged. I trust that you will make the right decisions on how much bonding is appropriate and what our priorities should be.

But there are some who don?t trust you, and have kept the bonding decisions away from you and the ballot box.

It takes a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to send to you, the Maine voter, a question about whether or not the state should invest in its roads, its schools, in innovation and in jobs for the future.

That two-thirds requirement has allowed a minority of lawmakers ? driven by ideology, and political gain ? to block all efforts at reasonable investment.

There are legitimate concerns about what level of bonding is appropriate. There are costs to borrowing money. Just like a homeowner with a mortgage, we have to pay interest on the money we bond. That?s money we can?t use for other things.

But just like a homeowner, smart bonding turns borrowing into equity, and brings a return on the investment.

When we invest in business growth, we are paid back with new, and better paying jobs.

When we invest in innovation, we are paid back with new industries and cutting edge technology.

And when we invest in education, we are paid back with a population that?s better able to adapt to the challenges of a new, 21st century global economy.

The dollars we invest today will pay us back with a Maine that gives every one of our citizens the opportunity for success.

THAT?s the equity we intend to build.

As you will see, my plan is measured and affordable. It?s the investment we CAN?T afford not to make.

March Madness would take a whole new meaning if we allow bickering and ideological zeal to block meaningful investment in our future.

It?s my hope that the madness will be left on the hardwood courts and not find its way into the halls of the State House. Unlike the tournament, this is no game.

And by the way, for the millions of Irish ? and those who wish they were Irish this weekend ? have a very happy St. Patrick?s Day.

Radio Address: Investing for Tomorrow

March 24, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Maine is on the edge of a great transformation. The old ways are no longer sufficient for a 21st Century, global economy. We must all work smarter and faster and better.

I?ve proposed a three-year, $397 million investment strategy that will lay the foundation for that transformation.

We will invest in our innovation economy, in clean air and water, in education, in roads and bridges, and in private-sector job growth.

We must do it. And we must do it now.

My two-year budget began the difficult work before us. We have accepted the challenge to reform a K-12 education system burdened with excessive administration. We are putting the focus back where it belongs ? in the classroom and on academic excellence. Not on who buys the chalk.

We are attacking inefficiencies throughout state government. We?re eliminating state departments and agencies, and modernizing how Human Services does its job.

But what we?re doing in the budget is not enough by itself. We must also make wise investments.

That?s why I?m proposing $131 million in bonds for transportation. That?s $100 million for roads and bridges. It?s almost $17 million for passenger and freight rail. It?s money for airports, shipping and ferries.

This investment will make it easier for people to move across the state, and for Maine goods to move across the country and around the world.

It will also make our roads and bridges safer.

With the matching dollars it will attract, the bond I?m proposing for transportation will create almost 12,000 jobs.

I am also proposing $131 million in bonds for innovation, for job growth and business development.

With that investment, Maine will help its best and brightest put their ideas to work with private companies and create private-sector jobs with good benefits.

There?s some amazing examples of what can be done. Through a public-private partnership at the University of Maine, new ballistic panels have been developed that will make tents safer and protect our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In this rapidly changing world, people can live and work any place they want.

More and more, they are choosing Maine. We have those special qualities that people thirst for. They come looking for our small towns and rejuvenated cities, for open spaces and the abundant natural resources we have worked hard to protect.

Our prosperity is tied to the environment, to clean air and water, and to the land that sustains us. We can not separate them and we shouldn?t try.

My plan includes $97 million in bonds for our quality places. We will invest in our river communities and in our working waterfronts. We will improve our parks and historic sites.

And we will make sure our water is clean and safe.

When we invest in our environment and in conservation through programs like Land for Maine?s Future, we are investing in the assets that set us apart.

For too many years, we have starved our universities and community colleges. We need to do more.

I am also proposing $33 million for the University of Maine, the community college system and Maine Maritime Academy so that our people can continue to receive a great education.

Our colleges are bursting at the seams. My plan will invest in the lab space and classrooms we need to meet the demands of a growing number of students and of an economy that seeks a highly skilled work force.

My plan is aggressive, but it is also affordable.

It takes careful measure of what we can do, and what we need to do.

Four years ago, we faced some incredible obstacles. Since then, we have closed a $1.2 billion structural gap, eliminated $250 million in short-term borrowing and rebuilt our reserve accounts from zero to $150 million.

That hard work has put us on firmer foundation, and has given us the opportunity to invest today.

Earlier this month, I met with representatives of three major credit rating agencies from New York. These are the people who judge the strength of Maine?s economy.

Unanimously, they agreed that Maine has the ability to use bonds to invest more to help its economy grow.

For the past two years, politics has stood in the way of progress. Moving Maine shouldn?t be about Democratic ideas or Republican ideas. Partisanship has no place in this debate.

I expect the Legislature to consider a comprehensive bond package, one that sets us on a stable and predictable investment strategy for the next three years.

Anything less is to betray the people we were elected to serve.

We have an opportunity ? today ? to do great things and to lay the foundation for a better tomorrow.

Radio Address: Healthcare in Maine

March 31, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci and this morning I?m going to be talking about the problems of health care in Maine and what I propose to do about it.

The problems ? as you and I both know ? are easy to identify in this area. Rising costs, unaffordable insurance make it impossible for an ever growing number of people to get the care they need.

People are forced to go without medicine, tests and attention. Their problems get worse, their health declines, and they are put under physical, emotional and financial stress.

So we know what?s wrong, now the question is what do we do about it?

I am proud that four years ago we enacted the Dirigo Comprehensive Health Reforms, and much has been accomplished. The rate of the people who lack health insurance in our state has been better than the national average. But we must do more. Yes, we have helped small businesses provide insurance to their employees, we?ve given individuals a place to turn when the insurance market failed them, and in some cases we?ve saved lives.

But now is the time to take the next step and learn from these experiences.

Dirigo is going to continue to grow moderately as we move towards universal coverage.

But we also must to more. We must do more in terms of competition amongst the private health care plans.

We must make sure that we have added transparency and held accountable those companies that have gotten a blank check from our health care system.

The work began earlier this week - a bill that was introduced by Representative Jill Conover of Oakland. That bill will create the opportunity for Dirigo?s foundation to expand and give the program the ability to increase competition while lowering costs.

I strongly support that legislation, but health reform can?t stop there.

We?ve built on the state?s MaineCare program to reach out to more individuals, parents and children.

But we must change the way the program does business. We must control the costs, administration, better manage the care.

And as part of my budget, we?ve already proposed bringing the amount we pay for services more in line with other states, and also introduced changes that will create better financial oversight and control.

But more is coming.

No more using the emergency room unless it is an emergency.

And we?re going to put a stop to the MaineCare merry-go-round where patients have too many different doctors. Every member will have a primary care provider who will better manage their care.

And we?re going to add a pharmacy co-payment for those who can afford it without cutting a hole in the social safety net.

To increase the available and affordable choices and maintain protections for those who buy insurance, we?re going to change the regulations in the individual and small group market.

More competition, more choices and more affordable.

I will give regulators the tools they need so there are no more rubber-stamp approvals for rate hikes.

We all know what it means to be uninsured ? you don?t have insurance.

But being underinsured is a little tougher to understand.

It means that every month, you pay a premium to an insurance company, sometimes hundreds of dollars. But because the plan has a high deductible ? often as high as $5,000 ? you can?t really afford to go to the doctor.

As the line goes, the only thing worse than no health insurance is paying for no health insurance.

We?re going to refocus Dirigo on enrolling the uninsured and the underinsured, and reduce costs for businesses to participate in the program.

Dirigo will never become the only insurance plan available, but it can help to increase competition. It can become the public yardstick we use to measure other insurance plans.

We all have a part to play ? government, businesses and individuals ? in making sure everyone has health care security.

It?s about shared responsibility. First we will work to make insurance more affordable, everyone will be expected to do his or her part.

Since day one, health care reform has had its enemies and challenges. They have spared no expense in attacking our program.

They want it dead because to them it?s just numbers on paper. They think people have too much insurance, too much health care, and the government has no role in protecting people?s health.

They are wrong.

They only need to look at the oldest with the Medicare Program; our sickest, our seniors in nursing homes with Medicaid; our children and families; and our Veterans at our VA Togus facility and Veteran facilities across the country. It?s been the people in the middle who need more help. So far, DirigoChoice has helped more than 24,000 of them.

Health care security is about real people, with real lives and real families. They work hard, they play by the rules yet somehow, before Dirigo, there was no room for many of them in the system.

I?ve talked to the small business owner who was able to have the medical tests she needed because of Dirigo. I?ve talked to the woman whose cancer in her family was detected early enough to treat ? and beat -- because of Dirigo.

We cannot turn ? and I will not turn my back on them. That?s not how we do things in Maine. Thank you.

Radio Address: Holiday Weekend

April 7, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. Thank you for joining me on this special weekend.

There?s much we could talk about, from Maine?s appearance in the Frozen Four, to the debate in the Maine Legislature over bonds, or the budget, or health care. We could talk about the first week of the baseball season, but I think I?ll refrain from that for a while.

As worthy as all of those topics are, none of them seem appropriate for today.

This weekend, Christians around the world will celebrate the most important holiday of the year for their faith ? Easter.

We?re also in the midst of the eight-day celebration of Passover, when Jews remember their exodus and freedom from the slavery of ancient Egypt.

Regardless of your personal faith, Easter and Passover remind us of the opportunity for renewal, to reinvent ourselves, to be those things we all want to be ? a better friend, or a better neighbor.

It?s no mistake that Easter comes in the early days of spring, at least here in Maine. The cold, gray days of winter are losing their grip, even if they aren?t entirely gone.

Everything feels possible.

It is the hope of a new day.

But during this time, we must also be mindful of the challenges, sacrifices and pain that we face around the world.

In the two millennia since the death of Jesus, the world has not been able to lay down the sword or to attain lasting peace.

On this holiday of rebirth and hope, U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines find themselves in places torn apart by violence and hate. Whether you agree with the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan or not, our men and women are doing their duty and their best to bring peace to lands ripped open by strife.

Just this week, we laid to rest Sgt. Jason Swiger, a member of the 82nd Airborne Division. Sgt. Swiger graduated from South Portland High School. He was killed in Iraq by a suicide bomber.

Sgt. Swiger is one of five men with Maine ties who have died while serving their country just since February.

We mourn each one, and honor their sacrifice, dedication and commitment to service and country. They are all heroes. And our prayers go out to their families and to the families of every person still serving in harm?s way.

As we join together with family and friends on the holy days of Easter and Passover, it?s appropriate for us to consider many of the common ideals that are shared across so many faiths.

During the Passover Seder, a traditional meal served on the first night of the holiday week, family and friends gather together to retell through symbols and ceremony the birth of the Jewish nation.

Through the asking and answering of four questions and the details of the meal, the story of the exodus is retold.

The elements of the Seder represent different aspects of the story. The evening is built upon keeping alive a shared history of upheaval and hope.

It?s a good lesson for all of us. It?s important to remember where we all came from as we try to chart our path into the future. And it?s important to know that even on the darkest night, the dawn will follow.

When I talk to the families who have paid such a high price for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, I know that every day of this life is a gift that comes without any guarantees or promises.

It should be cherished and celebrated in the way we conduct ourselves, and in the deeds we undertake.

As Thomas Jefferson said, ?It is in our lives and not our words that religion must be read.?

God bless you and happy Easter.

Radio Address: Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

April 14, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning.

The two most important things that we have a responsibility to do in government are one, to prepare our children for a bright future and to preserve and protect our natural.

Global warming is real. There is overwhelming scientific agreement that we are changing the environment that sustains us.

The stakes are incredibly high. If we allow climate change to continue, the world faces terrible consequences that could put Maine?s economy and quality of life at risk.

While the problem is daunting, we are taking steps right now to halt the growth of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, that cause global warming.

Together with Rep. Ted Koffman of Bar Harbor and Sen. Phil Bartlett of Gorham, I introduced legislation this week that will move Maine forward with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, called RGGI for short.

RGGI is a coalition of 10 Northeastern states that have pledged to reduce the production of the gases that contribute to global warming and climate change.

The need for action is urgent.

The science tells us we need to move forward to find solutions.

Nationally, the politics of global warming have stood in the way of progress.

Environmental groups have been fighting it out with industry and the business community. The result is a stalemate, which allows the problem to get worse.

In Maine, it?s different.

Working with leaders in the House and Senate and the state?s environmental and business groups, we have been able to craft a plan that will produce real progress.

It?s called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Act of 2007.

Too often, political rhetoric pits the environment against jobs.

That?s a false choice we don?t have to make.

We know that in Maine because our air, water and natural resources are closely tied to our economic health.

Around the country, this has become a partisan issue, with Democrats and Republicans divided. It doesn?t have to be that way. Already, there is bipartisan support for our efforts to combat climate change.

Republican State Sen. Dana Dow from Lincoln County spoke very eloquently this week at our press conference and there are many other republican co-sponsors.

Together, we are setting a course that will reduce the emissions of climate-changing gases.

Our plan also invests in energy efficiency for homes and businesses, and it protects electric customers from unreasonable rate increases.

Maine has already led the way nationally in with our energy policies.

We were the first state government that bought 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources.

We established tax credits for the production of alternative fuels in the state.

And we have set an achievable goal of increasing renewable power in Maine by 10 percent over the next decade.

My commitment to energy conservation, to energy efficiency, and to renewable energy is longstanding. Because it is right for the environment. It is right for consumers. And, it is right for the economy.

To address climate change, back in 2003 I directed the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a Climate Change Action Plan to assess and address climate change in Maine. The DEP developed this plan. Maine was the first in the nation. California has now followed our lead.

The cap-and-trade program that came from that Plan is one of the most effective greenhouse gas reduction strategies both in terms of carbon reductions and cost-effectiveness.

What we?ve done will create a regular and predictable market, prevent market manipulation, and help consumers by reducing bills and long-term costs of energy.

There are naysayers out there who deny that global warming is happening. They point to the snow on the ground in April or the storm that we just had, or a really cold day when the car wouldn?t start.

They refute the science on grounds that can best be described as blind faith. Just six weeks ago, an international panel confirmed that there is general scientific agreement that human activities are causing rapid global warming.

2006 was the hottest year on record. And while we?ve had an unusual April, you can remember December and January were the warmest in the books.

We know climate change is real.

You can stop in and ask hunters and fishermen that gather and they?ll tell you the ice is late to come and early to leave. There?s very little snow to track deer in the fall.

Farmers can tell you because it has affected their planting and harvesting.

Loggers about the ground not being frozen enough for them to work for much of the winter.

If things don?t change, our coastal communities could be threatened by rising sea levels and our industries in fishing could be endangered.

We all have a part to play. Working together we can make a difference for our state, for our children and for their future.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Patriot's Day Storm

April 21, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning

Some mornings it?s harder to say those words than others.

This week, the entire nation has grieved with Virginia Tech.

In a senseless act of violence, 32 lives were cut short by a deranged gunman.

The randomness and cruelty of this attack are haunting. What happened doesn?t make sense, and it never will.

Virginia Tech, Virginia and all the families affected remain in our thoughts and in our prayers. On Friday and at the request of Governor Kaine of Virginia, Maine joined in a Day of Mourning to honor the victims of the shooting.

While Virginia was dealing with man-made chaos, in Maine we were dealing with the fury of nature.

A Patriots? Day Storm slammed into Maine early Monday morning. The storm brought high winds, heavy rain and a damaging storm surge.

I?ve seen the aftermath up close and from the air, and it is devastating. People have lost their homes, roads have been destroyed, businesses closed and ? worst of all ? four people have lost their lives.

Days before the storms hit, Maine started to prepare. The Maine Emergency Management Agency, County and City Emergency Management personnel put into place plans that surely saved lives and property.

Early Monday morning, I declared a state of emergency that allowed us to seek help from other states and Canada to restore power, and to reallocate resources to areas of greatest need around the state.

Representatives from every agency in state government and the Red Cross were activated as part of the State?s Emergency Response Team and worked tirelessly to coordinate the response to the storm.

On the ground, facing the teeth of the storm, countless men and women put themselves in harm?s way to help others.

When a swollen river swept Donna Dube and her four-year-old granddaughter away, George Eliason of Lebanon went into the water to try to save them.

In the end, he couldn?t and had to be pulled from the water himself by Game Wardens and Marine Patrol officers, but his bravery will not be forgotten, and neither will their?s.

I was monitoring the storm and rescue efforts from MEMA?s Emergency Operations Center when news came in that the little girl?s backpack had been found floating in the river.

There?s just nothing to be said. The family and entire community remain in our prayers.

As the day continued, the news got a little better. Dozens of people were rescued from their cars and houses.

Game Wardens Bruce Loring and Jeremy Judd, working from an airboat, turned tragedy to triumph.

They came upon a car, wedged against a guardrail. A 20-year-old woman was curled inside. Wardens Loring and Judd got the woman out of the car and into their boat only to find that it was pinned to the car by the raging water.

People on shore threw the wardens a rope and were able to pull the boat free.

And in Alna, members of the Maine National Guard assigned to close a flooded road responded with firefighters to a four-alarm fire at the Old Meeting House.

These are just a few of the stories of countless heroes that responded when Maine needed them most.

Their stories aren?t the only ones we should remember. Power crews worked day and night to get the lights turned back on. They faced an enormous task with more than 130,000 meters, affecting nearly 300,000 people.

I talked to a woman on Saco Beach who told me that she helped her neighbor get collectables and items in the house before the house was destroyed, so at least they would have those memories to continue on in their lives as they rebuild their homes and their futures.

And I asked her what made her do that. She said to me that they would have done the same thing for her and that?s why she reached out to help them.

And that?s why this is a great state, because we have great people like that in our state.

Contractors and private companies answered the call without hesitation, delivering critical supplies, making sure that things were taken care of.

The storm is over now and we have shifted from responding to the disaster to recovery. I?ve asked the federal government to declare Maine a disaster so we can qualify for the financial assistance that will help people get back on their feet.

We are working with the SBA to make sure they are helping our businesses to re-open.

And we are working with FEMA to assess the damage and get repairs started. We will not rest until the job is done.

But today is a new day. We have weathered the storm, and we?ve come through to the other side. We hold close to our hearts those who have been lost, and offer our thanks that things weren?t worse.

Maine?s best days remain ahead of us. The roads will be fixed and the homes rebuilt.

And as bad as the storm was, many places in Maine were unaffected and their natural beauty was left untouched. Maine is open for business and we will recover stronger and better.

The sun is shining and the clouds have past.

God bless you, and God bless Maine.

Radio Address: Storm Recovery

April 28, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning.

For much of the state, life is beginning to return to normal after a difficult week.

On Patriots? Day weekend, Maine was hit with an intense rain and high wind storm ? with gusts reaching more than 80 miles per hour.

Hundreds of thousands of people were left without power. Roads and bridges were destroyed. Homes and lives were lost.

But now, the weather has cleared, school vacation is over and the Legislature is back in session.

A number of big issues remain in the works.

The Legislature continues to work on the budget I proposed back in January. I am determined that we will have a two-year budget that reduces K-12 administration costs, reduces the burden on taxpayers and increases the quality of education. I am also determined that we will find savings and improve care through better management of human services.

My administration is also advancing a plan that will reduce the cost increases of health insurance in Maine for individuals and small businesses, improving their access to coverage and keeping us all on a track to be the healthiest state in the nation.

Just this week, I vetoed legislation that would have doubled the number of slot machines in the state without first seeking voter approval. Come November, voters will have the final say on the question.

Even with all of that, my administration and I have remained focused on the Patriots? Day Storm. I?ve received daily updates on what?s going on and what needs to be going on.

I read every e-mail sent to my office about families and businesses that are struggling.

And I can promise everyone out there still trying to recover ? You have not been forgotten.

At times, progress can feel painfully slow.

On Tuesday night, Camp Ellis came together to talk about what needs to happen to better protect their community.

There was a lot of frustration. People wanted answers and they wanted action.

Those are the same things that I want.

Late Wednesday afternoon, we learned that President Bush has declared six counties in Maine as major disasters, which will qualify them for federal aid in rebuilding roads and bridges, and other public property.

We are convinced that more areas will also qualify for federal help. But it doesn?t happen automatically.

Individuals and business owners need to report damage to their town offices. The reports don?t guarantee that everyone will receive assistance; but it does help the Federal Emergency Management Agency determine if individuals will qualify for federal aid.

Damage estimates from the storm continue to rise. As of Wednesday, they?re exceeding $42 million and we know that more than 2,000 homes have been damaged.

But as much as some areas have suffered, I remain amazed at the resilience of Maine people.

On Thursday, I visited New Meadow Lobster in Portland. The business is on Commercial Street and was hit hard by the storm.

The owner, Peter McAleney, told me that he suffered more than $300,000 of damage. That?s the bad news.

The good news ? is less than two weeks later, New Meadows is ready for the season, which begins next week. He?s been busy working and trying to get things ready. He tells me that he will be open for business.

It?s a story that?s been repeated all over the state. People are getting back on their feet, they?re helping each other out and they?re getting ready for a busy summer when tourists from all over the world will make their way to Maine.

And I?m making sure that Maine government is doing all that it can do to help.

The Finance Authority of Maine has created two programs that will provide low-cost loans to businesses hit by the storm.

And the Maine Housing Authority has programs to help people make repairs to their homes or to replace it entirely if it?s been damaged beyond repair.

There?s a lot going on right, and a lot of big issues that will draw the TV cameras and the headlines over the next few weeks.

Many of them are important and deserve the attention.

But Maine should know that no matter what else is happening, my administration is committed to helping families and communities recover from this devastating storm.

Radio Address: Principles

May 5, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning.

This week, Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature presented their visions of how to balance Maine?s budget. Much of what they proposed goes a long way toward what I hoped to achieve when I unveiled my plans in January.

They?ve come up with some good ideas.

But they?ve also come up with some things I find troubling. Nonetheless, I remain confident that we can find the right path forward for Maine.

In the budget I presented, I took a strategic approach toward Maine?s future.

I increased funding for higher education and put more investment in innovative industries that will help Maine?s economy grow and help create good-paying, sustainable, private-sector jobs.

If we want good jobs in the state of Maine, we have to make investments that will help businesses grow, and we have to make the investments in education that will create a highly trained work force.

I also proposed significant reforms to the administrative structure of K-12 education and in the administrative structure of the delivery of human services.

Our current structures don?t work any more. They cost too much, waste money on duplication and inefficiencies. We have to change.

My plan will downsize school administration, invest the savings on behalf of students and teachers, and give relief to taxpayers. While many of the details are still being worked on in the Legislature, I remain committed to those original goals.

We must change now for the sake of quality education, to reduce the property tax burden and to strengthen Maine?s economy.

Since January, the Education and Appropriations committee have worked hard to find a plan that will restructure school districts and achieve administrative savings.

They deserve a lot of credit for tackling a tough issue.

But there?s more work that needs to be done, even if we can see the finish line from where we are standing.

We must achieve the level of sustainable savings that I proposed. That?s $36.5 million in the state budget. And there must be predictable savings for the future and we must have guaranteed property tax relief for our citizens.

We have to commit to actual change, we just can?t talk about the possibility of working together in new ways and not do anything about it.

School aid is 32 percent of the state budget. Of all property taxes in Maine, 63 percent go to K-12 education.

We must achieve real, substantial cost-efficiencies now. Parents, businesses, taxpayers want to invest in quality classroom education, not in excess administration.

While restructuring administration, we must support local schools. Local people must have a clear voice in their schools.

Administrative change must not mandate school closings. There?s nothing in my plan that calls for any schools to close.

When I think about the idea of local control of education, we?re not talking about school boards and superintendents and where the superintendents put their desk?we?re talking about parental involvement. That?s the most important thing for a child?s education and their futures.

It?s not about being involved in those decisions indirectly, but directly because they affect our kids. So it?s not the bus routes and purchasing, it?s parents working with teachers and principals to teach kids ? that?s local control.

My dad used to say, ?You can teach a child how to brush their teeth in school, but if they don?t practice it at home it?s not going to matter much.?

And we also have to guarantee property tax relief. Maine people want excellence in education and they want us to spend their tax dollars wisely.

Over four years, the state has invested over $700 million in new funding in K-12 education. Now taxpayers need a break.

As the state achieves its 55 percent share of school aid and as administrative efficiencies occur, school districts and municipalities must show their voters how school funds are being spent.

Local voters must have the final say on school budgets and property tax relief.

Sustainable savings, change now, local support and local control of school spending and property tax relief ? those are the principles I hold for school reform.

I?ll settle for nothing less.

Mainers are frugal and community minded. They have a passion for participation, and they understand that sometimes we must undertake difficult challenges for the sake of our children.

Support for change continues to grow. More and more, I hear from people that they understand that Maine can?t just tread water.

We?ve come a long way since January. As we finish work on the budget, I remain committed to those core principles of making sure that Maine moves forward, but moves smartly.

Thank you and good day.

Radio Address: Back to the Table

May 12, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning.

During this past week, Maine has been treated to a spectacle that shows up about every two years.

Advocates ? many of them really good people ? holding rallies in Bangor, Augusta and Portland warning of terrible doom and gloom.

This year, we had horse trailers and dump trucks circling the State House.

We had dual, made-for-television moments in different media markets protesting spending reforms in the state?s delivery of human services.

There are letters, phone calls, post cards and placards, all foretelling of desperate times if this idea or that becomes law.

It?s a little showy at times and it sure can get some people worked up, but in the end it?s all part of the process for developing a two-year state budget.

The decisions lawmakers are responsible for in Augusta resonate throughout the State.

And for all the hyperbole, the State budget really does have far-reaching impacts on the everyday lives of Mainers.

That?s why I take responsibility to propose a forward-looking and responsible budget so seriously.

Back in January, I submitted a budget to the Legislature that struck the appropriate balance between supporting the programs that directly and positively touch people and reduce the high costs of administration in both state and local government.

My budget included a major educational reform of consolidating administration in K-12 education and by guaranteeing property tax relief for citizens who have been over property taxed for years.

It required a dollar increase in the cigarette tax to pay for a requirement that the citizens of Maine voted for to have the state pay 55% of local education. From 50 ? 55% cost the state $170 million.

By proposing a dollar increase in the cigarette tax, that equaled $137 million over the two-year period. I asked the state Department of Finance to cut an additional $33 million out of state government so we would be able to put $170 million in K-12 education in this two-year budget.

I know cigarettes take an enormous toll on the health and welfare of the State; I know that citizens don?t appreciate taxes on cigarettes; but smoking costs the state more than $500 million a year in unnecessary medical expenses. It literally kills the State?s most valuable asset ? our people. We know that higher cigarette taxes reduce the number of people who smoke, especially among young people.

Protecting the health of our kids should be our highest priority, and we know raising the cigarette tax does just that.

Unfortunately, the Legislature reacted coolly to a few of the ideas in my budget. Now they are tying themselves into knots.

I don?t understand how, given a choice between protecting the health of Mainers and protecting the profits of Big Tobacco, somebody could side with a known killer.

My budget protects the health and welfare of our State?s residents by making sure nobody loses access to doctors, medicine or other vital services through MaineCare.

But our current spending can?t continue unchecked.

That?s why I proposed serious reforms of the State?s MaineCare program. On every health care choice I?ve ever made, I?ve been guided by three principles: Will it improve health, Make the system fairer and reduce the amount of money we spend on administration.

We?re not talking about throwing people into the streets. We?re only slowing how fast we allow spending to grow. The changes aren?t easy, but they are fair and they protect our people not just during the next two years but for years to come.

Maine has a tradition of passing bipartisan budgets. These require two-thirds support in the Legislature. That structure means neither party can pass a budget alone this time of the year, and that just a few people ? a minority of lawmakers ? can stop progress.

But it also means that everybody has a moral obligation to come to the table and negotiate in good faith.

Building a good two-year budget is difficult, but it?s not out of reach. I?ve already given the Legislature a good blueprint to follow.

And I?m asking you to call the Legislature to let them know that they should support the blueprint that the Governor laid out for them.

That number is 1-800-423-2900 in the House; 1-800-423-6900 in the Senate.

Let them know that they need to support the blueprint that I put forward that reforms education, guarantees property tax relief and invests in our economy. That?s what protects our future. That?s what protects our children.

And on a different note, I think it?s important to also recognize mothers and wishing all the mothers in Maine a Happy Mother?s Day. We couldn?t do what we do without them and thank you.

Radio Address: Keep Pushing

May 19, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

On Monday, we received confirmation for something we already knew was true ? all the hard work and tough budget decisions we have made during the past four years are beginning to pay dividends.

Standard and Poor?s, one of the premier financial rating companies in the world, raised Maine?s credit score.

Just like an individual, states are judged on how credit worthy they are. And just like a person, everything from income to debt are part of the calculation.

We?ve moved up, and that?s great news.

In its report, they specifically pointed to things that we?re doing right in Maine.

Our economic and financial position are improving.

We have controlled budget growth.

We have made great progress in rebuilding the state?s reserves.

And our state debt is low, and we pay it back quicker than most other states.

The analyst responsible for giving Maine it?s grade summed it up nicely:

?We expect that the state?s prudent financial and debt management practices will continue to lead to positive financial operations and a long-term structural budget balance.?

Now it might not sound too exciting, but let me assure you it is.

Terms like ?prudent management,? and ?positive financial operations? don?t fit neatly into newspaper headlines or 30-second sound bites.

But it?s music to my ears and it should be to yours.

And the song they sing tells Mainers that we are moving in the right direction. All of the tough decisions that we?ve made in my first four years are beginning to work.

Four years ago, when I was first elected Governor, Maine faced a $1.2 billion budget gap.

Our reserves were sitting on empty.

Every year since then, I?ve balanced the budget, the gap has gotten smaller.

And we?ve built up our reserves to more than $150 million from zero.

Big change doesn?t happen overnight, but it can happen and it has.

The new budget submitted for the next go-round will be about a tenth of where we were when I started back in 2003.

And we did it while we added $700 new million dollars to fund K-12 education to the level that the people voted for, to 55 percent.

It wasn?t easy. But it was the right thing to do for the state.

To continue Maine on the path to economic success, we must continue to make ?prudent? and ?long-term? budget decisions.

Right now, the Legislature continues to wrestle with how to balance the state?s budget for the next two years. I?ve given them a plan that protects the values that Mainers hold dear while providing real reform in the administration of education and human services, that account for 80 percent of our budget.

Maine?s constitution requires the Legislature to pass a balanced budget, but there?s always a temptation to look for the easiest path.

My budget doesn?t rely on one-time money, smoke and mirrors or tricks with numbers. It does add some new revenue by increasing the cigarette tax, but it couples it with administrative cuts to come up with the money necessary to fund education to 55 percent and also requires guaranteed property tax relief for that money going into education from the state side.

But just as important as what my budget does for the next two years, it also institutes reforms that we want to carry forward into the future budget.

We?ve got to change the way we?re doing business.

The structures that served us well for 50 years aren?t working, and they are tying our hands ? keeping us from taking full advantage of the opportunities in this 21st Century global economy.

We?ll take our medicine today; and we?re going to make the reforms we all know that we have to make.

And, at the end of the day, when the final tally is taken, Maine?s economy will be healthier and the prospects for our people will be brighter.

If you?ve ever struggled to pay your bills, you know it?s a lot easier to get into trouble than it is to get out.

There?s no magic wand or silver bullet. Progress comes at the end of a day of hard work.

That?s where we are here in Maine. We stand firm, put our shoulders against the grindstone and we push.

And when it comes to this year?s budget, I?m doing the same thing. Planting my feet, putting my shoulder to the wheel and pushing.

And I?m not going to accept anything less than real progress.

I?m going to need your help.

Prosperity is in sight. All that stands in the way is making the right choices ? reforming schools, streamlining government, improving human services, and cutting out the budget tricks. Call your legislator and let them know we need to move Maine forward.

Together we can get there from here. Thank you very much.

Radio Address: Memorial Day Weekend

May 26, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

This weekend, we honor the memory and the sacrifice of military men and women who have died in service to the United States of America.

The origins of Memorial Day date back to the Civil War, and the tradition of Decoration Days that were common in Southern States.

As the name suggests, communities set aside particular days to pay their respect to the men who had been killed.

The practice was soon adopted in the North, and after World War I it was expanded to honor fallen soldiers from all of the country?s wars.

Even while war rages today in Iraq and Afghanistan, we still struggle with the long shadows of fighting that ended long ago.

Last week, I attended the funeral of Staff Sgt. Glendon Harris. Sgt. Harris died more than 60 years ago while serving in the Army Air Corps in New Guinea.

While on a bombing mission, his B-25 was shot down by Japanese fighters. He and the rest of the flight crew perished in the jungle.

His remains were left unidentified, buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns in the Philippines, until new technologies finally caught up with old injustice.

On Saturday, Sgt. Harris finally came home to Maine.

Then on Monday, Air Force Col. Paul Getchell of Portland, a casualty from a different time and a different struggle ? but with a similar story ? was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

Col. Getchell was killed in action during a bombing mission over Laos in 1969. But his remains were not identified until recently.

Finally, for Col. Getchell?s family, the Vietnam War can be over.

We welcome both of these men home and remember their sacrifice, especially during this weekend.

There?s an inscription carved in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Philadelphia.

It says, ?Freedom is a light for which many men have died in darkness.?

Long ago, Sgt. Harris and Col. Getchell gave up their lives defending the United States of America, and the freedom and liberty we often take for granted.

It has been a long time, but this grateful nation hasn?t forgotten them or the millions of others who fought along side them. And we never will.

Unfortunately, our nation?s wars are not all in the past.

So, as we enjoy the start of summer here in Maine with a long weekend and in the company of family and friends, brave men and women are serving their country in war zones around the world.

Members of the Maine National Guard and Army Reserves are serving in Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Great Britain and around the world.

Every day, they do their duty. I am humbled by their dedication and commitment.

Too often during my term as Governor, I have placed calls to the families of young men who died in uniform.

There is terrible grief and sadness in those phone calls. But there is also pride and dignity in the voices of folks who have every reason to be upset.

Instead, they want to talk about their son, their husband, their father. They want me to know that they loved their country and what they were doing and that they were proud to wear its uniform.

So on Memorial Day, flags will be lowered around Maine until Noon, in honor and tribute to America?s fallen soldiers. Then the flags will be raised to the top of the staff until sunset, in honor of our country?s war heroes.

Since the birth of this nation, men and women have answered duty?s call. Many have laid down their lives and made the ultimate sacrifice.

So on this day when we remember, we pray for them and we pray for their families.

Radio Address: Budget Passes

June 10, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

Last week, Maine showed once again what sets it apart from most other places around the country.

Democrats and Republicans coming together, working in good faith toward a common goal, to overwhelmingly pass a two-year bipartisan budget for the State of Maine.

Such cooperation is rare.

You only have to look at the evening news or the morning newspaper to understand what I mean. Partisanship overpowers ideas, and progress is stalled by ideology.

As we did earlier this year when the Legislature called for, and approved, a package that will invest $295 million in growing the state?s economy, Democrats and Republicans have found common ground on the state?s spending priorities for the next two years.

I am proud of what we have accomplished together.

The budget contains the first significant reform in the administrative structure of K-12 education in more than 50 years in the State of Maine.

It puts the focus on educating kids, not unnecessary administrative costs.

And it gives communities the opportunity for real property tax relief.

When we began work on this budget six months ago, we were given little chance for success. But Maine lawmakers stuck with it.

It took an incredible commitment from members of the Education and Appropriations committees and from leaders on both sides of the aisle.

The easy path was to stick with the status quo, no matter how flawed or unsustainable.

Like often is the case, doing the right thing was much more difficult.

The roll call of people who poured their hearts and soul into this and found a way to make it work is long. The state owes a debt of gratitude to each one of them for helping us to set the state upon the right course.

(OPTIONAL TO INCLUDE NAMES)

But much of the credit also belongs to Mainers who may never visit the State House, who stepped forward to support our vision for Maine with phone calls, e-mails, letters and advertisements.

In this state, the Governor and the Legislature are close to the people. We talk with you, we listen to you, we work with you. With this budget, we have heard your call for property tax relief, for better government, cutting government costs and improving education.

You made this happen.

Throughout the budget process, I have held true to the core principles in my original budget proposal.

We are reducing unnecessary administration in K-12 education and focusing our resources on the classroom where they belong. We are streamlining and cutting administrative costs in state government, especially in human services, and investing in higher education and research and development to grow Maine?s economy.

With the changes this budget makes, we lay the foundation for more opportunities for more Mainers throughout the state. And we will begin a new era in efficient and responsive government.

The work on this budget doesn?t end with its passage. The big job of implementing it remains.

I am committed to making sure our education reforms move forward in the best, most consistent way. I will stay involved and I will be in communities around the state ? just like I was in January and February ? to make sure things are moving in the right direction.

Passing the law is only the beginning. Now we must make sure it works.

It would be easy to dwell on the excitement and accomplishments of the past week and the passage of a bipartisan budget.

But the work continues.

This week, I look forward to signing several pieces of legislation that have incredible bipartisan support in the Legislature.

I expect to sign a bill into law that will once again put Maine on the forefront of environmental stewardship by taking an aggressive stand on the emissions of pollution that is changing our environment.

I also expect to sign a bill that will outlaw dangerous chemicals from household products, making the state a safer and healthier place to live.

And I expect to sign one of the nation?s most aggressive efforts to end unscrupulous and predatory lending practices in the state.

We?ve also got work to do on health care and tax reform.

And I?m proud of the work that we have been able to do so far. We have made the tough decisions, set the priorities that will guide Maine for the next two years.

We?re not going to rest on the success, but instead hope to build upon it.

We have a better foundation for all Mainers to have prosperity and opportunity for the 21st Century. I expect that more great things will be coming.

Radio Address: Accomplishments/Father's Day

June 16, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Happy Father?s Day Weekend. Thanks for sharing a few moments of it with me.

This time of year, I can?t help but think about my own father and mother and the influence they had on my life. Without his guidance, I would not be the person I am today.

My father was a man of great integrity. He never shied away from doing the right thing, no matter how difficult it was.

He was dedicated to public service, and he was the person who first urged me to run for office almost 30 years ago.

I was lucky to have someone in my life who set such a positive example and I think about him often.

There?s a plaque that sits behind my desk. It asks: ?What have you done for the people today?? It?s a question my father would ask me everyday, and it?s a question I ask myself everyday.

In Augusta, we?re heading into the last days of the Legislative session, and while time is short, there?s still much left to do.

But it?s also a good time to look at what already has been accomplished during this session.

When I think about my father?s question, I feel good about what we have accomplished.

Last week, Maine voters approved the first of a series of ballot questions that will help grow opportunity and prosperity throughout the state.

On Tuesday, voters said ?yes? to investing $113 million in making our roads and bridges safer and it will attract $260 million federal dollars.

Voters also approved an $18 million investment in cleaner, safer water, which will attract almost $50 million federal dollars to help protect Maine?s water supply.

The two bond questions were passed by large majorities, re-affirming that Mainers will make the right decision when given the opportunity and the information.

The bonds were part of a package that was approved with strong bipartisan support in the Legislature earlier this year.

Voters will answer the remaining questions about investing in land, economic development, innovation and higher education during elections this November and next June.

Also this session, the Legislature approved my budget, which included the first substantial reorganization of K-12 administration in more than 50 years.

The plan will improve education, save taxpayers? money and make our education system more efficient. It took a tremendous effort by hundreds of people, and at the end of the day we have something that all of us can be proud of.

We?ve also made real progress on protecting our environment, advancing renewable energy sources and keeping our children safe from dangerous toxins that have been hidden around us in every day items.

This session we passed bipartisan legislation that affirms Maine?s place as an environmental leader.

On Monday, I will sign a bill into law that will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from Maine. This law will set the standard that other states will follow.

Last Thursday, I signed a bill that will ban the toxic flame retardant deca from products sold in Maine. Right now, that material is tucked away in furniture and television sets, needlessly exposing our children to dangerous substances.

No more. We know that there are better alternatives, and we?re working with both parties in the Legislature. We?ve made sure that those alternatives will be used from now on.

And through executive orders, I have formed groups that will help our state move forward with wind power, a clean and renewable way to generate electricity, and to protect the special qualities and natural resources that make Maine special.

On the surface, these issues might not seem related. But they are.

Taken together, our stewardship of the state?s finances and our environment, wise investments in education, innovation and economic development, health care and transportation will make Mainer stronger and more economically sound.

We?ve improved our long-term financial prospects, we?ve invested in areas that will help us grow, and we?ve made sure that our natural resources, clean water and air, and special places can be enjoyed for years to come.

All the hard work comes back to one idea.

I want every person in our state to have an opportunity for prosperity. It?s my goal to make sure they have the tools they need for success.

The work we?ve done this spring is a good start. But I?m not finished.

I will continue to demand fiscal discipline, aggressive government reform and restructuring, and investment in areas that will make our state that much better.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: End of Session

June 23, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

The first session of the 123rd Legislature adjourned this week, ending a productive six months.

Maine people can be proud of their representatives in Augusta. This session opened with a long list of goals. Hard work and a strong will to work together for the benefit of all Maine people enabled us to accomplish much. Indeed, this has been one of the most productive legislative sessions I can remember.

With overwhelming, bipartisan support, we created a two-year budget that makes the most significant reforms in K-12 education in more than 50 years. It imposes new spending discipline upon state government, and invests in innovation and higher education.

With overwhelming, bipartisan support, we developed a package of targeted investments that make our roads and bridges safer, will protect the state?s special places and will help grow private-sector, sustainable jobs with good benefits.

And with near unanimous support, we have taken major steps forward to protect our environment by reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases. We protected our citizens from toxic chemicals hidden inside consumer goods.

Thanks to your efforts, Maine now has one of the toughest predatory lending laws in the country, and together we have delivered to business a work force training program and nearly $70 million in real tax relief.

We?ve created a national model to protect the health of people serving in the National Guard.

And we?ve taken steps in advancing our goal toward universal health insurance coverage and an improved health care system.

DirigoChoice will have the option to become self-insured, a move that will give us the flexibility to improve the program and restrain the cost.

And we have made it possible for young adults to keep health insurance through their parents until they are 25 years old, a major expansion of coverage to an age group prone to go without.

Our success is the product of our ability to work together for the good of the people of Maine.

During the last days of this session, there has been a difficult debate around health care and tax reform.

On both issues, we still have work to do.

The Tax Committee this year undertook an enormous task, and its members have done it with great creativity and openness.

Working diligently for the entire session, the committee, and particularly its chairs John Piotti and Joe Perry, developed a reform plan that has moved the debate on taxes further than most people thought possible.

But this is a difficult and complicated issue with consequences for our entire economy and affecting every business and family in Maine. We have to make sure we get it right.

I am committed to working with Legislative leaders going forward to further advance tax reform and tax relief. My goal is to develop a plan, like our groundbreaking budget and bond package, that will gain broad support.

In consultation with the Legislature, experts and interests on all sides, we will examine the taxes Maine people and visitors pay, we will consider more ways to streamline government at all levels, and create further saving.

Our discussion must include both changing the tax code and reducing the burden.

We must make sure the spending caps that we have in place at the state, county and municipal level have the teeth to make them effective.

Tax code changes must be tied to spending changes.

Before January, I will develop a Governor?s bill to reduce the tax burden on Mainers, improve our tax laws and continue to restructure government and reduce administration at all levels, in all areas.

We will do more to take our case to the people, making sure that we bypass the special interests and engage the public interest.

I appreciate the work of the Taxation Committee. Its members have done a tremendous job. Their efforts and the efforts of many lawmakers who supported their work will be the foundation for discussions moving forward.

Like taxes, our work on health care is not complete. Although we took some big strides this session, health care reform still needs more attention.

My pledge is to work with you to achieve our goals of making Maine the healthiest state in the nation.

Our goal will be to increase the number of people who have health insurance and implement market reforms that will increase private-sector competition and help hold down insurance costs while expanding universal access.

If we continue to work together, I know we can do it.

The 123rd Legislature has delivered real results for Maine. Everybody in the state should be proud of what has been accomplished, knowing that more work needs to be done.

Radio Address: 4th of July

June 30, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

Last week, I had the great honor to attend the opening night ceremonies for Maine?s very first Festival of the Book.

It was an exciting night that kicked off a weekend of activities meant to connect accomplished writers with readers and to explore the work of some of Maine?s most notable authors.

The weekend Festival was created by the MaineReads organization and by my wife, the First Lady. They deserve credit for bringing together a program of great books, great people and great events.

On Friday night, Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough read from his amazing biography of John Adams, one of our country?s most inspired and influential Founding Fathers.

McCullough?s portrait is built upon countless hours of research and an examination of what Adams wrote and what he read.

Through his pages, McCullough brings the Boston lawyer and scholar and political philosopher alive, sharing his inner-most thoughts, doubts and aspirations as recorded in his diaries and in the margins of the thousands of books from his personal library?and I mean thousands of books!

On Wednesday, we will celebrate the Fourth of July and the birth of our nation. It?s a good time to think about John Adams and his role as a revolutionary thinker, Founding Father and president.

It was on July 4th, 1776 that Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, forever changing the course of world events.

The text of that document means as much today as they did 231 years ago:

?We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness ? That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just power from the consent of the governed.?

John Adams had earned his reputation as a lawyer traveling a circuit that included Maine, which was then part of Massachusetts, was among the authors, with Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin.

Harvard educated, frugal and self-aware, Adams was a leading voice in the birth of the United States of America. He nominated George Washington to be the head of the Continental Army, and later served as our new country?s second president.

And through his writings, we can see his influence on the political thought that guides our country to this day.

?Government is nothing more than the combined force of society, or the united power of the multitude, for the peace, order, safety, good and happiness of the people....There is no king or queen bee distinguished from all others, by size or figure or beauty and variety of colors, in the human hive. No man has yet produced any revelation from heaven in his favor, any divine communication to govern his fellow men. Nature throws us all into the world equal and alike.?

It is the ideal of equality and the notion that the authority of the government comes only from the people and should be used only for their benefit that continues to drive us today.

The United States remains a grand experiment, a nation built upon a dream and the efforts, ingenuity and sacrifice of generation upon generation of Americans, determined to live according to the ideals put to paper by men such as Adams, Jefferson and James Madison.

Today, as we face a difficult war and relentless additions to the list of heroes who have sacrificed in the name of our United States, I am reminded of Adams? words to his friend, Jonathan Sewall, during a visit to Portland in 1774.

Sewall was a Tory and a defender of England, but nonetheless remained a close friend to Adams. As retold by McCullough in his book, during a visit to Maine, the two friends meet on a hill overlooking Casco Bay.

Both remained unshaken in their beliefs, be it on different sides of the struggle for independence.

?Swim or sink, live or die, survive or perish,? Adams said. ?[I am] with my country ? [and] You may depend upon it.?

If you talk to the men and women who bravely serve our country today, you will hear similar words.

Like Adams, who could hear the canons roar at Bunker Hill from his home and saw friends and colleagues die, our servicemen and women know firsthand exactly what it means to sacrifice for an idea.

We are lucky to have such men and women amongst us.

Happy Fourth of July.

God Bless Maine, and God Bless the United States of America.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Opportunity Maine

July 7, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

During my six years as governor of Maine, I have signed a lot of important bills into law.

We?ve protected people from discrimination, balanced tough budgets, made some structural reforms in education and health care and invested in the state?s economy.

On Monday, I signed a special piece of legislation that will help college students and the state?s economy well into the future. It?s called Opportunity Maine.

The bill was brought to the Legislature by a dedicated group of young people ? many of them recent college graduates ? determined to make Maine more hospitable for students by addressing the problem of college debt.

More than 500 volunteers worked statewide to gather more than 60,000 signatures. The bill was destined for the ballot.

But a bipartisan group of state lawmakers took up the cause and helped pass the bill. But they didn?t just pass the bill, they passed it with overwhelming support in both the House and Senate. As a matter of fact, it was unanimous in the House, of all the republicans and all the democrats. And in the Senate it was 27-8, sending it to my desk for signature.

I was very proud to sign it.

Opportunity Maine is a prime example of the innovation and commitment that young people have to the state of Maine.

Mainers love this state and want to stay here after graduation. That?s what this bill is all about.

I was pleased 2 weeks ago to tell the participants of Girls and Boys State ? those are juniors throughout the State of Maine in high school - that I was going to sign that legislation.

Because I wanted them to know, when I looked out and saw them among the most promising faces in our state to let them know that we in the state capital care about them, and that we want them to stay here in Maine.

They are our future leaders, and we can?t afford to lose them.

I believe in this legislation, and I know that it?s a key to opening up opportunity for Maine?s students.

My parents raised eight of us, and they made it clear the importance of education and higher education. Making sure that we had the chance for an education was one of the ways they took care of us. They instilled the idea of getting an education is one of the foundations where we could then put out our shingle, be able to determine our own prosperity, and realize our real opportunities here for ourselves and our families.

This legislation gives us the tools to offer more to our young people - a fresh start right here at home.

Because we don?t believe that earning a degree should force any graduate out of state in order to pay off their student loans.

We don?t want our graduates to be debt-ridden because they make the choice to stay here in Maine after graduation.

For four years, my administration has worked hard and maintained tight budgets, reformed and restructured the administration of administration of education and health care. Now that?s beginning to pay off, and we can put more resources into where they need to go in terms of tax relief, especially property tax relief, and higher education opportunities for all of our citizens.

This is about our generation rolling up our sleeves and laying the foundation for the next generation.

We?re telling our students: If you live, work and pay taxes in Maine, you?re not going to have this student debt hanging around your neck.

Additionally, this legislation helps Maine businesses because it provides for them a well-educated work force.

We will keep more of our home-grown graduates here, and attract more back to the state.

This legislation is a big deal. It?s going to require us to invest significant resources in the future, but we?ll be spending that money on the right thing.

Nobody gets this tax credit unless they?re living and working and paying taxes in Maine. For that, we have a wise investment in our children, in our future and in our state?s economic future, and I believe it will pay huge dividends.

Thank you very much.

Radio Address: Mount Katahdin

July 14, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

This week, I had the opportunity to do something I have never done before, and something that no other Governor has done since Ken Curtis did it over 30 years ago.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, I climbed Mount Katahdin with my son, Jack, and a group of other hikers that included some of the state?s most thoughtful conservation thinkers, old friends and new friends.

After a brisk 3.3 mile hike to Chimney Pond Tuesday night, we continued to the top of Maine?s highest mountain on Wednesday.

It was a challenging climb both on the way up and, in some ways, even more-so on the way down.

We set out at about 6:15 in the morning to climb the Saddle Trail. We had some tremendous viewpoints on the way up the mountain, looking down on Chimney Pond and miles upon miles of conserved land from thousands of feet in the air. The most spectacular view was with the sun shining on the pond, as a star in the night of a cloudy, damp day. And, as we climbed higher, it quickly turned to more fog and rain.

But none-the-less, from the peak of Saddle Slide, which is about a mile before the summit, the views were still spectacular.

Standing on the top of the mountain I understood Gov. Baxter?s passion for creating and preserving the state park that today bears his name.

Something else that impressed me on the way up was the people we ran into. Young couples, parents with children, fathers, sons, mothers and daughters ? people from Blue Hill, Deer Isle, Auburn, Portland and Millinocket ? and all there to make memories and see what Governor Baxter saw so many years ago.

It occurred to me that many of the memories that are made on a trip like ours with your family and friends easily outlast the sore muscles and bad backs, and it?s the people that are remembered even as the views grow fuzzy in the mind.

I?ll never forget talking with our group after the hike to Chimney Pond as we stared up at Mount Katahdin in the bright sunlight of that basin, and how pristine and preserved it was, as if we were the first people to ever see it.

I won?t forget as Park Director, Jensen Bissell, and his very capable staff shared with us stories of this year. Especially when a hiker was lost and how patient his staff was in guiding her to safety. Even though it was a short distance away, it took over eight hours to get there and they never lost patience.

And while I?ll never forget the feeling I got when I saw the sign on top of ?Katahdin Peak? 5,267 feet, I will also never forget the people who did it with me. Those memories will endure.

Baxter State Park and Mount Katahdin are magical. They?ve drawn countless visitors and their natural beauty is awe-inspiring.

I have said this before, but it?s worth repeating: Our greatest duty is to prepare our children for the world they will face and protect the natural resources that they will inherit.

Each year, thousands of people are drawn to Maine because we?ve remained diligent to those qualities that set us apart.

Last year, the state worked with private donors and outdoor enthusiasts to add Katahdin Lake to Baxter State Park. The lake was always part of Gov. Baxter?s original vision, but it took more than 40 years to fulfill his vision, and it?s done.

During my time in office, we have also worked hard to preserve Maine?s special connection to the environment because we in Maine value clean air and clean water, and we?ve made investments to protect them.

In Maine growing our economy means protecting our quality of life and natural resources. It?s the legacy we owe our children and grandchildren.

Climate change is real, and its impacts will be drastic, the effects will reach into every part of our economy, changing our forestry, farming and fishing, and our recreational tourism forever.

As bad as it could be, by taking action now we can make a difference. We still have time to change.

Here in Maine, we?ve been leaders in fighting global warming and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Last year, the Legislature enacted my bill to formalize Maine?s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. It?s the first cap-and-trade program to regulate and reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the country and a model for other regions to follow.

You don?t have to climb Mount Katahdin or make your living from the sea or the woods to understand how interconnected Maine is to the environment. It?s clear in every part of the state.

From our revitalized riverfront communities to our agricultural fields and pristine lakes, Maine?s future is tied to the land we walk upon, the water we drink and the air we breathe.

Thank you.

Radio Address: National Governor's Association

July 21, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

This weekend I will be traveling to Michigan to participate in the annual meeting of the National Governors Association.

The conference is an opportunity to represent Maine and talk about our successes. It?s also an opportunity to tell Maine?s story to some of the leading businesses in the country, and to share ideas and strategies with other governors ? and learn from them what they are doing and their successes as well as what they have been working on and what has not been working well for them.

There will be sessions about promoting innovation in the economy, addressing climate change, modernizing education and improving health care.

In each of these areas, Maine has made significant progress. Just this year, the Legislature passed an investment package that will support research and development, higher education, job creation, better roads and bridges and will protect our environment.

We?ve confirmed our position as an environmental leader by banning harmful toxins in consumer goods and taking concrete steps to reduce the release of pollution that causes global warming.

And we did something other states have been unable to accomplish: We restructured K-12 administration to make it more efficient and more modern, all the while investing more than $800 million new dollars over four years into local public education, finally bringing about some real property tax relief for communities.

It?s a record we should be proud of.

I know that health care will be a hot topic at the National Governors Association meeting.

Last week, we celebrated a long list of health care bills that we enacted this year.

We have accomplished a lot in that area.

We did it by strengthening Dirigo Health Reform, our plan to provide universal access to health insurance to all Mainers. While a number of states have turned their attention to it, it was Maine that started the ball rolling with Dirigo.

And we remain on the leading edge of the health care debate. While other states are working against entrenched interests to get their plans off the ground, Maine is actually insuring about 20,000 people ? small businesses, self-employed people - through Dirigo.

And while our plan is controversial here at home, it has received accolades around the country from other states and impartial observers like the John F. Kennedy School of Government as an innovation leader.

With legislation passed this year, young adults will be able to stay on their parents? insurance policy until they turn 26 years old. Young adults are one of the hardest groups to reach with health insurance. They are just starting out and money tends to be tight, and too many of them don?t think about getting sick or getting hurt.

But it can happen, and this law will make sure some of them have the protection against those catastrophes.

Other legislation addresses consumer protection issues such as making more information about prescription drugs available, and their costs;

Expanding coverage for cancer screenings;

Calls for reviews to expand access to dental care and assistance to those with debilitating diseases such as eating disorders and mental health issues;

While state leaders will be meeting and trading recipes on how to make their homes economically stronger, healthier and smarter, there?s a debate going on in Washington that?s going to receive a fair amount of attention during our conference.

Congress and the president are debating the Children?s Health Insurance Program, or S-CHIP for short. The question is whether to expand the program to cover more kids.

In our state, this program has received overwhelming bipartisan support. It?s bipartisanly supported by our Congressional Delegation in Washington, and it covers about 15,000 kids in our state, all of them from families with income less than 200 percent of federal poverty.

In Maine we?re talking about middle income, middle class working families.

Despite its success, there are thousands of Maine kids who don?t have insurance.

Making sure every child in Maine can see a doctor shouldn?t be a question of ideology or political philosophy.

It?s a question about our responsibility as a community as the richest country on Earth. We have a moral obligation to take care of our children, and for me that?s where the debate ends.

You can be sure that this weekend, I?ll be telling Maine?s story, I?ll be taking notes on ideas and suggestions that other Governors have and what they?ve been able to experience ? both successes and some more challenging circumstances. And I?ll be advocating for programs like S-CHIP and also about innovation and economic development, making sure that Maine is moving with the rest of the nation and the nation is moving in this global economy to make sure Maine children and Maine families aren?t left behind.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Regionalization

July 28, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

Last weekend, I traveled to Michigan for a meeting of the National Governors Association.

Governors from all over the country came together for a weekend of hard work and exchanging ideas.

It?s easy to think about Maine as standing alone against the challenges of a changing economy and global competition. But as I talked with other governors, the message that came through time and again was that many of the problems states face are the same. We?re all part of this national economy, good, bad, or indifferent. We, ourselves, cannot change the world, but we recognize that we, working together, can make a difference.

We?ve all lost manufacturing jobs, natural resource-based industries are beset everywhere by foreign competition, cheap labor, a disregard for the environment, whether they?re in Maine, Wisconsin or Michigan.

Old-line industries, like automaking, that once provided good jobs and benefits to thousands of middle-class families are being lost.

And every state is looking to stretch resources further, to provide better services while holding back on government growth.

While Maine has some unique assets and a few unique problems, we are not alone in the things we are trying to do or the problems we are trying to solve.

One of the great lessons for me of this year?s conference is that there is great opportunity for states that can put aside competition, work together for regional solutions to big problems.

We?re already starting in the Northeast with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. This brought states in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic together to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases that are causing climate change.

It?s a cooperative effort that we believe will become a national model for how to manage air pollution by helping industry, stabilizing electric rates and taking care of reducing air pollution.

But this is just a beginning.

We have much to gain from cooperating with our neighbors.

During the NGA meeting, I spoke with the Governor Douglas of Vermont and it seemed clear to me that the old rivalries between neighbors no longer work.

Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont must work together on issues ranging from passenger rail to economic development to environmental protection. If we want to capitalize on our full potential, we must do it by working together.

Alone, we are relatively small, rural states, but together, we have an opportunity to build employment clusters that take advantage of all of our strengths.

Northern New England is a great place to live and work. By working with our neighbors, we can create the critical mass needed to draw new businesses and jobs to the region.

A recent national report reinforces this by saying that we can stem the out-migration of jobs to India and China by working together in rural America and northern New England is just the place.

Geography is not the only criteria that we should consider when looking for partners.

The University of Maine is doing groundbreaking research on the production of ethanol from wood. This technology holds the promise to revitalize our wood products industry, take advantage of one of our great natural resources and to make Maine and the nation more energy independent.

Now we are not the only state working on ethanol. Iowa, for example, is committed to creating alternative fuels from corn. We have a chance to work together with them to speed advances that will benefit both of our states.

Over the weekend, I spoke with Iowa Governor Culver and Colorado Governor Ritter, and we believe that together our states have a better chance of a major break through than we do working separately.

Energy security, reliable electricity rates and the development of cleaner-burning fuels are vital to our country?s economic and environmental health. We have much to learn from one another and much to share.

In addition to talking with one another, governors also heard from representatives of some of the country?s leading companies.

What they told us cuts against the grain of much more popular rhetoric. Tax rates, they said, are important, but not more important than regulatory stability and speed. Faster decision making.

In Maine, we are working to drive down the taxes on our citizens and businesses, but we also need to look at ways that we work, and try to make it easier for businesses and entrepreneurs to deal with state government.

That doesn?t mean that we are going to sacrifice clean air and clean water or loosen the regulations that protect public health and safety. But it does mean that we are going to work to simplify the process for businesses seeking permits.

We are going to modernize our codes and rules, and work to cut the amount of time it takes to get a new project going.

Maine is leading the country in health care and education, environmental stewardship. Other states look to us as a model to follow.

But it?s a two-way street. We have much we can learn from other places.

I intend to build upon my experience working with other governors to open new doors for Maine workers, businesses and researchers.

We?re going to reach out and reach up. There?s great opportunity waiting for all of us.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Domtar

August 4, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

When faced with difficult news, there are really just two ways that a person can react.

You can passively accept what you?re hearing and try to move on.

Or you can move aggressively to make things better.

When Domtar Corporation announced this week that it was permanently closing part of its operation in Baileyville, I was disappointed and concerned for the community and the workers affected.

I?ve seen this before in Maine, and each time it rips at my heart. Maine?s paper industry is in transition, and the changing nature of global competition has hurt some of older mills.

I hear from people all the time who say that there?s no future in the paper industry in Maine. They have given up hope on one of the state?s most important industrial sectors and look for excuses or someone to blame.

My administration has never lost faith in Maine?s ability to compete and to be successful.

It?s hard to hear about another mill ? another community ? going through this struggle, but we know from experience that both can come through to the other side.

Look at Lincoln, Millinocket and Old Town.

When the mill in Lincoln declared bankruptcy, I had to send in the state police to keep the opportunities for redevelopment from being wasted.

We saved that mill by being aggressive, and now 400 people are working and a there?s a $21 million payroll.

In Millinocket, two mills were on the verge. Now they are back, and 700 people have good jobs.

And in Old Town, Georgia Pacific turned its back on Maine and allowed its mill to collapse. We worked for eight months, partnering with the University of Maine and local and federal officials, and we found a new owner ? and new hope.

200 workers are back on the job, and more will be coming.

For the Woodland mill in Baileyville, the news was not nearly as bad as it was in Old Town. While 150 jobs will be lost, more than 300 jobs remain, and the mill will continue to make pulp.

The shutdown of the paper machine in Baileyville was one of just four announcements made by Domtar this week. The company also closed two facilities in Canada and another paper machine in Port Edwards, Wisconsin.

I have spoken to the Domtar?s CEO and other senior officials. They have assured me that they see a future for their pulp operation in Baileyville and intend to invest millions in upgrading the operation.

That?s good news.

But we will also take what we have learned from other mills and put it to work to secure Woodland?s future.

Maine has been aggressive in taking steps that have kept Domtar?s pulp operation competitive. Our forest certification program helps the company to better market its products worldwide.

The certification program gives the ?green? seal of approval to Domtar. It guarantees that the wood being used to produce pulp is harvested in an environmentally responsible and sustainable way.

Sustainable forest management is the hook that gives Maine companies an advantage in the global marketplace, and we need to expand participation and increase the number of acres covered. That?s one way to protect the forest product industries ? and jobs -- in Maine.

Maine has also partnered with the University System to develop new technology that makes it possible to produce ethanol as part of the pulp-making process.

The process holds great promise to make Maine pulp operations more profitable while also creating an alternative source of fuel. That technology can be put to work at pulp mills around the state, including the one in Baileyville.

The work being done at the University is the kind of innovation that will drive this state?s economy into the future. It will help modernize our old industries and help to fight global warming and make our state and country more energy secure.

That?s the future of the paper industry in Maine. And I believe it can still be bright.

At the same time, we haven?t forgotten about the people ? the families who will be hurt by Domtar?s decision. We are there for them.

The Maine Department of Labor will work with every affected worker. We will make sure they have the help they need to get by in the short-term, and the opportunities and training for the long-term.

These men and women are our friends and neighbors, and we will not forget them. This is a tough time, but they will not go through it alone.

We face an imperative in Maine. We must innovate, dedicate ourselves to making smart investments in technology and infrastructure, and educate our people so they are prepared for a future that rewards the highly skilled and well-trained.

If we do this ? and we must ? then our old industries will be reborn alongside promising new ones.

Radio Address: Take It Outside

August 11, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

We can start today to make a difference in the lives of our children.

For those of us who serve in office, we often think about the big things that need to be done.

We work to build a strong, efficient and effective education system, to make schools better and make sure teachers have the resources they need.

We try to reduce pollution and preserve Maine?s special places.

And we try to make sure every child in the state has access to quality health care.

But when it comes to taking care of our children ? and ourselves ? there are more basic, simple things that we can do to make a difference.

Earlier this month, I kicked off a new initiative called ?Take It Outside.?

It?s a simple message: Kids are healthier and happier when they are exposed to the wonders of nature.

Too often, we are losing our connection to the outside world.

Not long ago, I hiked Maine?s tallest peak, Mt. Katahdin.

I climbed the mountain with my son, Jack, and a group of friends.

It was an unforgettable trip ? I will always remember the view looking up at the peak from Chimney Pond ? and the view looking down at Chimney Pond as we approached the summit.

The memories will last forever, and the experience renewed my commitment to work hard at preserving what makes Maine special.

I have said this before, but it?s worth repeating: Our greatest duty is to prepare our children for the world they will face and protect the natural resources that they will inherit.

Atop Katahdin, there?s no doubting the importance of protecting those places that make Maine special.

Each year, thousands of people are drawn to Maine because we have remained diligent to those qualities that set us apart.

During my time in office, we have worked hard to preserve Maine?s special connection to the environment. We value clean air, clean water and open spaces, and have made investments to protect them.

That?s one of the reasons why Outside Magazine in its August issue named Portland its Best Town on the East Coast. The magazine had tough criteria: The towns have to combine ?stunning natural beauty,? an active social scene, affordable housing and a good work job market.

?We tried to look for a mix of fantasy and reality,? Outside?s Editor Charles Keyes told the Reuters News Service.

?We wanted towns that had a great outdoor lifestyle but still were realistic places where you can live and work,? he continued.

For Maine, growing our economy means protecting our quality of life and natural resources. It?s the legacy we owe our children and grandchildren.

Maine has always had a special connection to the natural world: our traditional industries, fishing, farming and forestry, all require an understanding of nature.

Sharing Maine?s special places has been a key component of our economy and way of life.

Sporting camps, guides, summer camps and outfitters all profit by sharing that knowledge.

Yet in Maine, as elsewhere, young people are increasingly disconnected from nature.

Richard Louv (pronounced LOOV) drew attention to the issue with his book Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder.

We know he?s right.

Sadly, in Maine as elsewhere, the number of overweight children is on the rise.

It?s easy to blame television and video games.

But we should also look at ourselves, and ask whether we could be doing more.

After all, children learn a sense of what?s important from the important adults in their lives ? parents, grandparents, teachers and neighbors.

Are we taking our kids to parks?

Are we playing outdoors with them?

Are we introducing them to the joy and wonder of our natural world?

Are we doing everything we can to connect children with nature?

I have directed state agencies to evaluate their programs, rules and policies with respect to the role they play in encouraging Maine people, especially young people, to experience and appreciate the natural world.

I?d like to know whether our transportation, education and health policies are working to get children outside, or are they, inadvertently, contributing to keeping them indoors?

This is an issue for all of us.

We want to work with the best minds, including those organizations, like Chewonki and the Maine Conservation School, that are already doing a great job getting kids outside and connected to nature.

Next spring we will hold a Blaine House Conference on Youth and the Natural World.

I look forward to receiving the findings from our state agencies and incorporating them into our planning.

In the meantime, the weather is warm and there?s plenty of time for swimming, canoeing, hiking, biking, and enjoying summertime in Maine.

Get outside, have fun, and enjoy Maine?s natural beauty while living a healthy, active lifestyle!

You can do it today. Don?t wait. Get outside and enjoy what Maine has to offer.

Radio Address: Joint Task Force

August 18, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Cooperation, team work and coming together for a common cause have always been Maine trademarks.

During natural disasters, emergencies and hard times, Mainers are always quick to offer a helping hand to their neighbors across the street, across town or around the state.

This summer, it?s happening again.

Late in July, we learned that Domtar would be closing its paper machine in Baileyville and reducing its work force by about 150 people in Washington County.

It was difficult news to hear, but my office and the offices of our state?s congressional delegation acted swiftly.

We put people on the ground in Washington County almost immediately to help the workers who had lost their jobs, and we held meetings on-site to discuss our approach to economic development in the region.

This week, through the cooperative efforts with Sen. Olympia Snowe, Sen. Susan Collins, Rep. Mike Michaud and Rep. Tom Allen, we have formed a state-federal task force to take a broader look at what can be done to speed Washington County?s recovery from the Domtar decision and to help find new jobs for displaced workers.

I had a long talk with Sen. Snowe about this task force Tuesday night and about the need for action. We are of one mind.

It?s absolutely necessary that the state and federal government, working with private industry and local communities, take a collaborative, unified approach to the problems that face Domtar?s former workers and their communities.

The issues are many.

Whether we?re talking about securing federal assistance to workers based on unfair trade practices, moving quickly to approve new businesses looking to relocate in Washington County or protecting existing industries, our efforts are most effective when we work together.

Going as far back as I can remember, Maine?s Congressional Delegation has worked well with the Governor?s Office and with each other when it comes to taking care of our home state.

The differences that divide the political parties fade away when the subject is jobs.

When the Pentagon took aim at Maine?s military bases, the Congressional Delegation came together with my administration to protect national security, our state economy and our work force.

We will apply that same level of determination to Domtar and Washington County.

While about 150 jobs were lost, Domtar?s pulp-making operation will continue in Baileyville. We must make sure that we do what we can to safeguard the facility, and help it grow.

Domtar still employs more than 300 people in Baileyville, and the company has told me and others that future investments there are possible.

Washington County faces a number of economic challenges, but it also has significant assets.

The Port of Eastport provides Domtar ? and potentially other industries ? reliable access to national and international markets.

Workers in Washington County are some of the best anywhere. They?re highly skilled and well-trained, and with a little help they can make other companies in the region successful.

And Downeast remains one of the most beautiful and relatively undiscovered gems in Maine?s tourism economy.

Maine?s Department of Labor and Department of Economic and Community Development have sent rapid response teams to Baileyville and Washington County to help displaced workers with job placement and retraining.

In addition, the Department of Labor has been working with Maine?s Congressional Delegation to receive Trade Adjustment Assistance, which helps workers get back on their feet and back to work.

We owe our workers this support. They have spent their professional lives helping to build a prosperous business and a strong community. Now we need to make sure they have the support to move on to new opportunities.

Time and again, Mainers rally to help one another. We?re doing it again.

There are political issues that divide us. We?re not always going to agree, but when it comes to taking care of our neighbors we are all on the same team.

The new federal and state task force will bring together people at every level of government and from the community to work collaboratively and move Washington County forward. Through the combined efforts and energies of this task force, we will do everything possible to bring new jobs and a new hope to Baileyville and Washington County.

At the end of the day, our common goal is to help the workers who have lost their jobs and their families, and to make sure the region can meet its full potential.

Radio Address: Energy

August 25, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

Today in Maine and across the United States, the cost of energy continues to hold back our economy. High gas prices make it hard for people to get to work and expensive for businesses to ship their products to their customers.

High heating oil prices leave many Mainers with difficult winter choices: Turning on the heat or going without other necessities.

And high electricity rates drive up the cost of doing business and force families to stretch their dollars even further.

High energy costs today are caused by electricity deregulation that hasn?t worked out as it was promised, federally imposed fees that do little to help Maine and a national energy policy designed more to protect the interests of big oil rather than the public interest.

We know that high energy prices hurt poor families the most, and make it difficult for business to add new jobs and protect the jobs that they have. A dollar spent unnecessarily on electricity is a dollar that can?t be invested in new technologies or new products.

This week, the Maine Public Utilities Commission, with my support, appealed a decision by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that places a 6 percent surcharge on residential electric bills in Maine and a 10 percent surcharge on businesses here in Maine.

It?ll cost Mainer?s more than $300 million over the next four years.

For such a big price tag, you might think Maine is getting something of value.

Well, we?re not.

Instead, Mainer?s are suffering while energy companies receive huge windfalls.

Consider Huhtamaki. It?s a chinette plant in Waterville ? over 400 people work there. I visited them this week to discuss the cost of electricity.

This unfair fee is already costing the company $65,000 a month.

The costs aren?t limited to the private sector. MSAD 47 in Oakland is spending an additional $22,000 a year because of the fee. That money comes straight out of your pockets in property tax dollars.

Maine can?t solve the country?s energy problems on its own, but we know we have the resources and wherewithal to improve our own situation.

My administration is aggressively pursuing new cooperation with New Brunswick that holds the promise of more stable energy markets and prices.

We are also supporting the development of alternative sources of energy, like wind power and bio-fuels, that could turn Maine into a real energy leader.

As an example, we?ve been working with the University of Maine, and Red Shield in Old Town on cutting-edge technology that allows ethanol to be produced during the pulp-making process.

Not only does it hold out great promise for cleaner-burning gasoline and energy independence, but the process has the potential to reinvigorate Maine?s paper industry.

Earlier this week, I kicked off a great program that will help families improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

It?s called ?How Does Your Home Perform?? and there?s a link off the State of Maine Web site. The program helps families make their homes healthier, more comfortable, more energy efficient.

We bring contractors who are certified and trained together with homeowners, and make sure the work is high quality. Low-cost loans are also available so families can turn opportunity into action.

The loans range from 1% - 3%.

We?ve set achievable goals on renewable energy, we?ve established tax credits for the production of alternative fuels ? so Maine is leading the way with our energy policies, but we need to do more.

Maine has been hurt by these high energy prices, but there is a plan, there is action, and we need to work together.

Our people are creative and motivated and are working on these new technologies and these new investments we need to break free from the strangle-hold of energy uncertainty.

We will continue to invest through the university in R&D innovation. We will pursue new relationships with our neighbors to the north and better deals for our people. And, when necessary, we will take our fight to court to stop punitive and unfair federal decisions that could hurt Maine families and businesses.

Thank you all and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: Back to School

September 1, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Happy Labor Day Weekend.

Labor Day is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers ? and it gives many of us a day off, to leave behind the hustle and bustle of our jobs.

It?s the start of the football season and the beginning of an exciting 4-week finish to the baseball season, as the Red Sox hopefully enter into the playoffs.

And, for children, their families, educators and administrators, it means school is back in session.

This year, we are working on major changes in the administration of K-12 education.

This past June, the Legislature approved a plan to consolidate the school administrative units in an effort to reduce property tax burdens, put more resources into teachers and classrooms and less into Administration overhead.

The plan calls for no more than 80 districts, down from 152.

Since passing the law, meetings have been taking place among existing school units, all tasked with creating new partnerships between communities that will better serve our students and taxpayers.

Friday was an important day in this process ? it was the deadline for communities to submit their initial reports on consolidation efforts to the state officials.

Early feedback I am receiving is that most communities are working cooperatively with neighboring districts and developing innovative and exciting ideas for the future.

I am also hearing about a few districts that seem to prefer the status quo - using inaccurate data to say that savings will not be achieved.

The status quo for most districts is not an option.

Why?

Just look at your property tax bill ? it continues to increase despite the state now funding 55% of local education.

We?ve now committed $800 million NEW dollars over the last four years ? money that should have been used for tax relief, or invested back into schools.

Instead, property taxes are still rising, not enough of the new money is making it to the teachers and the classroom and education costs have continued to increase, despite enrollment in public schools dropping by 43,000 students over the last 30 years.

Ironically, in the same time period, we have gained in Administration. We are now spending $2,000 more per pupil than the national average for administration of education.

That?s why my plan will put more money into the classrooms, where it belongs.

We can?t live in the past and rely on an infrastructure that worked 50 years ago.

The state has already undertaken an effort to streamline state government and eliminate Administration.

We?ve merged Information Technology, Human Resources, payroll and accounting functions across all state departments to save over $11 million in all funds and improve accountability across state government.

We?ve reduced state spending in Health & Human Services by $130 million by streamlining Administration and better managing the care of managed care services.

But we realize that more needs to be done. Maine is a big state with a small population.

Maine cannot afford the amount of Administration we have. We must be more efficient and more focused.

We have chosen to consolidate from 152 districts to 80 to provide property tax relief, while increasing excellence in our education system.

We?re now requiring four years of math and science. We are trying to make sure that everybody has the access for higher education.

Now, we?re going to continue to work together with school districts, superintendents and other educators on this plan.

The next deadline is December 1st, when final organizational plans are due. If you have ideas or input, I encourage you to speak with your town officials.

In the meantime, there is more work to do finding savings across the board.

The Legislature has set up an online suggestion box at Maine-dot-gov for you to submit ideas for savings.

I have personally gone over those suggestions, and I have really found some of them to be very helpful. I am hoping that we continue to have your input and suggestions, and at the same time to be able to share with you information about what already has been done.

As I talk to people about the steps of eliminating a human resource and budget people, and IT people in each of the state departments, they were unfamiliar with those changes, saving $11 million over the biennium with that action alone.

There are many other areas that we have worked hard to economize and stretch dollars. At the same time, there are many more areas that we need to continue to look at and demand from the departments and agencies better quality services and being able to do it with fewer tax resources, allowing our citizens the tax relief and opportunities to be able to provide for themselves and their families.

So, I ask you to work together as we position Maine to take advantage of the 21st Century.

Thank you ? and have a great Labor Day Weekend.

Radio Address: SCHIP

September 8, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

Health care is a basic human right, and universal health insurance coverage is my goal for every man, woman and child in Maine.

This is a great challenge. Health care is an issue so important and complicated that to truly provide universal insurance, a national solution is needed.

But as we just learned in the latest Census data released last month, the rate of the uninsured in the nation has climbed, this includes more children who are without health insurance.

Absent a national solution, with health care costs continuing to climb, states have had to go it alone. But Maine has led the way.

In the latest Census data, Maine tied for first in the nation in health insurance coverage.

Through Dirigo Health Reforms, we are addressing underlying costs in the health care system while working to improve the quality of care and providing more insurance options in the health care marketplace.

We announced this week that DirigoChoice will now be offered through Harvard Pilgrim, a nonprofit insurance company. This new partnership is a better financial arrangement for Dirigo and helps bring competition back to the health insurance marketplace in Maine.

We have expanded coverage through Medicaid and through innovative efforts that ensure people don?t go without the health care they need, but that they get it by better managing and tightening the controls in the Medicaid program.

Also, in the recent State Legislative session, we achieved legislation to require insurers and allow employers to extend a child?s insurance coverage on a parent?s plan until the age of 25, regardless of whether or not the child is in school.

Much of our success in keeping our rate of uninsured low has been through the use of the tool known as the State Children?s Health Insurance Plan.

I was very pleased to be part of its creation at the federal-state partnership, being established in 1997. I was in my second term as a 2nd District Congressman from Maine.

This program has lived up to its promise. It is a unique program providing states with precious funding, and with the flexibility to craft their own effective programs.

Maine?s program is one of the most successful in the country.

In fact, 93% of children in Maine have health insurance. Even when talking about the hardest group of kids to insure ? the poor and near-poor, children of working families ? the very group designed for Children?s Health Insurance to cover ? Maine?s has reached a successful coverage rate of 88%.

More than 13,000 Maine children have health care because of this program.

But now, Maine and other states? good faith efforts to extend affordable insurance to children are being threatened.

As I expressed in a letter to President Bush almost a year ago, pulling back coverage to our children is unacceptable.

Funding for this program is one of the best investments we can make to ensure that our children grow and develop healthy, reduce chronic disease instances and costs, and attend school better equipped to learn.

Simply put, future success of Maine?s efforts to provide quality affordable health care to Maine children depends on the federal government continuing to meet its responsibility to this program.

Luckily, Congress is moving in to reauthorize the Children?s Health Insurance Program in a way that keeps the promise made ten years ago.

Both the current House and Senate versions of the reauthorization would enable Maine to continue the health insurance program for children.

Both bills would give Maine and other states the tools to expand that coverage.

I want to extend my thanks to our Congressional Delegation: to Senator Snowe and Senator Collins; Congressman Allen and Congressman Michaud ? for their strong support of Children?s Health Insurance Programs.

Their voices have been loud and clear through this debate.

Working with my Administration and other governors, they have rejected the White House?s attempts to curtail insurance to low and moderate income families.

Along with our Delegation in Washington, D.C., Children?s Health Insurance Programs has strong support in Maine from the Maine Legislature, the Maine Children's Alliance, Maine Equal Justice Partners, Maine hospitals, Maine physicians, among many others in the State of Maine, because they all know there?s nothing more important than protecting the health and welfare of the children of the State of Maine.

Thank you very much and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Jails

September 15, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Earlier this year, Maine was on the verge of crisis in our prisons and jails.

Prisoners were left sleeping on the floors, guards were stretched to their breaking points and the Legislature was left struggling for answers.

Through the hard work of the Appropriations Committee and Criminal Justice committee, working with my administration and Commissioner Marty Magnusson, we were able to develop a short-term solution that protects our dedicated corrections officers and the inmates they oversee.

But the fix was temporary and the problems of an overcrowded and outdated system persist.

They demand immediate action.

I have a plan that will save taxpayers ? property taxpayers - millions of dollars, that will relieve pressure on property taxes and keep the state from wasting money on new prisons and jails we don?t need.

As it stands today, we have 16 separate corrections systems, all operating in one State of Maine.

The current system is inefficient and unsustainable. People are getting hurt, they aren?t receiving the care they need, and when they do receive it, it?s too expensive, and that burden falls directly onto the back of property taxpayers.

The system must change.

My plan will unify 15 separate county jails with the state Department of Corrections, to create a single statewide system.

It will save money. It will take better care of prisoners. And will make our communities safer and more secure.

Over the last three years, the cost for counties to operate their jails has increased about 12 percent per year. During that same time, the cost to operate the state prison system has increased about 6 percent per year.

By creating a unified system, we can reduce the overall costs for housing prisoners by $10 million in the first year alone. By 2015, annual savings will grow to almost $38 million.

So without a unified system, at least four counties and the state will be forced into borrowing millions of dollars to build new facilities. With my plan, that?s not necessary.

It cost property taxpayers $66 million in 2006 and an estimated $71 million in 2007 to support county jail operations. If nothing is done, it will balloon to $148 million ? property tax dollars - by 2013

It?s too much. We can do better.

My plan will create at least one specialty program ? and perhaps two ? that would treat prisoners with mental health issues. Currently, as you?ve read in the newspapers, there is limited ability to treat psychiatric patients within either the prison or jail systems. The unified system will also benefit from reduced administrative overhead, improved purchasing power and increased flexibility.

While constraining costs and relieving the pressure on property taxpayers is a high priority, our plan will also lead to better outcomes for the prisoners. We can?t continue to have prisoners sleeping on floors, and allow mental illness and substance abuse to go untreated.

These men and women are in our custody, and we are responsible for their welfare. We can?t wait for another crisis that puts the lives of guards and prisoners in jeopardy.

This isn?t a new idea. We have been talking about solutions to overcrowding and treatment problems in jails and prisons since at least the 1990s. I have a report from the 1997 Privatization Task Force that recommends a single statewide correctional system. Other states, including our neighbor Vermont, have already gone down this path with good results. It?s the right choice for Maine, too.

I know it?s difficult. I know it?s hard to change. But we cannot continue to burden our taxpayers and have a system that really is dysfunctional.

I understand that there are a lot of questions out there and that there are some sheriffs and county commissioners that are upset that they might lose some of their authority. But we all have to put the interest of the state ? and our citizens and the common good ? above our personal ambitions.

And I want the workers in the corrections field to know that they are important and they are valued and we certainly appreciate their service and want to continue to work with them.

My plan would freeze the current county assessment for jails.

The state will take over responsibility for all future growth in costs, which would protect those property taxpayers from double-digit increases in jail spending and the debt which would have been required to build new county jails.

That?s what this plan offers -- A guarantee that property taxes won?t go up to pay for county jails in the future.

Before I put my plan forward, you weren?t likely to hear too many good things about county jails. They were usually talked about as a financial liability.

They drive up property taxes, they?re difficult to operate and they?re expensive. For most counties, the jail is the single biggest budget item.

A single, unified system gives people a break on their property taxes ? and they need it.

So, I am committed to putting this plan forward. We know we have a solution. And we know we must muster the political will to take action. There are no alternatives. We must move forward.

Thank you and good day.

Radio Address: Dirigo

September 22, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning.

If you are following national politics, one of the big news stories this week is that Sen. Hillary Clinton has issued her plan to provide universal coverage for all Americans.

With release of her plans this week, she joins Sen. Barack Obama and former Sen. John Edwards, who have also released detailed proposals for universal coverage.

Added to the mix is the work that?s being done in California by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the work that was done to establish universal health care in Massachusetts by former Gov. Mitt Romney.

In Maine, we recognized the importance of universal health insurance about four years ago when the Legislature supported Dirigo Health Reform with a large, bipartisan majority.

Since then, a lot has happened in Maine and in the United States. While most states have seen the number of people without insurance creeping up, Maine has been able to hold the line.

According to the latest numbers from the U.S. Census, Maine is tied for first in the nation for making sure our people have health care coverage.

Dirigo Health Reform isn?t perfect, and it surely attracted its share of detractors, many of them motivated by little more than ideological zeal.

In other cases, there are legitimate differences of opinion. Three years ago, Maine partnered with Anthem, the state?s largest insurance company, to create DirigoChoice insurance product.

DirigoChoice is a private health insurance plan that?s part of a larger Dirigo Health Reform effort. It makes quality health insurance more affordable for businesses and individuals and has subsidies available for people who need a little financial help.

The insurance plan has been a modest success. Thousands of people have insurance today who would not have it without DirigoChoice, and thousands of others have used the plan to help bridge gaps in their coverage.

Recently, the state had to look for alternatives.

Harvard Pilgrim, a nonprofit health insurance company that is consistently ranked among the best in the country by its clients, has agreed that Dirigo is an attractive business opportunity.

It bodes well for Dirigo and the health reform efforts we are trying in Maine, but it also helps all of our citizens by providing competition in the private insurance market. So these are companies that are interested in working in Maine and with the Dirigo Health Program on this effort.

We know the Dirigo Health Reforms are working. Just this week, the Superintendent of Insurance determined that the program had saved almost $33 million in health care spending in its third year alone.

While we believe the savings were larger, $33 million is significant. That?s money that wasn?t needlessly spent and will instead be re-invested in expanding coverage to people who don?t have it.

To make health care more accessible and affordable, we have to control costs. On that score, Dirigo is creating real dividends.

Momentum is growing also in this country for a new direction on health care. We can not be satisfied with a status quo that allows 45 million U.S. citizens to go without health insurance.

It?s bad economic policy. But more than that, it?s just wrong for the most innovative, industrious country in the world to be content with such health care insecurity.

I?m proud of what we have accomplished in Maine, even though work remains and the struggle for full health insurance coverage is far from complete.

But the challenge of providing access to quality, affordable health care to all our citizens is a national problem that begs for a national solution.

Until we have one, we will continue our efforts here in Maine.

In addition to Dirigo, we need bring greater competition to the health insurance market, adopt market reforms that will make the rates more transparent while also holding down costs.

There will come a day in this country when every man, woman and child has access to good health care. It won?t be easy and it won?t be cheap.

That day?s not here yet, but we can get there.

If we work together, put aside the partisan bickering and focus on good public policy, Maine can continue to be a leader in making sure people have the health care that they need, and it?s affordable and high quality. And we can continue to be a model for the rest of the country.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Allagash Wilderness Waterway

September 29, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

Recently I introduced an initiative designed to motivate parents to take their children outside and spend time together enjoying the Maine outdoors.

The reason was simple: Kids are happier and healthier when they are exposed to the wonders of nature.

I launched the initiative in July, just two weeks after my son, Jack, and I climbed Mount Katahdin.

Two months later, we are still talking about that trip ? the memories that were made, the feelings of achievement when we hit the summit, and the aches and pains after it was all done, and the laughs we had along the way.

Both Jack and I remember vividly the scene from Chimney Pond, looking up at Maine?s highest peak, Mt. Katahdin. Breathtaking.

Earlier this month, we had another opportunity to experience one of Maine?s natural wonders.

Jack and I canoed 33 miles of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in Northern Maine.

We brought 10 others with us, including 2 other parents with their children ? Department of Conservation Commissioner Pat McGowan was joined by his daughter, Chelsea; and Karin Tilberg from my office was joined by her daughter, Linea.

Much like Katahdin ? the views were spectacular.

The peaceful feeling as we paddled along the serene waterway is something that I will always remember.

I paddled with my friend Phyllis Jalbert (jal-BEAR), who is a registered Maine Guide with more than 5 decades of paddling experience.

My son paddled with another longtime, well-known Maine Guide, Gil Gilpatrick of Skowhegan. The two of them traveled the Allagash in a canoe that Gil had made during the Ice Storm of 1998.

Getting outside with a group of friends and families is almost always a wonderful experience.

It?s not just that we spent a weekend participating in healthy outdoor activities in one of the most pristine rivers in the country ? but we also shared laughs, memories and stories with friends who were there with us.

The aches and pains of the 33-mile canoe trip have already gone away ? for the most part - but the memories of the adventures and playing cribbage by campfire with my son will last forever.

The other parents who took their children on the trip feel the same way ? they not only enjoyed the exercise, but they loved being with their family and friends.

And that?s what ?Take It Outside? is all about.

The initiative isn?t about just going to the top of Katahdin or a trip through the Allagash ? but it can be a walk through the woods, playing catch in the park, biking or snowshoeing one of Maine?s breathtaking trails, or even playing ball in the backyard.

The point is to spend quality time with your children while providing them with a healthy, outdoor experience. And you know what? It will be good for you too.

We are proud of our state parks, as well as our efforts to preserve Maine?s special connection to the environment. We value clean air and water and open spaces, and we have made the investments to protect them.

People come from all over the world to see our natural beauty and experience the beauty that we have right outside our backdoor.

There?s an old saying, ?You don?t know what you have until it?s gone.? We have worked hard to ensure that what we have in Maine will never be ?gone? ? but we?ll collectively work together to make sure our children still know that what they have is really precious.

Once again this weekend, we are encouraging our children to engage in outdoor activities.

With the Boys & Girls Club of America, Nickelodeon television, and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, I have proclaimed Saturday as Worldwide Day of Play in the State of Maine.

The Waterville Boys and Girls Club is conducting a walk and jog along the Kennebec Trails for youth 6 ? 12. Nickelodeon is turning off programming on all of its television stations and Web site Saturday from noon until 3 to encourage kids to get outside and play.

While it takes more than three hours out of one day to instill a healthy lifestyle, it certainly is a start.

As parents, teachers and neighbors we need to ask ourselves if we could be doing more.

?Take It Outside? will allow us to work with organizations that are already doing a great job of getting kids outside and connected with our natural resources ? and to see where there is room for improvement within our own state agencies.

Next spring, for example, we will hold a Blaine House Conference on Youth and the Natural World.

In the meantime, we are in the first full weekend of autumn. There?s no better place to see it than hiking and biking along Maine trails, enjoying some of our parks throughout the state.

But despite the aches and pains ? which I still relish - I have many great memories from those trips to Mount Katahdin and the Allagash. Those memories will last forever ? and I encourage everyone listening to create your own memories today and ?Take It Outside.?

Thank you. And have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Listening

October 6, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Last spring, members of the Legislature came together with my administration to overwhelmingly pass a strong, bipartisan state budget.

As part of that budget, we committed to a process to find at least $10.1 million in savings in the state budget.

The Legislature?s Appropriations Committee was tasked with identifying those savings through cuts, restructuring and improved efficiencies, and my administration committed to working with them.

In August, I submitted a list of changes that could save the state $11.3 million. That?s a good start, and as you?ve already pointed out, it?s ONLY a start. But if it?s adopted by the Legislature it would fulfill the requirements in the budget.

But I?m determined to go further.

The Appropriations Committee has made progress in its efforts, and its work will continue in October.

The committee deserves a lot of credit for the work it has done, and the way it has done it.

They created a way to submit ideas on the Internet, and thousands of suggestions have come in.

I am taking these suggestions seriously.

People need to know that we?re listening ? their voices are being heard.

I keep a list of those ideas that people have sent in with my other budget materials on my desk, and my staff is evaluating them to determine the savings and also in terms of improving quality and dedication of services.

While there?s still a lot of work to do on many of the ideas, they give us a very good place to start.

One idea that was put forward by the people is to merge the state agencies that deal with Natural Resources.

For a state like Maine, with a long tradition of conservation, outdoor activities and a natural-resource-based dependent economy, such a merger would be a major change.

But I am committed to looking at it. If it?s a good idea, we must do it. I know it is going to make people feel uncomfortable, but we cannot leave any stone unturned.

Another idea that I?ve been talking about for a while also showed up on the public list. E-mailers suggested that we merge the Department of Transportation with the Maine Turnpike Authority.

Such a move faces some hurdles, but it also appears to make a lot of sense. The Turnpike, which is a separate independent agency, and MaineDOT do many of the same jobs and provide many of the same services. I believe that there are operational efficiencies to be gained with better cooperation.

And Maine isn?t the only state that?s looking at this.

Governor Patrick in Massachusetts this week proposed a similar idea. He would abolish the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and a number of other independent transportation-related bureaucracies and form one agency that would deal with transportation issues for his state.

This is what I?ve said for some time and that?s the approach that we?re going to be considering and putting forward before the Legislature.

Other ideas from the public include further examination of the state?s energy consumption.

What would the savings be if the thermostat in state buildings was turned down to 65 degrees during winter? I don?t know, but it?s worth finding out and we?re going to find out.

The ideas are far-ranging and touch every area of state government.

I am committed to making government at all levels more efficient.

We need to be able to do this so that we can provide the resources to invest in research and development so our businesses have the latest technology to secure better paying jobs and prosperity for all Mainers; so that we can provide tax relief for income and property tax payers; and so that we can have higher quality of health and education services.

We can do better. We can be smarter about how we?re doing it and work better together.

Last spring, we took major steps toward improving K-12 administration. We are eliminating unnecessary administration and putting resources into the classroom where they belong.

We?re also, this year, going to be adding four-year requirements for math and science in order to graduate from high school. We?re building more rigor and quality in the classrooms with higher education standards.

This year I?ll be proposing a unified corrections system that will protect property tax payers from double digit increases to pay for county jails.

The changes are big and they make some people feel uncomfortable.

But we can?t move forward by keeping one foot in the past and one in the future.

We must transform government for the new century. We must put both feet in the future, so that all Mainers ? my son and your son and daughters ? have opportunities here and don?t have to leave Maine and go elsewhere.

We owe it to them, we owe it to ourselves and we owe it to Maine?s future.

Thank you and have a good day.

Radio Address: Investing

October 13, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning.

In less than a month, Maine voters will go to the polls. The decisions voters make will have a lasting effect on Maine?s children and our state?s economic future.

It?s not enough for us to sit by and wish for a stronger economy. We have to pursue it aggressively.

There are three questions on the ballot that ask voters to approve new investments in job creation and business innovation, in higher education and protecting our environment.

We must make investments today if we want to be successful in a global, information-based economy.

I know that Mainers have what it takes to be successful. When I travel around the state, I am constantly impressed with the quality of our people, their work ethic and productivity, and their ideas.

Our people can compete ? and win ? around the world. They just need a level playing field and an opportunity.

That?s what Questions 2, 3 and 4 on this November?s ballot will do. They will help create the level playing field on which our people can work and win.

Question 2 will invest $55 million to support private-sector job creation and business innovations. If we want to have high-paying jobs with good benefits, then we have to invest in R&D that will lead to new industry, new technologies and the advances that go with them.

Question 2 gives us an opportunity to put resources to work strengthening Maine?s economy. It will give Maine the spark that it needs.

Just as important as creating new jobs, we have to provide our children and grand children with a quality education.

There was a time in Maine when a young person could get a good job without having a college degree. Those days are largely gone.

Today with the information-based, technology-based economy, it depends on a highly trained, educated workforce.

A college degree is no longer optional, and we have to make sure that every person in the state has the opportunity to receive a quality education.

I was at a car dealer the other day and they were telling me the importance of people having the ability with technology with today?s computer involvement with our automobiles. It?s unbelievable the technical expertise that today?s auto mechanics need to have - and it happens in all of the industries ? in order to be successful.

There is no better predictor of economic success than education. People with more education have better jobs and earn more money.

Question 3 on the ballot will invest $43 million in higher education in our University, Community College and Maine Maritime Academy.

Our goal when we created the community college system was to make college accessible and affordable, opening the doors wider than they have ever been opened before for all Maine people.

We?ve succeeded beyond expectations. Enrollment at Maine?s community colleges is exploding. Now that success demands that we provide our schools with the support they need to serve our students.

The University of Maine offers students great academic programs at great values, and its professors and students partner with Maine industries and they?re leading the way in our efforts to innovate.

The work that?s being done at the system?s seven campuses is amazing. In Orono, they?ve developed ballistic plates out of cutting edge composite materials that are already at work protecting U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Engineers are working on new technology that holds incredible promise for Maine?s paper industry, Maine?s energy industry. A new process is being developed that will allow mills to make biofuels as part of pulp-making processes.

And Maine Maritime Academy offering a unique educational experience continues Maine?s connection to its ocean-based economy.

We must support our institutions of higher learning. They equip our students with the skills they need for a brighter future. They need our tools to do the right job.

So I?m asking for a yes vote on Question 3.

The world today is smaller than ever before. Technology, the Internet and wireless communications connect us to the world in ways we could never have imagined just a few years ago.

Those advances have given us great freedom. Industry leaders chose Maine because of the special qualities we have to offer.

Our state is rich in natural resources. Maine is beautiful and clean. We protect our environment, we invest in land conservation and we?re good stewards of the things that make us special.

Question 4 will invest $35 and a half million to support those efforts. We?ll be able to protect our working water fronts and farm lands, and safeguard Maine?s tradition of access for outdoor recreation.

Maine has a world-renowned brand name. We stand out for the quality of the products we produce and the quality of our way of life.

Question 4 helps us to protect those assets, including clean air and water, our state parks, historic sites, and our great outdoor traditions.

Maine can?t afford not to make these investments. But I need your help. I need your support and your vote on November 6 so that Maine?s economic vitality is secured for our future generations. It?s important for all of us.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Breaking the China

October 20, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

As I grow older and watch my son mature into a fine young man, I often think of my father and mother and the lessons they taught me.

One in particular guides me today.

When I was a state Senator, representing my hometown of Bangor, I was running the family business and my wife had a good job as a registered dietician.

To put it simply: I was comfortable and we were comfortable.

My father told me that my responsibility was NOT to be comfortable or satisfied. He told me that it was time after six terms to either move up or move out. He told me that I owed it to the people who had elected me and who trusted me with their votes to keep moving, to keep up the fight for their interests, and to challenge myself to do more.

It was his urging that prompted my first run for Congress, and ultimately my campaign for governor.

I have been blessed by the people of this state, who have given me their trust and support.

And I continue to hear that challenge from my father to cast off the comfortable and to be challenged by ?What did I do for the people today??

Maine has tremendous natural resources, an innovative and determined workforce, and a quality of life that attracts people from around the world.

But our assets cannot protect us against the changes of a new century.

We must change just as the world is changing around us.

The government structures that have worked so well for so long - they?re no longer sufficient. We spend too much on administration, too many levels of government, too much overhead and more and more of our resources are drained away from where they need to do the most good. In higher education, scholarships, and research and development. Providing platforms for opportunities and prosperities to do business here and around the world.

We are facing a future with a government from the past.

The United States is facing uncertain economic times. Revenues are mirroring the national trend, and we have to be prepared.

I am committed to make the changes necessary to ensure Maine?s financial health and the prosperity of all our people.

It?s time for us to rattle the shelves, and probably break a few dishes, but to recognize in doing so that we are going to have better opportunities for all Maine citizens so our young people, when they graduate from school, they will find their opportunities here and not have to go elsewhere.

We owe it to them. We owe it to their future. And it?s our responsibility in this generation to do the work that is necessary.

We started earlier this year. We?ve already tackled reforming K-12 education administration. The debate was spirited and it continues in some quarters, but the truth is we are well on our way to a successful reform.

We have gone from from 290 administrative units to less than 80.

We?ve added more transparency to the school budget process, and put more resources into the classroom, where they can do the most good.

But we have to continue to attack inefficiencies by looking at government at all levels, administrations in all areas, and move Maine ahead.

In August, I began a conversation over the future of the state?s prisons and jails.

The way we house prisoners is dysfunctional and places unnecessary pressures on prison personnel, taxpayers and inmates.

A unified corrections administration system will save taxpayers money, and deliver better outcomes for the inmates - the mentally ill, women with substance abuse.

Entrenched interests oppose the plan, fearful that they?ll loose some of their authority. But the change must come.

While there are some questions about existing county debt that need to be resolved, I am confident we can find a solution that works for every taxpayer in the state.

And I?m not going to just stop there.

As I?ve indicated before, every area needs to be reviewed.

My administration right now is reviewing a possible merger between the Maine Turnpike Authority and the Department of Transportation. Here are two organizations that basically perform the same functions.

They both maintain roads.

And we have to be able to work together to wring out the efficiencies, the duplications and the overlaps out of those two systems.

We?re also looking at our natural resource agencies in state government. These departments are populated by dedicated and skilled public servants, but we have a lot of administration, and we need to be able to break down the walls that separate our experts into these little silos.

The issues that face Maine in the future require coordinated responses and new approaches. We just can?t do things the way we?ve been doing them or we?re not going to change the results. And the results we need are not the ones we have been getting.

In order for better opportunities, better results, and a future where prosperity will be for every single Maine citizen, we need to change.

With your help, I know that we?re going to be successful.

Radio Address: Trade Mission

October 27, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

This weekend, as we root for the Boston Red Sox to what we hope will be their second World Series victory in four years, we should take a minute look at the makeup of this team and why they are successful.

The Red Sox have the free-spirited ?Manny being Manny?; Jonathan Papelbon who has an unbreakable concentration; and the big bat from the loveable Big Papi; and an impressive rookie class of players who dazzled us just a few years ago at Hadlock Field.

The Boston Red Sox are achieving success by having a mix of seasoned veterans and talented young energetic rookies from their own system. But the Sox also know that in order to be successful, sometimes you have to look beyond your borders.

Last year the Red Sox went overseas and signed Japenese baseball sensations Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima. Daisuke has baffled opposing batters with his ?Gyro-ball? and Okajima was voted to the American League All Star Team in July. These two off-season acquisitions have proven to be very instrumental in their success this season.

But much like the Red Sox, Maine businesses also realize that to be successful, sometimes it is imperative to look beyond U.S. soil. We live in a global economy and it?s no longer a competition with New Hampshire and Vermont - but we?re competing with businesses that are in countries thousands of miles from here.

Next week I will lead a delegation of Maine businesses and community leaders from Maine on a trade mission to Japan and South Korea.

It?s an important trip that holds great promise to help grow our economy, introduce Maine products to fast-growing trade partners in Asia and to create new jobs here at home.

I?m a bit of a homebody. I grew up in Maine and love this state. When I was a member of Congress for 8 years, I never went on any overseas trips. But as Governor, I have a responsibility to help boost the state?s economy and do what I can to bring economic development to the State of Maine.

These trade missions that have been established over the years by different Governors and different Administrations have sought to bring businesses, industry and community leaders in closer contact with officials overseas.

This mission that I?m taking is going to be a crucial one.

In the previous three, we have increased sales from Maine companies by at least $12.8 million dollars - and that?s a conservative number that only tracks new sales in the first year after the mission.

Yes, we?ve gone to Ireland and the UK, Germany, Italy, and France. Each time we?ve met with success.

But if Maine wants to expand its share of the international marketplace, we?ve got to pay attention to countries and show what we have to offer. If you want to expand trade with Asia, you?ve got to go to Asia.

Japan is the fourth largest trading partner of the State of Maine. It accounts for more than $128 million in exports. South Korea is fifth, with more than $100 million in exports.

When the Maine International Trade Center began planning this year?s trip, the nonprofit association went to businesses and ask: ?Where should we be going??

And the answer came back time and time again: we should be going to Japan and South Korea.

To expand our success in these markets, we have to be aggressive in pursuit of new trade opportunities. We can?t sit back and expect new trading partners to find us. We?ve got to go out and find them.

When Maine companies grow and export more to other countries, the effects ripple around the state. New jobs are created, the economy expands and state revenues increase.

This year?s trip features a wide range of companies. There?s a seafood company specializing in lobsters, a distiller, high tech companies and an old Maine standard like Maine Pulp and Paper and Thomas Moser Cabinetmaker.

We also have a strong contingent from our universities and community colleges. Their goal is to attract new students ? and new ideas ? to Maine?s great schools, broadening the experience for our kids, growing enrollment and breaking down the cultural walls that stand between the United States and other parts of the world.

There?s no question that trade missions have a positive impact on Maine?s economy. Businesses operate with an eye toward their bottom line. The high level of interest in this trip shows the potential for international trade.

This trip is about creating jobs and growing Maine?s economy. Maine has tremendous resources, innovative businesses and a reputation for quality. Part of my job is spreading that message.

The world is changing. Maine is very well-positioned to take advantage of those changes. But we can?t be content and wait for it to come to us because it won?t. We?ve got to act with confidence and show the world that what we have to offer they need more of.

I am convinced that this trade mission will be successful ? as the others have been - and that success will spread throughout our state.

Wish us luck, and know that while we?re gone I?ll be thinking of home?and cheering for the Red Sox from 7,000 miles away.

Good luck to you and good luck to Boston!

Radio Address: Keep ME Warm

November 3, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

When it comes to talking about the weather, there?s never a lot of certainty in Maine. Like the saying goes, ?If you don?t like the weather, wait five minutes and it will probably change.?

But if there?s anything that we can say for sure, it?s that cold weather is on its way.

And for many Maine families, that truth comes with a chill as harsh as any winter wind. They are left to wonder how they?ll manage to keep warm with energy costs soaring and with little hope of relief.

We can?t control the price of heating oil or how high the mercury rises in our thermometers. But we can do our best to make sure Mainers don?t have to go through this winter?s short days and cold nights alone.

While high energy prices hit all of us hard, Mainers with low-incomes suffer the most. They are forced to spend a higher percentage of their income on heat and sometimes make it impossible, the choices that lie between staying warm, buying medicine and putting groceries in the cupboards.

It?s really no choice at all.

That?s why we have done our best, working with Maine State Housing, to stretch every single dollar out of our energy assistance programs that help Mainers who are struggling to make ends meet. They receive help buying heating oil.

The program makes a real difference. During the 2005 heating season, the heating oil program, called LIHEAP, helped almost 49,000 Maine families.

While the assistance usually doesn?t get a family through winter alone, there?s no doubt that it helps during the hardest times of the year.

Our efforts to help our neighbors don?t stop with heating oil.

We also have the Keep Maine Warm program.

This program helps families make the most of their resources by reducing energy costs.

Working together with a number of state agencies, private companies and nonprofits, 1,000 Warm Kits will be available to low-income homeowners.

The idea behind the kit is pretty simple. If we can help homeowners make their houses more energy efficient, they?ll have more money to spend on the essentials.

The kits contain a number of useful items, from fluorescent light bulbs, to low-flow shower heads, to caulking for interior storm windows. It also includes helpful information about how to take efficiency even further.

Brochures about the program will be available at a number of government agencies and Community Action Agencies, where kits can also be picked up.

It also includes $60 worth of home improvement tools that can make a difference for families living on the edge.

But the efficiency ideas on the brochures can work for everyone.

Heating bills will be high this year, and while we?ll have to make sure our less fortunate neighbors are taken care of, we?re all going to feel the sting of high oil and electricity prices.

A few simple steps ? replacing conventional light bulbs with fluorescents, sealing cracks around doors and windows, insulating the water heater ? can add up to significant savings over Maine?s long winter.

For more information on the Warm Kits or energy efficiency programs, Mainer?s can call the state?s information line at 2-1-1 or check out the MaineHousing or Maine Office of Energy Independence and Security Web site.

A few small changes can go a long way.

The very best protection that any of us has during difficult times is each other. If you?re doing OK, check in on a neighbor, call your friends and try to look out for each other.

Mainers have a long history of reaching out to one another during difficult times. So as we approach winter, I often think about the great Ice Storm and the hardships it created.

And as difficult as that was and as trying as that was, it really showed the greatness of Maine people and how they reached out to each other. Even if they didn?t have it themselves to give?they gave.

We might be reluctant to ask for help, but we don?t hesitate to offer it to others.

This winter is going to be cold, it could be long. But we know some of our neighbors are going to need help in order to make it through safe and sound.

The State of Maine is going to do its part, and I know I can count on all of you to do yours.

God bless you, and have a good day.

Radio Address: Veterans Day

November 10, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

This weekend, we pay special tribute to the men and women who have served their country and continue to serve in the armed forces.

As we go about our daily lives this Veterans Day weekend, we must remember that there are still Mainers who are in harms way wearing the uniform of the United States of America.

There are soldiers from the Maine National Guard serving in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait and other dangerous posts around the world.

We should keep them in our thoughts and prayers everyday, but especially on Veterans Day.

I recently visited South Korea and Japan on a trade mission to help Maine businesses extend their reach into international markets.

While visiting Seoul, I had the great privilege to meet an extraordinary group of soldiers from Maine serving in the United States Army.

I met with Sgt. Marie Stuart of Augusta, Staff Sgt. Justin Small of Palmyra. I met Private First Class Amanda Mountain of Presque Isle and Spc. Rachel Moore of Liberty and a host of others.

I want these young men and women to know that Maine misses them as much as they miss Maine, and that we pray for their safe return.

They wake up every morning thousands of miles from home, but just miles away from nearly a million North Korean soldiers who answer to the orders of a despotic dictator.

These young soldiers stand on the first line of defense for millions of South Koreans who owe their freedom and democracy to an earlier generation of soldiers who fought ? and too often died ? to help keep their country free.

We owe these men, and women who serve our country today and those who served in the past, our greatest respect.

In Maine, we take military service seriously.

Recently we had another report, which was released, that demands attention.

According to a Harvard University study, one in eight veterans younger than 65 lacks health insurance. That translates to about 1.8 million veterans nationally who are uninsured.

These are men and women who have bravely served their country, and have come home to find the new enemy they face is economic and health care insecurity.

It?s outrageous and demands a national solution. The time has clearly come to make sure every American ? and especially our veterans who have risked their lives for their country ? have access to affordable medical care that they need.

In Maine, we?ve built a strong support network for our veterans and our current military personnel. And we continually work to improve the services we can offer.

This January, I will submit legislation that will create a veterans campus in Bangor. Our priorities are to add a new hospice facility, an outpatient clinic and new independent housing for veterans to the existing facility.

The changes won?t happen overnight, but we have a vision for what that campus should be, and we will work to make it happen.

We have similar plans in northern, Downeast, and western and southern Maine ? to submit these kinds of models to better take care of our veterans, their families and the support that they need.

I take seriously the responsibility, and will not waiver from my commitment for our veterans.

We talk about service, duty and honor on Veterans Day. Our veterans live up to the meaning of these words every single day.

And just as an aside, I just left a radio broadcast in Augusta where the National Guard has been working hard over the last several years in spite of having served in Afghanistan and Iraq to continue to draw in canned goods for the homeless and the hungry in the Greater Augusta Region.

They have been doing it in enormous pressure, demands, constraints, balancing off all of the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and their family responsibilities to continue to do this. I don?t know how they do it, but we are lucky to have them. They make our community and our state shine brightly across the nation.

I hope you all will join me in saying thank you to all these men and women who serve this great country.

Have a good day.

Radio Address: Energy

November 17, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

Thanksgiving is just a few days away, but for too many Maine families, thoughts aren?t on turkeys with the trimmings or family gatherings.

Instead, they?re worried about keeping the heat on this winter and being able to afford the gas they need to get to work every day.

The price of heating oil and gasoline are near historic highs, and there?s no guarantee of relief in sight.

It?s creating real strain, leaving many Maine families, senior citizens and businesses with a lot of frustration, anxiety and difficult choices.

There?s no quick fix for energy prices. But by planning effectively for the future, we can reduce our dependency on foreign oil. We need to as a state, and most importantly, nationally.

In Maine, we?re leading the way on the development of domestically produced, renewable and clean energy.

We have our windmills up and running in Mars Hill; we have over $2 billion worth of proposals for more wind power generation around the state and they?re in the permitting and pre-permitting process.

Maine has tremendous potential when it comes to wind, solar and tidal power, and to grow new industries to produce the equipment necessary to capitalize on that clean energy.

We also have the natural resources necessary for these new biofuels.

The University of Maine is working to perfect new technologies to create ethanol as part of the pulp-making process. The innovation holds the promise to revolutionize papermaking in Maine and open new markets for the Maine-made fuels.

But for all the potential and all the progress we?ve made, the opportunities of tomorrow won?t lower heating oil prices today.

My administration has developed an emergency action plan that will help to address high energy costs and avoid a crisis as winter reaches its full fury later this year.

First, with our Congressional delegation?s help, we will demand that Washington meet its obligation to fully fund heating assistance programs.

In Maine, more than 80 percent of households rely on oil heat. Price spikes like the one this year hit us particularly hard, and low-income Mainers - half of whom are senior citizens on fixed incomes - suffer the most.

The federal government must meet its obligations and increase funding for heating assistance.

I?m signing a letter along with the Coalition of New England Governors, to urge Congress to approve this additional heating contingency fund.

We must demand that they meet their obligations. But we?re only one state out of 50. We can?t solve all of the world?s problems. But we can do what we need to do to ease the burden on other Maine families.

I have activated the state?s Energy Task Force, which is part of Maine?s Energy Emergency Plan.

The Task Force brings together the agencies and resources that the State will use to respond if the energy situation worsens.

Costs are high right now, but the worst of winter is still in front of us. The work we do today will put us in a better position to respond in case of an emergency this winter or a fuel crisis.

We?re also going to work with private charities as part of our Keep ME Warm program to have the additional funds so we can help those who don?t qualify for these programs.

We have 1,000 kits that have been made available for lowering energy bills. They?re going fast and I suggest you call the State?s information line at 2-1-1 for more information.

The Public Utilities Commission has provided an additional $400,000 to this program through so that we?ll be able to purchase products in bulk so that we can reach more customers.

I?m also asking the Maine Department of Transportation to establish a ?Free Fare Friday? program that will let people take the bus on Fridays at no cost.

The idea is that we can introduce people to a cheaper, easier way to get around on Fridays and that will translate into greater use of transit the other six days of the week.

This pilot project will begin the Friday after Thanksgiving and run for six weeks with an ad campaign.

I?ve also talked to the President of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, Dana Connors. Government and business need to work together and we both need to change the way we think and operate these businesses.

We need to be flexible with workers. We need to make changes that will allow them to take public transportation, car or van pool, or telecommute.

It?s not going to hurt our productivity, and it could help reduce the demand for gasoline and save money.

And finally, I?m calling on Mainers to do what they do best: Look out for one another.

As the temperature drops, we need to make sure our neighbors make it through this winter safe and sound.

The State of Maine is going to do its part. That?s what we can do and what we must do.

And working together, we?re going to make sure that we?ll be through this storm safe and sound.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Thanksgiving Weekend

November 24, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

Families across Maine have come together this weekend to celebrate Thanksgiving.

While there?s no doubt that our State faces many challenges in the days and months ahead, we also have much to be thankful for.

When the pilgrims first came to the United States almost four hundred years ago, they faced a daunting task: To carve out a new life from the wilderness of this new world.

Today, we are trying to adapt to a dynamic and changing world.

The old ideas and structures no longer work. Maine is facing an era of transition, where innovation, technology and global trade are replacing industries that have sustained us for generations.

Through it all, the spirit of our people remains hopeful and resilient. We have great strengths and many assets that will carry us well into the future.

I am thankful to live in a place like Maine, where our people not only are not deterred by difficult times, but take inspiration from our ability to overcome.

This weekend, we give thanks for the people in our lives who matter to us most.

It?s a time for family and for taking stock of the blessings that we?ve been given, and I count myself among the truly lucky.

I have a wonderful family and friends. And on Thanksgiving, we are able to spend some time together and enjoy the warmth and memories that only family can provide.

On Thursday, I also spent some time at the Dorothea Dix Center in Bangor and the Riverview Psychiatric Center in Augusta.

For years, I have gone on Thanksgiving to share a meal with some of the men and women who work at the centers and spend time with the people that they are helping.

Like our police officers, firefighters, soldiers - these men and women willingly sacrifice their holiday ? and time with their families ? to help others.

I want them to know that we all appreciate what they do.

And I also want the patients at the hospitals to know that they are important and that no matter what troubles led them to where they are today, Maine has not forgotten them.

With the holiday season now in full swing and the politics of a new Legislature and a presidential election picking up steam, the dash between now and the New Year will add to the pressures that most of us feel.

It?s all too easy to get caught up in the gift-buying and the holiday parties, and forget about the hardworking men and women who hold society?s fabric together - the glue in our communities.

But there are countless people, most often working behind the scenes and out of sight, and make it possible for the rest of us to enjoy the holidays.

I?m thankful for them.

And this week, I also want to remember a man that all of Maine should be thankful for.

Last week, my friend, and yours, Harold Alfond passed away.

Maine is marked by the legacy of this man who gave much of himself and inspired others to do the same.

Through his gift giving and leadership, Harold brought people together to achieve great things.

He always believed in people. He especially cared for the children of Maine.

He has left a lasting mark on this state, and I am thankful that I had a chance to know him and see it firsthand - his passion for Maine and for providing opportunities, especially to the children of our state.

Also, it?s my prayer that we all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, that we are able to recognize the blessings in our lives and the people who make them possible.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving.

Radio Address: Economic Development

December 1, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

I have some good news to report this weekend.

On Thursday, Maine welcomed to the state a major new employer.

athenahealthcare. They?re going to bring their company to Belfast, Maine, creating hundreds of new jobs.

athenahealthcare is an impressive company. It has been honored as one of the ?Best Places to Work? in Massachusetts, they?ve had the third most successful Initial Public Offering of 2007, and they?re committed to being the employer-of-choice for the Belfast region.

These are good paying jobs with benefits. They?re not only going to help the individual workers, but they?re going to be able to strengthen an entire community.

The company helps doctors focus on taking care of their patients. It puts this Web-based technology to work to provide business services to doctors? offices. Freed up from billing, collections and dealing with insurance companies, the doctors can concentrate on health care, which is what they were trained and educated for.

To bring athenahealthcare here, Maine had to win a fierce competition with five other states.

Working cooperatively on the local, state and federal level, Maine was able to beat out Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York.

Maine won the multi-state competition because we created the economic incentives -- like Pine Tree Zones, our workers training program -- that make the state attractive.

We won because our workforce ranks among the best in the country, and we have the available real estate resources to meet the needs of a large and growing company.

And we won because we were able to marshal the resources of Maine & Co., working collaboratively with Bank of America and bringing together support from our congressional delegation, the state departments and the Belfast area specifically.

Our economy in Maine continues to grow. But like most other states and the country as a whole, we aren?t growing as quickly as we?d like.

Maine has gained almost 4,000 jobs since last October. But if we want to be prosperous, we have to remain committed to two tracks of economic development.

First, we must aggressively pursue companies like athenahealthcare that can create good jobs and provide workers with the platform skills they need to advance in new careers.

When these quality jobs come to the state, they help to raise incomes. As we hold taxes steady, our per capita tax burden goes down and that?s progress. Maybe not as fast as we would like, but progress nonetheless.

And we have to continue to work to constrain administrative government spending. Right now, we have more administration than we can afford ? at all levels ? local, school, county and state.

We?ve got an opportunity to make more structural changes to put Maine on firmer financial footing.

In January, we are going to change to our education reform law that?s going to make it even easier for school districts to join together. We?re going to break down the walls and the silos that are holding back some districts.

The days when Maine could afford 290 school districts? administration are long gone. The new law we passed earlier this year is going to create a new education system that?s going to focus on better outcomes for students, more rigor in the classroom, more professional development for teachers and be able to save taxpayers money.

We have to rethink our government structures and we have to be prepared to make difficult choices. Right now Maine has a corrections system and 15 county systems. They?re all trying to do the same thing: Keep communities safe and rehabilitate prisoners.

The current arrangement is too expensive - the results are inconsistent. We have extra bed capacity at the same time that we have prison overcrowding. And we face enormous construction borrowing that?s completely unnecessary.

A unified corrections system and administration solves those problems, gives us better outcomes, gives an opportunity for the inmates to rejoin society successfully, and saves taxpayers money.

But that?s just the beginning. We?re looking throughout all levels of government for ways to reduce costs, reduce administration and operate more efficiently.

We have got to be able to recognize that we are going to promote and be aggressive about promoting economic development, job production and prosperity for individuals.

But that other rail of reducing the cost of administration, the cost of government spending, and the burden on taxpayers at all levels has also got to be as fierce. Because the destination is making Maine a leader at providing opportunities for our citizens so they don?t have to leave our state and find jobs elsewhere.

They can raise their families here and provide bright opportunities in the future based here, as has been proven this week with athenahealthcare; as has been proven with T-Mobile and Cianbro and many other increased developments occurring in our state.

We can, in fact, attract those kinds of jobs, grow those kinds of jobs, even in a difficult economy.

Maine is a great place to live and a great place to do business. athena?s decision to come here is just the latest example of that.

We?re glad to have them here, and we look forward to more and more good news.

Radio Address: Energy and Hanukkah

December 8, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

Winter arrived in Maine this week, dumping a foot or more of snow across the State.

A December snow storm in Maine is hardly news. But the first storm of the year always brings out the sweaters on TV news, puts reporters on the side of the road with rulers and generally gets the crowds out to the supermarkets.

This week was no different.

What is different this year is that high oil prices are making winters teeth even sharper than normal.

Truck drivers in the State are facing record-high diesel fuel prices, and just about everyone is bracing for the next heating oil bill.

Gasoline is biting into almost everyone?s wallet.

And families and businesses are anxious about making ends meet and hopefully having enough left over for Christmas.

It?s a difficult time, and for some, they?re standing on the very edge.

Maine?s forest products industry has been especially hard hit. The men and women who haul logs out of the woods and the ones who then transport the finished products to the market are finding it difficult to compensate for diesel fuel that?s topped out at more than $3.90 in some parts of the State.

Last Friday, I set down with a group of truckers who were asking for help.

I wasn?t able to do everything they wanted. But I told them that we will do what we can, as fast as we can.

And right after that meeting on Friday, I declared an economic emergency in Maine and issued an executive order that recognizes the crisis in the forest products industry.

By some estimates, the industry could lose 20 percent of its independent drivers if things continue. These are the small businesspeople who create jobs, pay taxes and have helped Maine?s paper and forest product sectors survive difficult times before.

They are asking for help now, and we?re going to do what we can to answer that call.

We?re going to make it easier for them to get tax refunds from the diesel tax that they use for off road work.

I?m putting Legislation in to temporarily exempt parts and services necessary to keep their rigs running from the sales taxes.

And we?re going to make sure we don?t adopt any new regulations that are going to add pressure to them until the economy ? and fuel prices have stabilized.

I?m also meeting in Washington with the Congressional Delegation and federal administration representatives to push for weight limits being raised so that we can get these trucks off the state and local roads where they are expending too much on fuel and mileage. In terms of safety, we need to get them on the interstates where the weight limits need to be raised.

We need to also pass anti-speculators legislation so that we can enforce laws against speculators from driving up the prices of crude oil, which have a ripple impact on diesel and gasoline prices.

And we need to push for additional low-income heating assistance. Half of all of our recipients are senior citizens on fixed incomes and we can?t afford to let them go cold this winter.

I?ve also asked John Kerry, my director of the Office of Energy Independence, and Karin Tilberg, who is a senior policy analyst in my office to work together with the trucking industry and the forest products industry to continue to dig into what we can do to be helpful ? and we are going to be as helpful as we can. We are going to work with this industry. It?s an important part of the State of Maine and they need our help.

And it?s not just the truckers who are struggling.

As I pointed out before, we have 50,000 families who depend upon low-income heating assistance, and we need to make sure that we keep them warm this winter also.

So, as I pointed out before, our State can?t solve the energy crisis by itself; we need leadership from Washington. But we can ? and we are ? taking steps to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and to loosen the grip it has on our economy and our people.

At sundown on Tuesday, our Jewish friends and neighbors began the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah.

Hanukkah honors the victory of the Jewish Maccabees over the Greeks more than a thousand years ago.

After the victory, the Maccabees rededicated the Temple in Jerusalem, but they did not have enough oil to keep the lights burning as required.

As the miracle is retold, a single day?s supply of oil burned for eight days, enough time for more oil to be made.

The story is not about oil itself.

Instead, it?s about resilience and survival and faith.

We join this week in the celebration of the festival of Lights, and we know that despite the difficulties we face, Maine people will come together, help one another out and make it through a difficult winter.

Thank you and Happy Hanukkah.

Radio Address: Alfond College Challenge

December 15, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

This week Maine received an incredible gift from a man whose generosity is already well-known around the State.

On Tuesday, I was proud to take part in the formal introduction of the Harold Alfond College Challenge.

The Alfond College Challenge brings together the ideals that have driven Harold Alfond?s lifetime of giving.

Harold?s generosity is legendary in Maine and it continues today. Beginning this January in Central Maine and going statewide next year, the Alfond College Challenge will start every newborn off with a grant of $500.

The grant, which will be invested in a college savings plan, will start Maine children on their way to a college education.

As the name says, the program will also challenge parents to begin saving at the beginning of their child?s life for college.

Money invested today can grow dramatically by the time a baby is ready to start their higher education.

If left untouched, the $500 will grow into almost $2,000 by the time a child is old enough for college. With a little help from parents and grandparents ? maybe just $50 more a month ? the account can grow to $25,000.

And the program assures that families have the information they need to be smart investors who plan for their children?s future.

Given the growing cost of higher education, it?s essential that families start planning early. While the task of putting a child through college can seem daunting, the job is more manageable a little bit at a time.

So dollars invested today can make a real difference down the road.

Throughout his life, Harold repeated the same mantra over and over again: A community?s greatest assets are its children.

That philosophy is central to Harold?s giving and to the Alfond College Challenge.

It?s our collective responsibility today to take care of our children. In the future, it will be their responsibility to take care of the world.

Harold was dedicated to making sure they have the tools they need to be successful.

It?s impossible to estimate Harold Alfond?s impact on Maine. He has touched so many lives and so many communities with his generosity.

But his activism went well beyond making gifts.

He continually challenged people and communities to do more than perhaps they thought possible.

He reached out to people, he built partnerships and he drove people to do amazing things.

Whether it?s the new cancer center or a one-of-a-kind partnership with the ?Y? and the Boys and Girls Club in Waterville, Harold brought out the best in people.

I?m grateful to have had a long friendship with Harold Alfond, and just before his passing talked with him about the important Challenge as a way to encourage all Maine families to plan and prepare for higher education.

Harold didn?t go to college, but he recognized early on that the days of making a good living with just high school diplomas were disappearing.

He has committed himself to making sure every child ? regardless of background ? has a chance.

Harold believed that in this new economy that a person should get a college degree regardless of the cost. The benefits, he said, would last a lifetime.

But he wasn?t blind to life?s hard realities and for some families, college can appear like a distant dream.

With the Alfond College Challenge, the dream is a little closer into reach, is more attainable, and less distant.

While Harold was building Dexter Shoe, he also was building a family with his wife, Bibby.

Bibby was a modest and necessary partner for Harold. Her goodness has shown through in all of his work. Her eloquence and gracious nature are a shining light, and her commitment to doing the right thing helped to shape Harold?s thinking and his actions.

Together they raised the family ? and a beautiful family. Together that family and Harold and Bibby instilled that ideal of service and generosity to their children and grandchildren.

Harold Alfond was my friend. I miss him dearly, but also have remained inspired by him.

In the book about Harold and Bibby?s life, Harold said that he didn?t plan to retire until 10 years after his passing.

He was serious, and Maine will be a better place because of it.

Generations of Maine children have been touched by Harold Alfond and his family, and he will continue to reach out with a hand up to generations to come.

The people of Maine owe Harold a great debt of gratitude. He has made the world a little bit kinder and a little bit gentler for all of us, and he has challenged us to do better for ourselves and our children.

Beyond everything he has done, that will be Harold?s legacy.

Radio Address: Christmas

December 22, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Back in 1897, an inquisitive little girl named Virginia O?Hanlon sent a letter to The New York Sun.

Virginia wrote that some of her friends had told her that there was no such thing as Santa Claus.

So she put the question to her newspaper: ?Papa says, ?if you see it in The Sun, it?s so.? Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus??

The short letter, composed with the earnestness that can only be mustered by a young child, prompted one of the most famous newspaper editorials ever written.

Francis P. Church, an editor at The Sun, wrote back to the little girl in the pages of the newspaper:

?Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see,? Church wrote.

?They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds.?

?All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.?

Church continued: ?Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias.?

?There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.?

?Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus.?

?The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that?s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.?

?You tear apart the baby?s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart.?

?Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.?

?No Santa Claus!,? Church explained. ?Thank God! He lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.?

Virginia O?Hanlon became a school teacher and principal in New York City, where she worked for almost 50 years.

Her simple question and Mr. Church?s thoughtful and touching words in response speak to the true beauty of Christmas.

It?s not the presents or the food, the tree or the lights. Or the hectic scrambles or impossible balancing acts that make the holiday.

It?s about the joy of family and friends, the expectations of better times ahead, and the knowledge that there is love and kindness in the world.

I?ve been blessed with a wonderful and caring family.

And I?ve been given an opportunity beyond the wildest dreams of an 8-year-old wondering about Santa Claus.

And everyday I go about conducting the People?s Business with the knowledge of how lucky I am and appreciative of the trust the people of Maine have placed in me.

So, as we come together this weekend, let us remember what?s important. It?s our family, it?s our friends and our community. It?s the men and women who are serving our country far from home in the military. Let us hold them close in our thoughts and prayers, and be thankful for the sacrifices that they are making and their families are making for the rest of us.

It?s cold out there too and there?s snow on the ground and heating oil prices are too high. So check in on your friends and neighbors, and make sure they?re OK and spread a little holiday cheer.

Mainers, we take care of one another when times are tough, and I know this weekend will be no different.

I hope that everyone has a safe and warm holiday season.

From Karen, Jack and myself, God Bless you, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Radio Address: The New Year

December 29, 2007

(MP3 Audio)

Governor John E. Baldacci Radio Address The New Year

The year 2007 is nearing its end.

When I look back on the past year, I do so with mixed feelings.

In Maine, we have seen great accomplishments, and we have met great challenges.

We have laid the foundation for great opportunity, and we have made the difficult choices that will strengthen the State in the coming year.

We have invested in our roads and bridges, our community colleges and universities and in our environment.

We have continued our commitment to K-12 education, spending unprecedented state resources ? about a billion dollars a year -- to make sure students receive a quality education.

And we have completed significant conservation projects that will ensure that Maine?s North Woods are preserved and remain open for traditional uses, including hunting, fishing, hiking and snowmobiling.

We?ve celebrated together as our beloved Boston Red Sox won the World Series, and our New England Patriots stand on the threshold of legend.

We?ve seen the Legislature work together in a bipartisan way to protect Mainers from unscrupulous lenders, to invest in the innovations and technologies that will drive our State?s economy forward, and to make the most significant reform in K-12 education in 50 years.

These are all things that we should be proud of and should celebrate.

But we?ve also endured tragedy and loss.

We remain a nation at war, with young men and women pulled from their family?s loving embrace to fight in far-off places where the outcomes remain uncertain.

Our economy is suffering under the weight of bad decisions by national policymakers, a weakened housing market and record-high energy prices.

Too many families face cold nights, empty cupboards and debt they cannot manage.

Around the country, States have watched as revenues have dropped just as people are in the greatest need.

Maine has not been immune.

In November, we learned that Maine?s revenues would not its meet expectations and that we would have to address a $95 million downturn for fiscal years 2008 and 2009.

Families and businesses all around Maine are struggling. They are being forced to make tough decisions, to set priorities and adjust to new realities.

State government must do the same thing.

I have ordered spending reductions of $38 million for the current fiscal year, which began in July.

This decision brings me no pleasure; many of the reductions will be unpopular. But it is my Constitutional duty to make sure the State budget is balanced.

We are doing what is necessary right now.

Every part of State government was called upon to make recommendations on how to reduce spending while maintaining their core missions.

The process was deliberative and exhaustive.

The cuts we are making will not be easy, but we are moving forward in a way that makes sure that we can protect our most vulnerable citizens while also upholding my obligation under the Constitution to balance the State budget.

In January, I will submit a supplemental budget to the Legislature that will follow many of the reductions I?ve already put into place by executive order.

The supplemental budget will also allow me to adjust some of the curtailments that would be necessary absent legislative action.

It?s my hope that the Legislature will recognize the need for quick action and that together we can pass a strong, bipartisan supplemental budget.

This time of year, we often see images of Father Time -- stooped with age, bearded and worry ? handing off his duties to Baby New Year.

For the Old Man, his work is done; for the baby, it?s just beginning.

For most of us, the New Year is neither a beginning nor an end. It?s a continuation, a time to take stock in where we?ve been and where we want to go.

As Ellen Goodman has said: (QUOTE) We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives not looking for flaws, but for potential (End QUOTE).

When I look around the rooms that make up Maine, I am inspired by the ingenuity of our people, their entrepreneurial spirit.

I know that our State?s potential far outweighs any of its challenges -- if we are prepared to make necessary changes.

I believe we are at a turning point where we can re-imagine what government looks like and how it functions.

The work has begun, and it?s my resolution that it will continue in 2008.

Thank you for listening and have a Happy New Year.

Radio Address: Welcome Back

January 5, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

The Maine Legislature returned to Augusta this week with much work to do and the hope of a successful session.

To the person, the men and women in the House of Representatives and the State Senate are dedicated to doing the best they can for the state and the people they represent.

It?s no easy job to serve, and this year promises to be just as challenging as they have been in the past. Members of the Legislature will see their patience and perseverance tested.

I know the feeling of excitement and opportunity that builds among State lawmakers on the eve of their return to Augusta.

For 12 years, I represented my hometown of Bangor in the State Senate. Those were challenging and good times. My colleagues and I were able to accomplish a lot.

I know that today?s Legislature comes to town with those same high hopes and great expectations.

They will be greeted with many difficult questions that will require their full attention and commitment. They will be called upon to put their normal lives ? and too often their families and friends ? on hold while they get to work away from home.

It?s no easy task. But like my mother used to tell me, she said: ?John, you ran for it. You asked for it. Don?t complain about it.?

First of all, on our to-do list, lawmakers will be helping me to close the revenue shortfall of $95 million dollars.

With a lagging national economy, high energy prices and a struggling housing market, Maine revenues haven?t met expectations.

Last month, I took the action to reduce government spending by $38 million for the rest of this year. It is my constitutional duty to ensure that the budget is balanced.

I?ve done that.

That step put us in a stronger position to deal with the changing revenue picture.

Next Wednesday, I will deliver a speech of the State of the State to a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

In it, I will describe my plans for the State budget and unveil the details of how I think we can best move forward.

No doubt there?s going to be arguments this year about Maine?s priorities. There will be disagreements, some of them heated.

But in the end I am convinced that all of us ? Democrat and Republican and Independent ? are here for the same reason.

We are here to do what?s in the best interest for Maine and its people.

Democracy is a great conversation where competing ideas vie for support.

Between now and April, the conversation will cover a lot of ground. We?re going to talk about our priorities as a state and the shape and function of state government.

We?re going to talk about how to reduce spending, how to streamline government and how to take care of our most vulnerable citizens while also recognizing the limits of what the State can and can?t do.

We?re going to talk about economic development and job growth and how best to put the resources of the State to work delivering opportunity and prosperity to all of our people.

We?re going to talk about K-12 education and college access and about how to best to prepare our children and grand children for a lifetime of success.

And we?re going to make sure that our veterans and servicemen and women are better taken care of when they return home from war.

We?re going to talk about energy and how to wean ourselves from dependency of foreign oil.

And to talk about how we can protect the health and welfare of our people, providing better access to health insurance and to get us away from dangerous toxins that are hidden in everyday products.

It?s going to be complicated at times because of the election-year politics that will entice us with the lure of partisanship.

Thursday, caucus goers in Iowa began the process of choosing a new president. New Hampshire primary voters will follow suit on Tuesday.

In Maine, the entire Legislature will be up for election in November.

The temptation for showmanship and confrontation will be great.

But Maine?s better than that. The passions of November have no place in the policies of January.

We?re sent to Augusta to work together, to solve problems and make Maine a better place to live and work.

In 1961 during his inaugural address, President Kennedy spoke about the necessity of a constructive dialogue with the Soviet Union.

I think his words apply equally to politics in a time of sharp partisan divide.

?So let us begin anew,? Kennedy said, ?remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.?

?Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems that divide us.?

With those words, I?d like to welcome the Legislature back to Augusta. Working together, this session holds great promise for Maine, our shared goals of prosperity, opportunity and good health for all of Maine?s people.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Post State of the State Part 1 - Need for Change

January 12, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

Earlier this week I delivered my State of the State address.

My message was simple.

We have experienced tough times in the past, and have many challenges facing us now.

State revenues are not immune from the national economy teetering on recession. We are forced to make hard decisions and set priorities.

But Mainers are resilient.

We recognize when the way we have operated in the past isn?t getting the job done, we need to change.

And we have some choices to make. These choices will help to define who we are as a State, and what we hope to become.

We must strengthen government at all levels to better serve people in the demands of this new age, and we must also prioritize our spending so we can support those things we value most.

We?ve been working at this for some time already. The steps that we have taken by eliminating short-term borrowing and building up our reserves have placed us in a stronger position to deal with this fickle national economy.

And we have done it all without raising the sales or income taxes.

Think of it ? a billion more dollars into local education, built up our reserves by $158 million, making sure there is no more short-term borrowing, and being able to do all of that without raising the sales or income tax. I think that?s an accomplishment the state should be very proud of.

But still, we must do more. First, three things I can promise that we will not do:

We will not pull the safety net from underneath the people who are the most vulnerable.

We will not take from our financial reserves.

And we will not increase taxes to balance the budget.

We will attack redundant administration so that we can free up resources for our priorities.

Since taking office in 2003, we have reduced the rolls of State government by more than 600 jobs. We have centralized back-office and administrative functions in all State departments. And in the first two years alone, we have been able to save over $11.5 million dollars.

Last year we recognized that our current education system was not sustainable.

We had 40,000 fewer students since the early ?80s, but we have 400 more administrators, not counting superintendants. It?s not sustainable and we can do a better job to provide education to our children.

In August, we began a conversation with the County Commissioners and Sheriffs about the financial hardships created by our current, fragmented system, a system that is bad for taxpayers and bad for mentally ill and drug-addicted prisoners who do not get the care they need to break the cycle of crime.

I am submitting legislation to unify the state prison system with 15 county jail administrations.

And also, on another front, for three decades, the world has experienced amazing advances in science and technology.

But Maine?s natural resource agencies haven?t been allowed to keep up. The structure hasn?t kept pace with the changing times.

And in my budget, I propose a process that will result in no more than two natural resources agencies, where today we have four: the departments of Agriculture, Conservation, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and Marine Resources.

We will seek efficiencies and combine programs that shouldn?t be separated by bureaucracies.

In the area - the Health and Human Services Department - we must also seek change.

Through a contract with a private company called Unisys Corporation - nationally respected - the Medicaid computer system will be fixed.

I have also proposed a reorganization of the upper and middle management at the department that will empower frontline workers, reducing from 10 to 6 the number of central offices in the agency and consolidate management at the regional level.

In my budget, we will bring together three of the largest purchasers of health care in the State so that we?ll be able to purchase health care to save taxpayer money and provide better care to consumers.

The Maine State Employees Association, the University of Maine System and the Maine Education Association will join forces and put their enormous buying power to work to lower prescription drug costs.

So, it will save money for thousands of workers who need medicine, it will save taxpayers dollars who contribute to the system, and it will increase the amount of money that could be available for retired teachers? health care.

These are just some of the proposals that I have put forward to the Legislature and to you, the people of Maine, to enable us to reform government so it works better, so that we can make critical investments in our future.

We are streamlining government and cutting administration.

And we are controlling spending.

We are investing in education and innovation so our children and families can succeed here in Maine and not have to go elsewhere.

And we are helping to increase the amount of incomes and good jobs and benefits.

That?s the roadmap that gets Maine where it needs to be.

Next week I?ll talk about some additional steps that we need to address in order to improve the lives of the people of Maine and to grow Maine?s economy.

Thank you and good day.

Radio Address: Clear Choices

January 19, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

As a State, we face a number of choices.

They aren?t simple, but they are clear.

Our revenues have declined, we have a growing list of needs and we don?t want to raise taxes. And we have a government that in many ways needs to be updated for the 21st Century.

That?s our situation.

Unlike the federal government, which can literally print more money when it wants to, Maine must ? and should - balance its budget.

It?s good fiscal policy and it would be irresponsible for our State to spend beyond its means.

But at the same time, the requirement often leaves us to struggle over priorities and how to best put the resources of the State to work.

In tough economic times, like those we face today, our people need more help, not less. But the same slowing economy that hurts job creation and takes a bite out of paychecks also leaves the State with fewer resources to help those in need.

We must prepare for the possibility that more bad news about the economy is coming.

Such times demand that we react with compassion and determination.

We can?t shy away from changes that will put us on more sound financial footing and fix the structural shortcomings in government that needlessly draw resources away from where they can do the most good.

Last year, we began a process of reducing the number of school administrative units. With bipartisan support of the Legislature, we passed a reform that will reduce from 290 to 80 the number of school administrative districts in the State.

Since the early 80s, the number of students in Maine has declined by almost 40,000 and is expected to decline by 20,000 more in the next five years.

During that same time period, the number of school administrators has increased by 400, not including superintendents.

For 50 years, we have done the same old thing, the same old way, and it hasn?t produced the excellence and results that we need.

It?s not sustainable and it drains resources from students and teachers.

Now we?re on to a new structure that will better serve our people. It will save taxpayers money and provide a better quality education for our children.

In August, we began a conversation about the way we treat inmates in our prisons and county jails, the property tax burden that they place on all of our citizens and it?s a very fragmented system.

It is bad for taxpayers and bad for mentally ill and drug-addicted prisoners who do not get the care they need to break the cycle of crime.

I have submitted legislation to unify the state prison system with the 15 county jail administrations.

They?re not breaking local laws or county laws, they?re breaking State laws. Those are State prisoners and the State?s responsibility.

The plan has evolved from when we first began talking about it. We have listened to the concerns from counties. And we have made changes to improve our plan.

If we can tone down the rhetoric and the fear, I believe we can find a solution that will save money and improve the treatment of people in our care.

Also in my budget, I have proposed a process that will reduce the number of natural resource agencies from four to two.

It?s been almost 30 years since we developed our approach to the stewardship of Maine?s natural resources and in those three decades, the world has changed dramatically.

And Maine?s natural resource agencies haven?t been allowed to keep up.

The merger process will seek input from farmers and fisherman, sportsmen and all those willing to come to the table.

Our goal is to enhance the services provided to natural resource-based businesses; To increase outdoor recreation; And to improve natural resource management.

The back office work of all of those agencies ? the I.T., human resource and budget people ? have already been combined into a natural resource service center. We have been able to do this kind of activity throughout State government and saved over $11.5 million dollars a year. But we need to do more.

Our people need better and higher quality services. They also need tax relief. We have got to look at reducing the administration of these bureaucracies.

We need to have it for the resources to invest in education, economic development, health care and tax relief.

We must also transform government at all levels, strengthen it to meet the demands of a new age. And we must prioritize our spending.

Our efforts are not confined to a single area. We are looking at government at every level, and we?re looking for improvement.

We know that our future economic success is going to be built upon the foundation of our people and the special qualities that define our neighborhoods, towns and our State.

The only way for us to be able to do it is to do things more efficiently ? not just on one level of government, but on all levels of government. Integrated, collaborating, partnerships. Serving the 1.3 million people in our state better so that they can produce the results that will better their lives, be able to better support their families, strengthening their communities.

It works from the grassroots up in strengthening our economy, strengthening our people and strengthening our future is my goal and the administration?s goal as we work toward this future.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Energy

January 26, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

I have said time and time again that Maine has it all ? natural beauty, an amazing work-force and tremendous people. We are a state that is admired from afar and cherished by those who are lucky enough to live here.

But that?s not to say that we don?t face challenges.

Mainers are resilient ? we meet those challenges head-on and we work through them.

Every year, Mainers face the inevitable challenge of the winter season. The joys of skiing and snowmobiling are overshadowed for some of the harsh weather and energy prices that seem to only go up.

I know families are struggling with this.

When I became Governor in 2003, one of the first things I did was to create the Office of Energy Independence at a time that oil was selling for about $20 dollars a barrel.

Fast forward five years to the present ? oil prices have topped out at $100 dollars a barrel, gasoline prices have doubled and people throughout the Northeast are struggling to stay warm.

We?ve established the Keep ME Warm Program to aid families who need heating assistance but don?t qualify for Federal heating assistance.

With the help of the United Way, Eastern Maine Funders and the Maine Community Action Agencies, the program has raised more than $1 million dollars for fuel assistance.

Last month, Irving Oil announced a donation of $100,000 for the fund; and L.L. Bean said it would donate $250,000.

This fund is a great example of ?neighbors helping neighbors.?

In addition, we learned last week that Maine will receive an $8.8 million dollar relief package in emergency funds for additional fuel assistance.

With that money, more than 48,000 households that require energy assistance will be able to afford more oil for this winter. It won?t be able to get them through the entire winter, but it will help.

I want to thank our Congressional Delegation for working together to help bring the much-needed money home to Maine.

High energy prices are not just affecting families, but businesses are hurting as well.

I have talked to the truck drivers and small business owners who are being pushed to the brink.

This month, the statewide average for diesel hit a record price three days in a row. This problem is not going to correct itself.

I have heard the call for help and we?re answering that call.

Earlier this week, the Legislature passed - and I signed - a bill that allows for a temporary 5-percent increase in the amount of weight trucks can haul forest products on Maine roads.

The action is one step that can be taken to ease the burden on our forest products industry ? and we?re already working on additional legislation to ease the tax burden for the industry as well.

But for too long, our country and our state have been dependent on costly foreign oil.

Eighty percent of Maine?s homes are reliant on oil for heat.

As prices have risen, we have sent billions of dollars out of state to pay for it. Money that otherwise would have remained in Maine with families and businesses here.

We have got to end our addiction to foreign oil.

We cannot be shy about new energy projects. We need to harness our natural resources and turn them into energy that is produced AND used here in the State of Maine. Wind, tidal, solar power, and our abundantly available natural resources in this State and we should capitalize on that.

Throughout the State we have over $2 billion dollars worth of wind power projects either approved or awaiting approval.

Maine?s economy is changing ? and our industry must change with it.

During my State of the State, I announced a ?Wood-to-Energy Initiative? to bring Maine-made sources of heat into homes and businesses.

The partnership will bring together the public and private sectors to explore what is possible and what is practical.

Maine will join New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island to look at the possibility of available forest resources to support a variety of initiatives while operating on a sustainable basis.

We will identify the business potential of new bio-energy and biochemical uses of our forest products;

And we will analyze the best use of those available forest products in terms of employment, profitability, long-term viability and sustainability.

We can develop renewable sources of energy made in Maine, by Maine businesses for Maine people. When we work together, everyone wins.

While the temperature isn?t as harsh as it was a few days ago, this weekend is still cold. And no matter how much we?ve come to expect winter, it doesn?t always make it easier to pay the bill. Keep an eye on your families and neighbors and lend a helping hand when it?s necessary.

Brighter, warmer days are ahead, but we?re going to stick together and help one another through this cold season in Maine ? just as we have always done in the past.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Jail Compromise

February 2, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

It?s been about six months since we began an intense debate about the best way to manage the State?s prisons and jails.

At times, the discussion looked like an argument.

But I?m happy to say that after months of hard work and effort, my administration, county officials, sheriffs - have all agreed that a plan that will save taxpayers money and lead to better results can be done.

Last weekend, long negotiations resulted in that compromise plan that combines the best elements of two competing proposals to reform prisons and jails.

While there?s much work to be done and a number of details to be resolved, Maine is on the way toward much-needed reform.

Now, county commissioners, sheriffs and my administration can work in unison with the Legislature?s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee to finalize a plan that will modernize the way we run corrections in Maine.

Most Mainers probably haven?t paid close attention to the debate that has surrounded prisons and jails for the last several months.

Prisons and jails are rarely considered in our daily lives. And when we do think about them, the thoughts are often confined to money ? how much jails cost and how much they add to property taxes.

Under the compromise brokered between the counties and the State, we will reduce the burden on property taxes, we will create a more efficient system and provide better mental health and rehabilitative services to prisoners.

We will create a State Board of Corrections that will determine the best use and mission of our prisons and jail facilities and help to hold down overall costs of implementing bulk purchasing.

We have better control over bed space, alleviating unnecessary overcrowding and doing a better job managing where prisoners are housed.

Right now, between the counties and the state, we have more space than we need, but the current system doesn?t allow us to effectively utilize it.

The State Board of Corrections will also determine future needs for the system and approve all of the construction projects. This alone will save the state millions of dollars in unneeded construction costs.

And ultimately, some jails are likely to close, but like new construction, those decisions will be made by the State Board of Corrections, which will include representatives from the ranks of sheriffs, county commissioners, along with representatives of the administration and the State at-large.

So while there will be greater coordination between the State and counties, the day-to-day operations of the jails will be left in the capable hands of local sheriffs.

Jail officers will remain county employees, and will receive support from the State as they work toward national accreditation.

The plan will lead to uniform policies from jail to jail and facility to facility.

And most importantly, the new compromise plan will stop the growth in property taxes to pay for jails and will lead to better outcomes for prisoners, which will make our communities safer.

The compromise plan which has been developed took the determined and good-faith efforts of many people, including county commissioners, sheriffs, the Department of Corrections and countless others.

Going forward will require the same kind of commitment from the men in women on the Criminal Justice and Safety Committee and the lawmakers in the Legislature.

I?ve talked with many of them, and I know that we are all working toward the same goal: A better, more efficient corrections system that saves taxpayers money, protects public safety and improves our efforts toward rehabilitating the people in our care.

I think we all realize the way we?re doing things today can?t continue. It?s not sustainable.

The good news is that we?re largely agreeing on how best to move forward and to make those improvements.

So we are taking an important step for the State of Maine that will pay dividends in dollars and in improved lives for years to come.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Premier Graham's Visit

February 9, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

Just about a year ago, I had the honor and privilege of visiting New Brunswick, Canada, where I addressed the province?s Legislative Assembly.

It?s a wonderful opportunity to re-introduce Maine to one of our closest neighbors and to improve our cross-border cooperation on a number of issues.

Those efforts have already paid great dividends, and this Tuesday New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham will visit Maine and speak to a joint session of the Maine House of Representatives and State Senate.

Together, Premier Graham and I have begun to lay the groundwork for a new energy future.

Maine and New Brunswick are blessed with great potential for development of renewable energy resources.

We have enormous potential for wind and tidal, hydro-electric and bio-mass, and we have ready access to a New England market that is hungry for ?green? power.

Last February, Premier Graham and I signed a memorandum of understanding that begins to examine the hurdles and benefits to greater cooperation on energy production and transmission.

We sit on the edge of the Boston-Washington market, and we have what millions of people need: lower-cost, reliable electricity.

And there are also challenges that must be overcome before Maine and New Brunswick can fully capitalize on our joint potential.

Work to break down those barriers continues, and Tuesday?s visit by Premier Graham demonstrates that we have committed and sincere partners in New Brunswick.

You know, Maine families and businesses face an increasing ? and unfair ? burden from high costs of electricity too.

As it stands today, we are stuck in system that takes ? and makes - money from Maine to pay for poor decisions made in other states.

Our electricity prices are unnecessarily high, and it puts real stress on our manufacturing and business development; and it puts real stress on working families.

So, I believe by working with New Brunswick, I can, and we can develop an alternative to our current predicament that will save our people money and make our businesses more competitive.

To be successful, we need an aggressive pursuit of renewable production, and expanded wind generation and further development of wood-to-energy initiatives.

I want Maine to develop energy resources that utilize our natural resources, put people to work in good-paying jobs and reduce energy prices.

And we are going to need to support increased transmission capacity to carry the energy produced in Maine and New Brunswick south to the states that are desperate for it.

You know, Maine?s ties to New Brunswick go further and deeper than emerging energy partnerships.

We are also close culturally in our ties between the province and our state, and a long tradition of trade and movement between our territories.

We have much in common.

Last year, Premier Graham and I watched as representatives from our two community colleges signed an agreement to share knowledge, experience and resources.

And this year, we are going to discuss ways to increase the ties between our artistic and creative communities.

Through March 22, the exhibition of late Maine artist Bernard Langlais is on display in Saint John and so far, it?s been a great success and speaks to the potential of even greater cooperation.

And, of course, New Brunswick and Maine are tied together by our people, who travel back and forth across the border for work and for recreation.

Canadian tourists are an important part of Maine?s economy, and during Premier Graham?s visit, we will speak to the Governor?s Conference on Tourism, which is being held in Bangor on Tuesday.

Tourism is Maine?s leading industry, and we will work with Premier Graham and his government to make it as safe and easy as possible for visitors to travel back and forth across our shared border.

I look forward to continued cooperation between New Brunswick and Maine, and I am confident that we are stronger when we work with our neighbors on common goals.

And I am proud to welcome Premier Graham to Maine on Tuesday, and I look forward to his address before the Maine Legislature.

Premier Graham and I began a common goal for the people we serve. And it was to set our state and provinces on the road to energy independency and self-sufficiency and to lead our countries in energy conservation and environmental protection.

I am confident that in Premier Graham, Maine has found a partner in progress.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: The Budget

February 16, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

Every year, Maine?s Legislature deals with a long list of ideas.

Lawmakers diligently move through good ideas and bad; big ideas and small ones, critical matters and minor ones.

But there is no bigger item on the agenda than the State budget.

Ultimately, how the State allocates its resources defines our collective priorities as a community.

This year is no different.

We began 2008 with bad economic news. Revenues were not meeting expenditures for the fiscal year.

We passed a two-year budget. The Revenue Forecasting Commission revues the revenue figures and streams, makes a determination whether those estimates for the two-year budget were on target or not.

Because of the declining economy, Maine?s revenues were estimated to be declined by $95 million dollars for the two-year budget. Therefore, with that notice, I began a curtailment of all State spending so that we would be able to meet the budgetary responsibilities that the Constitution has assigned to the Governor of a balanced budget.

I presented a Supplemental Budget to the Legislature to incorporate those cuts - and additional cuts - because it?s my goal that this $95 million dollars be realized without any tax increases, any additional fees or fines and be truly balanced, as it was two years ago.

Since that time, we?ve had an additional slowing of our national economy and the Revenue Forecasting Commission has indicated that it will be meeting at the end of this month to further review whether they need to decline state revenues once again.

Estimates are being thrown around from anywhere from 30 ? 50 million additional dollars that the State will lose because of this slowing economy that we have.

And, due to other factors overall with the federal changes of rulemaking in terms of the Medicaid program, the State is estimated to see somewhere between 20 ? 30 million dollars less of revenue from the Medicaid match for the Targeted Case Management Program.

Those things, while they?re still in flux, have given us an opportunity to continue to roll up our sleeves, to continue to look for savings, continually trying to spread resources, but we recognize that our ultimate responsibility is to the citizens of this State who are tightening their own belts. I?m determined to make sure that we don?t add any additional burdens to that.

It is difficult for groups and organizations ? and some people ? to recognize that we have to change. I?m trying to find, in all of the darkness, opportunities to reorganize how we?re doing things - to use this as not so much as a crisis, but as a challenge and an opportunity to change things for the future.

The core of our responsibilities and priorities are to our children, to our most vulnerable. We need to make sure that the safety net is there.

We need to reduce the amount of administration at all levels of government ? even in non-profit and social organizations that we reimburse.

Those are difficult because those associations have been built up over a long period of time.

But our ultimate goal is to make sure the safety net is strong and at the same time we are providing for economic development and growth.

We need to recognize that the best opportunity is an opportunity and foundation of higher education, research and development so that once they graduate they find the new opportunities here in our State and don?t have to leave the State of Maine and go elsewhere. But they find it here and that we retain and protect the highest quality of life that we have.

Because in the State of Maine, we have an opportunity in the 21st century to make it Maine?s century. If we can expand broadband Internet capacity, if we can protect our quality of resources, if we can ensure the doors to higher education are opened wider than ever before and providing research and development with the university and other non-profit institutions so that the latest cutting edge technologies can start up factories and processes here.

And make Maine the renewable energy, the green energy State, the hub energy State of the 50 states, so we can be a pioneer in wind, wood and tidal.

I think Maine?s future is bright, we have to work at it. It?s not going to be easy and there are going to be sacrifices.

And also, I know this has been a difficult time with the winter that we have had and the ice storm that?s reminiscent of ?98 in some small way that we wish would stay back in 1998.

But I just want to thank our line crews, our road crews, our State Police, Sheriffs and local Police Department, and all those people that have given of themselves during a very difficult time.

I really appreciate ? and I know the State really appreciates ? what you have been doing. So on behalf of all of us, thank you for your service.

Radio Address: NGA Conference

February 23, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

In the early 1900s, it became clear to many of our country?s leading thinkers that the United States needed a highway system that could tie communities together.

Work began planning for the network of roads as early as 1921, but it took the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 to bring to life what?s known today as the Interstate Highway System.

As a young soldier, President Dwight David Eisenhower realized during a cross country trip that our national security and our economy were closely tied to our ability to move people and goods from place to place.

Initial estimates expect the Interstate System to cost about $25 billion to complete. By the time it was finished, it would cost more than $110 billion and adjusted for inflation, the price tag was closer to $425 billion.

President Eisenhower also realized that the job of building highways from coast to coast was simply too big for States to accomplish on their own.

Today, our country faces a long list of problems that are too big for individual states to tackle alone.

We must have an active and willing federal partner if we are to be successful.

As it stands today, the federal government is not meeting its responsibilities to the states.

Federal funding for roads and bridge repair is declining, leaving states short of revenue they need to keep the Eisenhower Interstate System running smoothly.

New Medicaid rules are threatening to strip states of billions of dollars worth of health care support.

And the President?s latest budget has been accurately described as a disaster for the states. It takes money from low-income heating assistance and state-level drug enforcement and further undermines every state?s financial ability in a time of economic trouble.

The national economy is struggling, and the effects are trickling down to Maine. We know the revenues of our state that we are collecting are declining.

Our administration is working with the Legislature to close a growing budget gap by making the hard decisions necessary to balance the budget.

But the problem is compounded by actions ? and in some cases inaction ? in Washington that adds to the burdens placed on Maine taxpayers.

This weekend, I will be traveling to Washington to participate in the National Governors Association Winter Meeting.

I will deliver a message to my fellow governors and to the President that Maine needs a willing partner in the federal government if we are going to meet the challenges of today.

Like most other states, Maine must balance its budget every year. We can not continue to carry an increasing burden passed on by the federal government content to let its decisions add to our economic turmoil.

Maine learned earlier this year that the federal government is planning to change the rules on Medicaid. The result will be a drastic reduction in funding for health care to older Mainers and disabled children. The state will lose tens of millions of dollars and communities will lose much more.

The rule changes, which go well beyond the intent of Congress, will ripple through our State?s economy, leaving families struggling to provide for their loved ones and people out of work.

The change comes at a time of already increasing pressure on the State budget, making it difficult ? if not impossible ? for Maine to continue to provide all the services that people currently receive.

Other states are facing the same crisis.

But our problems are not limited to health care.

As the costs of building and maintaining and repairing our State?s highway and bridges have gone up, federal support has not kept pace. Federal support has actually declined every year since 2002.

The federal government has played a major role in funding transportation in the United States, but as it reduces its participation, states aren?t able to fill in the gap. We need a recommitment to the nation?s infrastructure from Washington.

As the nation?s governors gather this weekend, we will also be discussing the advancement of new energy resources, improvements in education and long-term care for our older citizens.

While states rely on the federal government, we just can?t wait for action.

On energy, for example, Maine is leading by example. We are aggressively pursuing the development of wind and tidal power, and my administration has created a Wood-to-Energy Task Force that is going to explore every opportunity to turn Maine?s forest into an environmentally friendly, renewable energy resource.

And while the federal government has stalled on efforts to combat greenhouse gas emissions and develop a sensible energy policy, Maine and other Northeastern states have forged ahead.

And while federal regulators left Mainer?s suffering under the high burdens of energy prices, Maine has sought out developments and built new, cooperative relationships with New Brunswick that we believe will lower electricity costs for Maine ratepayers in the future.

Working together, in a bipartisan way, I believe this country?s governors can deliver a potent message to Washington that now ? during a serious economic downturn ? is not the time to pull support away from transportation, health care, energy and education.

Now is the time to put the incredible power of the federal government to work solving problems, not creating new ones.

Thank you and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: The Economy

March 1, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

Last weekend I was in Washington for the winter meeting of the National Governors Association.

It was a productive weekend of meetings, and I was able to exchange ideas and listen and learn from other governors from every part of the country.

Two things are very clear from the trip: The national economic downturn is truly national. It?s taking its toll on states from coast to coast as diverse as California and New Hampshire.

There?s talk that gasoline prices could top $4 a gallon. I know that?s hard to imagine.

Families and businesses are already suffering from gasoline prices that have gone up about 20 cents in just the last two weeks. Diesel prices are even higher, and we?ve all felt the sting of home heating oil.

It?s no wonder that the national economy has slowed to a crawl and that prices are steadily climbing on everything from food to appliances. Just this week we learned that the producer prices have climbed more than 7 percent since last year ? that?s the worst inflation since 1981.

The poor national economy is affecting families and businesses in Maine, and it?s also affecting state government and its operation.

The two-year State Budget depends upon certain revenues now that are not there, because the economy is not as robust as was expected or estimated for the budget when it was passed a year ago.

So we have got to tighten our belt. We have got to make changes so that we?re not burdening families and people and businesses in the State of Maine when they?re going through difficult times.

All told, Maine revenues have declined by about $190 million for the two-year budget of 2008 and 2009.

The situation demands action, and it demands leadership.

Already, I have submitted cuts for the budget that will close half of the budget gap without raising taxes and without draining our reserve accounts.

And next week I intend to submit further cuts that will balance the budget.

My legislation will not include tax increases.

As I said, people are struggling and businesses are struggling and families are struggling. Yet some folks are quick to look at a tax increase as a quick and easy fix, but it?s neither.

We must explore every option; look at every cut; make the tough decisions now.

If Maine?s spending is left unchanged, the budget problems we face this year will continue to grow next. The gap will get bigger and bigger, and the choices will be harder and harder.

That?s why we must restructure the way government operates at the state, county and local level.

The people of Maine have sent us to Augusta to lead and to do the hard things required of government in difficult economic times.

Yet despite the clear evidence, there are those still who are reluctant to change.

Some folks, who I am convinced are well-intentioned, would move us backwards on the important school reforms passed just last year.

The landmark school law will provide students with a better education, while eliminating unnecessary administrative duplication. And it will save taxpayers money.

We can?t go backwards. We need to change and we need real progress. To do so otherwise would be betraying tomorrow for the illusion of gain today.

We are also making real progress on our efforts to create a unified, statewide corrections system that will combine the best elements of our state and county systems.

Presently we have 16 different administrations of correction. This new, unified, statewide corrections systems approach will be much more beneficial both to the counties, where they are going to be housed, and to the State, but also to the taxpayers by making a better, more efficient correctional system.

It?s real progress, shows real cooperation and we?ve been able to approach it by working together. It?s something Mainers should be proud of.

I also know that my original proposal to set in motion a merging of Maine?s natural resources agencies ruffled a lot of feathers. But even there, we can point to some real gains.

Conversations have continued, and we are working toward a real evaluation of how best to provide services to Maine?s hunters and fisherman and farmers. And we won?t forget our natural heritage and the traditions that make Maine special.

As I have studied the changes that are required to bring Maine?s budget in balance, I don?t see lines of numbers. I see real faces and real people.

I understand the implications of what I am proposing. My decisions have not been made lightly or in haste.

We will not turn a cold shoulder to the desperate or the sick. And we will not forget about our less fortunate neighbors.

But we cannot continue on the same path, doing things the same way and expect different results.

We need to point ourselves to the future.

The challenges placed on Maine by a faltering national economy demand that we move today with an eye toward that future.

It?s not enough to act for the short-term. We must do what?s right and change for the long-term.

Thank you and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: Budget Revisions

March 8, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

Good day.

Maine and the nation face an uncertain economic future.

The national economy is either in a recession or on the edge of one. Maine is not immune from the effects.

As serious as the State?s financial circumstances are, I know that Maine families are facing pressures just as great at home.

They are caught in the vice of high gasoline and high energy costs, rising inflation and insecurity. The housing market is stumbling along and the stock market is also unsteady.

We must rebalance government without adding to the burdens Mainers are already struggling to overcome. And we must be prepared, because our national economy could still get worse.

This week, I submitted a new round of cuts to the two-year state budget.

It builds on the changes I submitted earlier this year.

Since last year when we passed a two-year state budget, the State revenues pegged on that State budget have declined twice.

It?s now about $190 million short of its original target.

In addition, the federal government has reneged on its obligation by changing reimbursement rates for Medicaid, placing an added weight on the backs of Maine taxpayers.

For all the talk of stimulus from the federal government, we know Maine must find its own path through this crisis.

We must bring our spending in line with our revenues.

That?s why I am proposing a new round of spending reductions and it hits every part of State government.

We have worked diligently to mitigate the cuts to education, and we have looked for innovative ways to ease the impact on classrooms.

These cuts are painful to me, and I do them reluctantly. But given the national economic slowdown, we have no choice.

We have also tried to limit the impact of the cuts were proposing to health and human services, and to protect our safety net for Maine?s poorest, oldest and sickest.

Health and human services and education spending account for about 80 percent of the State budget. There is simply no way to reduce spending by $190 million without touching those areas.

There will be changes to Medicaid, which serves the State?s poorest.

There will be changes for seniors.

People will lose their jobs. State offices will close.

We?re cutting 71 positions, including 20 management and administrative jobs in health and human services and we?re reorganizing their central office.

We?ve maintained frontline law enforcement, and we?ve protected as many core programs as possible.

I?ve heard the stories from people who are losing important support from the State. They have reminded us all about the crucial responsibilities that the State fulfills.

I know the tears are real and the cuts painful.

But I honestly believe that Maine taxpayers are near the end of their capacity to pay.

The change package includes no tax increases, or no dipping into the stabilization fund.

We?re not out of the woods yet, folks. We won?t know until April just how bad things will get. We must be ready for bad news, and make sure we have the reserves to react.

As the economy stalls, the costs are growing beyond our ability to keep up.

Right now, we know that the fiscal strain we face this year and next is repeated in the next two years.

So, it is our responsibility to act today in a way that not only solves our short-term problems, but also puts us on the path of sustainability in the future.

We?ve put forward real reforms: less school administration, a unified corrections system and more efficient natural resources management.

These changes are absolutely necessary.

We can?t continue to waste money on outdated government structures.

We do so only at our own peril because our problems are only going to be more difficult to solve in the future.

There?s still reluctance in many quarters to accept reforms. But they must happen. Otherwise inefficiency will continue to rob resources from our children, from our sick and elderly and disabled and from our economic prosperity for a brighter future.

So, we have a responsibility to the people of Maine, and I know there are those out there working two and three jobs a piece just to get by. We don?t want to add to their struggles.

So I know that the reductions are difficult.

I know that is a responsible approach under very tough circumstances.

And I appreciate you listening and recognizing what we have to do together.

Thank you very much.

Radio Address: Bringing Balance to the Budget

March 15, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, there was plenty of turmoil in Augusta.

A number of folks were brought to the State House to oppose the changes to the budget I submitted last week.

When I made my recommendations on how to bring Maine?s budget into balance without raising taxes, I knew that the choices were the best of a bunch of bad options.

The rally on Wednesday was effective. It put real faces on decisions that are often talked about in terms of just dollars and cents.

But the reality of the situation is that all of Maine is struggling right now under the weight of a declining national economy, some say is nearing a recession.

Working men and women, some of them punching the clock at two jobs or more apiece, aren?t able to make due. They?re falling behind on their bills and they?re making tough personal choices about what to do without.

Small businesses are being crippled by rising costs that they can?t pass along to their customers, who are also suffering.

Consumer confidence is down. Oil and food prices are up.

We just can?t balance the state budget on working men and women. We must bring the structure of state government into check with the resources we have available.

I just want to put into perspective the added weight that Maine families are carrying right now.

This isn?t going to come as any surprise to you. You?ve been experiencing the pinch all along.

The cost to put gas in the car now accounts for 4 percent of the household budget this year, where it was 2 percent last year.

Since last year alone, the cost to drive to and from work has increased more than $600 dollars for an average Maine family.

The cost to fill the oil tank for winter has gone up more than $800, and still climbing.

And food prices are going through the roof. The cost of eggs and milk is going up. Fruits and vegetables are up 20 percent.

The grocery bill for a family of four in 2008 will be $700 more than it was in 2007.

Wages are growing, but they aren?t able to keep up.

And the very people hit hardest by these higher costs would also carry the greatest burden if we were to raise the taxes.

We can?t do it. We can?t add to the weight and burden that is already holding them down.

This week, I meet with an inspiring group of people involved in the Peace Corps.

Many of these men and women put their lives on hold so they could travel to other countries to help people in need.

They have upended their own lives and transplanted themselves in far-off places for the common good. They?ve served in such places as the Ukraine and Zimbabwe, Turkey and Ghana and many other places.

This week they traveled to the Blaine House so we could recognize the important and selfless work done by many of these volunteers that make up the Peace Corps.

It came as no surprise to me that Maine has one of the highest rates of per capita Peace Corps volunteers in the country.

Mainers have been answering the call for more than 47 years, helping others with agriculture, health and education.

And volunteers represent the spirit of Maine that I know so well.

Our people are willing to give of themselves to help others. They answer the call when someone else might let the phone ring.

They do their part to help their neighbors and to help strangers ? people they might never meet.

But right now, I know the national economic condition is hitting all of Maine and all Mainers. And I know that state government?s ability to pay has fallen short of its obligations.

We must bring things back into balance. We must restructure government at all levels and all areas to be more efficient, and we must make cuts.

What we cannot do is to hurt and burden the hard-working men and women of this State who have stepped up, done the right thing by their families and communities and have helped build this State into a place I am proud to call home.

I understand the cuts that I have proposed touch real people. I know that. And for anyone who doubts the important work of government, this week?s rally should leave no doubt.

I welcome good ideas on how we can better make the reductions that are necessary to resize Maine government.

But I also know that higher taxes also touch real lives and real people. Mainers are patient, caring and giving. But even they have their limits.

We live in challenging times. But if we are disciplined in our decisions today, we will reach brighter days sooner rather than later.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Easter Weekend

March 22, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This weekend we celebrate the most holy day of the Christian faith, Easter.

It's a time of rebirth. Regardless of a person's faith, we can all take heart in this time of great celebration and renewal.

Easter is a holiday about lifting the spirits, individually and collectively. It is a time to share with a loved one and to celebrate the ties that bind us to our family and to our community.

This year we seem to need more uplifting than ever and it?s a recognition that the long cold winter here which is hopefully ending; and the uneasiness we have about our future ? our economic future -- will be replaced by hope of better things to come.

For a number of months now, we have been dealing with great challenges and I have talked to many Mainers who have expressed their worries about making ends meet. They want nothing more than to provide security for themselves and their families and to see their communities healthy and strong.

But instead, they are gripped by anxiety of fear that the slowdown in the national economy that has impacted Maine jeopardizes their economic security.

Adding to the struggling national economy, the burden of the ever-rising prices of gasoline and home heating oil, the continuing war in Iraq and the protracted winter of cold temperatures and repeated snowfalls. It?s easy to see why such great anxiety has taken hold.

Everyone in Maine is impacted. All of us are sharing in this turmoil.

But Mainers are resilient. We?ve experienced tough times before, and we?ve come through it.

I have no doubt that we have brighter days ahead.

Like the long cold winter, the financial challenges we are experiencing won?t disappear overnight. And as with the ice storm we experienced a decade ago, it will take the collective work of all of us to get through this economic ice storm. And we are experiencing it together and we have to stick together to get through it.

That?s why I have asked all Mainers to do what they can do to look out for themselves and their communities and families. And that is why, under my proposal to close the state budget deficit, I have asked all state departments to share the sacrifice by reducing spending in their areas ? not raising taxes and burdens on individuals, working families and small businesses.

Many of those people and businesses are already shouldering the burden of government that spends too much, and many are just holding on. We shouldn?t add to the struggles of hard-working families who have seen the spike in energy costs and the impacts from everything from home heating oil, to transiting to work, to increasing food prices.

Only through such structural changes in our budget will we stem the tide of rising budget shortfalls ? now and into the future.

We need to rebalance government to better serve people with fewer resources.

So that?s why I was pleased late this week, the Appropriations Committee ? after working long nights and weekends ? reported out a budget that meets the guiding principles I set forth.

With this budget, we brought State spending in line with our revenues, we?ve restructured government to make it smaller and more efficient, and we?ve taken major steps toward improving our financial position in future years.

The budget approved by the Committee restores partially funding to important programs, including the university and community college and our Health and Human Service programs that serve our most vulnerable populations.

Make no mistake, the budget process going on in Augusta is difficult and painful, but we can no longer afford to put spending changes off for another Legislature or another Governor. Maine people need and deserve real relief right now.

This past week we have recognized St. Patrick?s Day and Franco-American Day. Two great celebrations, like Easter, are special because they celebrate who we are as a people. Maine draws its great strength from the cultures that have come before us in this State. And we have survived and thrived because we have stood together through those times, and have been able to come through it stronger than when we started.

Times of great challenges are a true test of our strength, and Mainers have always been there and have always come through.

As with Easter bringing new hope to Christians; as spring brings new growth and hope for all of us; we join together with our families and communities this weekend in reaffirming that tomorrow will be better, and the answers for the troubles that we face and that winter is almost over are in front of us.

And I wish all of you a happy and healthy Easter.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Aroostook County Visit, Energy Summit

March 29, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, I traveled to Aroostook County.

I visited Caribou where I was briefed by local emergency management officials about the impact that this harsh winter has had on The County.

The toll on people, animals and property is clear.

Normally, the hardy folks in The County shrug off bad weather. They poke fun at the rest of us when we start complaining about big snows and cold spells.

If anyone can handle the snow and the cold temperatures, it?s the people who live in Aroostook County.

But this year, it?s been even too much for them. If you haven?t seen the piles of snow firsthand, it?s difficult to believe.

And if you add to it the price of heating oil, gasoline and electricity, it has been crippling.

It?s bad enough that roads have narrowed to little more than paths cut through packed snow, but gas prices being high are kind of like a ?one-two punch.?

So, the State is going to continue to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and, if possible, we will try to draw financial support for the storm that brought 18 new inches of snow to The County just last week.

My trip to Aroostook wasn?t just to see the snow, but I also visited the wind farm at Mars Hill to celebrate the project?s one-year anniversary ? the light at the end of our economic slump.

In short, the amount of time that the wind farm has been in operation, it has generated enough power to put the electricity to 19,000 homes; it?s saved more than 240,000 barrels of oil and 111 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions have been avoided.

Now that?s significant. It?s good for our economy, it?s good for our environment and it?s good for our people.

And we can continue to develop alternative sources of energy in Maine, we will be able to reduce our dependency on costly foreign oil and bring down the price of electricity and gasoline to Maine families and businesses.

Maine has more than $2 billion dollars in wind power projects already approved or in development. Our State has a tremendous opportunity to become one of the leading producers of clean electricity in the country.

On Thursday, I will be hosting an Energy Summit at the Civic Center, here in Augusta. The event will cover a broad range of energy-related issues which is going to focus on efficiency.

For all of Maine?s potential to produce green energy in the future, we can save real money today by reducing our demand. Improving energy efficiency is the quickest way to cut energy costs for families and business alike.

The Energy Summit will include an introduction to energy-efficient technologies and services that can help cut costs for small and large businesses, builders and schools and hospitals.

The keynote speaker is Thomas Casten, chair of Recycled Energy Development. He spent 30 years developing decentralized recycling projects. And he is going to help us to better understand how we can save money and reduce pollution.

There will also be plenty of opportunities for the participants to learn from one another and to participate in some small-group discussions on practical topics - from financing energy investments to efficient technologies in commercial building projects.

I?m looking forward to the summit and know that it has the potential to be a great success.

While most of the news we hear about energy these days is negative ? high prices and pollution and unstable supplies ? positive things are happening here in the State of Maine.

I have submitted legislation this week that lays the ground work for Maine to break away from the power grid that currently holds our State hostage. Today, we are forced to pay electricity rates that are too high for our homes and businesses with little return for Maine consumers.

We?re going to make sure we have the options to improve our situation and to lower our costs.

I?ve submitted legislation that is going to ensure that Maine remains in control of our energy future. Federal regulations threaten to take many decisions out of our hands. We are going to make sure that Maine is not dictated to by the federal government, but by the citizens of this State.

We are working to implement those recommendations, along with the implementation of the Wind Power Task Force recommendations, which are going to put forward a plan that makes it easier to put up wind resources and work on producing electricity.

We are going to be able to zone areas of Maine and expedite the development in those areas, agreed to by environmentalists, consumers, business industry and the public.

The Task Force helped to recognize the barriers, find reasonable and workable solutions to them, so my hat is off to them.

Those recommendations protect our environment and our special places and qualities of life, and they also put us in position to maximize the benefits of wind power for Mainers.

By combining new technologies, an aggressive pursuit of alternatives to fossil fuels and an emphasis on conservation and efficiency, Maine can end its dependency on expensive foreign oil.

So it?s not unrealistic to imagine that day when we stop sending those hard-earned dollars overseas and start using those dollars here in Maine to generate economic development in putting our people to work.

Thank you and have a good day.

Radio Address: Enacting a Responsible Budget

April 5, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week the Legislature and I worked to finalize the details of changes to Maine?s current budget.

The process was necessary because the State ? caught in a national economic downturn ? was spending more money than the tax resources coming in.

A $190 million shortfall had to be addressed.

Maine, like most states, must balance its budget annually. We don?t have printing presses like they do in Washington ? we have to really make it happen.

When the national economy is faltering and federal cuts hit Maine, we either have to find additional tax resources to support critical programs, or we have to cut back.

A series of difficult choices confronted us in Augusta, and many Maine people offered their views to me and their Legislators about how we should approach this funding gap.

I appreciate the hard work of all of those involved through long and difficult debates.

The members of the House and Senate Leadership and the members of Appropriations in particular, did a tremendous amount of heavy lifting to craft a compromise that would pass the entire Legislature.

They also kept to important principles I outlined earlier this year when I developed a package of cuts that focused on reorganizing government in order to bring State spending in line with the tax resources that we had.

These principles were not to raise taxes on hardworking families and small businesses, not to raid the State?s rainy day fund and to find efficiencies in the way government does business and provide high quality services that Maine people deserve.

While these decisions were tough for all of us, we realized that if we are going to change the way we operate, building a government that we can afford and that continues to provide important quality services to our people - the Legislature enacted such a budget.

And I signed a compromise package that kept to my guiding principles.

There were real cuts in this budget, and you?re going to hear about those cuts, because they bring real pain. That?s why I put a proposal forward that shared the cuts among all departments and programs.

While some of the cuts I proposed to higher education and Medicaid were partially restored by the Legislature ? and I appreciated being able to work with the Legislature to soften the edge of some of those cuts - a number of other reductions were included in the final budget.

A number of crucial restructuring and streamlining efforts made an additional reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services necessary.

Combined with critical restructuring of the state Department of Education and local administration of education, we have tackled the two largest pieces of State spending, together accounting for a full 80% of the entire State budget.

These decisions have been difficult, but the end product is a reasonable and responsible budget that puts us on a firmer financial footing moving forward.

And that?s important, because we cannot predict when the national economy is going to rebound and we can?t ask hardworking families and businesses that employ people to shoulder more of a load when they?re having a hard time as it is, right now.

High energy prices that continuing to go sky-high, struggling to balance their bills and pay their people.

Families are under a lot of real economic insecurity right now and it?s not a question of ?if? we are in a recession when people are gripped by anxiety.

Given the continuing housing crisis, credit crunch, war overseas and energy costs, we have got to be prepared for additional tough times. This budget helps us do that.

Our job doesn?t end with this budget. It?s imperative that we continue to reduce administrative inefficiencies in education, in corrections and streamline government at all levels.

We are all there to serve the same people. We have to do a better job working together and we have got to have fewer people to do it. And we know that?s what the future necessitates if we?re going to provide high quality health care, educational opportunities, economic development and protect our natural resources.

Given the challenges of the slowdown in the national economy, I?m proud that the Legislature was able to come forward again and work with me and my Administration to produce a budget that recognizes shared responsibility.

Not only are we addressing the short-term problem, but we are putting ourselves on a path of sustainability in the future ? so that we are prioritizing spending and making sure that we have the funds to be invested in job growth and economic development.

Thank you very much.

Radio Address: Securing State Driver's Licenses

April 12, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

Today I want to talk to you about Maine?s Driver?s Licenses.

But first, let me just say that in our State we have some of the most terrific people, the most welcoming people, and people who are like family to all of us.

I?m thinking of the area in Aroostook County, where when I first campaigned and locked my car door, people said, ?Don?t do that,? because people will think that you?re from away or you have something to hide.

Or how many stories of the families that don?t have a key to the front door because they?ve never locked it before.

We?re a very trusting people. We?re people who reach out and make sure we support each other.

But at the same time, the world is coming to Maine and we have got to be on our guard more than we have in the past.

And it?s been too easy to get a driver?s license, and has the potential to cause an awful lot of trouble.

The pace and the change of the world around us, there are too many people now who are willing to ?game? the system for illegal purposes.

So right now I?ve introduced Legislation and it?s before the Legislature - two significant changes to the requirements for getting a driver?s license. So that when you renew your license or you?re going to get a new license in Maine, you?re going to have different certifications to enforce restrictions around making sure that people are legal residents in Maine and they have a residency here in the State.

Criminals from New York and Boston are bringing van-loads of people to Maine for the sole purpose of getting a driver?s license.

They don?t intend to live here or move here. But they understand all too well that a valid driver?s license has become ?the keys to the kingdom.?

At a time, a driver?s license was simply a license to drive a car. But it has become much more.

It allows us to get on airplanes, to cash checks, to open bank accounts. It makes hundreds of daily business and personal transactions possible.

Maine cannot continue its practice of handing out driver?s licenses at will to people who shouldn?t be qualified to get one.

There are horrible examples of abuse. One man from Ireland came to Maine, got a driver?s license he should never have received and used it to buy a gun. He later used that gun to rob a bank.

Maybe this man would have gotten a gun anyway, and maybe the driver?s license had little to do with his criminal behavior, but having the driver?s license made it easier for him.

His actions put countless people ? including bank patrons, workers and police officers ? in danger needlessly.

We have to add a residency requirement to our driver?s license.

But that alone is not enough.

We need to make sure that people from other countries who are in the United States illegally can?t get a Maine driver?s license.

Right now, illegal aliens are brought north to Maine by crooks and con men to get a driver?s license. With that, they can skirt the law more easily and a dangerous, underground economy can continue to grow.

I have submitted legislation that would put an end to the State?s practice of granting driver?s licenses to illegal aliens. If you want a Maine credential, you should be able to demonstrate that you?re in this country legally.

Maine is the only state in New England that gives illegal aliens a driver?s license. In fact, Maine is just one of six states in the entire country that sanctions the practice.

It must end.

Maine cannot remain an island apart from the rest of our region and most of the country. It?s not acceptable, and we should have taken action before now to end the practice.

The issues around Maine?s driver?s license have attracted a lot of attention due to the national debate about REAL ID and Maine?s fight against the program.

Maine will not comply with the parts of REAL ID that our State finds objectionable.

The changes in driver?s license rules I?ve proposed won?t create a ?national ID card,? and won?t be sending information about our State?s legal drivers to any national databases.

Just like we do now, we will safeguard the security of drivers? personal information, and we will fight any effort to turn our State credentials into a national ID card.

The Homeland Security Department was absolutely right when it pointed out the gaps in Maine?s current driver?s license law.

If Mainer?s want their driver?s licenses to be accepted by federal agencies, including the screeners at airports, then we must make sure they are more secure and limit who is eligible to receive them.

Maine?s laws are too lax around driver?s licenses. Right now we?re giving our credentials to people who shouldn?t have them and that has to stop.

As I said before Maine is a welcoming place to live and visit. We don?t discriminate against folks regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or place of birth.

But it is absolutely appropriate to limit who qualifies for a driver?s license. If you want a Maine driver?s license, then you should live in Maine and you should be here legally.

That?s not too much to ask.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Health Care

April 19, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

When we talk about health care in the United States, there are two different conversations going on.

There?s the debate that rages in the hall of the State House and on the editorial pages. It?s about numbers and actuaries and growth rates.

And then there?s conversation taking place around dinner tables, in line at the grocery store or on front porches in every corner of the state where people are fighting hard to hang on to health care for themselves and their families.

They can?t change jobs, they can?t start a new business or retire early because they?re worried about their health care and whether they?ll be able to pay for it and their medicines.

Meanwhile, fewer companies are offering health care coverage to their workers and most are trying to have their workers pay more than they are paying now.

And hardworking people just can?t afford to see the doctor or buy prescription medicine for their children.

That?s the real conversation about health care, and it?s the one I hear when I get away from the Augusta.

People come to me and tell me their stories. They tell me about strain that the uncertainty causes. And they ask for a real solution ? not a thirty second political sound byte.

So that was why I was proud this week that the Maine Legislature took a bold step to a real solution for health care coverage, making it more affordable and to protect the coverage of 18,000 working families and small businesses who have coverage today, who can now be sure that they will be able to keep it.

The Legislature passed it and I signed it into law that strengthens the State?s DirigoChoice health insurance program.

It helps more than 700 small businesses, working families, afford health care coverage for themselves and their workers.

It isn?t welfare or a handout. These people are working and don?t qualify for a government program like Medicaid or any other types of programs. This is a program that helps people become more secure in their jobs and in their health.

The program has become unnecessarily controversial. Part of that had to do with the way it was paid for.

When we started the Dirigo Health Program, we relied upon funding from something called the Savings Offset Payment.

Basically, the program was funded by the savings it created in the health care system. And it worked. Dirigo saved millions in health care spending.

But the complicated formula was difficult to understand. It made an easy target for those who would leave working men and women on their own to fend for themselves.

This week we replaced it with something much simpler, and more straight-forward.

The Legislature came up with an assessment on the fees on soda, beer and wine.

I found that a reasonable approach and a path forward.

Now it wasn?t my first choice to use beer and wine to fund this program. I think tobacco taxes are good public policy. Cigarettes kill people, and we should be as aggressive as possible in discouraging smoking.

But the compromise was struck, a majority in the Legislature supported the approach, and it came down to a choice of being able to either keep 18,000 Mainers having affordable health care for them and their families, or not.

I signed the law, it was passed. The new tools are available.

Also, to reduce the insurance rates for individuals and to be able to promote aggressively small businesses and self-employed being part of this health care initiative.

And a new pilot program for young people, 30-and-younger, to be able to offer them more affordable health insurance products.

With this reform, more of them will be able to get coverage. That?s good for individuals, it?s good for all us and hopefully it will help to drive down the cost increases of premiums for everyone.

Among the professional thinkers and talkers and lobbyists, health care is not just another issue, it?s good for politics and it?s good for profits. They don?t like Dirigo, and they?re not shy about saying it.

But for working men and women and small businesses and self-employed, Dirigo is a lot more than a political argument.

It?s like Bill Keleher and his employee Rebecca Boulanger say about Dirigo. Bill?s a business owner ? runs a company called Micro Technologies and Rebecca Boulanger works for him. She used to pay $7,000 a year to cover herself and her two children while she was at work. Now she pays about $4,500 a year. Bill Keleher, the business owner in Richmond, said that he found Dirigo to be a tremendous help to his company.

So, these are business people, these are working people, these are people who want to be able to provide for themselves and their families. And, you cannot have a healthy economy if you don?t have healthy people and people working worrying about their children and their health care coverage.

That?s what this Legislature passed and that?s what I signed into law this week. I look forward to talking with you on this matter as we move forward and begin to aggressively promote it amongst small businesses and the self-employed.

Thank you very much and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Session Wrap-Up

April 26, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Last week the 123rd Legislature concluded their business. This, the second of the two-year session, usually dubbed the ?short session.?

But despite that description, it?s been a session filled with long and difficult debates over issues that impact all Mainers today and into the future.

Much has been accomplished in just four months.

The Legislature deserves a lot of credit for tackling complicated issues such as transportation infrastructure, health insurance reform, continuing the education consolidation of administration, identification security on our drivers? licenses, renewable energy and addressing a near-$200 million budget shortfall.

They accomplished an amazing amount of work in a short amount of time, doing such a good job that it seems that we might want to consider making every session a short one.

Despite the successes this Legislature achieved, many of them left Augusta tired and frustrated. The end of the Legislative session is always tough, even during the best of times.

And we certainly are not in the best of times.

We face a difficult national economy on the midst of a recession and hopefully coming out. Hardworking Maine families are having a tough time making ends meet. Our challenge was to balance the budget during the national recession and without help from Washington and by doing this, making some hard choices.

We realized that much like a business, much like a family, we have to make changes now to be able to finance the programs that were established earlier.

The Legislature did not turn away from those circumstances and met the challenges head on.

Together, we balanced one of the most difficult budgets I have seen in my time in Augusta.

By bringing State spending in line with our revenues, we restructured government administration to make it smaller, more efficient and taken major steps toward improving our financial position in the future.

We brought industry and environmentalists together to protect public health and safeguard our natural resources.

We took impressive steps toward securing Maine?s energy independence and promoting clean, renewable sources of energy. I want us to do everything we can to keep our energy dollars in our own pockets and to create new jobs in the energy service sector.

We protected children from toxic chemicals, lead and secondhand smoke.

By containing rising costs of insurance and reforming DirigoChoice funding, we continue to make insurance more affordable and to work to contain rising health care costs.

We took steps to improve services for Maine veterans. By creating a veterans campus in Bangor we will have available for our veterans a one-stop-shop to access services, information and the state and federal programs that are available to them. They?ll be able to earn access a lot easier.

Back in August, I started talking about an idea to create a unified corrections system. Needless to say, there were a few skeptics. But because of all the varied interests getting together to do the hard work ? I want to compliment our sheriffs, our county commissioners, our towns and cities throughout the State and our State Representatives and Senators -- they came up with a plan that won overwhelming approval in the House and Senate.

The entire state will benefit from a better, more efficient system that can save property tax money and do a better job of taking care of the people in our care.

We were also able to raise the minimum wage, making sure that Mainers are rewarded for the hard work they do.

Though the debate was long and sometimes divided, the Legislature came together in the last days of this session to eliminate barriers to school reorganization and gave communities the tools they need to move forward.

We updated our driving license requirements, ensuring that only Maine residents can access identification issued by the State. Securing our state licenses while safeguarding personal information helps protect all Mainers.

And we made significant new investments in our roads, rails and bridges. We know that there?s much work waiting to be done, but the Legislature?s actions have put many of those projects on a faster track.

This Legislature has been creating jobs, protecting our infrastructure and making sure that we can efficiently move people and goods.

I am proud of what has been accomplished.

When there were disagreements, the Legislature put the people of Maine first, and proved that when we work together, we can achieve great things for our state.

We are at an important time in our State?s history and we have the right people and the right abundant natural resources and a workforce second to none.

I?d particularly like to thank Senate President Beth Edmonds, who has been wonderful to work with as the leader of the State Senate; and Speaker of the House Glenn Cummings for providing the leadership in both the House and Senate to make this session one of the most productive Legislative sessions that I have been a part of.

I want to say thank you for your service and I look forward to working with you in the future.

Radio Address: Aroostook County Flooding

May 3, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

Today I?m going to talk about the flooding in Aroostook County.

But as I do, I?m often reminded by the people of Aroostook County how self-sufficient and resilient they are.

And as a matter of fact, when I visited there earlier this year, they had just undergone a record snowfall. And they had said to me in a tired, exhausted expression, they?ve got all the snow in the State of Maine and they?re not sharing it with anybody.

When you want to know about how to conduct yourself, or to be able to look and see how families are being raised and neighbors treat each other, Aroostook County has always been the model for best practices.

When you talk about the St. John Valley and you talk about Northern Maine and Aroostook County, we know that things that flow from there always shine brightly throughout the rest of the State.

So, between the combination of snow and heavy downfalls of rain this week, The County has got a situation which is dangerous at the St. John, Fish and Allagash Rivers.

Days after the rain stopped, the waters continued to rise, and snow melted and the streams delivered millions of gallons of water to already swollen rivers.

The people of Aroostook County have been called upon to shoulder a heavy load this year.

As I mentioned, The County was rocked with a snow storm that dropped 17 inches of snow on Fort Kent in a three-day period. More than 40 roads were closed or restricted to a single travel lane.

On March 21 alone, high winds, blowing snow and dangerous travels conditions caused havoc. Police responded to more than 60 accidents in a single day.

The storm took a serious toll on the economy. The shopping mall in Presque Isle reported a $1 million loss in business due to the storm. And trucking companies lost two days of work, and a farm in Garfield lost 20 percent of its beef herd.

In total, more than 185 inches of snow fell this year. That?s about 15 and a half feet.

It?s been a long, hard winter.

And now the spring rains are coming.

At this point, we?re still evaluating how much damage has been inflicted by last week?s rain.

But on Tuesday night, I declared a state of emergency for Aroostook County, and the Maine Emergency Management Agency has been coordinating the response with local officials.

In preparation for the flooding, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife moved watercraft and personnel to Aroostook from other parts of the state to ensure there were enough people on the ground capable of doing water rescues and protecting public safety.

MEMA has coordinated with the Red Cross to make sure shelters were available for people who needed to evacuate. Most people, however, sought help from friends and family.

It?s always difficult to make a decision to order an evacuation, but the rapidly changing circumstances on the ground demand police, fire and emergency crews have the authority to protect lives.

And I have to say, I even heard stories when I visited of the Boy Scouts working with the Fire Department, working with the Police Department, working with the County EMA people. I was so proud they got their arms around it as a community and they worked together so well.

But our utmost responsibility in state government is to protect the public health, safety and welfare.

In that, we all have a job to do. A lot of bad situations can be avoided by making good decisions. I want everyone to be careful and be safe.

Maine is lucky to have on the ground an experienced emergency response team and I can?t thank Vern Ouellette and his deputy director Darren Woods and their team of volunteers and supporters who have done a tremendous job of taking care of their communities.

We would have never been able to get people to safety had Vern and his team not been there, so our hat goes off to them.

The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has been an incredible resource. More than 30 wardens responded creatively and bravely to a crisis. They put to use frond-end loaders, farm tractors and multiple boats and aircraft to make sure people were safely evacuated.

And speaking of helicopters and safety, we had the rangers that were there, the Department of Conservation. They just did a wonderful job as we were able to scout out Fort Kent and the area around the St. John Valley to see where we needed to plug holes and get resources to those affected areas.

The Maine Emergency Management Agency, under the capable leadership of Rob McAleer, every department in State government working in unison together with Maine Emergency Management Agency, are doing what is necessary ? and will keep doing what is necessary - to not only respond to the crisis, but help the community and the region to be able to recover from the crisis.

Mainer?s are tough, and we won?t usually let a little bad weather stand in our way ? as my mother used to say, ?We?re not going to melt.? But at the same time, between the rain and the snow this winter in particular, it?s been a hard one. But it?s one in which we?re going to come out of it better than when we went into it and the entire state stands ready to help Northern Maine rebuild.

Thank you, be safe and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Mother's Day

May 10, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Great leaders throughout the ages ? from Aristotle to Napoleon and George Washington and Abraham Lincoln ? have given credit where it?s most deserved: To our mothers.

Washington said: ?All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.?

Lincoln echoed that same sentiment and said, ?I remember my mother?s prayers and they have followed me. They have clung to me all my life.?

For almost a hundred years, the second Sunday of May has been designated Mother?s Day in the United States.

It?s fitting that this year it also coincides with graduation for six of the seven University of Maine campuses.

Speaking as a parent, I can think of few gifts that will make me as proud as when my son graduates from college.

But I also know as someone who returned to college as a non-traditional student to earn my degree, most of us share credit for graduation with our parents.

I couldn?t have done it without the support ? and prodding ? of my mother and father.

And I believe most of the students graduating today would say the same thing.

Everyday, mothers across this State and nation go to work trying to make life better for their children and for their neighbors. They are the bedrock of our families and our communities, and give of themselves in ways great and small.

They have earned our love and respect everyday of the year, but it is fitting that we have put aside one special Sunday to loudly say ?thank you for all that you do.?

There is no card worthy of the work, and respect that I have for mothers, other than to be able to say as Governor of the State of Maine, ?Happy Mother?s Day to each and every one of you. Thank you for what you?re doing for our families in our community, our State and our nation. Without you, nothing else is possible.?

The world recognized Mother?s Day back in 1910 as ?Mother?s Friendship Day? in West Virginia.

But since that time, those old limitations no longer apply. Women now serve in ways once reserved just for men.

For little girls growing up today, every dream is in reach.

And at the same time, none of that changes that special bond between mother and child.

When I think of my own mother, I remember her strength and determination and absolute commitment to her family, and especially her eight children.

She taught me and my seven brothers and sisters the importance of family and community. She showed us how to stand up for what we believe, and to face adversity without complaint.

She would often remind me when I was serving as a Congressman, she would say, ?John, don?t complain about it. You ran for it.?

At the same time, when support and shouldering of responsibilities was necessary, she was the first one to make sure that I didn?t stand alone.

So, every child deserves the blessing of a loving mother. It is the foundation for so much of what we become as we grow older.

We know without a doubt that children with involved parents will do better in school.

And we know that the stability of home translates into stability away from home.

For many children, difficult family lives leaves them exposed to a harsh and dangerous world. Luckily, we have loving and committed foster families who willingly open their lives to help children in need.

This weekend, I want to say congratulations to all the mothers? sons and all the mothers? daughters who are graduating from college.

And I want to say happy Mother?s Day to the women who helped make it possible.

You deserve our love and gratitude and respect all year.

Thank you ? and especially to the First Lady, thank you - and have a great Mother?s Day.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Tourism and Maine

May 17, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Whenever I travel on State business, I find that folks around the country and around the world have a special fondness for Maine.

Whether it?s our great skiing, ocean and beaches, world-class fishing and snowmobiling, the State?s natural beauty or our family-friendly attractions, people are attracted to Maine because we have so much to offer.

I lived away for eight years while I was serving in Congress, but my heart was never far from home. To me, we have everything right here, and that?s why I?m committed to protecting the things and places that make Maine special.

But I?m also committing to make sure that we spread the word.

On Monday, I signed a proclamation naming May 11 through May 18 as Tourism Week in Maine.

Tourism is one of the most important economic engines driving our State. The industry contributes more than $10 billion every year to Maine?s economy, and helps to create jobs for more than 140,000 people.

It?s our largest industry and is fundamental to the economic health of our State.

Maine is an incredible four-season destination for tourists and travelers and adventure seekers. This time of year, there?s an amazing opportunity for whitewater rafting enthusiasts on the Dead, Kennebec and Penobscot rivers.

Hurtling down Class 4 and Class 5 Rapids isn?t exactly my cup of tea. But for those who like an exciting and challenging run, Maine has plenty of opportunities.

The Penobscot Narrows Observatory opened this month.

It?s located at the top of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge. The observatory gives visitors and incredible view of the Penobscot River and Penobscot Bay.

But the views also come with a built in history lesson at Fort Knox, Maine?s largest historic fort. The fort was built in the mid-18 hundreds on the river?s narrows to protect the valley from naval attack. Troops were stationed there during both the Civil and Spanish American Wars.

The new bridge and the old fort show the very best of engineering from today and yesterday. It?s a great place to visit - ideal for a day-trip with the family from just about every place in the State of Maine.

In a couple of weeks on June 1, Portland will host its annual Old Port Festival. It?s a great event for families and adults. There?s live music, great food and activities for people of all ages.

That?s just the beginning. The calendar is full of special events and annual affairs. A full list is available at www.visitmaine.com.

Maine has a great tradition of attracting travelers. For hundreds of years, Maine has been a destination.

Our traditional sporting camps are world-renowned for their hospitality and the quality of the activities they provide. Maine has some of the best fishing in the world. Whether you?re looking at a salt water trip along the coast or premium salmon and bass hotspots, Maine has it.

While most of us certainly recognize Maine?s special qualities, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to protect them.

This year, my administration worked with the Legislature to help protect Maine?s historic places and revitalize our downtowns.

I received a report this month from Maine?s Quality of Place Council, which recommends ways to protect, invest and enhance our State?s distinctive qualities.

Our Main Streets, natural beauty and long traditions are part of our calling cards to the world. We have to take care of them.

Maine is a large and diverse state, and sometimes its easy for us to take for granted what we have right here at home.

Whether your tastes are the mountains or the beaches, the rivers or lakes, amusement parks, historic parks or golf courses, you can find it right here at home.

Have a great weekend, and enjoy Maine.

Radio Address: Memorial Day

May 24, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

On this Memorial Day Weekend, it?s important that we pause to pay tribute to the memory and sacrifice of military men and women who have died in service to the United States.

All across this great country, communities are rallying to honor the fallen heroes who gave their lives in defense of liberty, justice and freedom.

In far away places with names that will ring through history ? places like Normandy and Que Son, the Chosin Reservoir and Kabul ? military men and women have died while in service to America?s ideals.

They have left behind ? generation after generation ? grieving families and a grateful nation.

On Wednesday, I visited the Maine Veterans? Memorial Cemetery in Augusta. A law passed last year created a new fund to provide American flags for veterans? graves.

Veterans? groups and other volunteers will begin placing the flags this weekend in observance of Memorial Day on Monday.

It?s a solemn memorial that reminds us that the cost of war is high.

Unfortunately, our fighting isn?t over.

As we celebrate Memorial Day this long weekend with family and friends, we should also remember the thousands of men and women who are serving at home and overseas.

Members of the Maine Army National Guard and the Air National Guard are deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and throughout the Middle East and Europe.

We also learned this week that Bravo Company of the 172nd Infantry, which is based in Brewer, will be called on to be deployed in 2010. While the date seems far away, the preparations have already begun.

It?s my prayer that we can find peace before they go off to war.

Whether they are deployed on a combat mission or called upon during a natural disaster like the recent flooding in Aroostook County, I am inspired by the dedication, professionalism and commitment of our National Guard soldiers and airmen.

They endure hardships most of us could not - and would not suffer through separation from families and friends. And to the person, they do it without complaint and with pride.

During this time of war, I have talked to too many families who have lost a son, brother, father or friend in Iraq or Afghanistan.

And each death is a terrible loss.

In the past year, the small town of Lee, Maine, was touched twice by the tragedy of war.

On June 23, Sgt. Joel House was killed in Iraq and just five months later, Corporal Blair Emery was killed while serving in Iraq.

The people of Lee have paid a heavy price. But if there is comfort to be found in such difficult times, it is the way the community and those two families came together to support one another.

I will be thinking of them this weekend and all of those who have been lost in Iraq and Afghanistan.

On Memorial Day, flags will be lowered around Maine until Noon, in honor and tribute to America?s fallen soldiers. Then the flags will be raised to the top of the staff until sunset, in honor of our country?s war heroes.

As long as there is war or people who wish to harm the United States of America, Maine?s roll of honor will grow.

This weekend, it is our duty to honor the men and women who have served our country and those who continue to serve today.

We hold them and their families close to our hearts, and pray for their safe return home and an end to war.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Energy and Millinocket

May 31, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

Devastating energy prices have claimed another business in Maine.

We learned this week that Katahdin Paper will indefinitely close its mill in Millinocket.

Simply put, the company can?t afford the oil it relies on for its operation.

The closing of this mill is unacceptable. About 200 hardworking people are going to lose their jobs. And a town already hit by difficult times faces another hardship.

Frankly, I?m angry.

For too long, our country has been without a common sense national energy policy.

It shouldn?t be a surprise. With the direction of the White House, the federal government has mortgaged this country?s economic future to the oil companies who control much of the world?s oil supply.

I saw this problem back in 2003. We recognized it was time to make changes and that was when oil and gasoline were about $20 a barrel, not $120 a barrel. I created the Office of Energy Independence and Security because I wanted to create a laboratory which businesses and homeowners could take advantage of without the sense of urgency.

I was determined then, and I?m more determined now that we must end our reliance on costly foreign oil, and we must take greater control of our energy destiny.

The signs were clear this past winter: cheap oil is a thing of the past. First, it was the independent truckers that began to suffer, go out of business, as diesel prices set record after record after record.

Home heating oil prices have crippled family budgets, making it difficult for families to stay warm.

And the burden of high energy costs is making its way into every sector, driving food costs higher and higher.

It?s got to end.

In Maine, we are pursuing aggressively an alternative energy strategy. We passed a new law this year that will make it easier to develop wind power in the state. We have over $2 billion in wind power projects, both planned and those that are on the drawing boards.

My Wood-to-Energy Task Force is working as we speak to explore the potential of alternative energy creation from our forest resources.

We were the first ? and perhaps the only ? state that utilized renewable energy for all state buildings.

And this is important for businesses, large and small, and households.

We have programs available through Efficiency Maine, the Finance Authority of Maine, and Maine Housing to help businesses and families improve their energy efficiency.

And in April, we held the Governor?s Conference on Energy Efficiency, which brought together some of the sharpest minds in the country to help businesses better understand how they can reduce energy consumption and costs.

I am working with New Brunswick to end the death grip that our regional electricity grid has placed on Maine consumers and businesses by unnecessarily driving electric prices higher.

There is another way. These problems can be solved.

A partnership between the University of Maine and Red Shield Environmental in Old Town has developed a method to produce ethanol as part of the pulp-making process.

The innovation has the potential to reduce our reliance on foreign oil, provide a boost to our paper industry.

You know, oil companies are making record profits while working men and women are struggling to get by.

Every dollar we spend on oil and gas gets shipped out of state, to countries that rarely have our best interest at heart.

We must begin a serious transition. And that requires leadership at every level, especially at the federal level.

The federal government has got a very important role to play because this should be a national energy policy and it?s painfully obvious that our country cannot continue along our current path.

Maine will continue its aggressive pursuit of alternative sources of energy. We will support and expand our use of wind, wood, water and we are going to take our place as leaders in the production of clean renewable energy.

But while we wait for a new presidential administration and a smarter national energy policy, we are going to do every thing we can to help our people who have been hurt.

We took action to try to ease some of the burden on Maine truckers by reducing regulations and tax load on their industry. We have come to the aid of low-income families who need heating assistance.

And we are making every resource available to help Millinocket recover. We are fully engaged with Katahdin Paper, and we will do everything possible to help get this facility back up and running.

In the meantime, we are going to provide support to the workers harmed by this unfortunate decision. The Department of Labor and our rapid response team is ready to move in to help the workers.

And we will do every thing we can to help re-open this mill and put people back to work permanently.

The world is changing and we can?t be content to let our industries and people suffer while oil companies get rich and foreign powers undermine our economy.

Maine is moving forward. It?s time for the federal government to join the effort too.

Radio Address: Budget Discipline

June 7, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

A crisis can often bring out the very best in people.

When there?s an emergency, people react.

Firefighters rush into burning buildings. Police face fugitives waiving guns and soldiers put themselves at risk to save others.

But not every crisis demands ? or even allows ? for such actions.

Maine right now is caught in the vice of a national energy price crisis. Gasoline has topped over $4 dollars a gallon in some parts of the State and is lingering just under that mark everywhere else.

The prices of a single-family home in the State have dropped more than 11 percent since last year, and the number of homes sold is down more than 23 percent.

And food prices related to energy costs keep climbing.

I don?t need to talk about the pressure being faced by Maine families. We see it every single day when they go to the grocery store or get gas for the family car.

It?s a real energy price crisis.

And it?s my concern that the U.S. economy will be slower to recover.

What we can do is put Maine on a better financial course and work to improve our financial footing so that we are better able to weather those national storms.

Maine has taken bold action, but it?s never going to compare to the bravery and heroics of firefighters, police officers and soldiers.

We have fundamentally altered the fabric of state government though.

We have reinvigorated K-12 education, we have consolidated administrations at all levels including county jails and state prisons, and we have restrained State spending.

Now, there has been plenty of opposition along the way and some folks are continuing to fight progress while trying to hold onto the past.

But in the end, Maine will have provided our children a better educational system, more efficient and effective corrections, and it will have a State government, county government and local government we can afford.

The work is not glamorous and it?s easy to say we haven?t gone far enough, that we have stopped short of our ultimate goals.

But the critics - they fall short of reality. Unlike the brave firefighter who rushes in on the spot, changing government doesn?t happen in a split-second without input from people.

It takes time to spread information, to talk and convince folks of the right course of action and then to ultimately make the changes.

Consider the State budget. In fiscal year 2009, the State will spend about $38 million less than it spent in 2008. Let me repeat that for you because I don?t know if you?ve heard that before. But, in fiscal year 2009, the State will spend about $38 million less than it spent in 2008. That?s an actual reduction in government spending.

It?s only the fourth time in 35 years that that?s happened.

Since taking office in 2003, the number of State workers has declined by more than 600 people.

We are making the hard choices and building a State government that taxpayers can afford.

But we?re doing it in a way that doesn?t jeopardize opportunity for our children and education and health care or the assets we need for economic development.

We have invested in innovation and research and development, cutting-edge technology that will create good-paying, private sector jobs.

We?re investing in roads and bridges and rails to make sure they?re safe and effective for moving people and goods around the State and around the world.

And we?re protecting our environment and special quality of place that sets Maine apart from the rest of the world.

Now, in the coming year, Maine faces an uncertain national economy. The revenue picture is foggy at best.

We know that we will have to cut more from the State budget next year, at a time when the need for government services is at its greatest.

It would be nice to be able to take that one decisive action ? to wave a magic wand -- and to see immediate results.

But when it comes to streamlining State government, county government, local government, while protecting our ability to fulfill our core responsibilities, it?s just not that easy.

It takes a steady, consistent and determined effort.

This summer, my administration is continuing to look for innovative ideas for improving the efficiency of government at all levels.

The Natural Resource Agency Task Force began meeting this week. The group?s mission is to examine the five different State agencies charged with protecting Maine?s natural resources and look for ways to more efficiently protect those resources while reducing the administration.

We are also in the process of restructuring the Department of Economic and Community Development. The goal is to put those resources out of Augusta, into the local and regional level where they can do the most good.

And we are also examining the fine details of operations overall at the State, county and local level to see about uncovering more efficiencies, less administration and more taxpayer savings.

The national economy is uncertain, and there are difficult budget times ahead. But the course we set six years ago has made us better able to deal with today?s trouble.

There?s hard work left to do, and my administration is prepared to do it.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Through to the Other Side

June 14, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

I know it?s a beautiful, sunny day and temperatures are climbing to summer heights already. It?s unusual to be thinking about Maine?s long winter season and our heating needs.

But if our country?s current energy crisis has shown us anything, we can not afford to take the short view. We must begin looking ahead and preparing now.

This week, the average price for heating oil in Maine hit $4.60 a gallon. That?s the average. In a lot of places, the price has spiked to $4.80.

Nobody can predict for certain what the cost will look like next winter, but we can?t wait to find out.

Here?s what?s for certain: We will ensure that we don?t allow our people to be put into danger because they can?t afford heating oil for their houses. We?ll do what?s necessary to protect public safety and welfare.

That?s our top priority, but it?s not our only one.

Everyone is feeling the energy pinch. It?s created a real hardship for Maine businesses and hard working families.

I have already convened a pre-emergency task force to make sure we are prepared now, and to put us in a position to identify and enact solutions now.

My goal is to put Maine on the path to a more secure and independent energy future.

But we all must be more proactive and take steps to reduce our dependence on costly foreign oil and protect our economy from price spikes beyond our control.

Individually, we have the power to make those changes and reduce our reliance on oil and gas.

We can make our houses and businesses more energy efficient.

Already, we have put into place innovative programs to help homeowners, truck drivers, businesses and families reduce their energy consumption.

The Maine State Housing Authority has low-interest loans at 3.5 percent, up to $30,000, to make their homes weatherized, more energy efficient, or to switch to more efficient and less-costly fuels.

The Finance Authority of Maine can help businesses improve their energy efficiency, and Efficiency Maine at the Public Utilities Commission can help you reduce your electricity consumption.

Please contact www.maine.gov, call my office at 287-3531. 287-3531. Please start to take charge. Individually we can, and have the power to make changes to reduce our reliance on oil and gas and we can make our houses and businesses more energy efficient.

And at the same time, we know that we need leadership at the national level, but we can?t wait for relief to come to us; we must grab hold of our own destiny.

Our energy situation is serious, but it is not without hope.

There are things we can do as a State, and there are things we can do individually.

Maine has abundant natural resources, and we must put them to work. Maine?s early economy was built from our woods, and rivers and seas.

And just this week I was with Horizon Energy Company in Presque Isle, Maine, where they are proposing $1.2 billion of wind power projects and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

We hope to be able to see more wind power, more hydro and tidal, more wood, and more renewable energy resources applied to our energy grid.

We are going to begin to return to our roots, in applying new technologies to harness our natural resources in a way that is efficient, clean and renewable.

And we are going to be aggressive and innovative as we seek ways to replace fossil fuels and develop these home-grown sources of energy.

But like the entire country, Maine is hurting from high energy prices. We can find our way through to the other side of this crisis. And when we do, we?ll have more energy security, a cleaner environment and a stronger economy.

Thank you all, and especially to those dads out there, Happy Father?s Day. And all of you, have a very good weekend.

Radio Address: Kids Count

June 21, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Maine does a good job of taking care of our children.

It?s easy to take for granted the safe environment our State provides for most kids.

People move to Maine to raise families and anyone who grew up here, like I did, knows firsthand all that the State has to offer.

During these difficult economic times, we do a good job of putting our children at the top of our priorities list.

Last week, the Annie Casey Foundation released its annual Kids Count Data Book, and the numbers show that Maine is a good place for children.

Out of 10 categories, Maine places in the Top 10 in four areas and overall our State is ranked 16th in the country for well-being of our children and teen-agers.

We rank second in terms of the number of idle teens and second in the nation for fewest high school dropouts. Our state is also 6th for fewest births to teenage mothers.

Teen-agers face challenges in every state. It?s a time when their minds and bodies aren?t always developing at the same rate, which can cause serious trouble.

We take good care of our teens.

We do a good job of taking care of expectant mothers, with the 10th lowest rate of premature infants, and we rank 12th for deaths among children 14 and younger.

Our State works hard to make sure our kids have the tools they need to be successful and the support they need to stay out of trouble.

But we also do a good job when they stray from the straight and narrow.

Maine?s juvenile justice system is recognized this year for the way we work to rehabilitate young offenders and keep them out of jail.

In an essay that accompanies the rankings, the Kids Count researchers found that most states have blurred the boundaries between adult and juveniles in the corrections systems.

In Maine, we have successfully continued to emphasize alternatives to prison for young offenders and instead focus on programs that provide community service, foster care and substance abuse treatment.

As a result, Maine?s recidivism rate for juveniles, which is going back to prison, is half of the national average.

So, we do a better job of keeping our kids out of prison and helping them to rebuild their lives in a positive way.

I am proud of the measures in which Maine performs well, but I also see places that we must improve.

Maine has too many children living in poverty and too many parents who lack full-time employment.

The slowing national economy has taken its toll on Maine, as it has on all the other states, and a lot of families are struggling. And when families struggle, kids struggle.

I?ve always said the best social service program is a good job and the best social service department is the family.

But I firmly believe the best thing we can do for our children and families is to protect the jobs we have and to make sure we are making the critical investments that will help the private sector create the good jobs of the future.

Right now in Millinocket, Maine, Katahdin Paper is facing a shutdown. The mill is reliant on oil and high prices have put the operation in jeopardy.

We are working everyday to find the best way to keep the mill open and to protect the more than 200 people who work there.

And as a state we are pursuing an aggressive energy policy that will reduce our dependence on costly foreign oil and help to protect our economy from these price crises.

If we want to create good-paying jobs with benefits, we also have to make critical investments in innovation, education and transportation.

And in the last two years, we have made major strides. Despite a difficult national economy, we have invested in K-12 education, our community college system was established and is flourishing, our universities have been bolstered and supported with research and development initiatives.

We are leading the nation in the number of jobs created from that private sector research and development spurred by the university initiatives.

Those efforts are going to pay dividends in the years to come, creating new jobs and new prosperity.

While we?ve done a good job of taking care of our children, there?s also room to improve and by keeping our eye on the future, we can make sure that our children have the opportunities for a quality education and a fulfilling career right here at home.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Economic Development

June 28, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Earlier this week, I attended an event for a great Maine company.

Hodgdon Yachts opened a new facility in Richmond, Maine that is going to allow the company to expand its business and create 35 new jobs within the next two years.

Hodgdon -- an excellent example of a traditional Maine business that is adapting to successfully competing in the global marketplace.

Boatbuilding became an important industry very early in Maine?s history, even well before we were a State. Through the years, the industry has seen countless changes and weathered many storms.

As shipbuilding transitioned from the wood frames to ironclads, Maine fell behind as new technologies replaced older, tried-and-true methods of construction.

Today, just the opposite is happening. Boatbuilding in Maine is a growing economic cluster of activity that demonstrates how members of an industry can cooperate for the mutual benefit of all.

Boatbuilders are capitalizing on these new technologies, developed cooperatively with the University of Maine System, cutting-edge composite materials bringing new strength and flexibility to the age-old craft of boatbuilding.

Maine has a reputation for craftsmanship, durability and reliability, honesty and integrity when it comes to our Maritime history.

Whether it?s boatbuilding like Hinckley, Hodgdon or Sabre, or our proud heritage at Bath Iron Works and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Maine has a reputation that is quickly spreading around the world.

But the growth of our boatbuilding industry hasn?t happened by accident.

It has taken dedicated and forward-thinking entrepreneurs who have grown family businesses into internationally recognized icons for luxury and quality.

It has taken the support of communities and voters who have recognized the importance of investing in research and development and innovation to create private sector job growth.

And it has taken an aggressive economic development effort to assure that Maine maintains a competitive business environment and a level playing field.

Maine?s Pine Tree Economic Development Zone program has made a difference for Hodgdon Yachts and more than 185 other Maine businesses.

I first established Pine Tree Zones back in 2003 to help spur economic development and quality job creation. Initially, the program was targeted in areas of the State where unemployment was higher than average and wages were lower than average.

In 2007, we expanded the program to make it more widely accessible ? statewide.

All told, the program has helped to grow more than 5,800 new jobs, which pay better than average and include access to health insurance and retirement benefits.

Also this week, I had the opportunity to visit a new Bowdoinham company in one of Maine?s bedrock industries ? agriculture.

Locally Known -- New England?s first large-scale organic farm and processing center.

Organic farming has grown tremendously in Maine during the last 20 years. In 1987, Maine just had 21 organic farms and that number has grown to about 350 in 2007.

Maine ranks first in New England in the production of food, first in agricultural sales, first in the world in the production of wild blueberries.

Maine has more than 7,100 farms. Most of them are family-owned, generation after generation. They account for more than $600 million in sales every year and add $2 billion a year to the state?s economy.

With the support from Maine?s Department of Agriculture, new technologies and techniques, Locally Known will help pioneer new opportunities for Maine farmers.

When it comes to economic development, we know in Maine that we can?t abandon our traditional strengths. It?s more important to make sure that we?re building off our assets.

So by supporting boatbuilding, agriculture and our forest products industry, we can help them become more competitive and grow in new directions, creating good-paying jobs along the way.

Whether it?s the Pine Tree Economic Development Zone Program, community development block grants or bonds to jump start innovation and research and development for private sector company job growth, Maine has the plan to create jobs, grow our economy and support our core industries, and make sure that our people get more education and training to raise their standards and the opportunities for better paying jobs and benefits for them.

So I?m proud of our farmers and boatbuilders and people here in the State of Maine. I?m proud of the scholars and entrepreneurs who are driving innovation and helping to create new jobs.

I wish you all a very nice weekend and thank you for this opportunity.

Radio Address: 4th of July

July 5, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

This weekend our country celebrates Independence Day.

All across Maine, where the first rays of sun shine on our great nation, family and friends will join together for patriotic gatherings.

This is a time to take pride in our heritage - how far we have come, and to share our hopes for the future.

Recalling our history ? both the good times and bad ? fortifies our resolve as a nation.

America is unique for many reasons, most importantly for our continued adherence to the values from which our nation was born.

In Philadelphia, in 1776, then-colonists put on paper what was in the hearts of those who sought to be free; who defined freedom and liberty and then fought to achieve these goals. They succeeded and lit the path for future generations to follow.

But the job was not done with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, marking the end of the War for Independence. It continues to this day.

Americans in 1776 and 2008 know that our liberty requires responsibility and sacrifice.

Americans have fought for freedom here and across the globe.

Our success has not come easy. The cost to protect liberty, justice and equality for all is great.

Lives have been lost on the battlefield; our people have struggled through war and economic crises. During the times of greatest hardship, American people come together as one because we have a common cause and a dream for our children and their future.

Our country has faced enormous challenges, and every time we have come out stronger.

We continue this struggle today. It?s not just a fight on the battlefield, but in the policies we champion, and in the relationships we foster in our communities.

Equality and liberty are sometimes at odds. We have to use the tools our Forefathers gave us. Our actions will be guided with the wisdom gained from their example, combined with those essential values that define us and the courage that demands we persevere. This is our national character.

We need to marshal our strength to fight injustice and inequality where it exists.

For this is our shared destiny, first expressed in the Declaration of Independence.

As a testament to all of those who have and continue to represent - of the many things that we as Americans can and should take most pride in ? the United States remains a beacon to all other nations that seek to be free. America continues to be the model for other peoples struggling for opportunity.

The United States defines true liberty, where every baby born in America can grow up to be President.

There is no country on this earth before or now that has offered its citizens such a breadth of opportunity, and commanded such a leadership role in the world.

So today, we remember those who have dedicated themselves to preservation of our most cherished values, and we strive to continue the legacy they have bestowed upon us.

We honor our American heroes? memories best by doing our part each and every day to work within our families and communities to reaffirm these values.

Working together, there is nothing we cannot overcome. I?ve seen it take hold in our darkest days, during the Ice Storm of 1998, during the tragedies of 9/11 and during the most recent floods in Aroostook County that have devastated homes and businesses.

For this weekend, this Independence Day, we look to a bright future.

We also welcome visitors who have come to Maine to enjoy our renowned natural resources, especially our friendly, down-to-earth residents and cozy communities.

We cherish this time with family and friends and we join with others in our communities for the festivals, celebrating our shared history, heritage and dreams.

America will continue to be the light that guides the world a better and more peaceful day in the future.

Thank you and happy Fourth of July.

Radio Address: Unclaimed Stimulus

July 19, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Mainers all across the State have already started receiving stimulus checks from the federal government.

In an effort to reduce the effects of a slowing economy, the Congress and the President passed a stimulus package meant to put money into the pockets of most Americans.

The amounts of the checks are different, depending upon each person?s financial situation, but most Mainers are eligible.

Unfortunately, as many as 31,000 Mainers who are eligible for a $300 check or more have not filed.

All told, according to AARP Maine estimates, more than $9 million of available money is sitting in the federal treasury going unclaimed by State of Maine folks.

Checks began arriving earlier this spring for families who filed a 2007 federal tax return.

But for folks who do not have the tax liability and are not required to file a tax return, the checks aren?t automatic. Those individuals with at least $3,000 of income must file a 1040A tax form to get the stimulus checks.

The form is simple, easy to fill out and understand. They aren?t complicated and don?t require the work generally associated with tax forms.

It?s easy, and there are people ready to help. AARP Maine and the Maine Revenue Service, and even the IRS are ready to assist people who need a little help.

For those with access to a computer, you can go to the Web site www.aarp.org. The Web site has a simple form that you can print out and send in.

It?s straight forward. There are only 10 questions that are easy to answer. You?ll need your Social Security number, address and your income for 2007.

It?s hard to get easier than that.

The national economy is hurting. The high cost of gasoline and oil are hitting every household.

The stimulus checks can help families make ends meet and offset the high cost of fuel. The extra money is especially important for senior citizens and Mainers living on a fixed income. Every little bit helps and it can make a real difference.

In addition to the help for individual families, the stimulus checks can help strengthen Maine?s economy.

There?s just no good reason for folks to miss out on $300 or more.

I hope everyone who hears this will help me to spread the word.

We all need to talk to our friends and families and neighbors and make sure they know about the stimulus program and understand how to get those checks.

Reach out to people at church or work, or to folks you know who might be struggling. Let them know that there might be some extra help.

No one would want to throw away $300, especially during these challenging times.

Together we can make a difference, and we can make sure people get the money they are entitled to receive.

So for help, you can go to the AARP Web site, www.aarp.org, or call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-0582, extension 377. Or call the local Area Agency on Aging at 1-877-353-3771 for assistance.

The deadline for claiming your economic stimulus check is October 15, so time is passing. And I don?t want anyone to miss out.

Every little bit can help. So spread the word. People, don?t be shy about this. This money approved by Congress to help families and help the economy. But it is only going to reach its full potential if we make sure that every eligible person gets his or her check.

It will take a community effort to make sure we reach everyone with this important message. I know Mainers take care of one another. This is a great opportunity to spread the word about a program that can help families get by during a tough time.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Preparing for Winter

July 26, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week I received a report from a special task force, which was formed to develop ideas on how Maine could best reduce the impact of high energy prices this winter.

Maine faces a dangerous winter.

With the price of heating oil already above $4.60 a gallon -- higher in some places -- many families will face a tough winter season, filled with difficult choices.

The seven short-term recommendations put forth this week will help us to be better prepared, and will help to keep Mainers safe and secure this winter.

Among the recommendations are to:

  • Create a single point of entry for Mainers seeking information about energy programs and services;

  • Expand weatherization of Maine residences;

  • Increase energy audits of homes and businesses;

  • Provide people statewide education and training or what they can do to prepare for the upcoming winter;

  • Expanding energy efficiency financing tools for hospitals, schools, nursing homes, municipalities, social service agencies and businesses;

  • Increasing transportation options, reducing fuel consumption;

  • Creating local teams that will help keep people safe, secure and warm in their homes.

Of the ideas, I am particularly committed to the first.

We have already begun building the system that will allow someone who calls the State?s 2-1-1 information line to be immediately connected with a specialist who can help them get the energy information they need.

Included in this one-stop-shopping approach to energy assistance will be a tracking system that will make sure people get answers quickly.

Once implemented, folks who apply for an energy efficiency loan or a fuel assistance request will have their application processed within 30 days.

And I will also work to develop an action plan moving forward based on the work of the Task Force.

It?s gratifying that so many people ? with so much expertise ? volunteered their time to help develop the report. The Task Force has done a tremendous amount of work in a very short time.

In addition to the recommendations of the Task Force there were subcommittees and included in those subcommittee reports was a great amount of information and some bold ideas.

I am going to study those reports closely as we continue to move toward a more secure energy future for Maine.

In the long-term, Maine must reduce its consumption ? as the country must reduce its consumption -- of oil, and we must develop alternative energy resources. And we must also take the necessary steps to reduce our dependency on oil and gasoline.

Already, much is been done to conserve energy and to help Mainer?s reduce their consumption.

The State is leading by example in the fact that we have reduced the number of miles state workers travel each year.

We?ve increased the number of hybrid vehicles in the State fleet to more than 80.

And we?ve raised the average fuel economy of State cars and trucks to almost 28 miles per gallon.

By adding biodiesel to the fuel mix for State buildings, we?re saving about 13,000 gallons of Number 2 heating oil every year. And in the first three years of my administration, we have saved over 143,000 gallons of heating fuel through investment and conservation.

Maine purchases 100 percent of its electricity for State buildings from renewable energy resources, which makes us unique among the States.

I know that there?s a lot of anxiety about oil prices and I share that frustration and anxiety. And I know that expectations of government solutions are high.

But there is only so much government can do. There?s no magic pile of money we can tap to pay everyone?s oil bill, and we can?t force prices to drop.

But what we can do is to offer a helping hand to the poorest amongst us, empowering people to improve their own situations, and to make sure the programs we have are used effectively and efficiently, and prepare in case there?s a real emergency.

Maine has an abundant natural resource base that can reduce our dependency on costly foreign oil. We must continue to grow our wind power industry, support advancements in tidal, solar and wood energy and biofuels.

We have survived energy crunches in the past, and we will survive this one.

It is my hope that this will lead the country toward a path of energy independence.

The transition will take time. But we can do it.

Maine can?t wait to tackle this problem. We have to begin working today and while it?s still warm outside, we can be better prepared when cold weather arrives.

I know the spirit of Maine, and I know what our people are capable of.

Together, taking care of our neighbors and ourselves, we will get through this difficult winter ahead.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Investing for Today and Tomorrow

August 2, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

The spring of 2007 seems like a long time ago, but some of the decisions made by the Legislature and validated by you, the Maine voters are paying dividends for communities across the State.

This week, my administration announced some of the investments being made as part of those bonds that were passed last year.

Acting with the best interest of Maine, more than two-thirds of the Legislature ? Democrats and Republicans ? coming together to support a $295 million investment package.

When asked, voters broadly agreed that it is worthwhile to make long-term investments in Maine?s economy and Maine?s people.

Already, highway bonds have been put to work improving the roads and bridges that carry our goods and people and connect our economy to markets across the country and around the world.

Already, the bonds are helping to make our water cleaner and helping our communities grow.

We?re better able to build schools, preserve important open space and natural resources, and protect those things that make Maine special.

This week we can add to the list of worthy projects.

As part of the bond package, voters approved $1.5 million for the Municipal Investment Trust Fund.

This week, communities began to see the results.

In Greenville, $350,000 will be used to revitalize the wharf and replace the existing boat launch with a new one that can handle two boats at a time.

In Biddeford, $350,000 will help to redevelop the Riverdam Mill into a combination of new businesses and mixed-income housing. The investment will help to restore part of Biddeford?s legacy, while creating new jobs and much needed housing.

A grant directed toward Brunswick will support the Maine Street Station, a vital transportation hub that will help open the mid-coast to expanded rail service that was approved earlier this year and provide an important link to ground transportation.

The investment will also allow for growth of new businesses and new homes along those lines and conveniently locate near mass transit.

In Bucksport, we?re assisting with the redevelopment of the historic Jed Prouty Tavern & Inn, and in Dover-Foxcroft we?re supporting the Center Theater to create economic sustainability in that region.

So, we are helping businesses grow and opportunities to be established next door.

In Bath and Rockland we are seeing the benefits from investments in new sidewalks and parking, improved lighting and better access to local attractions.

The Municipal Investment Trust Fund is helping communities make improvements that otherwise might not be possible.

The investments are creating new jobs and new opportunities for Maine people.

But more importantly, the projects demonstrate that Maine people understand the necessity of long-term capital strategic investments.

We?re helping to support a strong public-private partnership, at the same time filling needs for workforce housing, improved access to mass transit, increased public safety and enhanced natural resources.

These are the investments that will help Maine maintain its special qualities and character ? the things we love best about our home.

Our unique downtowns, our environment, our open spaces, our heritage and our people.

The dollars that are invested today multiply many times over as communities see the benefits of increased economic activity and new jobs.

Too often, important programs like the Municipal Investment Trust Fund become entangled in politics.

It?s unnecessary and counterproductive. Fortunately, Maine voters have consistently shown that they understand the long-term benefits of strategic investments in our State.

In a few weeks, we?ll be announcing the recipients of the research and development grants approved by Maine voters.

Those awards will help to drive innovation in private sector companies growing private sector jobs, providing better opportunities ? more opportunities ? for Maine people.

Some of our State?s best minds have been competing for those grants that are going to help to turn their great ideas into businesses for opportunities for Maine workers.

So when I hear and see great things happening in Maine, I?m so encouraged, as all of you are.

I know it is Maine people, Maine entrepreneurs and forward-thinking community leaders leading the way toward a bright future.

So with these advances and working together, we can make sure that the future is bright for our children and grandchildren.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Tax Burden

August 9, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

If you want to get people going in Maine, one topic often stands out above the rest ? and that?s taxes.

Maine has had a reputation as a high-tax state for a number of years, but the truth of the matter is a bit more complicated ? and not nearly as bad as it has been made out to be.

I want to thank The Tax Foundation, a national think tank that promotes conservative tax policies. They have usually ranked Maine very high.

But this year they have modified the way that they measure state and local tax burden. And in their annual rankings of per capita state and local tax burden this year, they show a marked improvement in Maine in our national ranking when compared to other states.

Under the new formula, in 2005 according to The Tax Foundation, Maine ranked as the state with the fifth-highest per capita tax burden.

In 2008, Maine has improved to 15th.

Further, Maine?s per capita state and local tax rate is measured at 10 percent, while the average nationally is about 9.7 percent.

I?m gratified to see Maine?s relative position among the States improving in this important area because this is a calling card for business growth and development which provides job opportunities of good paying jobs and benefits for our citizens. This is very important in terms of being able to promote expansion of our job market and having economic development be a centerpiece of our Pine Tree Zone initiatives, of our caps on government spending, on our streamlining of administrations and school administrative districts and county jails.

All of that tough, hard work that many people have been doing in many areas is beginning to show progress and pay dividends.

The policies we have put into place have made a difference. Difficult choices necessary to restrain growth in spending have paid a dividend.

And we have held the line on broad-based taxes, we have driven government at every level to be more efficient and placed limitations on how quickly spending can grow and we need to do more.

But at the same time, we have got to be cautious about reading too much into group?s rankings, pro or con. They all have an agenda. They use the rankings as a way to advocate for the policies they support.

The Tax Foundation, to their credit, has been very open in discussing its methods it uses to determine the rankings, and was working on ways to improve them.

Until this year, as an example, they counted taxes paid by non-Maine residents as part of OUR tax burden.

So in other words, people who had homes here who lived in Massachusetts were counted against Maine?s tax burden, but those folks weren?t part of our population or our state?s income figures.

The mismatch artificially inflated Maine?s tax burden.

So The Tax Foundation made changes in the way it gauges the tax burden, including how it accounts for sales taxes paid by travelers.

The revised system can help repair the incorrect perception that Maine is the highest taxed state in the country.

In today?s political world, numbers can often become flexible, and conventional wisdom can replace the facts in the way that we are perceived.

Maine has work to do on lowering our tax burden. Let me repeat that ? Maine has work to do on lowering our tax burden. But we have made progress.

That?s why we have fought to consolidate the administrations of schools and their School Administrative Districts from 152 to 80.

That?s why we have reduced the administrations of county jails.

And that?s why we have placed limits on spending by government at all levels.

And for the first time in recent State history, we are going to be spending less money in State government this fiscal year than we did last year.

So Maine is much closer to the national average and the middle of the pack on taxation than we were given credit for.

And rankings show that Maine has made progress, and that we are moving in the right direction.

These are the facts. These are the scorecards. And this is the information that Maine people need.

Hopefully, the new numbers will also change the tone of the debate.

Maine is on a steady course to grow our economy and improve our tax burden. And I will make sure that that work continues.

Thank you very much.

Radio Address: Moving Forward

August 16, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

On Friday, I was joined by members of the Legislature as I announced details of my plans to help Maine prepare for this winter.

During the last two weeks, we?ve finally seen gasoline and oil prices beginning to ease a little.

But prices are still too high and the strain is apparent on family budgets, businesses and our national economy.

And as we look toward winter, there has been a growing anxiety about how best to cope with the high cost of staying warm.

A few people have been calling for a special session of the Legislature. They want something to be done and they want it done as soon as possible.

But after considering a number of options, and consulting with experts on the front lines at Maine State Housing Authority, the Low Income Heating Assistance Program and my energy director, I believe that we can take aggressive action to prepare for winter without calling Legislators back to Augusta this summer.

A special session is expensive and it?s time consuming. It costs about $40,000 every day and there?s no guarantee that we can quickly pass good policy.

So I have worked to develop a strategy with consultations from the legislature and experts that will put state dollars to work immediately.

Maine State Housing Authority has identified almost $7 million that had been set aside for future projects that we can move forward and put to work today to weatherize more Maine homes and increase the support we can provide for families living on the economic edge.

We will train new teams of weatherization experts and invest an additional $2 million to weatherize homes between now and January. This project alone has the potential to save more than 412,000 gallons of heating oil, and this is in addition to the $6.5 million dollars that already been put to work making homes more energy secure.

I will establish an emergency heating fund, and we know that it?s during January and February ? the times that are most likely to need those resources to help families facing a heating emergency ? we will have already established that fund.

And I will set aside $1 million ? on top of the million already set aside ? by the Finance Authority of Maine to help businesses get loans for energy conservation projects.

And we are going to support local organizations that have been working tirelessly to organize and help their neighbors. It?s the old motto of ?neighbors helping neighbors,? something that Mainers do better than anybody else.

This is the course of action that builds upon a range of programs that are already helping Mainers become more energy secure.

Maine State Housing has low-interest loans available for low- and middle-income families right now looking to weatherize their homes. Up to $30,000 per loan is available right now at below market rates of 3.95 percent.

People who are looking for information about existing or new programs to help deal with high energy or food prices can call 2-1-1 for information.

So as we put this new system in place by Sept. 20, we are going to be able to make sure that callers get the information they?re looking for in one business day, and that loan and aid applications are processed in 30 days or less.

Now, while there?s a glimmer of hope right now on oil prices staying below their summer peak, we must prepare for the worst.

Our action plan will make a difference before the snow starts flying. And if we find ourselves in a situation where we must take additional steps before December when the Legislature reconvenes, I will not hesitate to take those steps.

Today, however, such a move would be a waste of energy - time and money, two things there aren?t enough of.

It?s not possible for government to answer every energy need this winter, but it is my goal to provide struggling families and businesses with a hand up and to make sure everyone else has the information, support and opportunity to help themselves.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Responsible Plan

August 23, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

As we confront our national addiction to oil and the dangers it presents to our people and our economy, we must do things great and small to reduce our consumption and protect lives.

A week ago, I released the details of a short-term action plan that puts resources to work immediately to help families prepare for winter and to reduce oil use.

We began work on the plan in the spring, before energy prices hit their peak. That early preparation and the work of my Pre-Emergency Task Force laid the foundation for our plans.

Dozens of individuals from every sector of Maine?s economy came together to collect information, identify needs and search for solutions.

There are no easy or quick answers. Reducing oil?s strangle hold on our State will take a sustained commitment. But we must take on this difficult job now.

The $12.6 million dollar plan includes new investments in weatherization, low-income heating assistance, alternative modes of transportation, voluntary alternate work schedules for State employees, business development, training and education, and is targeted toward specific, attainable results within the next five months ? not the next five years.

My first priority is this winter, making sure every winter afterwards is less and less of a burden on Maine people and businesses.

We increased funding for low-income heating assistance by more than $4 million dollars and will create an emergency fund to help families who find themselves in a heating crisis during winter?s coldest months.

While continuing to pump millions of dollars into oil tanks can keep people warm in the short-term, it doesn?t do anything to reduce the amount of oil we burn.

My plan will also increase funding for weatherization by $2 million. The resources will help to make more homes more energy efficient.

We?re also putting more than $1 million new dollars into a program to clean, tune and evaluate the furnaces of low-income families so that that public-private partnership can reduce fuel consumption by as much as 10 percent.

When the tune up is combined with weatherization, homeowners can save 30 percent off their heating bills.

Weatherization is about using resources wisely. For every gallon of oil saved, we are able to spread our fuel assistance dollars farther and help more Maine people.

And weatherization is an investment that lasts, not just this winter, but every winter afterwards, paying a high dividend for years to come.

So our plan puts resources where they can be most effective between now and December. It is responsible and will help keep people safe and secure in their homes.

In addition to helping the low-income families, I believe we must help the middle class.

The Maine State Housing Authority has below-market rates available right now to middle class families so they can weatherize their homes.

The loans have low rates, friendly terms, and provide families with an affordable option for fighting high energy costs.

The Finance Authority of Maine has set aside an additional $1 million in its Economic Recovery Loan Program to help businesses invest in energy conservation.

High energy prices hold our businesses back. So with FAME financing, employers in the State will have a way to fight back.

We?re also reprogramming more than $1 million dollars within the Department of Transportation to increase the use of the carpooling program called GoMaine, we are extending our Free Fares on Fridays with our public bus system and improving access to rail service.

We?re beginning a better understanding of our transportation capacity and we are trying to get more and more cars off the road and saving drivers money, and helping businesses get their goods to market more quickly and cheaply.

I have also signed an executive order creating a pilot program within bureaus and agencies of State government that will allow for an alternative work schedule, like the four-day work week.

Our goal is to reduce the amount of driving required by State workers doing State business without hurting the ability to deliver those services to residents and citizens here in the State of Maine.

By giving workers the flexibility, we hope to take cars off the road, reducing the demand for gasoline and saving all families money.

The pilot program will test the effectiveness of the alternative scheduling and determine whether it cuts our energy costs.

So we are following through on those recommendations, creating a new single point of contact for energy calls at 2-1-1.

As part of improving the 2-1-1 system, requests for information will be filled within one business day and applicants for assistance or loan programs will have their requests processed within 30 days.

And as we support those local efforts of neighbors helping neighbors, neighbors answering the calls for each other, we know that this winter is going to be difficult. But if we take smart, responsible actions, we can make sure that everyone stays safe and that going forward we are using less and less oil.

Thank you all and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Mills

August 30, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

As you know, Maine?s economy is in transition. Undeniably, change brings a level of uncertainty, even pain.

The paper industry is the backbone of Maine?s forest economy. Pulp and paper constitutes 22 percent of Maine?s total manufacturing jobs, and provides the highest wages in Maine?s manufacturing sector. In many rural areas of the state paper mills are the primary source of employment and the ripple impact can be felt through credit unions and hardware stores, restaurants and hotels throughout the regions in which they are located.

Since my first day in office, my Administration has been fighting to not only keep our mills up and running, but make them competitive, stocked with raw materials critical for Maine?s future. I have been personally involved in efforts to keep open the mills open in Millinocket, East Millinocket, Lincoln, Old Town and Jay. And I remain committed to ensuring their viability because there is viability. Maine is the second leading producer in the country for paper products.

But just this week, we received two serious blows ? one is about 150 workers in Jay, Maine and more than 200 mill workers in Millinocket were told that their jobs were in jeopardy, their futures and those of their families uncertain.

My Administration continues to work with local, union, industry and federal officials to keep Maine?s mills operating and keep our highly skilled workforce employed.

In the case of the Wausau Paper-Otis Mill facility in Jay, the company intends to permanently shut down one of their two machines.

In Millinocket, the Katahdin Paper Co. mill is expected to shut down on September 2.

In both circumstances, the rising cost of energy is a major factor in the proposed shut downs.

I have the best, most experienced people in the Administration working to help the impacted workers and communities, and to pursue options which may keep these valuable jobs.

The Katahdin mill has been working to replace its oil-powered energy system with a biomass system that will greatly reduce operating costs and eliminate the use of oil. Work continues to ensure that the mill shut down is only a short-term measure that will enable long-term solutions to be put in place so that the hard-working, skilled people can go back to work as soon as possible.

We have been working to maintain our abundant natural resources, and we know we have the best workers in the nation ? if not the world ? right here in Maine.

Maintaining what we have doesn?t mean the status quo, but finding better ways to operate. There?s no denying that if we don?t change the way we do business, we?ll be left behind in this global economy.

It?s clear that moving to a more stable, clean, renewable, home-grown energy source is a critical key to Maine?s economic future. We have seen oil prices place significant burdens on families and businesses in Millinocket and Jay and across the state, and that?s why my Administration is aggressively tackling these underlying energy issues.

To maintain Maine?s leadership in forest products my Administration is aggressively pursuing forest certification as a way to brand Maine?s high quality and sustainable forest products. So consumers and the companies who serve them are increasingly demanding those products, Maine will be a leader in that area.

Maine State Government has been doing its part in encouraging more certification. We are buying more certified paper and wood to increase awareness of, and expand demand for, certified products.

We have also been transforming our forest products industry by emphasizing secondary processing of construction materials. We do not want to only produce the raw materials, we want to add value to those materials and create new innovative products. Through advanced technology and workforce development, Maine is promoting and building these new products.

Wood composites offer an example of the new technologies that are helping to transform Maine?s forest products industry. The Advanced Engineered Wood Composite Center at the University of Maine is a world leader in the development of advanced wood composite materials. Uses include the marine pilings, boat hulls, concrete forms, beams for bridges, and even shelters for our troops in the Middle East.

Maine is also taking the lead in defining appropriate uses for wood in the renewable energy picture. My Wood-to-Energy Task Force is soon going to report back with recommendations on how Maine can harness wood in new ways that are much more affordable than using oil and are environmentally-friendly.

Finally, Maine has partnered with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in a major study on the regional forest products industry. Recommendations from PricewaterhouseCoopers are due by the end of the year that will detail three areas of investment that will achieve the greatest value and keep the industry prosperous.

Maine?s forestry roots are deep, remain valuable to our economy. Building on these natural strengths and enhancing our competitive assets will offer a truly sustainable prosperity into the future of the 21st century and make that Maine?s century.

Thank you and have a great day.

Radio Address: A Resurgent Resource

September 6, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

There?s no question that Maine?s traditional forest-based industries have been struggling under the weight of high energy prices and cheap foreign competition.

The headlines in just these recent weeks have been filled with news about mills in Millinocket and Jay facing unprecedented economic pressures.

Hardworking Mainers are feeling the strain as jobs ? with good pay and benefits ? have left our rural areas.

While there are no simple solutions to the problems facing some of our State?s largest manufacturers, I remain confident that there is a great, untapped potential remaining in our vast forest lands.

This week, I awarded the Austin Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award to Roger Milliken Jr. of the Baskahegan Company.

Roger was honored for his lifelong commitment ? and his lifelong commitment includes his family, generation after generation, and their commitment to forest sustainability management. And to his efforts to protect Maine?s northern woods while also helping to maintain productive, working forests.

Roger was critical in helping to balance the environmental needs of our forests with the needs of our forest products industries.

The award is named after Austin Wilkins, a pioneer in the development of the Maine Forestry Department. He is a legend that overcame the great forest fires of 1947 and devoted his long career to protecting the resource that remains the backbone of our economy.

And as he understood back in 1928 when he first joined the Maine Forest Service and as we all understand today, the solution to many of Maine?s biggest problems grow in our woods.

For more than 200 years, we have looked to the forest to build our industry and support our people.

Even as our people and our economy change, our forests still hold the vast untapped potential.

For more than 25 years of involvement in Maine?s woods and the policies that affect them, Roger Milliken offered a good perspective this week.

He sits on the Board of the Nature Conservancy in Washington, and he has witnessed first hand the efforts to conserve forests around the world.

And from that vantage point, he said: ?There is no better place on the planet than the State of Maine for us to achieve the ideals of economic and ecological sustainability.?

Milliken continued ? he said, ?Maine is blessed with a diverse, resilient, and self-generating forest, and it has been supported at least by 11 generations of Mainers. We are also blessed with a diverse, respectful political culture, where we know how to listen to one another and work for a common ground.?

Those attributes position us well to take advantage of our unique resources.

Of Maine?s 20 million acres, about 17 million are forest lands.

Our State has been at the forefront of supporting privately held working forests while also protecting more than 1 million acres of land, ensuring that it is still available for traditional uses.

As Maine and our nation face a new century of challenges and our economy moves away from our unhealthy addiction on foreign oil, our forests offer tremendous potential.

My administration is committed to - and working with ? the Katahdin Paper Company in Millinocket, the Wausau-Otis Mill facility in Jay to protect those jobs we have in our paper industry and help to grow them into the future.

And I am also committed to making sure our forest products industry adapts and remains healthy and vibrant.

We are going to grow our wood pellet industry, and it provides a great potential to create jobs and an exportable commodity.

And we are going to continue to pursue alternative fuels, like cellulosic ethanol, which can be produced as part of the pulp making process.

Together, these technologies can reduce pollution, increase energy independence and create new jobs.

Maine?s forest products industry is facing a difficult period as it continues to adjust to high energy prices and unfair trade practices.

But I see our forests as a resurgent resource that will be able to put people to work and good paying jobs and benefits into the future and also improve our security both economically and nationally.

I want to thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Energy Update

September 13, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

I know that despite the recent drop in gasoline and oil prices, people remain deeply concerned about this winter. The price is still hovering around $4 dollars a gallon.

The cost of energy is creating real hardships for thousands of Mainers, and leaving even more on the economic edge.

In August, I detailed my plans to help Maine families and businesses through the first part of this winter, and this weekend I?d like to update you on the progress we?ve made.

Mainers are facing a tough winter, but we are not without tools that can make a real difference in people?s lives.

For most of our vulnerable citizens ? those families and individuals who qualify for heating assistance ? I have committed an additional $4 million dollars to increase aid.

The federal government so far has not lived up to its responsibility for heating assistance, my hope is that congress and the delegation will make that happen. But in Maine we are going to make sure that no one freezes while waiting for the feds.

We have also committed to an emergency fund that will meet the needs of families in crisis during winter?s coldest months.

Through a public-private partnership, we are investing $3 million dollars in making homes more energy efficient and repairing the furnaces for families on the edge.

We?re reprogramming money for business loans and to enhance alternative modes of transportation.

And we are going to begin to distribute at least 2,000 KeepMeWarm kits to homeowners. Those kits include materials to help save energy ? save money.

In addition, we are making available low-interest loans to middle-income families from Maine State Housing Authority. The loans are designed to help families make their homes more energy efficient without overly burdening them with high monthly payments.

Now, we haven?t stopped there.

We are training hundreds of new energy auditors and installers and put to work the newest technology at our universities and community colleges to make the classes available to as many people as possible. We need you now.

And we are also going to support existing contractors and builders and the work that needs to be done and homeowners across the State are trying to weatherize their homes this winter.

Later this month, I will host a short training session, which will be broadcast around the State, that is going to teach anyone who is interested simple ways to make their homes more energy efficient.

I?m not teaching the class, you don?t need to worry. We?ll have a real expert for that. But I?ll show that anybody ? even the governor ? can master easy techniques that can save real money.

And when winter arrives and the days grow short and the temperatures fall, I know that Mainers can depend upon one another.

And that?s why the State will help to support the volunteer efforts of local community groups. We are building a master list of organizations so that we can match people who need help with those who want to give help.

And we are going to create a Web site where anyone can find the energy related programs available in their community.

We are partnering with the media in Maine and we are going to reach out to every household with information about how to prepare for winter.

Over 500,000 brochures will be distributed with DVDs and people who need help can call 2-1-1 and receive the information or assistance they need.

Fundraising efforts have already begun for KeepMEWarm Funds, where Mainers? generosity will translate into warm homes and safe families.

Now, our long-term goal must be to reduce the consumption of oil and gasoline and to free our economy from foreign oil.

During the next Legislative session, starting in December, I am going to propose a plan that is a comprehensive plan that moves us along that path so that we can ? at the end of 10 years ? be energy independent. And less dependent will strengthen our economy, protect our national security, improve our environment and most importantly provide for economic development ? jobs with benefits ? for our citizens.

But between now and then, however, we are going to do everything necessary to keep people warm and safe in their homes this winter.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Historic Meeting

September 20, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Earlier this week, Maine hosted an historic event.

Five eastern Canadian Premiers and five New England governors met to work on some of the most challenging issues facing our region.

We came together in a spirit of cooperation, had frank discussions about our shared goals and opportunities and also challenges, and we built momentum that will carry our region forward.

As chairman of the New England Governors? Conference, I led this meeting along with New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham, who co-chaired the conference.

Much was accomplished.

Together, we adopted eight resolutions on issues ranging from climate change and global warming to energy independence and demographics.

But our efforts were not limited to the resolutions that were passed.

After presentations by some of the regions leading experts on energy, transportation, the environment and economic development, we committed as a group to looking for common solutions that would benefit all of our people as we work toward a more secure and sustainable future.

Too often in the past, our region has been divided. We import too many of our resources and export too many of our jobs, and we must be able to understand to fully cooperate will help to resolve the problems that we all share.

Most of New England and Eastern Canada is dangerously dependent on oil.

High prices threaten our economy, our jobs and our people.

But the instability also leaves us at the mercy of other countries that do not have the best interest of Maine ? or the United States and Canada ? in mind.

We know that we must end this dependency through generation of electricity from renewable sources, domestic sources and also through conservation and energy efficiency.

New England and Eastern Canada are uniquely positioned to take advantage of tremendous wind, hydro, bio-fuels and tidal power to meet our electricity needs.

But acting alone, none of us can truly reach our potential.

We must develop new transmission capacity that serves both generation projects in New England and improves the capacity to move renewable, green power from Canada into the United States.

In the past, the parochial interests of individual states and provinces have undermined our ability to act cooperatively.

Maine has not faired well as a member of the ISO New England, which runs our regional power grid. Our costs are too high, and we are not able to take full advantage of the electricity we produce instate.

So we are currently investigating our options to determine whether we should continue our membership or set a new path.

But what was confirmed on Tuesday is that the six Canadian provinces and the five New England states are ready for a new era of cooperation.

The principle that guides us all is the desire to do what?s right for our people.

Regionally, we have the potential to become energy self-sufficient, introduce price stability into the electricity market, and benefitting our businesses and families will also allow our economies to grow more quickly.

To get there, however, our decisions must be guided by objective economic analysis. Any effort, whether it?s building new generation or new transmission capacity, must benefit our region as a whole.

We must all share in the benefits because we all share in the cost.

And we must act responsibly with an eye toward sustainability and improving our environment.

I?m proud of what we have accomplished this week. We have tremendous potential and we cannot let the momentum be lost.

Taking our time is important, but remember that our economies, our cultures, and our future are all linked together for our children and grandchildren.

Thank you, and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: Economic Rescue

September 27, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

For nearly eight years, Washington has allowed speculators and manipulators to go unchecked in a free-for-all disguised as a free market.

Vast sums of money have been plundered from folks, many of whom were just trying to improve their lives with the purchase of a home, raising their families and making sure their children are safely off to college.

In recent weeks, we have become all too aware of the harsh realities of a boom built upon bad credit and shady business deals.

Our nation stands on the verge of the worst economic calamity since the Great Depression.

And there is a desperate ? and immediate ? call for action.

While we must call upon Washington to take action to right our country?s financial ship, we cannot be lured into adopting a policy that is not well-thought out, disciplined and responsible.

We should not lose sight of the fact that the very people demanding immediate -- and near total ? financial authority are the same ones who allowed our country to slip into the mess in the first place.

In the last two weeks, our financial markets have see-sawed between bad and worse. Oil prices jumped $16 dollars a barrel in just one day ? a record. And families have watched as college savings accounts and 401(k) plans seemed to disappear.

President Bush and his Treasury Secretary have proposed a massive $700 billion dollar bailout of the country?s financial markets. Before all is said and done, the cost to the taxpayers could easily approach $1 trillion dollars or more.

Unfortunately, the plan that was introduced included provisions that would have handed a blank check over to Secretary of the Treasury. He would be unaccountable to anyone and his decisions would be beyond review.

It was a lack of proper oversight that created this crisis. Creating a new layer of unaccountability won?t solve it.

In rescue of the country?s financial markets, there must be some very straight forward principals.

First, it should be bipartisan.

It should put taxpayers ahead of CEOs.

It should include transparency and accountability.

And it should not forget about Main Street in favor of Wall Street.

When the financial titans go hat in hand in to the government looking for salvation, we cannot forget all those families living on the edge of bankruptcy and foreclosure, and all those small businesses that are seeing the American dream fade away.

If we are to save America?s economy, we cannot forget about its very life blood -- the worker, the small business owner, the entrepreneur and the family home.

While some of the effects of our current crisis are already painfully evident, more damage will likely emerge.

We must be mindful that retirement accounts and pensions could be put at risk because they invested in institutions like Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Lehman Brothers.

And as we begin to work our way out of the crisis, we will have to pay a price for the failures on Wall Street.

And our local and regional banks, many of them rejected the lure of quick dollars and shady practices, could find themselves at a competitive disadvantage as the U.S. government bails out larger competitors.

There?s no question government must act.

But it must take the right action.

Our economy has already been rocked by record high oil prices, a failing housing market and instability.

Things are likely to get worse before they get better.

In Maine, we have aggressively sought to reform government at all levels to make it smaller, more efficient and more affordable.

We?ve reduced the number of state workers. We have forced efficiencies in administration at all levels, including human services, education administration and county government.

We must do more. We cannot count on new revenues ? frankly, we are going to have less revenues.

And we are not going to raise taxes, we are going to look to cut taxes. So we must instead focus on austerity.

I have directed every agency in state government to adopt a plan to cut spending by at least 10 percent.

It?s an exercise that will ensure that we are prepared to weather the coming financial storm.

We don?t know yet how deep the cut will need to be, but we know reductions will be necessary.

I can?t say with certainty what the economic picture will look like down the road. So far, Maine?s unemployment rate and revenue picture have been better than the national average.

But we can?t count on that good news to continue.

For the past five and a half years, we have worked to improve Maine?s financial footing. We have built back our financial reserves from zero; we have been able to make sure that we have increased funding for education to the highest levels that it has been funded in, in the State?s history.

But, there?s much hard work left to do so that we are better prepared for the future because we have the best natural resources, highest quality of life, and recognize those connections around the world that can be made from Maine so that our young people don?t have to leave and find employment elsewhere.

That?s my goal. I know that?s your goal. Let?s work at this together.

Have a good day.

Radio Address: Budget Realities

October 4, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

When we began dealing with a slowing housing market and job losses, record-high oil prices, we knew that this winter was going to be difficult.

But the reality of just how bad things could really get have been illustrated over the last few weeks and the country?s growing financial crisis has crippled the credit market and driven Wall Street and Washington into spasms of panic and uncertainty.

Here?s what we know. Maine is not immune from a stumbling national economy. We?re not officially in a recession, but it certainly feels like it.

The predictions for later this year and early next year aren?t good. It?s possible that the gross domestic product for the entire country could shrink. And even optimistic predictions suggest it will be late next year before the national economy begins to recover.

Maine will not escape our national condition.

This week, the State Budget Office released a detailed report about what we can expect as we prepare for the State?s next two year budget, which takes effect July 1, 2009.

Right now, we have a balanced budget; we?re spending less money this year than we did last year; and we have been able to accumulate surpluses. But as we look over the next two years and the project revenues, we are also looking at the projected expenditures.

Commissioners have come forward with plans in their departments for current services to show that their costs for the next two years are going to be increased over revenues by about $508 million dollars.

So, that?s not a deficit. That?s projecting that Maine will have a structural gap of about $500 million dollars if we don?t balance the current services and the projected increases with the revenues that Maine will be gathering over the next two years.

And those revenues are estimated by a revenue forecasting team that is non-partisan.

Last year, they forecast that the State?s income for the next two years would fall short of earlier projections by almost $343 million dollars as a result of the recession and high energy prices.

The economic downturn, not outlandish State spending, accounts for the vast majority of our current gap.

New education spending and increases in health care costs account for the rest.

With the exception of the voter-mandated increases in education, which have required the State to spend over $800 million new dollars in the last four years, State government has essentially been flat funded.

We have forced efficiencies, restructured government and improved the way we deliver services and we?ve also reduced programs.

If Maine had not held the line on spending the last six years, our situation today would be much worse.

Rhode Island finished last year with a true deficit and still faces hundreds of millions of dollars of more cuts. The State?s unemployment rate has reached over 8.5 percent, and the housing market is in steep decline.

In September alone, Massachusetts fell $200 million short in revenue collections and the State?s structural gap has been estimated at more than $1.5 billion.

Even New Hampshire is expected to have revenues fall $200 million short by next summer. They are going to be $100 million short before the election in this current year.

So no State is escaping the national economy.

That?s why I have ordered every department in State government to prepare for a 10 percent reduction in spending.

The target is real. The exercise is serious.

I fully expect that when the Revenue Forecasting Committee revises its projection, we will see further reductions in collections.

So, the path ahead will be difficult.

But we are going to make our decisions with a few guiding principles:

We will adhere to the State statute that requires Maine to be at the national average for State and local tax burden.

That is why we have demanded more efficient K-12 school administrative costs. That is why we administered a single State correctional system, because 15 separate county systems were inefficient and too costly to our taxpayers.

While those decisions have helped to slow the onslaught of a slowing economy, it is very clear that we are going to have to do more.

Mainer?s are resilient. We are going to have to work together. We are going to have to do it with less dollars and we are going to have to have better results.

It is going to be a time that I believe will transform Maine, in terms of service to its people for its future, providing opportunities for children to be here and to have jobs, and we?re going to be able to protect the natural resources so we continue to be the place where more people come to set up shop, to operate businesses, to retire and relax and enjoy the wonderful resources we have in the State.

Maine will be known as an opportunity place along with being a vacation place.

I want to thank you for this opportunity to speak with you today

Radio Address: Unclaimed Stimulus Checks Deadline

October 11, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Earlier this year, Congress passed an economic stimulus package to help reduce the effects of a slowing economy. The idea was to put additional money in the pockets of American people.

To receive the checks, most Americans simply had to do something they do every year – which is file taxes.

However, there are many people who were eligible for these checks who are not required to file a tax return.

Three months ago, Maine still had as many as 31,000 Mainers who were eligible for the check worth $300 or more who had not yet asked for it.

I am happy to report that as of September 7, with an aggressive campaign about 9,000 additional Mainers have claimed their economic stimulus checks.

The bad news is that more than 22,000 Mainers still haven’t. That leaves about $6 million dollars of available money sitting in the federal treasury going unclaimed by people in the State of Maine who deserve it.

And time is running out.

The deadline to file for your economic stimulus check is Wednesday, October 15th.

If you are not required to file a tax return and have at least $3,000 of income, all you need to do is file a 1040-A tax form to get the stimulus checks.

The form is simple, easy to fill out and understand.

They aren’t complicated and they don’t require the work generally associated with tax forms.

But more importantly, there are also people standing by, ready to help you.

AARP and the Maine Revenue Service, and the IRS are ready to assist.

For those with access to a computer, you can go to the Web site: www.aarp.org.

The Web site has a simple form that you can print out and send in.

You can also call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-0582, extension 377.

Or call the local Area Agencies on Aging at 1-877-353-3771. I will repeat these numbers in a couple of minutes, so get a pen and paper ready.

The original stimulus package was passed to ease the burden of a slowing national economy. We are at the point now where our national economy has nearly stalled.

Business and families are hurting.

Gas prices and heating oil prices -- while going down -- are still much higher than they were a year ago.

And prices continue to rise on food and other necessities.

College tuition has increased over 35 percent these past five years.

And health care costs have risen four times faster than wages over the past six years.

Working families have been forced to absorb these increased costs while wages have largely remained flat.

To top it off, we in Maine are in the time of the year when temperatures are starting to drop, and we are facing the realities of turning our furnaces on for the first time this season.

Nearly everyone is counting every dollar, every nickel and every dime. We cannot let a check for $300 pass us by.

Moreover, the need for a second economic stimulus is becoming more and more apparent.

The federal government needs to step forward and help States rebuild the foundations of the economy.

We need to be able to make investments and put Americans and Mainers back to work and get our foundation of our economy on firm footing.

Investments need to be made – at the federal level – in research and development, infrastructure and job growth.

We need to make sure that small businesses – family businesses - get the attention and investments they deserve during these trying times.

By making investments in jobs, we are making investments in people. And when you make investments in people, America wins.

While we will likely not see another stimulus package until at least January, right now our focus must be on informing Mainers who deserve an economic stimulus check that they need to file their claim by Wednesday.

Unfortunately, more than two-thirds of the folks who haven’t claimed their stimulus checks are seniors. Many of them are living on a fixed income and could really use the help.

That $300 could be used for oil and groceries, warm clothes or medicine.

So if you have a loved one who qualifies for a check but has not yet claimed it, or know of somebody, I urge you to contact them and give them assistance.

Or, if you are listening to the broadcast and you have not yet filed your own form because you don’t need, but make at least $3,000 a year, I urge you to fill out simple paperwork to receive a little extra money for the winter.

Help is available – free -- at the A-A-R-P’s Web site – www.aarp.org;

Call the I-R-S directly at 1-800-829-0582, extension 377;

Or call the local Area Agency on Aging at 1-877-353-3771.

This money was intended to help all of us get through difficult times. We need to make sure that we spread the word and that everyone who’s eligible benefits from this important program gets them.

Thank you for your help and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: Energy Update

October 18, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

You know, I?ve been involved in politics for more than 30 years ? as a city councilor, a State Senator, a member of Congress and finally as Governor.

During that time, I?ve seen Maine face its share of good times and bad, of war and of peace, stability and uncertainty.

I can?t remember a time in all those years where you could pick up the newspaper or turn on the evening news on any given day and be greeted with such wild swings in the nation?s mood and economic conditions.

Just this week, the stock market has moved up and down like a spider on a web.

One day, the massive federal bailout appears to have calmed the jittery nerves of Wall Street and the very next, we?re all afraid to look at a statement on our retirement accounts.

More and more people feel uncertain about their jobs, and the price of gasoline and heating oil leaves too many families still wondering how they?ll pay the bills to stay warm this winter.

To make sure Mainers are as ready as possible for this winter, we have done a number of things to make sure people have the resources to stay warm and safe in their homes.

In addition to new money from the federal government, my Administration has set aside state resources to help families struggling to make ends meet to pay for their heating oil.

We are helping more families weatherize their homes so they burn less oil and are working cooperatively with local oil companies to make sure low-income families can get their furnace or boiler repaired.

We?ve increased training opportunities for people interested in becoming energy auditors or installers, so that the marketplace can meet the new demands of people seeking to make their homes more efficient.

We?re holding classes and broadcasting training so that homeowners can learn to do the simple things that can make a real difference on heating bills.

Low-interest loans are available from the Maine State Housing Authority and the Finance Authority of Maine to help middle-class families and businesses invest in energy improvements. Using less energy, saving more dollars.

We?ve distributed thousands of Keep ME Warm brochures that include handy tips on ways to reduce energy consumption.

And on Oct. 25, we will be distributing 2,000 Keep ME Warm Kits to low-income families. With these kits include tools that help them to reduce a family?s energy consumption.

There?s a tremendous amount being done to prepare for this winter. We can?t wait for the snow to start flying to get ready.

Local groups are organizing to make a difference in their communities and neighborhoods. They?re raising money to take care of neighbors, volunteering to help with home improvements and making plans to check on elder friends and those who might need a little extra help this winter.

Nobody knows how high energy prices will be this winter. Recently, they?ve come down a bit. But it?s hard to call $3.20 a gallon for gasoline a bargain or to think we?re out of the woods because home heating oil isn?t at $4 dollars a gallon.

With all the work we?ve done and the decline in prices, we are better off today than we were a few months ago in terms of the price of oil and gas, but at the same time, our economy has slowed ? throwing people out of work and reducing the work schedules on a lot of other people.

So we are not out of the woods.

Together, we will be able to get through this winter.

And come spring, we will get relief from cold wind and snow.

And I believe that we will have a new energy policy that will not only make us more energy independent on foreign sources, but it will put Maine on the path to a new, more secure energy future, and a sounder economic foundation.

I?m still putting together the details of a plan that will help break the grip of foreign oil on Maine?s economy and on Maine?s people.

But I will tell you this.

Our plan will help to make homes more efficient and better able to withstand winter?s cold grasp.

And it will reduce our dependency on oil.

It will put us on the path to a greener, healthier, renewable energy.

You know, I remember gas lines and too much oil dependency, and its impact that it?s had on businesses and lives and family and friends.

But despite those hard lessons of the past, we have allowed ourselves to be lulled into a false sense of security. We eagerly believed that energy ? and particularly oil ? would remain abundant and cheap.

We liked things the way they were, and there were plenty of reasons to put off change.

But no more.

So as we build the plans that will move Maine forward, there?s no doubt that we are going to be faced with tough choices and controversial decisions.

But working together as Mainers, I know we can find the answers to work not only for our State, but our nation.

And we must not let the momentum for change which has built over the last year be lost. We cannot afford to let things stay like they have been.

Now is the time to be bold.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Economic Development during Difficult Times

October 25, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor John Baldacci.

I wanted to talk to you this morning about Maine?s economy, the national economy, what happened on the stock market yesterday and the global recession.

You know, in Maine we have seen 2,400 jobs lost during the past year. Our unemployment rate increased to 5.6 percent in September, that?s up from 4.9 percent just a year ago.

Our State is feeling the effects of a national economy that at times has appeared to be in freefall.

The stock market remains unstable and unpredictable, which translates into trouble for big and small businesses alike and leaves folks to watch desperately as their hard-earned savings slip away.

But as difficult as the national economy is ? and as hard as it is to see the bright spots ? I remain confident in Maine and our ability to endure the current crisis.

While unemployment is up in our State, so far we have done better than the nation as a whole. Nationally in September, unemployment was 6.1 percent.

And while we're worried about announcements we've seen about layoffs in our communities, we also saw just this week that Maine remains an attractive place to live and do business.

We just welcomed a first class company, Boston Financial to Maine this week.

This renowned financial services company is creating more than 200 new jobs in this State.

They're good jobs, they depend on a highly trained, dependable and professional workforce in the State of Maine.

Boston Financial didn't pick Maine on a whim or because it's owners and directors enjoy our beautiful coastline. Maine went head-to-head with about a dozen other states in a competitive process where they hired independent financial analysts to crunch the numbers.

And when Boston Financial made its final tally, Maine came out on top.

The company credits Maine?s top-rate work force as a major reason they decided to locate in our State. And according to their CEO Steve Hooley, they found that Maine would give them the educated, motivated work force to draw on.

The other reason, Mr. Hooley pointed out, they decided to locate in Maine because of the business-friendly environment that they found. So in addition to our world-class workforce, and the economic development tools we have put in place during the last six years, we have been able to compete with other places.

Particularly, Boston Financial was attracted by Maine's Pine Tree Zone program, which provides significant tax incentives to companies to create one job or 101 jobs in this State.

This program, which won bipartisan support in the Legislature, builds a level playing field to attract new businesses to Maine. And we all know that when given a fair chance and a level playing field, Maine workers and businesses can outshine and out-compete the competition.

And as was pointed out by Boston Financial?s CEO, there are not a lot of financial services companies opening new buildings right now and adding jobs. This company knew that Maine held a great opportunity for them to expand and taking advantage of that was their first order of business.

Also this week, we learned that Red Shield Environmental in Old Town was sold to a new owner, Patriarch Partners.

Patriarch Partners is a $6 billion international company that specializes in buying companies and turning them around.

I spoke with Lynn Tilton, the CEO, and I'm so impressed with her vision for Red Shield, her commitment to creating jobs and keeping them in the United States.

Red Shield Environmental in Old Town has a tremendous potential, both as a pulp mill and as a producer of alternative energy.

So when they bring back the over 160 workers and start to work on the state-of-the-art research and development and turn that aging mill into a new bio-refinery for the 21st century, we are going to be able to invigorate our forest products industry, get off our reliance on foreign oil, and I am so confident that that work is going to continue now.

So this is good news for the workers, good news for their families and the community in Old Town and the area and I look forward to seeing folks going back to work soon.

Maine cannot separate itself from the hardships our country faces.

We face a dangerous winter and perhaps the most difficult State budget in recent memory.

But we have made the prudent decisions that will help us to weather this storm.

We have conserved our natural resources. Our woods and water and wind will give us an opportunity to chart our own, secure course into the future.

And business development incentives, like the Pine Tree Economic Development Program that was created in Maine give us the opportunity to grow new jobs and compete on a level playing field in this global economy.

So, given an opportunity, Maine's workforce and its natural resources can outshine the competition.

Working together and sticking together and looking out for each other, we will recognize a bright opportunity so that we can make our country and State more independently secure, energy secure and making sure that our resources are protected for future generations.

Thank you very much.

Radio Address: Health Care Leadership

November 1, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

We see examples that Americans are dealing with a sagging national economy every day.

Families are struggling to pay bills and put food on the table, while worrying about how to stay warm with winter quickly approaching.

Budgets are tight and costs keep going up.

On top of everything else, we cannot allow health care insecurity to be another burden added to our list of worries.

This has never been a more important issue than it is today.

However, Maine has been a leader in providing quality health care coverage.

Continuing this work is important to making Maine a healthier State, keeping our heath care costs down and having a healthy economy.

When I first became Governor, we found that one of the biggest challenges facing small businesses was the high costs of health insurance.

So, to help remedy the problem, we established Dirigo Health Reform in 2003. Dirigo?s foundation was to help individuals and small businesses with fifty or fewer employees, and the self-employed. At that time, Maine had the highest rate of uninsured in New England.

By 2006, Maine was the only New England State to see our rate of uninsured decrease and by 2007, even with capped enrollment in the program Maine still was among the lowest rates of uninsured in the NATION, according to the latest U.S. census.

So, great strides have been made in terms of covering the uninsured.

This program was established to help individuals who are earning too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to pay for health insurance all by themselves.

Now, while the health insurance covered through Dirigo is just part of the solution, it's an important part, and it has literally saved lives.

I spoke with a young woman who says because of DirigoChoice coverage, she was able to have a checkup with her family doctor, knowing that her mother had cancer, she was assuming that she also had cancer but could not afford to go to the doctor?s to have the tests necessary.

Under DirigoChoice coverage, she was able to get that checkup and it showed that she did also have cancer, but she caught it in the early stages and she was able to get treatments thanks to Dirigo.

Even if that were the only story ? even if her life was the only one saved ? that is important to me and I know that?s important to you.

But the truth is there are more stories and there are healthier people, families and businesses who are surviving today.

I talked to a man who is over in Naples, started his own little business because he wanted to go out on his own, work with his wife and daughter, and have their own family business.

But, health care was the one bridge that he couldn?t cross until he was able to get DirigoChoice coverage.

There are 620 small businesses like his and there are 29,000 Mainers having access to affordable health insurance since its inception.

But what?s keeping it from bridging more and more lives and more and more small businesses and self-employed is finding sustainable financing.

Earlier this year, the Legislature passed ? and I signed ? sustainable financing for this program.

Now I know there are organizations who are upset about the tax on beer and wine and soda. If we are ever going to be able to try to provide universal coverage to all of our citizens, there are going to have to be sacrifices that are made.

But I believe that if we can have healthy people, we will have a healthy economy.

The law containing the beverage tax will also decrease an existing tax on health claims. Yes, you heard me correctly ? it will DECREASE an existing tax on health claims.

Because the present program is self-funded by health care dollars, there is an assessment on health claims to pay for the health care coverage being provided.

Granted, it's a complicated formula, but health care is complicated practice. Under the new plan, the tax is cut in more than half.

I understand that people are fed up with taxes, but there are hardworking Mainers out there who are fed up with not having quality health care coverage.

There are families, small businesses, self-employed people out there who are fighting and working hard every single day that don?t have quality health care coverage. These people are your friends, your neighbors and your co-workers.

Dirigo is a hand-up, not a hand-out.

So, the Maine Medical Association ? and all the doctors, and nurses and other health care professionals ? the Consumers for Affordable Health Care, the Bishop, Catholic Diocese all standing together and urging voters in Maine to support health care by voting ?no? on 1.

So if you believe as I do that quality, affordable health insurance should continue in Maine, I would also urge you to vote "no" on Question One.

A "no" vote on Question One is a "yes" vote for the people of Maine and a healthier State for the future.

Thank you.

Radio Address: We Will Get There

November 8, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

On Tuesday night, as America witnessed an historic election, it felt to me like the walls that have separated us as a country began to fall down.

Still in the glow of a strong victory, President-elect Barack Obama pushed aside the temptation of self-congratulations.

Instead, he offered a hand of friendship across the aisle. He set the tone for a new political compact in the United States.

Speaking to more than a hundred thousand folks in Chicago and millions more around the world, he said: ?Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.?

He said: ?Let us remember that it was a man from this state (of Illinois) who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House ? a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity.?

He continued: ?Those values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.?

It?s a strong message, and that?s one that we all should take to heart.

The United States ? and Maine ? face incredible challenges, and we cannot overcome them by clinging to the divisions of the past.

Together we can overcome the problems before us.

In Maine, we learned Monday that our State?s economic picture is the same as the nation ? marred in a recession.

Our leading economists have met to discuss the impact of this national recession and the impact it is having on the State of Maine.

The news was not good.

For our current fiscal year which ends this June 30th, revenues could fall short of projections by $150 million dollars.

While the number is daunting, my Administration has been laying the ground work for several months already to make sure our State can react.

Every State agency and Department has developed plans to reduce spending by 10 percent. In my office, we?ve already put those plans in place, taking advantage of those savings right now.

And we are also finalizing sharp reductions in spending that could be implemented immediately.

I have a Constitutional obligation to ensure that this State maintains a balanced budget. It is a serious responsibility that requires serious action.

I also have an obligation to make sure that we also have a safety net for the most vulnerable in our society. By combining those efforts and the steps that we are preparing to take, there will be sacrifices and cuts that will be put forward, and those decisions will be difficult.

But I am more certain today than ever, that if we can work together - across the aisles, republican and democrat, green and independent ? if we can put the interest of the State of Maine first instead of the partisan political interest, we will be able to create a healthier, more stable and more robust economy.

You know, we have already begun the hard work on school administrative reduction and what we spend on unnecessary administration.

We must continue our efforts to streamline State government, county government, local government, school administrative government, government at all levels - to increase the efficiencies and replace outdated ideas with new ones that work better. And be able to make sure that we are still providing the important health and educational opportunities so that our citizens, our youth, our future have better opportunities and a firmer foundation in which to do business here and do business around the world.

These times demand action.

We cannot be afraid to change. We need to in order to have a brighter future.

We will have a new partner in the White House who understands the pressures placed upon states, and the need to work in a partnership to turn our economy and our country around.

This week, I spoke with Democratic and Republican leaders in the Maine House and Senate.

I told them ? and they agreed ? that it is time to replace the bitterness of the election campaign with a new commitment to work together - to put the best interest of the State first.

I know that we will not always be able to agree, and that there are real differences of opinion about how best to move forward.

But these are times that do demand bipartisanship and leadership.

And we have got to be ready to embrace the best ideas, no matter who they belong to.

As President-elect Obama said so eloquently Tuesday night, ?The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. ? [but] we as a people will get there?I promise you.?

Inspiring words.

Thank you for listening and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: Curtailment

November 22, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

On Wednesday, I ordered State government to immediately cut spending by $80 million dollars.

The Maine Constitution demands that the State finish the fiscal year with a balanced budget. It?s the law. The reductions I have ordered have helped to meet that requirement.

Our country remains in the grip of a difficult economic downturn.

Unemployment is on the rise, companies are being forced to retrench and consumer spending is down.

While Maine has faired better than many of our neighbors ? largely due to the economic and fiscal policies of the last six years ? we are not immune from the trauma that is affecting the world economy.

We know that State revenues will not meet the projections we used to craft this year?s budget.

To meet the challenges of this reality, we must move to reduce spending immediately.

Under State law, the Governor has the authority to reduce spending on programs through what?s called a curtailment order.

The order is temporary and serves to reduce spending until a supplemental budget can be passed by the Legislature.

As we worked on the details of the curtailment, I moved forward carefully to limit the direct impacts on people who need help the most ? the vulnerable populations of children, people with disabilities, the elderly, and also watching out for public health and safety.

After six years of constrained State spending, there are no easy choices.

In December, I will present to the Legislature a supplemental budget that will contain many of the cuts in the curtailment, but also include other initiatives to reduce spending to meet the current revenue downturn.

And in January, I will present a two-year budget for 2010 and ?11.

We are making some very difficult choices and we have to prepare for the uncertainty of the future, but at the same time to put us in a better financial position for recovery.

The cuts we have implemented will reduce State spending in human services, in K-12 education and other vital areas of government.

The proposed reductions were evaluated based on a number of factors, including the effects on public health and safety, the extent that the impact could be minimized and whether the proposal, insofar as practical, followed the intent of the Legislature. I am going to continue the hiring and travel freezes currently in place.

I will continue to look for administrative efficiencies and restructuring of government at all levels.

And despite the hardships our country faces, I want you to know that Maine remains a very attractive place to live, work and do business.

And speaking of doing business, even in this downturn we are seeing businesses moving into Maine and expanding here.

Whether it was Boston Financial in Rockland or NotifyMD in Winthrop, TD Banknorth with over 2,500 employees in Maine and T-Mobile now up to 800 in Oakland. Companies all up and down the State of Maine are realizing that Maine has economic incentives and a highly productive, capable workforce to compete and win anywhere.

So we are going to fight for every job and we are going to try to grow new ones. Especially in renewable energy and wind energy and transmission. And we are going to even work in the most difficult times that we face with an eye toward the future and toward recovery as a nation and as a State.

So as we work on the budget for 2010 and 2011, we know that there are more difficult decisions are ahead. All indications are the current recession will continue at least through part of next year ? and maybe even longer.

But, you know, we?re Mainers. And you know we are going to work together, especially during difficult times. And we are going to overcome those challenges. And we are going to work together ? I am sure of it.

Have a very good day. Thank you.

Radio Address: Veterans Day

November 15, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

On Tuesday, we paused to honor the millions of men and women who have served this country in the military.

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, this nation annually takes a moment to reflect solemnly on the end of World War I. The "War to End All Wars" ? as it was called at the time ? concluded on November 11, 1918, after four years of unimaginable sacrifices from brave men and women.

In 1938, the day became a national holiday. Less than a year later, World War II began when Hitler's troops invaded Poland.

Since then, we have seen brave soldiers leave home and fight for this country all over the world ? Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, just to name a few.

Veterans Day is marked with ceremonies and remembrances nationwide for the men and women who have worn the uniform of their country. Maine celebrated our nation's heroes with parades, dedications and presentations throughout the State.

Maine is a small state, but when the call to service comes our men and women step forward.

Right now, there are more than 150,000 veterans living in the State of Maine. More than 10,000 of them are women.

During World War II, more than 10 percent of Maine's population served in uniform. Today, we have more than 14,000 living veterans from World War II.

During the Korean War, more than 41,000 men and women from Maine answered the call to duty, and 64,000 Mainers served in Vietnam.

Mainers have continued to answer the call by serving in the Persian Gulf and most recently in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It is my duty as Governor, and our collective duty as citizens of the United States, to show veterans from every war how thankful we are for their service and how we will never forget their sacrifices.

I consider it among my highest priorities as a public servant to ensure that our current and past soldiers and their families are looked after.

It is the least we can do as a State and as a nation.

We've built a strong support network for our veterans and our current military personnel, and we continually work to improve the services we can offer.

Earlier this year I signed legislation creating a Veterans Campus in Bangor.

Once finished, it will become a "one-stop-shop" for our veterans.

The campus will provide independent housing, many forms of medical care, and the information and programs administered by the state's Bureau of Maine Veterans Services, all in a single place. The Veterans Campus will improve convenience, access, efficiency, coordination and - most importantly - quality for veterans in the State.

To honor our nation's veterans, a couple of years ago we presented the first State of Maine Gold Star and Silver Star Honorable Service Medals to servicemen and women from all wars.

The Gold Star Honorable Service Medal is awarded to families of fallen soldiers, and the Silver Star Honorable Service Medal is awarded to Purple Heart recipients and former Prisoners of War.

These veterans never asked to be honored. They don't look for the recognition or the pat on the back. But it is our way of saying "thank you" to them and especially to their families for everything that they have done and sacrificed for their State and their nation.

To date, we have honored 100 former Prisoners of War and 360 Purple Heart recipients.

Veterans Day for this year has past. But there are many opportunities everyday to say "thank you" to the men and women who serve in the military.

It could be a veteran that you know. It could be a family member or a neighbor. Or it could be a veteran that you see at a ceremony receiving recognition for their service.

Or it could be a future veteran who is taking an airplane in and out of Bangor International Airport and met by the troop greeters; or the lady flag wavers in Freeport; or people all over the State who are thanking our men and women who are serving in today?s wars.

They all deserve our thanks, our gratitude for everything they have done and everything they continue to do.

And to them and the men and women who are currently serving overseas: We hold you close in our hearts and prayers and anxiously await your happy and safe return home.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Thanksgiving

November 29, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Just a few days ago, we celebrated the unofficial start of the holiday season, Thanksgiving.

This holiday has traditionally been a day for families and friends to get together, have dinner, and offer thanks.

While Thanksgiving dinner may be gone ? even if the leftovers aren't ? we still have the opportunity to take stock of the blessings in our lives.

For me, the holidays are all about family and friends and the special people in my life.

One of the great privileges of being Governor is that I have met a lot of wonderful people in many different walks of life ? small business owners, parents, teachers, doctors, firefighters, farmers and hundreds of others.

Most of them share in my belief that we live in a very special place.

Even during those dark financial times, when a national recession and global economic crisis are dragging down our economy, they remind me that we have weathered storms in the past, that we will weather this storm now.

And I know that people are struggling and I know that times are tough.

But we are Mainers. We have something that people from around the country and around the world want. Maine has limitless beauty and natural resources, but most importantly it has great people and a reputation for quality.

Even though the economy is bad, people are still choosing to invest in Maine and Maine people.

Last month, we made an announcement that Boston Financial had expanded into Maine. The company located in the former MBNA facility in Rockland. They project creating 200 jobs at that location before October of 2009.

When times are tough, financial companies specifically are not expanding or opening new facilities ? but Boston Financial is a great company, with good paying jobs and benefits, and the company believed in Maine, believed in the people of Maine and they have made the investment in Maine.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I joined Gary Ferguson who is the CEO of NotifyMD for more good news. He announced that NotifyMD would be expanding into Winthrop.

Now, NotifyMD is a company that does all of the back office work for doctors so that they can spend more time giving quality care to their patients.

The company opened a call center in Farmington in 2007 and they have already earned a first class reputation with its employees and the community. They know the value of Maine workers ? their facility in Farmington is the company's highest performing call center in the country.

So once Notify M-D saw that performance, the choice was easy for them to expand in Maine again. They expect to add new jobs over the next 12 months, and they are awarding all of those jobs to Maine residents?just as they did in Farmington.

And on the same day that Notify M-D announced its expansion, Barclays announced an expansion of its call center in Wilton. The company will be adding 25 more jobs to its existing work force of 70 people in Franklin County.

And I got a report that came out this week - it was the State New Economy Index. It measures the economic structures of States, and are they better prepared to deal with the new economy?

For example, in the new economy being global, it measures knowledge jobs, globalization, transformation to a digital economy, and technology innovation capacity.

Overall, Maine?s rank went up to 28th in the country from 32nd.

Maine ranked 15th overall in the transformation to a digital economy including the percentage of people in the State who are using online or IT services to deliver those services more efficiently.

Maine ranked 2nd in the country in terms of technology in the schools, meaning that our future workforce is going to be more universally trained to be able to attract good paying jobs and benefits.

Maine ranks 5th in the country in terms of online agriculture. Farmers with internet access are using computers for business.

Maine has moved from 42nd to 32nd in terms of the number of patents issued to individuals or companies per one thousand workers. Those patents mean start-up businesses are going to be occurring. It is the largest growth in the country.

Maine ranks 5th in the country moving toward a green economy, and 5th in the country in terms of alternative energy use.

So, as the weather turns cold and the global economy continues to struggle, remember all that Maine has to be thankful for.

We have great people; we have great Yankee ingenuity and a worldwide reputation as a State with people who work hard and produce results. So when given a level playing field and an equal chance, Maine people can ? and will ? succeed.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Unique Transition

December 6, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

A few days ago, I had the opportunity to join many of the country?s other governors in a rare meeting with President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden in Philadelphia.

The experience was unique, and the meeting was unprecedented.

Never before have the nation?s governors been invited this early on to meet with an incoming administration. To put this in perspective, we were meeting with the new administration so early that many of the staff members had not even had business cards printed yet.

While the meeting had its share of cordialities and friendly exchanges, the majority of time was spent discussing how we can rebuild our country.

President-elect Obama stressed to all governors that reaching across party lines will be more important than ever. He told us that he is extending the same hand of friendship and the same commitment to partnership to Republicans and Democrats alike.

Governors, he said, wouldn?t be just asked to implement his plan or follow his lead. He is seeking our advice and expertise in creating an economic recovery plan for our nation.

President-elect Obama understands that in order to rebuild America for the long-term, every state must be engaged and involved in the process if it is going to work.

He is going to work with us on developing that package. It is going to rebuild our economy by addressing job creation, energy independence, health care and to recognize our ever-growing national debt.

The President-elect plans to sign an economic stimulus package to address those problems on the first day in office.

He is making it his top priority.

The stimulus package could pump as much as $500 billion dollars into the states? economies over the next two years.

That is infrastructure investments in rails, roads and bridges; into health care (and) energy independence.

The President-elect has a goal to secure 2.5 million jobs for Americans through this package. Every state ? including Maine ? will benefit from such a plan, both directly and indirectly.

My fellow governors who attended the meeting with the President-elect and the Vice President-elect left Philadelphia with a sense of optimism.

It was a feeling that transcended party lines.

As governors, it is important to understand that there is a time for campaigning and there is a time for governing. Right now, our country needs our lawmakers to govern.

As we prepare for a new Presidential Administration to take over, here in Maine we are also welcoming in a new group of State Legislators.

On Wednesday, I swore-in members of the 124th Maine Legislature. As a group, at this critical time, we must all pledge to work together to do what is in the best interest for all of our citizens.

We ? like the rest of the nation ? are experiencing a difficult time financially. We have already had to cut spending in this fiscal year by nearly $80 million dollars and I will be introducing a supplemental budget in a couple of weeks.

Difficult choices will have to be made. Maine people will be affected. But, by working together and discussing our plans and displaying the bipartisan efforts that the President-elect is displaying on a national level, we will persevere as a state and as a nation.

I would like to take this time to congratulate all of the incoming members of the 124th Legislature. I look forward to working with all of you in the upcoming session.

I also want to congratulate State Rep. Janet Mills on being chosen to be Maine?s new Attorney General. I want to say I look forward to working with the Attorney General in her new capacity.

And finally, I would like to congratulate State Auditor Neria Douglass, Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, State Treasurer David LaMoine for winning re-election to their offices. They have served the State and our people well, and I look forward to continuing to work with all of them.

While it is exciting to welcome in our new lawmakers and constitutional officers, we must realize that this is a difficult and trying time for our citizens and families and businesses.

So as this new year brings in new opportunities and a new outlook on the future, we also have to have a renewed sense of community and looking out for each other to make sure we get through these difficult days and months ahead. I am hopeful that you will share the optimism with me as I look forward to the future. And I am hopeful that we will be able to have those brighter days ahead.

Thank you and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: Energy from Alternative Sources

December 13, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Earlier this week, we held the first meeting of the Ocean Energy Task Force.

I created this Task Force last month so Maine could take an important step toward energy independence and security.

The membership includes some of Maine?s best minds and creative thinkers from the both the public and private sectors.

Former Governor King, George Hart from the Ocean Energy Institute and Professor Habib Dagher from the University of Maine have agreed to participate with an all-star line up from around the State of Maine.

Like me, the members of the Ocean Energy Task Force are excited about the possibilities of harnessing the Gulf of Maine as a resource for renewable energy.

Wind, tidal, wood energy hold tremendous opportunities for Maine.

When you combine the energy that they produce by tidal power with wind and solar energy, along with additional alternative energy sources, we can make a significant difference for our State and our country.

Earlier this week I visited a wood pellet facility in Bethel.

Burning wood can be cleaner, and a greener way to heat homes and businesses than burning oil.

Kicking the oil habit and using an existing Maine resource like wood will help keep valuable financial resources of hard working Maine families and businesses here in the State.

With the gasoline prices hovering around $1.80 a gallon this week and home heating oil getting closer and closer to $2 a gallon, it is easy to fall into a false sense of security thinking that energy prices have leveled off.

Not to sound like ?The Grinch,? but energy prices will go up again as our national economy begins to show some signs of recovery from this recession.

We must remember that prices fell from record highs in just two months ? and it would not be a surprise if they went back up even faster.

While prices continue to fall, there are reports that already the oil cartels are working to raise the price of a barrel of oil. They?d like to see the price increase from its current level of about $40 - $50 a barrel upwards of $75 - $90 a barrell.

Additionally, OPEC has talked about a severe cut in oil production to help raise the price of oil.

I, for one, am sick and tired of OPEC dictating how much we spend in Maine for a product that we depend upon to be able to work and keep our homes warm and to power our economy.

I have been through enough oil-contrived disasters to know that if we don?t change the way we do things, the crisis will continue.

And that is why I am establishing the Ocean Energy Task Force and that?s why it is important.

They are going to develop recommendations on strategies for ocean-based wind, tidal and wave energy.

It is also to update information regarding offshore oil and gas resources that might exist in the waters off Maine and explore the changes in technology that may make those resources available.

Every idea and possibility should be explored.

And we will ensure that the benefits of any enterprise off the Maine coast are carefully weighed against the potential impacts on the environment and our marine industries.

The Task Force will present interim findings by April 1st, with final recommendations due by October 31st.

Developing energy resources in Maine will help create jobs, keep hard earned dollars in Maine, and it also holds the potential to make energy more efficient and affordable, with benefits for homeowners and businesses alike.

By exploring new opportunities and working together in the best interest of the State, we can make Maine a world leader in renewable energy.

We have the natural resources, we have the experts willing to explore new ideas ? now all we have to do is be willing to put these new ideas and plans into action.

Thank you ? and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Supplemental Budget

December 20, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

On Tuesday, I released details of my plan to balance the State budget for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2009.

These are difficult and harsh times.

The U.S. economy is in a deep recession. Most states are facing serious budget challenges, many on a scale far worse than Maine?s.

We must deal with declining revenues and an increased demand for government services.

In our budget deliberations, we have taken great care to safeguard core government functions and protect the health and safety of our citizens.

But we cannot account for $140 million dollars in reduced revenue without making difficult choices. There are no quick fixes or easy options.

My plan is prudent and responsible.

It cuts spending, but not recklessly.

It utilizes our reserves, but cautiously.

And it keeps an eye toward the future, and the uncertain national economy that we face.

For the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, we are facing a revenue decline of $140 million dollars.

In November, I took aggressive action to cut State spending by about $80 million dollars and also instituted a hard hiring freeze.

Those efforts have helped us to close the budget gap.

The Supplemental Budget I unveiled this week details our plans for dealing with the sharp decline in State revenues.

The budget I presented earlier this week continues the $80 million curtailment.

It also makes additional cuts in programs and services, including closing one housing unit at Charleston Correctional Facility.

The plan eliminates 94 positions, including 40 lay-offs.

State spending will be 2.1 percent, or $66 million, less in 2009 than it was in 2008.

And, under my plan, we will also use $45 million from the State?s reserve account.

The Legislature will reduce its own spending by $1.6 million. Democratic and Republican leaders understand the seriousness of the situation and have worked hard to be part of the solution.

This is the kind of responsible, bipartisan and forward-looking leadership we must have.

There are no new fees or fines.

The supplemental budget does not cut further K-12 education or higher education beyond the amounts included in the original curtailment.

As I considered the options for balancing the 2009 budget, my goal was to protect the public health and safety, and our economy.

It?s a difficult balancing act.

I made the best choices from a list of bad options.

As we get closer to June 30, our options for dealing with potential revenue declines will become more dangerous.

We are fortunate that we have restrained state spending for the past six years, and that we have begun the process of reducing the size of government and improving efficiency in building back our reserves from a negative $275 million to a positive $170 million.

And since taking office we have reduced the size of State government by 729 workers.

We have sought efficiencies in our school administrative districts, in our human services department and in corrections.

We have held spending in check and avoided broad-based tax increases.

We?ve also increased support for K-12 education and higher education, health care and land conservation.

And we?ve made critical investments that are paying dividends even during this difficult economy.

On January 9, I will present a two-year budget to the Legislature.

That budget must also account for declining revenues.

Revenues are projected to drop and additional dollars are required just to keep State government operating at this year?s level.

All told, we will have to close an estimated $838 million dollar budget gap.

It?s an enormous task and it is going to require the best from all of us.

But for now, our top priority must be to pass the supplemental budget with two-thirds support and put it into effect immediately.

So, I urge the Legislature to do its work quickly. Unfortunately, we are going to have more difficult challenges ahead.

But we also have great opportunities.

Maine?s industrial heyday was built on the foundations of cheap energy, harnessed from our rivers.

Industries were born, grew and thrived.

Today, we are on the verge of a new revolution in the production of energy, and Maine is at the forefront.

Just this week I awarded $4.9 million in the Riverfront Community Development Bond Program, grant funding to 14 Maine communities that is going to be able to leverage more than $41.7 million in private and public investments.

Businesses want to be here. Communities are laying the foundation for a bright future.

Optimism matters; negativity breeds decline; and our attitude ? about ourselves and our home ? sets the boundaries for what is possible. And a lot is possible in Maine.

I know that this is important news, and I also know that next week is another important week on another level. I want to wish the citizens of our State a Happy Hanukkah and a very Merry Christmas.

God bless and thank you.

Radio Address: Holiday Message

December 27, 2008

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci and I greet you this weekend with the warmest of holiday wishes.

Despite all that's going on in the world, we're in a magical time of the year, when people from all over the world and many traditions celebrate important holidays.

Hanukkah ? the eight-day Festival of Lights celebrated by those of Jewish faith ? began last Sunday night.

Christmas - celebrated this Thursday after a month of television specials, religious services and family get-togethers.

And Kwanzaa ? a weeklong celebration honoring African heritage ? began this past Friday and will be observed through January 1st.

These holidays have a tendency ? even in tough times ? to bring out the best in people.

Year after year we hear stories of neighbor-helping-neighbor, stories of compassion and stories that exemplify the spirit of the season.

I recently received a letter from an individual whose father was nearly forced out of his home because of the difficult economy that we are all facing.

She wrote to me and she said, ?My father still lives in Glenburn, right outside of Bangor. Back in the 90's (her) father had a motorcycle accident that left him with untreated brain injuries and other medical issues. Since then (her) sister and (herself have) advocated for and on the behalf of (their) father.?

?The least to say this has been a difficult major up hill battle with the medical and legal obligations? piling up.

And ?due to the economy this past year (her) sister and (herself) have found it increasingly difficult to help (their father) with any occurring expenses. (They) have found some assistance with food and fuel, but the property taxes hadn't (been paid and were getting) out of hand. (They had) tried several avenues before, but nothing was available for assistance.

?He was to be foreclosed on the 18th and would lose his only place of shelter, his home.

?This is what has prompted my letter to you, Governor. Billy Gaudett, a neighbor, a friend of the community, a good man stepped forward to help my father solve his dilemma. I find this very important as we had exhausted all assistance with town, state and family.

?A good man...a man who has been paralyzed since the 80's. A man who tries to survive just like his own neighbors. A giving man who has taken from his own means of survival and reached out to someone who was in more of desperate need. Billy Gaudett is a true hero in my book.?

Well, he is in my book too. And I wanted to be able to publicly acknowledge the good this man has done, because he represents so many others in our State who give of themselves even when they don?t have it to give.

And that is the true spirit of Christmas.

We find through those actions, happening throughout our State, providing that kind of safety net for our neighbors, for our community and for our State.

That is the true meaning of Christmas ? doing something for someone other than ourselves. And that is a holiday spirit that we in Maine are very proud about.

So it?s not about the presents or the food; or the hectic schedules or scrambles that we do. But it is recognizing that we are truly lucky and appreciate the opportunities that we have to live in this great State and this great nation.

Next week, we are going to be initiating the Harold Alfond scholarship for every child born in the State of Maine, a $500 scholarship will be established in their name.

Harold wasn?t from Maine, but he cared deeply about the kids in Maine. And he wanted to make sure all kids ? no matter what their background and circumstances were ? had an opportunity to achieve the American dream.

To be able to have a foundation for themselves. And they could be able to provide for themselves and be masters of their own future.

Opportunities that he wanted to see spread from one end of Maine to the other.

Harold Alfond has been like a modern-day Santa to many children in the State of Maine and his gift will continue to be given over the years, and recognizing the impact that that is going to have on future generations.

Harold Alfond and Billy Gaudett. Billy, a neighbor, a friend of the community and a good man stepped forward to help out a person to solve their dilemma.

Harold Alfond, an individual who is not from Maine, stepped forward to help all the children of Maine being born this year into the future to have that foundation so that they can provide for themselves and realize the American dream.

So to those two individuals and so many others in our State who they reflect and represent, I want to say thank you.

Thank you for doing what you do, not for recognition, but because by giving you also receive more. That?s the true gift of Christmas and the holiday season.

So, God bless you all, and God bless the State of Maine.

Radio Address: New Year

January 3, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Whether you joined the millions in Times Square in New York, the crowd in West Market Square in Bangor or celebrated at home with family and friends, we are all glad to welcome in a new year.

As the new year arrives, it brings with it renewal and a new hope for all that is possible in 2009.

We've moved beyond the winter solstice and the deepest darkness of winter. Each day forward brings longer days, a brighter sun and new optimism.

This past year has been tough.

We've ridden a roller coaster on energy prices, and watched as the country's economy has stumbled into a national recession.

And while there are still tough times ahead, I know that just as the winter days will start to get longer and the sunshine of spring will return, we will move beyond our current challenges to better times.

Here in Maine, our strengths will allow us to overcome the current economic crisis and build a future of prosperity.

We have unparalleled natural resources; we have a superior quality of life; and we have the best people.

I have been saying that for years ? but visitors, business people who have come from all over the world to set up shop here in Maine and hire people in Maine.

Whether it?s Boston Financial, or it?s Athena Healthcare, or NotifyMD, it?s always been about the people. It?s really the people that draw people and opportunities to this State.

So if we continue to work hard to protect those things that make Maine special; invest in our ability to capture clean, renewable energy; and if we continue to display our world-renowned work ethic, we are going to make it through these difficult times.

And we have a couple of examples of that.

Just a few weeks ago I was visiting the Maine Diner in Wells. They were welcoming their five millionth customer.

It was a way for them to promote their business and also draw in customers and to be able to recognize that there are going to be tough times.

But as the owners had told me, they got the workers together, and they said ?We have been through tough times before and we have gotten through it. And we are going to go through tough times again. But if we can work together, we are going to be able to be successful and come out of this stronger, better, and be able to recognize the future opportunities that are in front of us.?

Well, that is the same type of mindset and leadership that will help all of us through this economic storm.

And you?ve seen it. Whether it?s an ice storm or a financial ice storm - when you look out for each other, when you support each other, when you?re ?neighbor helping neighbor? and have a can-do attitude, we can go a long way and we are going to get through this.

Week after week this fall, we saw another example from the attitude of another Mainer.

On December 14th, it was Bob Crowly ? better known as "Survivor Bob.? He was crowned the winner of the 17th season of TV reality show, "Survivor."

Bob didn't have it easy and it is fair to say that no previous winner of Survivor ever has.

But he saw what needed to be done, he maintained a winning attitude, and he took home a $1 million prize as a result.

Bob is a teacher at Gorham high School with a dedicated attitude. In fact, despite winning $1 million dollars on December 14th, his students were still given a previously scheduled exam on December 15th. Now that is a good, determined teacher who sticks to his plan and he is going to have good students as a result!

What I also like about Bob is the fact that in winning the Survivor series, he never became someone who he wasn?t. He always represented Maine. He was ?Bob from Maine.? He was Bob representing Maine, the ambassador from Maine. He was Bob sticking to his basic values and never having to do things that he would live to regret later on.

So that?s why if we look at our State and we look at our natural resources and we look at the people of our State, it?s recognizing the strengths of both and being able to make sure that working together and utilizing those natural strengths that we have and not trying to be somebody that we?re not, we can attain and achieve the opportunities here in our State.

So we don?t have to see our children leave and go elsewhere finding opportunity. So they can find it here along with their children and grandchildren.

This State is a great State. And we are going to have great opportunities.

If we work together and look out for each other ? it?s neighbor helping neighbor, people pulling together regardless of democrat republican or independent, and what?s good for people and what?s good for the State. And that?s what we need to focus on in this New Year.

So thank you for listening and Happy New Year to each and every one of you. And God bless our troops and their families.

Radio Address: Biennial Budget

January 10, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

We are in the midst of a national crisis, the likes of which have not been seen in a generation.

Our country is mired in a recession.

And we are all called upon to do our part to get through this difficult time.

On Friday, I released the details of my two-year biennial budget.

To balance it, we must prepare our State for recovery, requiring shared sacrifice now and a commitment to work together for the greater good.

We must account for an additional $330 million dollar decline in revenues caused by a weakened national economy on top of the existing gap of $508 million dollars, making the total deficit $838 million dollars.

The task is daunting and will require all of us ? working together in a spirit of cooperation and bipartisanship ? to find the best path forward.

The proposed budget will be $6.1 billion dollars, about $200 million dollars less than the previous budget.

According to records dating back to 1974, this will be the first time that a biennial budget has been smaller than its predecessor.

Despite the necessity of budget cuts, I have taken great care to safeguard core government responsibilities:

? Keeping police on the streets; ? Maintaining the State?s ability to respond to emergencies; ? Protecting vulnerable populations ? our children, our elderly and our disabled; ? And limiting, when possible, the ripple impacts of necessary spending reductions on Maine?s economy.

Make no mistake: Many of the proposals I have presented will have real impacts and will test our resolve.

There will be temptations to raise broad-based taxes to support important programs.

But raising the sales or income tax to support spending is not the right approach, especially during this deep recession.

Every part of State government and the programs and services it supports have a responsibility to share in the sacrifices imposed by this recession.

I know that State employees are already being asked to shoulder many of the impacts of constrained spending. But we must do more.

? This budget eliminates 219 positions, moving the number of State employees to the lowest level since at least 1983.

? State employees who earn more than $50,000 a year will be required to pay a portion of their health insurance costs.

? And we have also developed an early retirement incentive program that is designed to reduce State employment by $7.2 million a year.

? And the hiring freeze will continue.

I am also asking municipalities, businesses and individuals to do their part.

? We will reduce by 10 percent the Circuit Breaker Program, the BETR Program, the Maine Tree Growth Program and the State-municipal revenue sharing program.

? The only fee increases are in the Marine Resources, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and Conservation departments. And those fees will be used to partially offset the proposed cuts in frontline law enforcement.

? The total amount of those fees are $4.1 million dollars out of a $6.1 billion dollar budget.

? And we are seeking to authorize the Department of Corrections to transfer prisoners to facilities out of State.

I know that this proposal will be controversial, and will be met with opposition from many people I know and respect, including corrections officers who put their lives on the line.

The plan will help us though contain costs in one of the few areas of State government that will receive more money in this budget than in the last.

This two-year budget includes many difficult, but necessary choices.

It recognizes that regardless of our current circumstances though, we must keep an eye toward the future and invest in those areas that will create economic strength.

Even as we struggle to overcome this recession, we know we must invest in those things that will make our State stronger.

Our budget invests new money in childhood immunizations.

It maintains the Red Tide monitoring program, and protecting our important shellfishing industry.

And I am not cutting front line law enforcement - State Troopers, Game Wardens and Marine Patrol.

I have also worked hard to limit the effects of the recession on education.

In this two-year budget, funding for K-12 will be maintained in general purpose aid to education at $959 million dollars per year.

And we will reduce funding for higher education by 2.4 percent, a much smaller cut than was required of our universities and community colleges in 2009.

While these reductions will still require hard choices in communities around Maine, I recognize that a quality education is the cornerstone of our economy.

So we have put those limited resources behind our children. They?re our best investment and they?re the investment for the future.

Maine will be tested by this national economic crisis and other unforeseen challenges.

But our parents and grandparents suffered through the Depression and World Wars. They understood that tough times require sacrifice and ingenuity.

They made those tough choices and built a more prosperous world.

And we will do the same.

Thank you and God bless.

Radio Address: Historic Week

January 17, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

In the coming days, we will all be witness to history.

I remember well Sen. Barack Obama?s surprise victory in the Iowa caucuses ? a win that began his steady march toward the White House.

The odds, seemingly, were stacked against this relative newcomer to national politics.

But Barack Obama captured the imagination of a country ready to turn the page on the divisions of the past.

He delivered an honest message of hope and renewal that spread across the country, drawing hundreds of thousands who were anxious to hear his words.

The primary season officially came to a close in August when more than 38 million Americans watched Barack Obama deliver his acceptance speech from Denver, Colorado at the Democratic National Convention.

Then, later on, in the fall, more than 71 million people watched history unfold on election night, as he was officially declared President-elect of the United States of America.

This man, of Chicago and of the world, has excited a nation.

And he will make history on Tuesday when he takes the oath of office in Washington.

This week, Democrats, Republicans and independents across the country and around the world will watch with pride as Barack Obama is sworn-in as our nation?s 44th President of the United States and our first African-American President.

Politics aside, the inauguration represents a turning point in our country.

And it is appropriate that the ceremony is happening within days of what would have been Martin Luther King Jr.?s 80th birthday.

Dr. King fought during his lifetime to breakdown the prejudices that tore at the soul of America.

The struggle cost him his life, but his dream of a more just nation lived on, inspiring countless men and women to take up his cause.

And in 1963, more than 200,000 people converged on the Lincoln Memorial and heard Dr. King utter some of the most famous words ever spoken when he said that he had ?a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal.?

And on Tuesday, perhaps as many as 2 million people will brave the chill of the winter to see Barack Obama take the Oath of Office and deliver his first words as President of the United States of America.

No doubt, many of them will stand on the same piece of ground where a generation before crowds gathered to hear Dr. King.

Untold millions will watch on TV and listen on the radio as the words will ring to the Lincoln Memorial, where over 100 years ago President Abraham Lincoln united a nation during the Civil War.

And we will all watch and tell our children and grandchildren, and their children what we saw and what we heard.

With this new president and this new administration, we have a new partner for this and every State in our country.

Within a month of being elected, President-elect Obama called an unprecedented meeting with the nation?s Governors.

Never before had governors been invited to meet with an incoming administration so quickly.

President-elect Obama told us that the deep challenges will require that we put all party lines and divisions aside.

He extended a hand of friendship to Democrats and Republicans alike, and offered to be a partner to the States.

Governors, he said, wouldn?t be just asked to implement his plan or follow his lead, but he was seeking our advice and counsel in creating an economic recovery plan for our nation.

President-elect Obama understands that in order to rebuild America, every state must be engaged and involved in the process if it is going to work.

We face a national economic crisis. And we need a robust, national response.

We need to recognize that we are also part of the solution, requiring all of us in communities, families and businesses throughout the State of Maine and the country, we all need to work together and pull together. And through this we will become stronger, better, and find more opportunities for our children and grandchildren in the future.

At the beginning, all things seem possible.

Those are the feelings that transcend party lines and political labels.

And President-elect Barack Obama understands that the spirit of America is a spirit which lives for generations and will continue to grow and prosper, not only here, but around the world.

Thanks for listening ? and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Budget of Change

January 24, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

I would like to begin this week?s radio address by offering a word of congratulations again to our new President, Barack Obama.

President Obama was inaugurated in Washington this past Tuesday just after noon, making history.

January 20th was the culmination of more than two years of campaigning that invigorated millions of young voters and inspired hope among Americans and others around the world.

His campaign, his comments since being elected, have largely revolved around the theme of ?change.? We have got to change the way we are doing business.

The new President and his administration, he says that Americans can expect to see a lot of change throughout his first term.

Here in Maine, we will be undergoing more change as well.

A couple of weeks ago, I presented the Legislature my proposal for the next biennial budget.

We are facing a national economic crisis ? the worst recession since the Great Depression. State revenues are down while the cost of products and services continue to rise.

It is my legal responsibility to present a balanced budget to the Legislature and people of Maine every two years.

Just like in a household budget, when the State?s income does not match the State?s expenditures, you have to do one of two things: cut spending, or increase revenues, or both.

For the next two-year budget, the discrepancy between revenues and spending was about $838 million dollars. And in order to close the budget gap, I faced those two paths.

Now is not the time to raise broad-based taxes to balance our State budget.

Families are struggling. Higher sales or income taxes are not the answer.

Instead, I made the decision to change.

To propose changes to the administration of our government, the way they do things, the way services are delivered to the Mainers who need them, and the way government is delivering it to our citizens.

We must work to prepare our State for recovery. It requires a shared sacrifice now and a commitment to work together for the greater good.

We cannot tolerate unnecessary spending in this time of economic crisis. Every part of the budget has been closely examined and scrutinized.

My proposal for the 2-year budget is about $200 million dollars less than the previous budget.

This will be the first time in at least 35 years that a biennial budget has been smaller than its predecessor.

Although cuts need to be made, we have made them carefully, keeping in mind the best interests of the people of our State.

I have made it a priority to keep our State safe by maintaining the staffing levels of our first responders and front line law enforcement;

I made it a priority to protect our most vulnerable citizens ? our children, elderly and disabled;

And I made it a priority to continue investments in our areas our State needs in order to grow ? such as research and development, and investments in our children and our grandchildren?s future.

Now I know there have been ? and will continue to be disagreements with ideas that I have proposed.

I am already working with members of the Legislature on alternative ideas, and I will on continue to listen to other ideas as they are brought to the table.

So I encourage you, the citizens of our State, if you have questions?ask them. If you have concerns?raise them.

This will be a difficult time.

Many of the proposals are going to have real impacts and will test us as a people and as a State.

But the sacrifices will be shared across all of Maine.

And this is a time when we need to pull together.

We have been through tough times before. Our grandparents and parents went through the Great Depression and world wars and we pulled through.

And we are going to be able to do it again ? together ? stronger ? and holding true to the ideals that make us, our families, our State special.

As Martin Luther King said, we are not judged in times of tranquility, but in times of adversity.

So now is the time to step forward, make the tough choices, build a new foundation, a new way of doing things, for not only ourselves but for future generations.

We can do it?and I am sure of it.

I want to thank you for listening and please have a nice day.

Radio Address: Supplemental Budget Signing

January 31, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, the State of Maine took a very important step in dealing with the economic crisis that our State and nation faces.

After careful consideration, opportunities for public input and weeks of hard work, the Legislature passed ? and I signed -- the Supplemental Budget for the Fiscal Year 2009.

With my signature, the budget will be balanced for the remainder of this fiscal year, which ends June 30th.

I presented my proposed supplemental budget in mid-December to fill the gap of $140 million dollars that was caused by our national economic crisis, which led to lower than expected State revenues.

When I presented the proposal, I said that although cuts would have to be made to balance the budget, I took great care to safeguard core government functions, to protect the health and safety of our citizens, and also to make sure that we protect Maine?s economy.

And it was ? and continues to be - a difficult balancing act.

Over the past month and a half, the Legislature has worked quickly and prudently to maintain our core responsibilities as a government, while dealing with the reality of our current economic situation.

The supplemental budget required all of us to make difficult choices, and it?s clear that business as usual isn?t good enough for the turmoil we face.

The true test of leadership comes during these hard times.

In dealing with the budget, the Legislature has demonstrated that Maine is able to put partisanship and parochial interests aside in order to do what?s right for the State.

The Appropriations Committee, under the leadership of Sen. Bill Diamond, Rep. Emily Cain, Sen. Richard Rosen and Rep. Sawin Millett set the appropriate tone for the process that was open, fair and expedited.

They recognized the challenges we face in the current fiscal year require immediate action, and they worked together to get the job done.

I also want to give credit to the other Committee chairs and leads. I learned last week from Sen. Diamond, almost 99 percent of the committee recommendations were accepted by the Appropriations Committee.

It?s an excellent example of a successful, collaborative process.

President Mitchell, Speaker Pingree, Leader Kevin Raye and Leader Josh Tardy have set the example of good-faith negotiations and bipartisanship.

They were able to work beyond the hurdles and tough choices that are always part of closing a budget.

The supplemental budget is unfortunately just a warm up for the larger biennial budget gap that we are facing going forward.

In early January, by law, I issued a proposal for the biennial budget, which covers 2010 and 2011 and continues the work that was put forward in the supplemental budget:

 It changes the way government provides services and conducts its business;  It reforms and reduces administration;  And it makes sure that we are being as frugal as possible with the taxpayers? money, by living under the spending caps in law for State government.

Cutting spending is never easy, but the national economic crisis has made it a necessity and the law requires a balanced budget.

And when all is said and done, the budget I proposed is about $200 million dollars less than its predecessor. It is the first time that has happened since 1974, that the biennial budget presented is less than its predecessor.

The silver lining in the process is that because we are working together to reform and find efficiencies in State government right now, we are preparing a more efficient State, with a more sensible structure, and a firm foundation for our children and grandchildren to grow and prosper and raise their families here.

Further, I have kept my commitment not to raise taxes in this proposal in order to fill the budget hole, or to break the frayed safety net for our most vulnerable citizens ? our elderly, our children, and our disabled.

Times are tough now, but the economy will rebound.

And when it does, Maine will be better positioned to serve the people of this State and it will be more efficient and be able to take full advantage of the 21st century.

The passage and signing of the supplemental budget earlier this week was an important first step.

But we have much more work to do and it will require all of us to keep working together in order to get it done.

Thank you for listening, and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Our Strengths Will Move us Forward

February 7, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

We don't have to look very hard to find evidence that the country is going through a challenging time.

Hours are getting cut back, people are getting laid off, plants are closing.

And our first priority must be to revive our economy and create jobs and get people back to work so they can support themselves and their families.

We have got to make our decisions with an eye toward the future and use this opportunity to better position Maine for that economic recovery.

I know that we can make the tough decisions today that will lay that groundwork for prosperity to come.

I am confident about the future of our State.

I am confident because we have the best abundant natural resources. We don?t have to import them. We have them right here in front of us.

I see it every day that I travel around the State doing the people's business.

From wood and water and wind, to our incredible outdoor recreation, Maine has what it needs to be successful.

But our strength goes beyond the thick forests, the clean water and strong winds. We also have the best people.

Mainers have the reputation around the world for being resourceful, hard-working and showing every single day the work they do in their communities and their involvement that their reputation is very well deserved.

But our assets ? and the potential they hold for the future ? don't relieve our obligation to change with the demands of a new age.

We cannot be afraid to change; we cannot be afraid to improve.

For government, that means we cannot keep obsolete, inefficient administrative structures in place that were designed decades ago.

I see firsthand the talent and drive of our people.

I understand how hard it is for them to make ends meet during this economic crisis.

And I know it is difficult to start and grow a business, especially now.

That's why I am so committed to reforming government.

Outdated, outmoded, redundant bureaucracies, draining resources from where we need them the most ? with our teachers in the classrooms, with our students, in our laboratories and on the frontlines where government and people meet.

I met earlier this week with the Southern Maine Regional Water Council ? and my hat is off to them.

Seven water districts in Southern Maine have come together and worked together in an effort to save money and better manage the natural resource.

That natural resource is the Sebago Lake and the Saco River ? the drinking water sources for 250,000 people in Southern Maine.

Through their collaboration, they are saving money and they?re doing a better job of protecting an important natural resource.

And when it comes to those natural resources here in Maine, we are the envy of New England.

We need to put the strength of those natural resources to work and lay claim to a new era of energy independence and economic strength.

Right now in our State, there are billions of dollars worth of energy projects being proposed.

The offer before us is a tremendous opportunity.

I went to the opening of the largest wind in New England in Danforth, Maine a couple of weeks ago.

First Wind invested $50 million dollars with Maine businesses, created 350 jobs in just the development and construction of the project.

During good times, Maine has relied upon its manufacturing and production sectors. Our economy is changing and becoming more diverse, but our economic future and our energy future are still tied closely together.

Talk to Maine's largest industries and they'll tell you the biggest challenges in doing business here are the high energy costs and transportations costs.

And right now we have an opportunity to take and develop less expensive, renewable energy domestic to Maine, not having to be imported; invest in a transportation network that does more with rails ? passenger and freight ? becomes more efficient in moving people and goods.

We need to embrace the opportunities that we have in front of us and we need to invest in tomorrow.

But Maine can't do it alone. We need an active and supportive federal partner too.

The federal Stimulus package that has everyone's attention right now will help us continue those investments where they are needed the most, and will do the most to strengthen Maine's foundation for growth.

If Washington will act and give Maine ? and other states ? the support we need during this national recession, our economy will recover.

People will be able to get back to work, and they will do it in a way that supports themselves and their family not just for today, but for tomorrow.

It is important to me that you are aware of what is going on with the federal economic stimulus package, and it is going to be completely transparent and readily available to the people of Maine.

I have created a link on the State Web site for Mainers to keep up to date with the stimulus package ? just visit maine-dot-gov and click on the link for The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Make no mistake, the short term will be difficult and it will be hard work.

And if we concentrate and focus on our natural strengths and ability, our resources and our people, we will move forward and we will do it together.

Thank you for listening, and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Economic Stimulus Support

February 14, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

The State of Maine has good reason to be proud this week because of the work done by our elected officials in Washington.

On Wednesday afternoon ? largely thanks to the efforts of Maine?s two Senators ? an agreement was reached on an economic stimulus package for our country.

Although at the beginning of the weekend we are still not sure of what the final package will look like, I would like to congratulate and thank Sen. Olympia Snowe and Sen. Susan Collins for the difficult work they have done in regards to getting this agreement.

Our two senators have stood for what is right for our State and for our country.

Combined with the good work of Rep. Mike Michaud and Rep. Chellie Pingree, both in the House of Representatives laying the foundation for the final stimulus package, Maine has a very powerful and influential Congressional delegation that has proven itself capable and willing to work with the new Obama administration.

The United States economy is on the brink of a severe recession. People and families in our State are in a constant struggle, fighting for their jobs and homes every single day.

This is not what comes to mind when one thinks of the ?American Dream.?

Rather, The American Dream, as originally described by James Adams in 1931, is ?that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.?

We are experiencing an economy where people are getting laid off, which results in fewer dollars being spent, which results in more layoffs?and so the cycle goes. This is hardly ?The American Dream? that James Adams wrote of ? and that is a problem.

But while government is not the solution to all problems, it can be part of the solution to this problem.

Only the federal government has the power and ability to inject an amount of money into our economy large enough to pull it out of this downward spiral?

Only the federal government has the reach to create a stimulus package that not only creates jobs from coast to coast, but builds a foundation that will create positive ripples, impacting nearly every industry in this country?

And only the federal government has the broad authority to affect taxes, provide critical aid to State and local governments, protect our most vulnerable citizens and make massive investments in infrastructure ? transmission lines, energy grids, roads, bridges, rails and ports, and airports - all at the same time.

President Obama understands this?and I am proud to say Maine?s two senators understand this as well.

The pressure on the Senators has been immense. But rather than buckling under, they have stood tall and strong in displaying leadership qualities that should make this state proud.

They have shown that they are willing to put the interests of their country and their state above ideology.

Sen. Collins and Sen. Snowe and Sen. Spector were instrumental in forming the coalition to help pass the stimulus package.

The work they have been doing is unbelievably difficult and, unfortunately, all too often thankless.

In the House of Representatives, we have been very well served with the leadership of Congressman Mike Michaud and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree.

They recognized early on the importance of investing in the economic recovery. They know first hand that people are hurting, families are struggling, businesses are going out of business.

They know the need to be able to find the balance between fiscal discipline and the need to invest.

They recognize that this package has been the progress of a lot of people working together and they have fought hard to build that foundation, so we want to thank them for their leadership and hard work.

Maine is so fortunate to have a delegation who may be small in number, but they are very influential in regards to what?s taking place in Washington in both the House and in the Senate.

The progress of this package has been ? and will continue to be ? completely transparent. If you go to our Web site ? www.maine.gov, you can click on a link with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

That link will give you the most up-to-date information on the stimulus package and how it affects Maine. As it progresses, you will be able to track every dollar that comes in to Maine from this package, and how it is spent.

There have been many changes and many disagreements to the original stimulus package, proposed by the President. However, at this point the original purpose of the bill remains in tact.

It is to create jobs.

It is to reduce the burden that has been placed on working Americans and small businesses.

And it is about building an infrastructure that will make our economy stronger in the future.

The investments are sorely needed. The struggles already exist and without the stimulus package, they would have only gotten much worse.

Although the economic stimulus package will not solve all of our problems, it is my hope that it will be a giant step forward, but it is going to require all of us to take the next step together.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Economic Stimulus Put to Work

February 21, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

On Tuesday, President Obama signed into law the much anticipated federal economic stimulus package.

Known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, this law will invest hundreds of billions of dollars into the State and national economy.

While there was much debate and disagreement throughout the process, the goals of the stimulus package have remained intact: one is to create jobs, two is to avoid layoffs, and three is to invest in education and clean and green energy, and to make sure that our safety net is sound.

In order to ensure that the money is used for its original intent, the federal government has attached strict criteria to the flow of those dollars. There is very little discretion allowed in how the money is spent.

All States, including Maine, will see investments in roads, bridges, clean water and sewer projects, energy and education. While the actual amount that will come to Maine is still being sorted out, we know, for example, we could see the number of Department of Transportation construction projects double this construction season.

Such investment will create a transformative moment, an opportunity to build for the future while at the same time putting people back to work.

It is extremely important that projects begin quickly, and that people are put back to work immediately. Only under that scenario will unemployed Mainers and Americans begin to see paychecks again?begin to spend money again?and we?ll begin to see the economy get back on track again.

While there is genuine excitement in the air about the stimulus plan and the money that will be invested in Maine, it?s important to keep in context that it will not solve all of Maine?s problems and won?t bring an instant fix to our economy by itself.

Estimates from the White House suggest the stimulus could create 15,000 jobs in Maine. Last year, the state lost about the same number of jobs as the national recession deepened.

The federal stimulus package does not allow us to end our obligation to maintain fiscal discipline. We must continue to seek out efficiencies at all levels of government, and control the growth of state programs to match those revenues.

The money is helpful, but it?s temporary.

We need to make smart choices now, so we will be better positioned in the future, not only for economic recovery and growth, but for balancing our budget and our tax burden being relieved for our citizens and businesses.

President Obama has maintained that the stimulus package be made transparent to the public, allowing people throughout the country to see how dollars are being spent in their home states.

In Maine, we have made it easy for you to track the progress of federal money coming into our State. Visit our Web site at www.maine.gov and click on ?The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009? on the left-hand side of the screen.

That link will give you the most up-to-date information on the stimulus package, how it affects Maine, and as it progresses, you will be able to track every dollar that comes in to Maine from this package, and how it is spent.

The Commissioner of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Ryan Low, has been given the responsibility by me to ensure that we appropriately monitor every new dollar coming into the state, track how it is used, determine the number of jobs created and put all of that information into a format accessible to everyone.

Individual accounts will be established to keep the flow of federal dollars from being co-mingled with other sources of revenue. This will ensure accurate accounting for every new dollar coming into Maine.

The purpose of the stimulus is to get money into the economy as quickly as possible. For some areas, that means listing projects within 10 days, breaking ground in as little as 90 days.

But there is also a demand for unprecedented accountability.

Allocations of the new federal money cannot flow through traditional processes. It?s too slow. However, it is important to me that the Maine Legislature has an oversight responsibility in any stimulus related allocations.

Every state department and agency will be required to consult with their committee of jurisdiction before any spending plans will be approved by my office.

It?s important that the elected representatives ? republicans and democrats and joint leadership - serving in the Legislature be given the opportunity for active participation in this process. Their oversight will help us to make the best uses of the new resources coming into Maine.

The stimulus plan presents a significant opportunity, but it will not ? and can not ? solve every problem.

We need to understand that this is a giant step, it?s one that is greatly appreciated, but at the same time there must be additional steps that we take together to make our state stronger into the future.

We must act quickly to put the resources to work, hold ourselves accountable for our actions and decisions, and to continue to practice fiscal responsibility in the State of Maine.

By doing this and working together toward the same goals and ideals of those jobs being provided here in our state and opportunities for our people here in Maine first, we are going to be able to pull through this difficult time and see a brighter future ahead.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Recovery

February 28, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Last weekend I traveled to Washington for the National Governor?s Association winter meeting.

The meetings are always a good opportunity to exchange ideas and for Governors to work towards common goals.

But this year?s meeting took on a new importance.

Our country is facing an unprecedented economic crisis that is hurting many families in Maine and around the country.

In meetings with the President and his administration, I learned firsthand many of the details of a comprehensive recovery plan that will revive our economy and, as the president said, build a new foundation for lasting prosperity.

The Governors heard the message loud and clear.

The President and members of Congress have placed responsibility on the nation?s governors to ensure that the Recovery Act funds are used wisely, immediately, and in a transparent fashion.

My Administration has been working for many weeks now in conjunction with the President and Congress and our State Legislature to ensure that we are prepared for the new investments that will come to Maine.

Just a couple of weeks ago, President Obama signed into law the bill that will bring new resources to Maine and the rest of the country ? The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The recovery plan will create or save 3.5 million jobs, putting our people back to work and rebuilding our critical infrastructure.

The recovery plan will make our roads stronger, bridges safer, water cleaner, and our energy more renewable. It will help grow our economy.

On Thursday Maine took a major step toward fulfilling the Recovery Act?s promise of new jobs and new investments in infrastructure.

The Maine Department of Transportation has worked for nearly two months preparing a possible recovery plan that invests in our State?s highways and bridges.

They set the stage for quick action, even as we were unsure of how much or when the resources would be flowing to Maine.

The first project on the DOT list is the I-295 Northbound project. It will essentially mirror the work that was done between West Gardiner and Topsham on the I-295 Southbound last year.

We announced the apparent low bidder of this thirty-one and a half million dollar project on Thursday afternoon. Pike Industries, a proven company with a solid track record completing major projects in Maine, is that bidder.

With resources made available by the Recovery Act, Maine will rehabilitate almost 24 miles of Interstate Highway, putting about 800 Maine people back to work, and making necessary investments in our infrastructure.

That Northbound project is the state?s top highway priority. It is the largest single project proposed by MaineDOT for recovery funds.

It was built in the 1970s, and it is falling apart.

295 is crucial to Maine?s economy.

It is a major thorough-fare for moving goods into and out of our state. It is the backbone of our highway interstate system. It connects population centers, and provides a major route for our important tourism industry.

It is estimated that close to 60 ? 70 percent of Maine?s GDP of $48 billion travels on that road back and forth.

But there will also be important and immediate benefits to this project.

We know that a good job is the best social service program.

And by investing in transportation projects, we invest in our people, in our business, and we connect them to markets where I know they can compete with anyone.

It?s important to recognize that this project is only part of $138 million dollars worth of projects provided by the recovery funds.

Taken together with the State?s annual work program that will be totaling $279 million, the combined impact of this work ? recovery and non-recovery projects ? will estimate about 11,000 jobs, given a formula by the Federal Highway Administration.

11,000 jobs this spring, summer and fall gives us a great foundation to build from.

And as the President said Tuesday night, this investment will help to build that foundation of lasting prosperity.

But the recognition can?t stop with the President.

The economic recovery package is already starting to put people back to work here in Maine and around the country.

It wouldn?t have been possible without the hard work and courage of Maine?s congressional delegation.

In the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Congressman Mike Michaud laid the foundation for a strong package of investments in critical areas like health care, transportation, education and new energy technology.

And in the Senate, Senator Collins and Senator Snowe showed tremendous courage, putting the interests of the State and the country ahead of ideology and partisan pressure.

They delivered for Maine when many of their colleagues could not or would not.

Because of our President and our congressional delegation, there is hope on the horizon and a great sense of optimism that is beginning to flow through the country.

The Recovery Act will not fix all of the economic problems in America immediately, but it is a bold first step that will produce results both immediately and well into the future.

Thank you for listening, and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Pursuing Energy Independence

March 14, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week I unveiled my vision of a Maine that is more energy independent.

A full 80 percent or more of Maine homes are currently heated with oil. Our State is one of the most dependent on this fossil fuel, and that is not a distinction to be proud of.

An overdependence on heating with oil jeopardizes our national security, it harms our environment and our health, and has left us at the mercy of markets and foreign powers over which we have little control.

We can do better; we must do better, for our economy and our children?s future.

Most of the money spent on oil is a dollar that leaves out of this State.

We can put those dollars to work right here in Maine. We can grow green jobs that will keep our young people home, earning a good living in a place they love.

We can take advantage of our location on the eastern seaboard, between eastern Canadian provinces and southern New England, to be an energy hub for the region and the nation.

Our natural resources, used wisely and in a sustainable way, present us with great opportunities.

We need to develop diverse clean, renewable energy sources.

Maine is on the way.

When prices spiked last summer, we took immediate action to begin fighting our oil addiction, with a new emphasis on making homes more energy efficient.

We increased funding for weatherization, cutting energy bills for families.

And we put technology to work, streaming live video to classrooms across the State, so we could expand training for homeowners and professionals so they would get the information they need to reduce energy consumption.

Much has been accomplished, but we must do more.

First, we will put all of our energy efforts under one roof so they are more closely coordinated and more easily accessible to Maine families and businesses.

We will invest in clean, renewable sources of power. Whether from the sun, wind, tidal, or forests, Maine has an abundant source of energy generation potential.

We have two of the largest operating wind farms in New England already, and billions of dollars in proposed projects on the way.

To advance renewable energy projects off the coast of Maine, I propose using $7.5 million dollars to support the development of premier offshore testing site for wind energy for the country.

Using funds from the Recovery Act, we will build on our energy conservation and weatherization efforts.

The Recovery Act includes $32 million dollars to weatherize homes for low-income families, and we will be adding access to another $100 million for middle-class families.

We will set aggressive goals to weatherize every home in Maine and half of our businesses in the next 20 years.

Maine banks and credit unions will help us to accomplish home energy improvements, and the State will guarantee loans to access up to $100 million dollars of private capital.

In one simple process, Mainers be able to save money on mortgages by refinancing, improve home values, and cut utility bills.

We will combine the efforts of the Department of Labor, Maine State Housing, the Public Utilities Commission, working with our universities and community colleges to create a green-collar workforce that is second to none.

And we?ll help young workers who will then help us meet our energy goals. This summer we will have our own Weatherization Corps of young workers, who will learn important life and job skills right on the job by working on energy related projects.

And we will work on building more reliable transmission and greater capacity to handle the new energy resources that are being developed.

It?s important that we improve Maine?s electrical grid and transmission corridors to better link Maine to New Brunswick and the rest of New England. There are privately-funded projects moving forward now, worth billions of dollars, employing thousands of workers.

Maine?s strengths, especially our people and natural resources, put us in a unique position in this time in history. We need to invest now to create jobs and to strengthen our economy.

There?s a new era of opportunity and prosperity on the horizon. We will get there by working together.

Thank you for listening, and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Spring Energy

March 21, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

After a full season of overwhelming snowstorms and record cold temperatures and an ice storm or two, we are finally enjoying the first weekend of spring.

It soon will be warmer, the snow will melt and the sounds of snowsleds and snowplows will change to the sounds of motorcycles and children playing outdoors.

Springtime represents renewed feelings of hope and optimism, and the realization that brighter days are ahead.

And I firmly believe that brighter days are ahead.

While the weather is getting warmer, we need to continue thinking about alternative sources of energy.

We were lucky this winter that prices for heating oil and gasoline have remained relatively low. But let?s not forget - high energy prices were one of the leading factors that threw us into a very deep and prolonged recession.

And let?s not forget that a year ago gasoline was three dollars a gallon and rising.

And despite the fact that heating oil is hovering around a little more than two-dollars a gallon, many Mainers locked in with oil prices up around four dollars a gallon last summer.

So we continue to suffer at the hand of high oil prices.

The price of foreign sources of energy is unstable at best and potentially financially crippling at worst.

We cannot lose our energy focus as the days get warmer. We must concentrate on alternative forms of energy ? renewable forms of energy.

Wind, water, wood and solar are all renewable forms of energy and readily available right here in the State of Maine.

And when we harness the energy in the State of Maine, we create jobs in this State.

The Stetson Wind Farm in Danforth, Maine celebrated its start-up two months ago. Through the development and construction of that project, 350 jobs were created and about $50 million dollars was spent with Maine businesses.

Now the project is up and running and providing sustainable jobs in Washington County; clean, renewable power to our energy grid.

Earlier this month, an expansion of Stetson Wind Farm known as ?Stetson Two? was approved by the Land Use Regulation Commission, giving the green light to the $60 million dollar project, which will create 350 additional construction jobs in the process.

The Stetson Wind Farm is already the largest operating wind farm in New England and there are billions of dollars more in proposed projects on the way.

Wind is abundant in our State and off our coast. Turbines placed off the coast of Maine have the potential to produce more than 133 gigawatts of electricity. That?s just from wind alone.

That?s almost as much electricity as 40 nuclear power plants.

Building those turbines, operating that project ? it has the potential to create good jobs here in our State.

There?s also impressive work happening in the development of tidal power, which captures the movement of the ocean to generate electricity. Ocean Renewable Power Company is field testing tidal power turbines right now near Eastport.

Wood pellets are being manufactured and used for heat throughout Maine.

In SAD 58, Superintendent Quentin Clark is heating one of his schools with wood pellets made eight miles away. The pellets are made in Franklin County, provided by a facility in Strong, Maine. Superintendent Clark wants to expand this program to every school in his district.

This is the kind of forward thinking we need to create our own energy independence and jobs in our State to support it.

Solar, hydroelectric and the potential for pumped storage also hold great opportunities for Maine.

Maine sits at the center of a growing energy hub, not only for us but for all of New England.

To the north in Canada, there are vast sources of clean, cheap and renewable energy. To the south, millions of people hungry for renewable, clean, reliable energy supplies.

Our location puts us in a position to become a renewable energy engine for our country. We can help deliver on the promise of a new energy future ? one that reduces the impact on our climate; stabilizes and reduces the cost of electricity for Maine.

But if we want to capitalize on our advantages, we have got to be prepared to be aggressive.

We must transform our economy from oil and utilize more electricity for our energy needs. So we must strengthen and improve our electrical grid.

That means more reliable transmission and greater capacity to handle the new energy sources that are being developed.

The Maine Power Reliability Project will add over 2,000 jobs for nearly 4 years in our State, being able to make sure that our electrical grid has a reliability to it that should be there in cases of brown outs or black outs.

I am very excited about this project and the potential, but there are many other projects ? billions of dollars to be expended and thousands of people to be put to work.

We need to be open to new ideas. We need to be able to work together to put every idea on the table in order for us to succeed.

The end result will give Maine more jobs, more opportunities, more energy security, and a leading position in our region?s energy future.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Investment Strategy

March 7, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

This past week has been a tough one with two announcements of plant closures in our State.

Wednesday, it was RR Donnelly in Wells announcing they plan to stop operations in June, putting 370 people out of work.

Then, a day later, the Domtar mill in Baileyville, Washington County, announced it would idle its pulp facility in May for an indefinite period of time, affecting an additional 300 workers.

I have been in close contact with officials in both communities, the legislative delegation and also with labor union representatives. We are going to help to mitigate the impact in working with those communities, and the workers and their families.

These announcements are indicative of the times we are living in right now. The global economy is severely struggling. People and businesses are having a hard time making ends meet.

But now, more than ever, it is important to invest in our people, invest in our businesses, in our infrastructure and our State, so that they have the latest technology, they?re energy efficient, and be able to compete successfully in a very competitive global environment.

President Obama started the ball rolling with the Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

And while the Recovery Act is substantial, we must do more on the local level as well.

So this past week I released the details of a three-year, $306 million dollar investment strategy.

The bonds outlined in the State?s investment strategy will make critical investments in energy independence, highways and bridges, passenger and freight rail, higher education, innovation and the environment.

In addition, Maine?s $306 million dollar investment will attract matching funds, putting more than $600 million dollars into the total economy.

The investment package includes:

$127.8 million dollars for transportation projects;

$52 million dollars for energy efficiency upgrades and building improvements at our State?s universities, community colleges and at the Maine Maritime Academy;

$15.5 million dollars for energy conservation and the development of offshore wind power in cooperation with the University of Maine research;

$67.5 million dollars for competitive research and development grants in the energy and renewable energy field, and economic development and redevelopment of Brunswick Naval Air Station.

And investing over $43 million dollars in the Land for Maine?s Future program, working water fronts, clean water and environmental protection efforts.

Our economy depends on investing in our people, and giving them the tools to be successful.

The plan I?m proposing does that. And it does it in an affordable way.

When we invest in our highways and bridges, we do more than improve our transportation network. We put people to work.

Seventy-five million dollars in the package for roads and bridges in the first year is going to be matched by $90 million dollars in federal funding. This bond will create nearly 4,500 jobs over three years.

And when we invest in safe, clean drinking water and improving the water systems, we protect the public health and safety, but we also do a lot more by putting people to work.

The $19 and a half million dollars I was proposing to invest in protecting Maine?s water supply will attract $47 million dollars in matching funds. And that alone will create nearly 1,800 jobs.

When we invest in energy independence and reduce our demand for foreign oil, we put our people to work.

The plan will help our universities and community colleges get the resources to modernize those buildings, making them more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

And once the work is done, they?ll use less energy, and be able to direct more resources to our students in the classroom, away from costly fuel.

We?ll follow the same model for State buildings. I am proposing that we invest $8 million dollars to improve the energy efficiency of the East Campus of the State Government in Augusta and convert it from oil to alternative energy sources like natural gas.

Not only will that investment reduce the amount of oil consumed by the State by more than 400,000 gallons annually, it will also have the potential to expand the availability of natural gas in the Augusta area, giving homes and businesses an alternative to heating oil.

And while we invest directly in innovative technologies, the money will help our best and brightest turn their good ideas into industry and help drive our economy in the future.

When we invest in the development of technology we are going to need to take full advantage of the tremendous wind resources sitting off Maine?s cost.

My proposal establishes the Maine Marine Wind Energy Fund, dedicates $7.5 million dollars for the research and development and product innovation associated with developing ocean wind demonstration sites in Maine.

I have spoken to Democratic and Republican leaders in the Legislature, and I am confidant that there will be bipartisan support for a bond package that can be enacted quickly.

And they will be necessary so that we can put hard working people in our State back to work.

While I know that there is going to be competing interests as this package as it is being debated, I believe that Maine has already shown its political leaders can put aside those partisan differences and work together to put the best interest of our people first.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Cross Border Energy Opportunities

March 28, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Maine and New Brunswick have much in common.

We are neighbors with close cultural ties dating back generations.

We share a long border and a long history.

And we have an opportunity to advance together toward a stronger economic future and greater prosperity.

People on both sides of the border recognize that we must radically change the way we power our businesses, our industries and our homes.

Maine and New Brunswick ? working together ? have much to offer.

We have the chance to become the driving force in a new energy future, built upon cleaner, renewable sources of power.

Together, we can help to make our countries more energy secure and energy independent.

Earlier this week New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham and I made an exciting announcement regarding our energy futures both in his province and in our State.

We are taking the next step toward our shared objective of improved energy infrastructure to increase the long-term supply of secure, reliable and clean energy to our region.

We are taking this next step together ? as partners ? doing what is best for the people of this region on both sides of the border.

On Wednesday we began a process to explore the creation of a Northeast Energy Corridor that would connect Maine and New Brunswick, and that would accelerate development of renewable power and an improve the electrical grid in Maine.

An integral partner in this equation is Irving Oil Company. Irving Oil has had an important role in helping to advance this concept.

The company has been a catalyst on the Northeast Energy Corridor.

Irving Oil?s willingness to invest in the project has moved the Corridor closer to reality.

There is still much work to be done, and many important details to be considered.

But I envision the Northeast Energy Corridor as a connection between Maine and Saint John, New Brunswick that would connect our power projects to markets in Southern New England that are hungry for clean, renewable electricity.

The Corridor would provide an opportunity to co-locate multiple energy lines, cables, and other infrastructure to safely and reliably move energy.

I know this project could create tremendous potential for Maine.

? It holds the promise of connecting the electrical grid in Northern Maine to the rest of the State and to New Brunswick.

? It would provide the transmission capacity to spur the development of wind power in Maine and New Brunswick. Up to 800 MW of wind resources in Aroostook County alone can be connected to the grid through this corridor concept.

? And it offers the natural gas fired co-generation capacity necessary to support greater wind development.

The Northeast Energy Corridor would be the back-bone for a new commerce corridor of economic development and trade. The Corridor would help to attract significant direct investment to the region for job generation and business growth.

It is time to realize that Maine is not at the end of the pipeline; rather, we are in the middle of an energy hub.

The first phase of this project would attract about $2 billion dollars of investment and create thousands of jobs in Maine and New Brunswick.

The Corridor would also provide the opportunity to reduce community and environmental impacts by centralizing transmission projects and promoting partnerships among utilities, businesses and energy developers.

And, the Corridor could provide tens of millions of dollars each year in new revenue for the State.

Those resources could be used to meet our weatherization and energy efficiency goals, to invest in top quality energy research and other State priorities.

This builds on my announcement two weeks ago that Maine has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bangor Hydro/National Grid to explore the potential use of the right-of-way that exists along our interstates and roads for new, underground transmission lines.

Bangor Hydro?s Northeast Energy Link, which would run from Orrington to Boston, has the potential to inject $2 billion dollars into Maine?s economy and generate revenue for our State.

This is the beginning of an exploratory phase that will test a Northeast Energy Corridor concept with representatives from business, industry, labor and environmental organizations.

I am directing my Director of the Office of Energy Independence and Security, John Kerry, and the Public Advocate, Richard Davies, to lead this exploratory phase, in concert with New Brunswick?s efforts and in cooperation with the private partner that has already stepped forward, Irving Oil.

I am also directing them to review and consider utilizing the designation process for an ?Energy Infrastructure Corridor? that was enacted in 2008 by the Maine Legislature.

Under the Act, the PUC may designate an energy infrastructure corridor if it:

? encourages co-location of energy infrastructure; ? enhances the efficient utilization of existing energy infrastructure; ? limits the environmental impact; or ? improves electrical rates or economic development

I look forward to working with Premier Graham on this important opportunity for international collaboration.

I appreciate his leadership on this issue and his friendship.

Together, we can reach our shared goals of economic growth, energy independence and a better life for our people.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Transportation Funding

April 4, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Springtime is officially here?finally! Plants will soon start growing, the ground will soften, and road construction season will begin.

While construction on the roads and bridges may cause some delays for our motorists, please keep in mind that it also represents thousands of Mainers working on the very infrastructure that our businesses and residents and tourists rely on everyday to transport themselves and goods throughout the State.

The economy is suffering. That?s nothing that I need to tell you, you know it yourselves, and it?s not only here in Maine, but it?s also nationally and globally. However, despite those difficult financial times around the world, it is important to continue to invest in our people and our State to grow out of this recession.

A few days ago, the Maine Department of Transportation submitted to the Transportation Committee and to the Maine Legislature the Work Plan for the next two years. The hundreds of projects included in this program will provide yet another major injection of money into our economy and more long-term benefits for our state.

The Maine Department of Transportation?s upcoming 2-year Work Plan includes $809 million in capital projects and over $61 million in transit operating support.

The Highway and Bridge projects in the Work Plan alone can be expected to create or preserve more than 15,600 jobs.

Included in the plan are multimodal projects, including investments in passenger and freight rail, transit projects, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

Rail and cargo development is an important part of the vision to expand our economic development opportunities.

These investments will transform the state, enabling better and more affordable options for businesses and families and individuals. It will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and ensure a long-term, more effective use of our resources.

The new Work Plan will be funded by formula funds from the federal government, base funding from Maine?s Highway Fund, federal GARVEE-instrument funding, state TransCap Bridge and Highway Program funds, and a significant transportation bond that I have proposed.

That bond package builds on the investments from the Recovery Act. The bond package would fund $75 million for highways and bridges, and another $53 million for rail, ports, transit and trails.

The importance of investing in our critical infrastructure cannot be understated.

I have traveled to every part of this State and I have talked to many businesspeople.

Time and time again, when I ask them about the challenges they face, one of the first two answers I hear is Transportation Costs; the other is the high cost of energy. And in our State, they are both one in the same.

Just two weeks ago, Verso Paper came to the State House to deliver a report on the most pressing challenges facing the paper industry in Maine.

They told me that the survival of this industry in Maine is - in part - dependent on addressing the high cost and inefficiency of our present transportation infrastructure.

We need to make investments to improve the movement of goods and people.

This is about Maine?s economy now and into the future.

It?s about our ability to compete globally ? obtaining access to international markets and sending our goods out to all reaches of the globe.

It?s about retaining our businesses and jobs, and attracting new ones.

As a state, we have passed a 4-year bridge program, targeted highway reconstruction programs, we?re moving to extend the Downeaster from Portland, connections to Boston, to Brunswick, and further to Midcoast and the Rockland Branch.

We?ve laid the groundwork for future economic growth and prosperity, and at the same time invested in quality-of-life in our state.

But we also need to have a strong federal partner.

And with the passage of the Recovery Act, and the pivotal leadership from our own congressional delegation, we are beginning to help address the most pressing transportation needs and get people back to work immediately.

The $143 million dollars of Recovery Act funds for highway and bridges, combined with other funding components of DOT?s current Work Plan will preserve or create 11,000 jobs this spring, summer and fall.

And what Maine needs most now is jobs and economic development, and this investment package will help bring those jobs to those who need them the most.

We all know more needs to be done.

But the Recovery Funds are beginning to put people to work now. The Maine DOT?s Work Plan will go through the legislative process, and I want to point out and appreciate the support of Maine Better Transportation Association, the Maine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and others who have expressed the support for this bond package.

I know that our State and nation are facing difficult times. But we must work hard to make tough decisions and balance our budget ? tightening our belts ? but also planning for the future and making sound investments so that our people and our businesses can grow and prosper.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Recovery Act Update

April 11, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Just a little more than two months ago, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery Act.

During a conference call Tuesday with Vice President Biden, he joked that the first 70 days have felt more like 70 years.

So much has happened in Maine ? and the United States in a short time.

The goal of the Recovery Act was to quickly put federal resources to work creating jobs.

In Maine, we?re beginning to see real results already.

Pike Industries has started work on a critical project to rebuild Interstate 295 between Topsham and Brunswick.

The $31.4 million dollars project was funded by the Recovery Act and it?s going to create more than 800 jobs this spring, summer and fall.

And it will help to secure one of Maine?s most important commercial corridors.

As someone who travels around the state often, I can?t remember a time when I have been more excited to see ?Construction Ahead? signs.

Every orange barrel means there are hardworking Mainers doing important work just right up the road.

On Friday, we visited Brunswick to announce that Maine had earned approval for $20 million dollars from the Recovery Act to improve the drinking water systems around the State.

The Recovery funds for drinking water, taken with other resources, will allow us to complete more than $40 million dollars worth of projects in 61 communities.

This money will create more jobs, improve public health and safety and it?s going to be able to promote economic development.

The funds for drinking water will touch nearly every part of the State, from Princeton in Washington County to Lewiston and Auburn, from Madawaska to Berwick.

Much of the money is going to go in to Maine?s drinking water infrastructure, which is more than 100 years old. It needs work. The support will make a real difference for many communities.

The improvements will allow these systems to serve more customers, allow for growth and greater economic development. We don?t always think about it, but if you want to build new businesses or homes, you have to be able to provide them with clean, safe drinking water.

And very importantly, these projects will put Mainers to work almost immediately.

From the very beginning, President Obama has emphasized that every penny spent on this Recovery Act will receive unprecedented scrutiny.

In Maine, I signed an executive order putting in place stringent oversight of how our State?s share of federal dollars will be spent.

We have developed a cooperative process with the Maine Legislature and developed an interactive Web site that allows everyone with a computer easy access to the latest information on the Recovery Act.

Since going live, the Recovery Web site has had more than 65,000 visitors, averaging roughly 2,200 hits a day.

Mainers understand the magnitude of the problems we face as part of this national recession, and they understand the unique opportunity the Recovery Act has given us to make things better.

New information is added to the site as it becomes available. For example, you can read the entire contract that Pike Industries signed for Interstate 295 project.

Plus we?re adding new features to the Web site to make it easier to use and more effective for tracking the funding coming into the State.

Maine is working diligently to put Recovery dollars to work as fast as possible, after all jobs are at stake.

But we are not cutting corners on transparency or accountability.

And on Thursday, I held a conference in Augusta that brought together the people who are responsible for dealing with the Recovery Act.

Since the Recovery Act was passed in late February I have had the opportunity to discuss its implementation with the President and Vice President.

The Administration has been very clear that the governors carry a large burden in ensuring that the Recovery Act funds are used wisely, immediately, and in a transparent fashion.

I welcome the responsibility.

We?re off to a good start, but our success requires that we maintain our focus.

As Maine works to address these problems caused by the national recession, we don?t forget our responsibilities to keep you informed about what?s going on.

We have many difficult days ahead, but we also have opportunities.

And if we are precise and hold ourselves to the highest level of accountability with the support provided by the federal government, we can put thousands of Mainers to work and build a stronger state for the future.

Thank you and have a good day.

Radio Address: Mid-April Budget Update

April 18, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

It doesn?t seem possible, but April is already half over.

For most Mainers, that means vacation week, Patriots Day and that the Red Sox have started playing again.

Finally, we?re starting to see warmer and sunnier days.

But it also means that we are running short on time for the Legislature to finish its work on the State budget and other important priorities.

This year Maine faces an unprecedented global recession.

Our State and country are struggling under the weight of tremendous pressure.

Unemployment is above 8 percent and will likely rise. More and more people are looking for answers, looking for direction.

It?s now time to act.

Back in January, I presented a two year budget that proposed reducing State spending by $200 million during 2010 and 2011.

That?s the first time in at least 27 years that a biennial budget has been less than its predecessor budget.

My goal was to streamline government administration at all levels ? local, county and State. Make the necessary cuts and reducing spending while still protecting our core priorities of education, economic development and our safety net.

The budget was difficult, but prudent.

Since it was introduced, I have worked steadily with the Legislature to make changes and improvements.

Now we need to finish the work so we can tackle an even tougher task looming ahead.

We know that Maine revenues, like the rest of the country, are not keeping pace with projections made last year when we began working on the budget.

The economy has continued to fall faster and farther than our State?s leading economists had predicted, and we have to make adjustments.

We are required under the constitution and law to have a balanced budget.

So at this point, we can?t be certain how bad things will be. But on May 1, the State?s Revenue Forecasting Committee will likely deliver the bad news.

Revenues will decline significantly, and we will be forced into a new round of very hard budget decisions.

There is no escaping the hard realities of the current economic climate.

Every part of State government ? from our dedicated workers to the important programs and services they provide ? will be called upon to make reductions.

Government will get smaller; and we will be forced to do many things differently.

But here?s what we won?t do.

We won?t raise taxes to balance the budget.

We won?t kick people off health insurance, although we might need to change their coverage

And we won?t end our commitment to the investments that will make our State stronger down the road.

Right now, there are ideas pending in the Legislature that would save the State money and improve the delivery of services.

I have proposed another idea of eliminating three State agencies and reducing the size of my cabinet by three commissioners. I want to combine the Departments of Agriculture, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Conservation and Marine Resources into a single Natural Resources Department.

That change alone would save more than $1 million dollars a year, reduce the size of government and lead to improved delivery of services.

There?s plenty of opposition to the idea from entrenched interests, but if we want to improve Maine?s economic condition, we have to be willing to make changes like this one and many more.

We have got to continue to reduce the administrations in schools, higher education, natural resources and corrections.

During my State of the State address, I quoted from the inaugural address of Governor Louis Brann, who was elected during the Great Depression.

He likened the economic conditions at the time to a person preparing for a long journey:

He said: ?We must pack only the essentials. We (will) have to ?travel light.??

Well, ladies and gentlemen, that is our situation today. We can only afford to pack the essentials for the trip we will take during the next two years.

We must leave behind those things that we don?t absolutely need, and make the hard choices that will deliver us through the difficult days ahead.

I?ve said it before and I will say it again: I have no doubt that Maine can overcome this economic storm.

We have the tenacity and capacity to adapt, to make due with what we have and to lay the foundation for new growth and recovery.

The choices we will make in the coming days will set the course for our State. We cannot delay the work that must be completed.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Revenue Reality   

April 25, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

As our State works its way through the worst recession since the Great Depression, it?s important that we all remain focused on our shared objectives: To protect and grow our economy, and protect our most vulnerable citizens.

Next week, we will get a clearer picture of the damage today?s global recession has done to Maine?s economy.

Economists from the State?s revenue Forecasting Committee will meet and make predictions about the revenues the State can expect in the coming years.

The news will not be good.

As more individuals have lost their jobs and businesses are struggling to stay afloat, the effect will run throughout the entire State.

Government is not immune.

We know that State revenue collections are falling. At this point, we can?t say for sure by how much. But it is safe to say the reductions will be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

In January, I submitted a budget for the first time in at least 30 years that is smaller than its predecessor.

I proposed a plan that cut State spending by $200 million dollars.

Declining revenues now will force us to cut more.

I don?t want to sugarcoat the hard truth of our circumstances.

Maine will be forced to make more hard choices.

We must balance our budget. Our Constitution and law requires it.

But we will also make decisions that will invest and grow Maine?s economy into the future.

We are all going to have to roll up our sleeves and work together in order to get this job done.

And the pressure is going to be on for the Legislature to take decisive action and to take it quickly.

On July 1st, we must have a new budget passed into law. It?s the start of the State?s new fiscal year and in order for that to happen, we need the approval of at least two-thirds of the Legislature for it to take effect.

I can assure you that everyone will be able to find something in the budget that they don?t like or that they oppose.

But the people of this State are struggling and are depending upon all of us for the leadership to help make it through these tough times, and we must deliver.

So in early May, I will present changes for the current budget that will bring it into balance with those revenue predictions.

We have to be very careful about this work. Much is at stake.

I will not be proposing raising taxes. I think that would be a mistake during a time when our economy is already fragile.

Instead, we are going to need to make more cuts to State spending, we are going to need to further restructure and consolidate administration at all levels and all areas.

The budget picture is difficult, and is going to require choices that all of us would prefer to avoid.

But we are not in a hopeless situation, and we will overcome the obstacles in front of us.

The federal Recovery Act has given us a great opportunity to create or protect thousands of jobs.

My administration, working with the Legislature, is putting those resources to work creating jobs. Already, we?re seeing evidence: Road construction is already beginning. It?s estimated this spring, summer and fall 11,000 jobs in the transportation sector alone. Sewer and Water District projects have already been awarded to communities and they are going out to bid. Much needs to be done, but much has been done.

Mainers know that we cannot use our current recession as an excuse to avoid important investments in our people and in our economy.

As the Legislature considers the budget, it also is working on an investment strategy that will pay dividends today and in the future.

I have proposed a three-year, $306 million dollar investment package that will create jobs, give Maine workers the tools they need for success and support the work of innovative thinkers who will drive our economy in the future - transportation projects, road and bridge and rail, and research & development, and a new renewable energy future.

There?s a legitimate question about the amount of debt our State should undertake, particularly during a recession.

But during the hard times, government has the unique ability to make investments, and spark the private sector that will create the jobs that?s necessary for long-term growth.

Our private contractors, construction workers, engineers and architects need our support.

Our students and universities and community colleges need the resources to adapt to a changing nature of our world economy.

Maine is also presented today with a unique opportunity.

We stand at the gate of an energy revolution that can deliver less expensive power from cleaner, renewable domestic resources.

There are proposals for transmission projects that will make our State more energy secure and reliable, and more energy independent. And they have the potential this summer to put thousands of Mainers to work.

We have the opportunities with wind, water and wood, and the prospects for tremendous economic growth.

I recognize that there are concerns about specific proposals, but we cannot afford to delay. We must be smart, we must be efficient, but we must be aggressive, or risk letting this golden opportunity slip away.

The right choices today will protect our economy and lead us toward prosperity tomorrow.

Thank you.

Radio Address: H1N1 Flu / Budget Changes

May 2, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that cases of H1N1 flu, or the swine flu, have appeared in Maine.

Last week, when information on the possible spread of a new flu became known, the Maine CDC began an aggressive response plan.

We immediately increased our ability to identify and track the illness, and began preparing action.

Dr. Dora Mills, the head of Maine CDC, created a flu response team that immediately began working on the issue.

But preparation for a potential flu outbreak began years ago.

The plans that have been in place have been activated, and they are working.

The people who have the flu are at home and are recovering. They are not hospitalized.

As time elapses, it?s probable that Maine will see more cases of this type of flu.

I know that people are worried.

They?re concerned about their families, their children and their neighbors.

But it?s important to remember that everyone can make a real difference in helping to slow the spread of this flu.

It?s critical that people follow a few basic steps: washing your hands frequently; covering your mouth and nose when you cough; and staying home if you are sick. Do your best to avoid contact with others.

And stay informed.

Visit www.mainepublichealth.org for more information, or call 1-888-257-0990. That?s 1-888-257-0990. Resources are also available through 2-1-1.

Maine is thousands of miles away from where this flu strain originated, but nobody is immune.

Like other states, we have had to close an elementary school and a day care in York County. And if the circumstances warrant it, we are prepared to do the same in other areas.

And there is no vaccine for this strain of the flu.

Anti-viral drugs can slow the spread of the disease and ease symptoms. We have a supply of those drugs available in our State, and we will receive additional doses from the national stockpile by Sunday.

The anti-viral drugs are available by prescription only, through your doctor. If you don?t have health insurance or a health care provider, please visit www.mainepublichealth.org for a list of available medical providers.

We know that this strain of the flu has the potential to spread quickly, can be dangerous, and very unpredictable.

But, rest assured, we are prepared.

Just as we were dealing with the difficult news from the swine flu, we have also had to deal with the reality of a global economic crisis that has impacted Maine and the entire country.

On Friday, along with members of my Administration, I released my plan to close a $569 million dollar budget gap for the remainder of this fiscal year, as well as fiscal years 2010-2011. The gap was created by declining revenues as a result of worsening economic conditions here and around the world.

This budget gap will further reduce the budget I presented earlier this year, which was reduced by $200 million dollars. That was the first time in at least 35 years that a proposed budget was smaller than its predecessor.

Difficult decisions had to be made. Difficult decisions remain.

Reductions will affect all areas of State government. For example:

-- New State employees are going to see increased health insurance cost sharing; -- Planned merit increases are being eliminated for the next two years; and -- There will be 12 unpaid government shutdown days per year in 2010 and 2011; and -- We will see the creation of an independent Commission to Recommend Streamlining of State Programs and Services.

The plan also reduces funding for the Department of Health and Human Services, the Circuit Breaker Program, K-12 and higher education, Municipal Revenue Sharing and other programs and services.

We will all be asked to share in this sacrifice.

I believe this plan is reasonable, responsible and fair, and we will continue to protect and grow our economy while protecting our most vulnerable citizens.

While this week has brought us bad news and difficult situations, we will get through it by working together, helping each other, offering support to our friends and neighbors, and looking out for each other.

While nothing could prevent the H1N1 flu and the global economic recession, we have been prepared for both and we are going to continue to work for the best interest and safety of our fellow Mainers.

Thank you.

Radio Address: The Work Continues

May 9, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

On Wednesday, Maine became the fifth State in the country to recognize same-sex marriage.

The bill, An Act to End Discrimination in Civil Marriage and Affirm Religious Freedom, came to my desk with strong support in the Maine House, the Maine Senate and among Maine people. With my signature, the bill became a law.

Since this legislation was first introduced, I followed the debate closely.

I have listened to law makers as they have debated the issue.

I have read many notes and letters sent to my office, and I have weighed my decision carefully.

I also appreciate the tone brought to this debate.

This is a very emotional issue that touches deeply many of our most important ideals and traditions.

There are good, earnest and honest people on both sides of the question.

So I did not come to this decision lightly or in haste.

In the past, I have opposed gay marriage while supporting the idea of civil unions.

I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to a civil marriage.

Article I in the Maine Constitution states that ?no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law, nor be denied the equal protection of the laws, nor be denied the enjoyment of that person?s civil rights or be discriminated against.?

My responsibility is to uphold the Constitution and do, as best as possible, what is right. That is the oath that I have taken as Governor.

The new law does not force any religion to recognize a marriage that falls outside of its beliefs.

It does not require the church to perform any ceremony with which it disagrees. Instead, it reaffirms the separation of Church and State.

It guarantees that Maine citizens will be treated equally under our civil marriage laws, and that is the responsibility of government.

I know that this may not be the final word on the issue.

The ultimate political power in the State belongs to the people.

As momentous as a week as it has been, we can?t forget that the Legislature still has important work to be done.

A week ago, I presented a plan to close a $569 million budget gap created by this global recession.

This is an additional $300 - $400 million cut that was on top of a budget earlier this year I presented which was $200 million less than its predecessor.

The plan includes many tough choices, but I believe it is fair and reasonable. It asks almost everyone to do their part without asking any group to carry too much of the burden.

The plan protects our economy and our most vulnerable citizens while making strategic investments for the future.

There?s a lot of pressure and a lot of difficult decisions to make, but we must move quickly.

Without action, many families and businesses in Maine will suffer unnecessarily.

This week will surely be remembered for the stand Maine has taken to breakdown inequality. But we can?t rest. Work continues. More must be done.

And also, Sunday is a very special day. To all the Maine mothers out there, have a very Happy Mother?s Day.

Thank you very much.

Radio Address: Time to Come Together

May 16, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

When we face difficult times ? as a State, a community or even a family ? it?s important that we are able to put aside the things that divide us and focus instead on the things that can bring us together.

The Maine Legislature is nearing the end of a process that began last summer when I started working on the next two-year State budget.

Since those days, a lot has changed.

Maine has seen the impact of a national recession coming home.

We?ve had our spirits lifted by the opportunities created by the President?s Recovery Act.

And we?ve had to deal with the harsh realities of declining revenues, job losses and economic uncertainty.

Through it all, I have remained focused on preparing Maine?s economy for the recovery that I know will come and protecting the people in our State who need help the most now.

From the beginning, I have talked about the new demands placed on our State by the global recession.

And we are all being called upon to do our part.

No department, no agency and no service provided will go untouched. There will be real cuts in government programs and hardships and sacrifices for people who depend on them.

Our situation demands that.

In the budget I submitted, it?s the first time in almost 30 years that a biennial budget has been less than its predecessor. The budget I introduced was $6.1 billion, two years previous had been $6.3 billion, a real cut of $200 million.

The plan I proposed asked much of many, but it did not burden any one single group.

The Legislature?s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee has been working diligently in response to my proposals.

They have made some changes and some improvements.

And in a spirit of cooperation and bipartisanship, they have worked together to approve a majority of the budget.

There also have been real differences expressed between Democrats and Republicans, and that?s to be expected.

When economic conditions drive us to reduce State spending by about $500 million, to reduce services, to make significant changes, you have got to expect that there is going to be differences of opinion.

At the end of the day, however, every member of the Legislature ? Democrat, Republican or Independent ? has an obligation and a responsibility to pass a State budget.

Our budget process requires two-thirds of the Legislature to approve our budget. It?s required by Constitution and by law. And time is running short.

There are thousands of people ? businesses, doctors - who depend upon us to move quickly, to pass a budget and to pay our bills.

The longer we wait for action, the more uncertainty there will be.

Everyone who wants to look will be able to find a reason not to support the budget.

At the end of the process, I know that we are going to have a reasonable budget that will find the best possible balance during some very difficult times.

If we make the right choices, we?ll be in a better position to weather the current economic storm and begin down the path of recovery.

But the right choices aren?t always easy choices.

I am encouraging the Legislature to move quickly to pass a budget so that Maine can meet its obligations and be better positioned for economic recovery.

It won?t be easy. But it is necessary.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Next Step

May 23, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

The feeling of springtime is quickly turning to summertime in Maine. The days are getting warmer and brighter and the feelings of optimism and hope are inevitable - and welcome ? especially this time of the year. We must also remember that our State and nation continue to face difficult economic times.

Some experts are saying that there are signs of recovery from the recession our country has been struggling with, although the effects of that recession are still being felt by people here in Maine and nationwide.

Nobody has been immune. Auto manufacturers and dealers, paper mills, retail stores and many others have experienced cutbacks, slowdowns and closures as a result of this recession. And while the country may be starting to bounce back, it has still been slow and American people are still feeling the harsh effects.

The downturn in the economy has also affected State government. When people spend less money, that has a direct impact on the amount of revenues your government collects. As a result, we have been forced to find ways to cut spending during a time when the citizens of Maine need government services the most.

But, as difficult as times have been, I have committed to not raising broad-based taxes to balance this budget.

Instead, I have said from the start that sacrifices must be shared across all agencies, all departments and all levels of government.

I have remained focused on protecting our most vulnerable citizens and making sure that their safety net has remained in tact.

But this means there are a lot of difficult choices that have to be made.

It also means we have an opportunity to prepare our economy and infrastructure to come out of this recession well-prepared for the days ahead.

For the first time in more than 30 years, the original biennial budget that I proposed was less than its predecessor by about $200 million dollars.

Then, earlier this month when the State?s revenue picture became clearer, I had to propose making additional cuts to that budget.

When all was said and done, we took a $6.3 billion biennial budget for the current fiscal years, and trimmed it to a $5.8 billion budget for the next two fiscal years. That represents over $500 million less spending in the next two years.

The Legislature?s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee has been working diligently in response to my proposals. Earlier this week, they voted a unanimous, bipartisan budget out of the committee.

I would like to commend them for their work, doing so cooperatively to make difficult choices and put the people of Maine first.

Senate Chair of the Committee William Diamond, the Republican Senate Lead Sen. Richard Rosen, the House Democratic Chair Rep. Emily Cain, and the Republican Lead Rep. Sawin Millett.

I would also like to thank Legislative leadership in both the House and Senate who worked tirelessly along with the committee to help strike the right balance.

Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell, Senate Minority Leader Kevin Raye, House Speaker Hannah Pingree and Republican Floor Leader Josh Tardy.

And this week, the budget will go before the full bodies of the House and Senate.

Democrats and Republicans have had real differences of opinion on the budget, but in the end it has come down to the responsibilities that you ? the citizens - have placed on your elected officials. One of those responsibilities is to pass a balanced State budget. The constitution and law require it.

In order for this budget to pass, two-thirds of the Legislature must approve it. I encourage the members of the House and Senate to continue the precedent that has been set by members of the Appropriations Committee and Legislative Leadership, and work in a bipartisan fashion to do what is best for this State.

The cuts are real, and they are difficult. Many of us have not experienced such difficult times in our lives. But this budget strikes the right balance to help position Maine for economic recovery and protect our most vulnerable citizens.

It makes significant changes in the way government operates and delivers services and it continues the pressure to make sure that we are efficient with taxpayers? dollars in the future.

This is also Memorial Day Weekend. We always remember and never forget. So as you start the summer tourist season, remember the sacrifices that have been made for all of us.

Have a great and safe weekend. Thank you.

Radio Address: Maine Values

May 30, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, the Legislature overcame a daunting but necessary task and overwhelmingly passed a responsible State budget.

We can be proud of our State and its people. Our Legislature and all of those who worked so hard this session to grapple with the most serious economic crisis in 70 years. We did what had to be done.

We passed the balanced budget as required by the constitution and law, we avoided increasing broad-based income or sales taxes, and we protected those most in need.

We faced significant challenges, as have all other States, but we have been able to maintain that leadership position because of the tone, civility, and the willingness of both parties to avoid gridlock and stalemate and work together and come up with a fair and responsible budget.

The budget, which was passed with 33 of 35 votes in the State Senate and 119 votes out of 151 in the House, it calls upon all Mainers to make sacrifices.

But it also protects our most vulnerable citizens, it makes structural changes in State government and positions our State for economic recovery.

The budget walks the fine, harsh line of necessity. It calls upon all to give and it calls upon all to do their part.

The size of the vote margin might suggest the budget was easy.

It was not.

The budget reduced spending from the previous biennial budget by $500 million dollars.

State workers are asked to sacrifice pay and benefits.

It asks counties and towns to stretch resources more, and make due with a smaller State subsidy.

It reduces MaineCare, and other important services that thousands of people rely upon.

And it says government won?t be able to provide the same level of services that many people have come to expect. We have to shut down non-emergency services for 10 days a year.

There are difficult choices in this budget.

But this budget also meets Maine?s obligations and invests in our future.

Government will continue to function and to provide important services.

We will meet our obligations to Maine hospitals which employ thousands of workers from Fort Kent to Kittery.

We will keep police on our highways, our wardens in the woods and on the water.

And make sure that the people who need our help the most will have a place to turn.

I understand the difficulty of the budget and the debate that it brought on. I know that every one of us could find something in the budget that we dislike.

But I think this budget represents the values and priorities of our State and demonstrates why our home is different from so many other places.

People of all political stripes came together and built a consensus.

They put aside differences. They compromised. They put the people of Maine and the greater good above their own interests and desires.

That leadership, that drive for consensus and a common-sense solution demonstrates the Maine values of hard work and practicality.

It is not the problems we face that set us apart. It is the way we choose to deal with them.

There?s an old saying that success has many fathers and mothers, and failure is an orphan.

The accomplishments of this budget would not have been possible without the leadership of many people.

In the Senate, President Libby Mitchell, Sen. Kevin Raye, Sen. Phil Bartlett, Sen. John Courtney and Sen. Lisa Marache.

In the House, Speaker Hannah Pingree, Rep. Josh Tardy, John Piotti, Rep. Phil Curtis and Seth Berry.

All deserve enormous credit for trusting one another and committing to work in a bipartisan fashion.

As Sen. Courtney said, there were certainly some grumpy moments, but Legislative leaders never stopped talking and never stopped working.

It was the hard work and professionalism of the entire Appropriations Committee and staff ? but especially the chairs and leads Sen. Bill Diamond, Sen. Richard Rosen, Rep. Emily Cain and Rep. Sawin Millett. That work built upon the budget I presented in January.

Now, there is much work to do, and we must keep a cautious eye on the State and national economy.

We cannot predict with certainty what will happen in the weeks and months and years ahead.

But if we can continue to approach the challenges the same way that we have approached this challenge, no matter how big the challenge, how significant the gap.

Working in this fashion has created the tone and the civility and the respect for each other so that we will be able to do it for a better Maine today and a better future tomorrow.

Thank you and have a great day.

Radio Address: Investments for Tomorrow

June 6, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

As the first week in June comes to a close, it is a reminder that the Legislative session will also soon come to a close.

While much has been accomplished by the 124th Legislature, there is still work left to be done.

Together, we have worked through difficult financial times by passing a 2-year State budget that is $500 million dollars less than the previous one.

We have made some hard choices and some painstaking cuts to decrease State spending in the budget for the first time in at least 30 years.

But while times are difficult and money is tight, we must keep an eye toward the future. In order to grow and succeed, we must invest.

We must invest in areas that will create jobs and strengthen our economy.

We must invest in things that draw people here and make Maine special.

We must invest in our most valuable natural resource ? our people.

Investing in our transportation infrastructure is necessary and essential to the State.

Transportation is Maine?s lifeline and we should continue to treat it as such.

Hundreds of thousands of tourists use our roads, passenger rails and airports to visit the Pine Tree State four seasons out of the year, every year.

Maine businesses use our ports and rails to ship and receive goods every day.

And you ? the citizens of Maine - use bridges and roads for everything from driving your kids to school, to taking a family vacation, to allowing for goods you buy at the grocery store to be delivered to your town.

Our transportation infrastructure is a critical component of our economy now and our economy in the future. We must make investments to keep it strong.

Maine?s economy has the potential to get a significant boost from renewable sources of energy. And now is the time to make those investments.

Maine?s coast is picturesque and pristine, but it is also ripe for offshore wind possibilities.

Additionally, we have already begun to tap into the great potential of our State for wind energy on our land - we have some of the largest wind farms in New England - as well as focusing on energy from wood and solar.

If we allow ourselves to stand idly by while other states and regions make large-scale investments in clean energy, we will lose our opportunity to capitalize on our tremendous natural resources.

We must also continue to put money into the Land for Maine?s Future program, working water fronts, and clean water and environmental protection.

Our natural resources help make Maine special, and we need to care for them and invest in them appropriately.

We must also invest in what I have frequently called our most precious natural resource ? our people.

We need to make sure that our young people have the resources they need to succeed at every level and that means making the critical investments in higher education necessary to transform our workforce and give our people the skills and opportunity they need to prosper.

Technology has evolved quickly, so investments in building improvements and energy upgrades are critical to allow the latest technology to be found at our State?s universities, community colleges and Maine Maritime Academy.

Through those institutes of higher education, we have been able to conduct top-of-the-line research, resulting in development of innovations and ideas that receive national recognition and attention.

Investments in research and development continue to pay dividends through economic development and education for the people of our State. When we support the innovators and the entrepreneurs in our State, we support business and job development for our citizens, our communities and our families.

Since taking office in 2003, I have put a priority on job creation and putting our State on firm financial footing.

Those efforts, hard at times, have worked.

We are working through now one of the worst recessions since the Great Depression, and we are working in a bipartisan way. We have been able to adapt to this financial crisis, cutting our budget by $500 million. We have also been able to maintain our strong, stable credit ratings for our State bonds.

So, by doing this Maine can set the example and continue to lead.

I urge the Legislature to continue that effort to pass an aggressive bond package that will help lay the ground work for Maine?s future economic growth and expansion.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Energy and Tax Reform

June 13, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

On Friday, I signed two historic pieces of legislation that boldly sets Maine on a new path.

Both pieces of legislation - addressing tax reform and relief and energy - were a long time in the making.

From the beginning, I have said that I support the goal of tax reform and a lowering of the top income tax rate.

And I am proud that we have accomplished those goals.

The legislation I signed on Friday will lower the income tax, make the tax code more progressive and stable, and help to grow our economy.

I have been working closely with Democratic Leaders in the House and Senate and the leaders of the Taxation Committee on this negotiated compromise.

The compromise makes changes in the tax reform package, which was enacted by the Legislature on June 5.

It maintains the income tax reduction from 8.5 percent to 6.5 percent for incomes up to $250,000. Incomes over $250,000, which is only 2 percent of filers in Maine, would be taxed at 6.85 percent - still a steep decline from 8.5 percent as it is today.

The tax reform plan remains revenue neutral.

These changes maintain the core principals that the Taxation Committee and members of the Legislature worked hard to adopt.

Maine?s tax code will be more stable, more of the tax burden will be exported and the top tax rate will be significantly reduced.

I want to thank Senate President Libby Mitchell, Speaker of the House Hannah Pingree, members of the Legislative leadership, particularly Majority Leader John Piotti, State Sen. Joe Perry and Rep. Thomas Watson, who worked for more than two years to develop the basis for tax reform.

As a result, we are close today to significantly improving our tax system.

I also signed legislation that is leading Maine toward a more energy independent future.

A century of decisions -- by homeowners, businesses and utilities ? have left us too dependent on fossil fuels.

We have homes and businesses that are not energy efficient.

We are overly reliant on foreign sources of oil for heat and energy.

Too much of our hard-earned money flows out of the State for energy, instead of strengthening our economy here at home.

And every winter we worry about Maine people getting cold in their homes.

This law changes the picture in a dramatic and historic fashion.

It establishes the Efficiency Maine Trust and Board, bringing together under one roof Maine?s energy rebate, efficiency and conservation programs.

Presently, they are too fragmented and they sometimes leave people on hold too long.

Now we have an opportunity with this legislation to make the needed energy upgrades as easy as possible.

People will be able to find one place that individuals, families and businesses can go to get help with all of their energy efficiency needs.

This approach will build upon the strengths of our current programs, but it will also energize new partnerships to accomplish our goals.

This legislation sets aggressive goals that will lead to a brighter future.

We will weatherize 100 percent of our 3residences and 50 percent of our businesses by 2030;

We will be able to build private sector jobs in clean energy businesses, providing a much needed boast to our economy and putting our people to work in good jobs with good benefits.

We will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the quality of our environment and the health of our people.

This bill also establishes a fund to build and rehabilitate affordable housing, making them more energy efficient and affordable.

And remember, it?s about location, location, location.

This bill takes great care to set up a reasonable process for managing the opportunity Maine has to take advantage of our location to develop new renewable energy resources.

This bill is sweeping in its scope.

It?s an important new law receiving overwhelmingly bipartisan support in the Legislature. Many people worked to turn this good idea into a law that will benefit our entire State.

There?s a long list of people who deserve credit - many members of the Legislature, stakeholders from the environmental, business and energy sectors.

They have all performed a great service for Maine.

Maine will see great dividends from this work. We?ll send fewer energy dollars out of State, we?ll reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, and we?ll create thousands of jobs for Maine workers.

We are well on our way to a more secure energy future for Maine.

I sincerely appreciate the good-faith efforts by members of the legislature on both pieces of legislation. These are important accomplishments for Maine that will leave a positive impact for years and generations to come.

Thank you and have a very nice weekend.

Radio Address: Legislative Wrap-Up

June 20, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Despite a global recession and long list of highly charged issues, the 124th Legislature finished last week with an impressive list of accomplishments.

Instead of falling at the feet of the challenges before them, the 124th Legislature rose up and tackled them head-on. They put aside divisiveness, partisanship and ideology and came together to be a part of one of the most productive legislative sessions in recent memory.

The year started with the daunting task of passing a State budget with a reduction in spending of $500 million dollars. It?s the first time in at least 30 years that a State budget has been less than its predecessor.

Leaders of both parties and members of the Appropriations Committee showed great discipline by making the tough choices to lead Maine forward.

They also demonstrated that Maine was able to restrain spending and to make real reductions, even as the demand for services continues to grow.

Many other states have been raising taxes to deal with their own budgetary problems, Maine bucked the trend and made a significant reduction to income tax rates.

Let me repeat that ? in these tough financial times, and around the world, the State of Maine LOWERED income taxes.

The 124th Legislature passed a tax reform package that will help to grow our economy and provide more stability for Maine citizens.

The income tax rate is being lowered from 8.5 percent to 6.5 percent for incomes up to $250,000. For those folks fortunate to earn more than $250,000 the rate was cut from 8.5 percent to 6.85 percent.

In return, the sales tax is being broadened and made more exportable, so people visiting the State will pay their share to support things that make Maine special.

We also added an Earned Income Tax Credit to make it refundable for lower and middle income families earning $33,000 or less, which translates into more money into your pockets to cover the expenses of everyday life.

It?s always difficult to change the tax code, even when the changes make the system more fair and actually reduce the burden on Maine families.

There are those groups that become invested in the status quo or who fear change.

With the changes we?ve made, Maine can become more attractive for businesses and people who want to be able to keep more of their own money. Those are good things. Rewarding work. Rewarding investment.

And while we have reduced spending and passed tax reform, members of the 124th Legislature also realized the importance of continuing to invest in our State.

A responsible investment plan was passed on the final day of the session that will fund important improvements to our roads and bridges, promote innovation and critical support for higher education.

The $150 million dollar investment package will now be sent out to the voters, who will have a chance to vote on the funds to create jobs and to help Maine prepare for economic recovery.

The Legislature approved funding to develop offshore wind energy demonstration sites, a major component of Maine?s energy strategy.

Our State has enormous potential for renewable forms of energy. And the Legislature passed historic energy legislation that will contribute to our energy future.

The law sets aggressive goals to end our dependency on foreign oil and brings together Maine?s energy rebate, efficiency and conservation programs under one roof.

And it sets up a reasonable process for managing opportunities to take advantage of our location to develop new renewable energy resources.

We cannot miss out on our opportunity to take advantage of our natural resources. Establishing the infrastructure now will create a more stable energy future for our children.

And thanks to health care legislation passed this session, our children will have a better chance of growing up healthy.

Access to quality, cost and prevention were all addressed in bills that were passed by the Legislature. Taken together, they are helping to advance the broad goals of the original Dirigo Health Reform to make Maine the healthiest State in the nation.

The 124th Legislature has been through a lot in six months. But the members have proven that even in the most of difficult times, working together can benefit the people of Maine.

I want to congratulate them for their work, their leadership, and stepping up to the plate to do the right thing for Maine?s future.

And thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Maine is Open for Business

June 27, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Our State made significant progress during this year?s Legislative session.

Every state is dealing in its own way with the global recession that has struck our nation and the world. We are experiencing the worst economic downturn this generation has seen.

People are being forced to take pay-cuts, or worse, lose their jobs altogether. People are nervous and hesitant to spend money. That has a direct impact on our economy and the financial health of our State.

States are seeing staggering revenue shortfalls from coast to coast. And while there are glimmers of hope that we are starting to pull out of the recession, revenue shortfalls for State governments continue to increase.

In some cases, States have raised taxes on their citizens to fill their budget gap. Others have had to cut entire programs or services simply to make ends meet.

I am proud to say that Maine has bucked the national trend.

Yes, times are difficult here, and we have taken a different path toward weathering the economic storm. We prepared for difficult times and we have worked together in a bipartisan fashion to not only deal with the revenue shortfall, but to continue to invest in our people and our State.

And people are starting to take notice.

The Wall Street Journal featured an editorial this week, called the ?Maine Miracle,? stating that Maine has improved its economic attractiveness more than any other State in the country.

Here?s why:

  • We have lowered the income tax rate from 8.5 percent to 6.5 percent. And for those earning more than $250,000 ? the income tax rate is lowered to 6.85 percent.

To do this, we are expanding our sales tax on certain services that have not been taxed in the past. That will help us to export more of the taxes onto people who are tourists, or visit the State, or part-time residents, while providing tax relief to Maine residents.

And those Maine residents are also going to have an opportunity for a refundable earned income tax credit ? those earning $33,000 or less ? to help in some of these expanded areas.

  • Maine also demonstrated fiscal discipline. Working together in an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion, we were able to reduce State spending by $500 million dollars. It?s the first time in at least 30 years that a biennial budget has been smaller than its predecessor.

And how are we doing this?

Well, we?re restructuring. We?re cutting spending. And also at the same time making sure that people know we?re open for business, and most importantly good paying jobs with benefits.

Legislation I signed this week expands the Pine Tree Zone program statewide. Pine Tree Zones create important tax incentives for businesses to locate in Maine or expand here as long as they?re bringing good paying jobs with benefits.

The Pine Tree Zone program was originally established to level the playing field throughout Maine and making sure that we had an opportunity to fairly compete with other states and other countries for jobs.

The Pine Tree Zone program is a proven success.

The program was established in 2003 and in five short years, there are at least 213 certified businesses that are Pine Tree Zones. They have reported their plans to create more than 6,500 jobs and invest almost $700 million dollars in Maine. Those jobs alone are expected to generate $203 million dollars in payroll.

And the expansion of this program is already showing results in creating jobs and attracting business.

Since the expansion legislation passed a couple of weeks ago, we have celebrated news that TD BankNorth is expanding its presence and its work force in Auburn.

And in Augusta, we are preparing to welcome Bolduc Technology. The technology company solidified their plans to expand and relocate to Augusta earlier this month, bringing 18 new high technology jobs with them to start.

Both businesses credited Maine?s Pine Tree Zone program as a critical component of the decision to choose Maine. But it?s not just Pine Tree Zones ? it?s our quality of life, but most importantly it?s our people.

Our people can compete with anyone, anywhere.

We need to invest in our people as well as investing in research and development, infrastructure improvements in our roads and bridges, and higher education.

We need to continue pushing forward; continue working hard; and continue looking toward the future.

We have made the difficult choices to balance our State budget by asking for shared sacrifice.

We have boldly shown that Maine is open for business by expanding Pine Tree Zones statewide and lowering the State?s income tax rate.

And we are continuing to invest in our State and our people.

And we are Mainers ? and we don?t let tough times get us down.

We?re not out of the economic woods, and as my friends in Aroostook County have often told me, ?It?s a long way into the woods, it will be a long way out.? So we face many tough choices and challenges ahead.

But by working together we have made significant progress toward a successful future and a brighter tomorrow.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Independence Day Weekend

July 4, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

This weekend we celebrate the 223rd anniversary of the birth of our country. It was on Fourth of July, 1776, that we claimed our independence from Britain.

While the United States remains a grand experiment ? a nation building upon a dream and the efforts, ingenuity and sacrifice of generation upon generation of Americans ? the words written in the Declaration of Independence mean just as much today as they did more than 200 years ago.

The thoughts that were put on paper by men such as Adams, Jefferson and Madison were more than just words ? the document was a contract based on ideals and freedoms that we, as Americans, pledge to uphold.

The Declaration states that, ?We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. ? That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,?

In all the world, the U.S. form of government, and its enduring success are unique. The power of that government comes from the people - remains with the people, during war and peace, good times and bad.

And that is what has allowed the United States to grow and to prosper and to remain a guiding light in a world marked by uncertainty and upheaval.

America remains a land of opportunity, where people from around the world come to find their own version of the American Dream.

I am continually humbled when I meet the brave men and women who have fought ? and continue to fight ? to protect the rights given to us 233 years ago.

Americans have fought for freedom not only here, but around the world. Brave soldiers have sacrificed much for freedom ? leaving their families and all that is familiar behind to defend our ideals, promote freedom and protect our country.

Some of those soldiers have paid the ultimate sacrifice, losing their lives in the line of duty.

It is because of the men and women of the military who volunteer their service that we fulfill the dream that arose in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776.

We should celebrate them today as we celebrate the birth of our nation.

Our country has faced many challenges ? in times of war; economic struggles; and natural disasters. But in every circumstance and every situation, Mainers and Americans, with their backs up against the wall have pulled together and come out even stronger.

We work together and unite for the greater good.

And in good times and in bad, the United States remains that land of opportunity.

So if you do work hard and play by the rules and give it your all, you can succeed.

It can be easy to lose sight of how lucky we are to live in such a great country. But we should take time this weekend to think about the democracy this country was founded upon and the sacrifices people have made so that we can maintain our freedoms and liberties.

I also recognize that the Fourth of July represents the start of a summertime celebration for many ? and for many it?s been a long time in coming. So for this a long weekend, for most, please celebrate responsibly and have a very safe holiday and a very happy Independence Day weekend.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: More Tough Choices

July 11, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Earlier this week the Legislature?s Appropriations Committee met to continue its work on the State?s two-year budget.

Just a few short weeks ago, Maine enacted a budget that addressed falling State revenues caused by the global recession. Working in an overwhelmingly bipartisan way, we passed a budget for the first time in 30 years that reduced State spending by $500 million dollars.

But our work continues.

The budget plan we passed included homework for the Legislature?s Appropriations Committee. Those members and the Executive are charged with finding additional structural savings worth $30 million dollars to make sure that State government is right-sized for our times.

This task will be difficult.

Unfortunately, the economic morass engulfing our country has continued to erode State revenue.

It is a near certainty that the Appropriations Committee will be required to find additional savings well beyond $30 million dollars we had anticipated.

From the earliest days of the recession, I have approached the State budget from a perspective of shared sacrifice ? we are all in it together.

This budget touches every person in Maine, and each one of us has been called upon to do our part, to make tough decisions and to constrain spending to match the resources.

I do not believe that we can raise taxes to bring our budget into balance.

So as we move forward, what you will see is people working together to make the best of some very difficult times.

I have also asked my Council on Competitiveness and the Economy to help develop ideas that the administration will put forward as part of the process with the Appropriations Committee.

The Council was created in November 2007 and has since worked with McKinsey and Company ? a management consulting firm that advises leading companies on issues of strategy, organization, technology, and operations.

I will look to the Council, which is made up of some of Maine?s leading businesspeople, to provide me with the insights and advice on how to best make long-term, structural changes in the State spending.

For Maine to find the best path through this economic downturn, we will need to draw on the collective wisdom and expertise of all of our people.

The Appropriations Committee and the Legislature worked together in a bipartisan fashion during the last session to move forward with many difficult decisions.

Where other States have been mired in gridlock and turmoil, Maine has found a way to work together and move forward.

So at the same time, we are going to continue to make investments in things that will prepare Maine for the future.

This State requires a good economic policy in order to prosper once we pull out of this global financial crisis.

That?s why it is important to expand aggressive Pine Tree Economic Development Zones Statewide ? a decision that has already resulted in the expansion of TD BankNorth?s operation in Lewiston and Auburn and a new high-tech business moving into Augusta.

That?s why we need to make critical investments in our roads and bridges, our higher education systems and features that make Maine special ? our natural resources and quality of place.

And that?s why we reformed our tax code and lowered our income tax rates, a move that the Wall Street Journal hailed by saying, ?No state has improved its economic attractiveness more than Maine has this year.?

And that?s why it is important for us to continue to invest in energy independence. Maine has an opportunity not only to help this country kick its addiction to foreign oil, but to create jobs for our citizens in the process.

Maine is in a unique position to capitalize on natural, renewable sources of energy. The Legislature agrees, that?s why in an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion they made the investments necessary in renewable energy now.

So we need to see that same sort of cooperation going forward.

Yes, we are going to have our differences, but we must find common ground that will allow our people the opportunity to succeed.

Given the chance, Maine people can compete with anyone, anywhere and they have proven it time and time again. It?s our job to make sure those opportunities exist.

And while the economic indicators are mixed, at best, we have seen some positive signs.

Businesses are expanding;

Construction workers are on the job thanks to the Recovery Act;

Domtar in Washington County restarted its pulp making operation last month with a focus on the future of the facility;

And traffic on the Maine Turnpike over the 4th of July weekend was up 6 percent over last year, even in bad weather.

Despite the steady rain we have seen recently, the clouds will inevitably clear and sunshine will return again.

In the meantime, it is up to all of us to work together and reset the foundation of Maine for the future that lies ahead.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Energy Future

July 18, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

After what seems like endless weeks of rain, summertime appears to have finally arrived in Maine.

The sun is shining, temperatures are rising and people are swimming and canoeing in rivers and lakes throughout our State.

But just as we know the weather will eventually turn warm every summer, we also know that colder temperatures are inevitable and will return before we know it.

We also know that the price of oil is just as unstable today as it was last year.

Now, right now things appear to be better with oil selling for $2.25 a gallon statewide and a barrel of oil is hovering for around $60 dollars.

Last year at this time, oil was selling for $145 dollars a barrel.

While oil prices are considerably lower than they were last year, it does not mean that there is stability in the prices.

This type of uncertainty puts an unnecessary and undefined burden on the backs of Mainers ? and frankly we are fed up with that.

Last month I signed legislation that outlined very aggressive goals to reduce our State?s dependency on foreign fuels.

One of the major components of that legislation was the establishment of the Efficiency Maine Trust and Board. The idea is to finally bring together our energy rebate, efficiency and conservation programs under one roof to better serve the people of Maine.

This will create a ?one-stop shop? for Maine consumers looking for help with all of their energy efficiency needs.

Earlier this week, I nominated seven people with strong understandings of our goals and objectives to serve on this Board.

The Board will not only be tasked with coordinating these programs, but they will also oversee the distribution of money for energy efficiency and alternative energy projects.

Among the goals put forth in the energy legislation I signed last month was to weatherize all residences and 50 percent of our businesses by the year 2030.

Mainers can save an average of 5-10 percent on heating bills through weatherization projects. Older homes were not built with proper weatherization in mind. Improperly insulated areas, foundation holes, attic holes and gaps in windows and doors are common in older homes ? and in some newer homes. So as a result, energy ? and money ? is lost without these efforts.

There are low-cost, do-it-yourself energy saving tips available on the State?s Web site ? maine.gov.

In addition to focusing on weatherization for winter, the State of Maine is also working on a long-term vision of providing an alternative to foreign oil.

Maine is in a unique position in that we are a potential hub for renewable forms of energy with our water, wind, wood and solar. Our natural resources are ripe for energy production and harnessing that energy can build private sector jobs and boost our economy.

Maine is New England?s leader in developing its vast land-based wind resource. This State already has 300 megawatts currently operating or under construction and another 450 megawatts in various stages of development.

Danforth, Maine, in Washington County, is home to the largest wind farm in New England.

But there is even more wind potential off the coast of Maine ? an estimated 100 gigawatts, which is about 40 nuclear power plants. That is enough to power all of New England with some to spare.

So we need to harness this energy and we need to do it now.

This is an opportunity that is presenting itself ? we cannot sit idly by and watch others take advantage of it. We are risking too much if we continue along our current path of oil use.

Maine families use 90 percent of their energy budget to heat their homes and operate motor vehicles. Our State alone exports billions of dollars every year to pay for heat and motor fuel. So we have an opportunity to keep more of that money here in Maine using existing renewable resources and most importantly, putting Maine people to work in the process.

We live in Maine for many reasons. We have the best people, wonderful natural resources, and most of us love every one of those four seasons ? some stay a little bit longer than others.

But summertime is here and with it warm temperatures.

But as Mainers, we always have an eye toward the future. And while we can enjoy the summer and all that comes with it, we need to keep our eye toward the winter. And not just this winter, but winters down the road.

It is clear that Maine people are fed up with paying outrageous oil prices. We have a chance to change that ? both for ourselves, our homes, but together as a State and for the entire region.

Change is never easy but it is time for us to act. And acting together, a seemingly insurmountable challenge can quickly become a realistic achievement.

In the meantime, enjoy the summer in Maine while it?s here

Thank you for listening ? and I hope you have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Business Investments

July 25, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

While the national economy continues to be held within the grips of a global financial crisis, there are some early indications that we may be settling out.

Don?t get me wrong, our country is a long way from economic stability and getting out of this recession, but there are signs that we are starting to pull out.

Here in Maine, we have experienced budget gaps as a result of the recession that far exceeded anyone?s expectations from a year ago.

Simply put ? people are not spending as much money, the State is not collecting as much in revenue, so our spending must be reduced to balance the budget.

I emphasize that spending must be reduced to balance the budget because I have pledged from the beginning that we will get through this by sharing the sacrifice ? and that raising taxes to balance the budget is not an option.

We have made those reductions in spending ? this biennial budget is $500 million dollars less than its predecessor - the first time this State has had a budget smaller than the previous one in the last 30 years.

While revenue forecasts indicate that we will need to continue to make reductions in spending for the immediate future, we have also made it a priority to make investments that will position Maine as a leader once the recession is over.

Despite all of the global financial hardships, Maine has continued to invest in transportation infrastructure ? roads and bridges, ports and rail ? to meet the needs of our economic development engine ? tourism ? and manufacturing, and for our citizens alike.

We continue to invest in natural resources and things that make Maine special. And we will continue to invest in our most precious natural resource, our people.

By making investments in the business climate in Maine ? we are investing in opportunities for our people to succeed.

We were able to send a strong message this year that Maine IS open for business ? the Business Equipment Tax has been repealed, Maine income taxes have dropped from 8.5 percent ? 6.5 percent, and we have expanded the Pine Tree Economic Development Benefit program statewide.

It is one of the most aggressive economic development strategies in the country.

It forgives taxes for manufacturing businesses that either relocate or expand here in our State.

International Woodfuels, a leading wood pellet manufacturer, is building a 30,000 square foot facility to employ at least 35-50 people in Burnham, Maine.

International Woodfuels is also making a $20 million dollar investment in this project ? one that is somewhat unique in nature.

They will be co-locating in Burnham with Pride Manufacturing, making both operations more efficient, more profitable through combined resources.

International Woodfuels searched throughout Northern New England to find a location ? but this company saw the value of Maine people and the abundance of our natural resources; and realized that savings that could be seen through co-locating with Pride Manufacturing, and it understood the benefits of the Pine Tree Zone program.

In five years, the Pine Tree Zone program has certified 213 businesses which have reported plans to create more than 6,500 jobs, investing nearly $700 million dollars in Maine.

The jobs alone are expected to generate $203 million dollars in payroll annually.

A few weeks ago I told the story of two businesses investing in Maine just days following the statewide expansion of the program.

TD BankNorth announced plans to expand its presence and its work force in Auburn.

And in Augusta, we are preparing to welcome Bolduc Technology. The technology company solidified their plans to expand and relocate in Augusta last month, bringing 18 new high technology jobs with them to start.

And we also celebrated Hannaford?s investment in Augusta earlier this week ? opening the most environmentally-advanced supermarket in the country.

Hannaford?s new LEED-certified supermarket officially opens this weekend at the site of the old Cony High School in Augusta. The company is not just making investments in a new building for its customers, but they are investing in ways to save energy, save money and to help save our environment. This is the type of investment that will pay off for generations.

Our State is in a good position. We are still facing some tough times. But we are looking forward and planning for the day when the global economy is once again stable, and the country?s work force is once again bolstered.

While it may not seem possible to see a silver lining around this financial dark cloud, it does exist. Now is the time to use our Yankee Ingenuity, our frugality, improving efficiency and restructuring the way that we do business so it makes more sense, and to help our people continue to grow and prosper.

And by working together and staying focused on our goals and opportunities down the road, our State will be getting through this recession stronger than before.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Nature-based Tourism

August 1, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

It is hard to believe, but the first weekend of August is already here.

It seems like Memorial Day weekend and Independence Day were just yesterday. But as is the case every summer, the month of July seems to go by too fast.

And while we haven?t had much of a summer to speak of in terms of weather, we have been able to enjoy a few days of warm sunshine over the past couple of weeks, and there still is plenty of summer to go.

I talk frequently about Maine?s quality of life and abundant natural resources that bring folks from all over the world here.

And Maine has a number of nature-based tourism opportunities for people visiting our State as well as for Maine residents.

And there is a strong interest in Maine?s watchable wildlife, hiking, paddling adventures, and in our heritage and culture.

In 2005, a company specializing in Nature-based tourism development ? was contracted to develop an extensive inventory of Maine?s natural resource assets.

Just some of the recommendations from that inventory were to:

 Have the State establish a Nature-based Tourism Initiative for rural economic development;  Provide a framework to support and complement local and regional efforts;  Demonstrate how nature-based tourism development can be planned and implemented across the State; and  Furnish visitors with information to fully experience Maine?s unique resources.

As a result of those recommendations, we established the Maine Nature-based Tourism Task Force. It provided a framework for this type of tourism development.

The report recommended that pilot regions for Nature-based Tourism be established in the areas of Piscataquis and Penobscot Counties; Down East in Washington and Hancock Counties; and Western Mountain Regions.

Once a variety of standards have been met, sites in these regions are identified with Maine?s Chickadee logo to signify a nature-based location.

Signs have already been placed to make it easier for visitors to find 20 of the best sites in Piscataquis County, including Gulf Hagas, Borestone Mountain Sanctuary, Sebois Bureau of Parks and Lands, and Mount Kineo.

In fact, you can find a full list of these sites online at www.themainehighlands.com.

This year, the Bureau of Parks and Lands has developed new maps of attractions in Washington County. You can find these maps through the Department of Conservation?s Web site at www.maine.gov/doc.

Additionally, Maine?s location and diverse landscape makes it one of the top year-round bird watching destinations.

The Maine Birding Trail was introduced this spring and quickly attracted a great deal of attention. The Maine Birding Trail is already the Office of Tourism?s most requested brochure, highlighting 82 of the top birding locations in Maine, with directions included.

In addition to the work done by the State, there are several private efforts that enhance our nature-based tourism.

 The Appalachian Mountain Club?s North Woods Initiative offers ?Sporting Camp? ? to ? ?Sporting Camp? hiking, skiing and mountain biking;  The Maine Huts and Trails has opened a second hut on its network of trails and will eventually cover 180 miles, with lodges providing comfortable beds and meals for hikers and mountain bikers alike.  The Northern Forest Canoe Trail stretches 740 miles from Old Forge, New York, to Fort Kent, Maine. The sections can be explored by day paddles, weekend excursions or longer camping trips.  And earlier this year we announced the creation of the Maine Woods Discovery Packages. Some of Maine?s top outdoor industry leaders collaborated for this effort, guiding visitors through a variety of outdoor adventures including fly-fishing, whitewater rafting, backpacking and gemstone digging.

And Maine is gaining a good amount of national attention for our nature-based tourism:

 The National Geographic Adventurer and Backpacker Magazine recently featured stories about hiking along Maine?s Bold Coast trail in Washington County.  And this month?s ?Martha Stewart Living Magazine? lists Martha?s favorite 10 hikes in Acadia National Park as well as 10 other good hikes around our State.

And nature-based tourism is healthy, it?s fun and it?s local. We have the Disney World of natural resources right in our own backyard ? and in many cases, you can find a great adventure suitable for a day?s drive or a weekend getaway.

So I encourage you to take time this summer to experience Maine?s outdoors before the summer?s end - and to fully appreciate the special features of the State that we call are all lucky enough to call home.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Focus on the Economy

August 8, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Governor John E. Baldacci Radio Address Focus on the Economy Saturday, August 8, 2009

This is Governor John Baldacci.

We are beginning to see some signs nationally that the recession that has mired our country for too long is beginning to ebb.

But the hard truth is that we still have a long way to go before recovery is certain.

Last week, the Federal Reserve released a report that shows the U.S. economy has begun to stabilize. That?s the good news.

The report also said the economy continued to be weak going into the summer, retail sales being sluggish and the labor market remaining soft.

The housing market is improving, although not out of the woods yet, we are seeing anecdotal evidence that things should start to get better later this year.

Unfortunately, our country and our State remain in the shadows of a global economic decline.

As the Associated Press reported this week, tax revenues for the federal government are on pace to drop by 15 to 18 percent this year. That?s the biggest decline since the Great Depression.

States are facing the same bitter trend. As the needs of our people are growing, we don?t have the resources to do all that we would like.

Just one month into the new fiscal year, at least 33 states are expecting deficits for the year.

Unemployment and continued contraction among even successful businesses continue to cut the revenues every state relies upon to provide critical government services.

Maine, like so many other states, faces the same pressures.

Since the Legislature passed the current two-year budget with great bipartisan cooperation and discipline, revenues have continued to decline.

Already, the Appropriations Committee in the Legislature is working with my administration on ways to further reduce State spending.

The trend, however, is clear and troubling. We must look deeper and make more difficult choices to balance our budget while maintaining the core services and safety net that Mainers demand.

While our situation is serious, I will not raise taxes to balance the budget.

Instead, we will take a disciplined and programmatic approach to further reducing state spending.

Already, the two-year state budget is $500 million less than its predecessor. Out of necessity, the budget will get smaller.

Working with the Governor?s Council on Competitiveness and the Economy and the Appropriations Committee, my administration will develop recommendations on how to best close the emerging gap between revenues and projected spending.

Building on the work that we?ve already done, including the research of the Brookings Institution and McKinsey and Company, we will find additional cost savings through efficiency, implementation of best practices and restructuring.

We will maintain our critical safety net so hardworking people do not fall through the cracks during this economic downturn.

And we will make smart investments ? in innovation, education and people ? to strengthen and grow our economic future.

We will protect our natural resources.

And we will continue to make government more effective and efficient.

We have grown accustomed in Maine to making tough decisions and doing it without the partisan fighting that has plagued too many other states.

And as we continue this difficult work, it won?t be easy. But we need to maintain that same approach. But we must.

We must continue to change, to adapt and to improve. We can?t go back to old, inefficient ways.

If we are bold in our ideas and committed to putting the good of Maine ahead of individual political ambition or party politics, we can and will be successful.

The current recession will end.

And when recovery comes to Maine, Maine will be leaner, more efficient, more competitive and ready for a new period of growth and prosperity.

Thank you, and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Health Care and the Economy

August 15, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

I know that the Number 1 issue on the mind of Mainers is the economy.

And it should be. It?s going to take everyone, working together for our country to pull itself out of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

Part of the path forward requires that we reform our health care system.

You can?t separate health care from the economy.

And costs for health care are out of control.

Between 1996 and 2006, the average health insurance premiums for families nearly doubled, to almost $12,000 a year. In some cases, people are working just to pay their health insurance premiums.

Even if premiums grow at a slower rate, we will see a greater portion of every family?s paycheck going to health insurance.

We?ve seen in Maine where our reforms have slowed the growth of health care costs, but they are still far too high.

So when employers see health care costs doubling, their workers are forced to carry more of the burden.

Even successful companies are being forced to sink more resources into health care or drop coverage altogether.

And they are competing against countries and companies that don?t even pay for health care.

It?s hurting our entire economy.

As the cost of providing health care grows, it?s placing a bigger and bigger burden upon the federal, state and local government.

Here in Maine, more than 35 percent of the State budget is spent on health care.

Health care costs are growing faster than our economy.

And for all this spending, we?re still seeing more than 45 million people in this country who lack health insurance.

So we?re spending too much and too many people are getting too little in return.

Maine has been a national leader in making sure our people have access to health care. Only four states have been more successful in reducing the number of uninsured.

We have set the standard for providing access and quality health care, and implemented many reforms now being pursued on the national level.

In Maine, we show that we can improve our health care system.

But no state budget ? Maine?s included - can withstand the pressure of ever increasing costs.

President Obama has started a national conversation on health insurance reform.

This week, I traveled to Portsmouth, N.H., to meet with the President and to hear his thoughts on how we can improve health care insurance in the United States.

And on Thursday, I spoke with Sen. Snowe, other governors and members of the Senate Finance Committee in Washington on the difficult balance that must be struck when reforming health care insurance.

Right now, there?s a lot of fear and misinformation out there.

And there?s some silly talk, meant mostly to confuse people or scare them.

But ultimately, the question facing our nation today on health care insurance is this:

Are we satisfied with the status quo, or are we prepared to make some real changes that will control costs and insure that everyone has quality, affordable health care?

Without real and meaningful reform, we are all at risk of losing access to good health care.

The costs on individuals, families, businesses and government will swallow future growth.

So Maine has led the way in addressing health reform, but we know that workable solutions at the national level are needed more than ever.

We can?t do it without Washington?s help.

We can improve the quality and access to health care.

And we can do it in a way that contains costs.

And Maine has proven it.

Now we must take this important opportunity to make national progress.

I believe that we can work together to find the best path forward.

Nothing is more personal to people than their own health and the health of their family.

That?s why the President and I agree that no insurance company or drug company accountant should overrule the doctor-patient relationship.

Medical decisions and health care decisions for Mainers or Americans should be determined by doctors and nurses.

In Maine, we have taken on many of the issues, including expanding affordable health insurance options, promoting preventative health and enacting consumer protections.

Just last month, we launched a pilot program that will help people get the information they need to better manage their own health care.

We also created a scholarship program that will help to defray the tuition for medical school students who will be able to practice medicine in more of our rural areas of the State of Maine.

Maine?s experience shows that while health care reform is hard work, it?s vital that all of us come together to commit ourselves to finding common ground.

When we do, things will get better.

All of us politically ? Democrat, Republican and Independent -- want hard-working families and businesses to prosper and thrive. Right now, our current system is holding back too many people. It?s burdening too many families.

There is a better way, and I am confident we can find it.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Investments Matter

August 22, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to welcome the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood to Maine.

The Secretary was invited by Congressman Mike Michaud to see firsthand the impressive achievements in technology of the University of Maine?s Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center.

The Director of the Center, Doctor Habib Dagher, and his accomplished group of scientists and students have led the way in expanding composite technology.

This research has great potential for Maine and far beyond.

Product development has already helped to spur growth in industries critical to our State.

They play an important part in making our successful boatbuilding industry.

Even during this recession, boatbuilding remains a core industry, and composites help Maine companies remain industry leaders.

And the Composite Center is partnering with private businesses in other industries.

These are businesses small and large, and their success is good for Maine?s economy, employing people with good pay and benefits, and they create job growth.

The people of Maine should be proud of the accomplishments of the Composite Center.

The voters of Maine have directly invested in the research and development undertaken at the Center by approving past Jobs Bonds.

In partnership with the private sector, the Composite Center boasts nearly 300 product development and testing projects in the past five years.

And the benefits of this technology don?t stop there.

There is great potential for expanded use of composites in the development of renewable energy.

The University of Maine is building an addition to the Composites laboratory to conduct wind energy R&D, so that Maine can be a world leader in both onshore and offshore wind energy technologies.

We can build the materials for these wind projects here in Maine.

The reason for the Secretary?s visit this week was to view one of the one most promising achievements of the Composites Center: the ?Bridge in a Back Pack? program.

The composite bridge components use an innovative design that helps us meet the challenges of rebuilding the State?s vital infrastructure using materials that are stronger and will last longer.

The first bridge in the State to be built with this technology is the Neal Bridge in Pittsfield, Maine, which opened earlier this year.

Additional projects are planned here in Maine.

Secretary LaHood was impressed with the technology and the potential for its expanded use.

He was so impressed that he promised to bring this project to the attention of his fellow cabinet-level secretaries who are a part of the ?Green Cabinet? that meets about once a month in Washington.

These are high level federal officials who are pursuing clean energy and transportation solutions for our future.

The Secretary said he intends to invite Habib to make a presentation to the group, a impressive honor.

We already know our economic future is tied to our efforts to expand green technology and jobs.

With the work at the University of Maine, we can see how the State?s investment strategy is helping to spur opportunities for Maine businesses and the economy, now and into the future.

Not only did Maine earn praise from the Transportation Secretary for our innovative approaches to meeting future transportation and energy challenges.

He also commended the State and our partners for successfully moving forward with projects funded by the federal Recovery Act.

The Secretary complimented the Maine Congressional Delegation for its support of the Recovery Act?s passage, which has been crucial to improving Maine?s infrastructure while preserving and creating jobs for Mainers.

He also recognized the efforts of the State in ensuring that the federal funds are spent the right way -- putting people to work and making a lasting, positive impact on our economy by improving our highways, roads and other modes of transportation.

In fact, Maine was the first state in the nation to obligate 100 percent of its federal Recovery Act highway funds.

More than a third of those funds have been spent, meaning that from one end of the State to the other, you?re seeing Recovery Act projects that are underway.

We know that our economy ? both here and nationally ? has a long way to go to achieve full recovery, but these federal funds are undeniably working and making a difference in Maine.

And while we must continue to find efficiencies in the way we provide services to our citizens, we must look at the example that is provided by the Composite Center and recognize that strategic investments must be made to lay a foundation of economic growth and opportunity for Maine?s future.

There is great potential for composites to assist Maine in growing good-paying jobs and transforming our industries and infrastructure.

Smart investments matter. Even during difficult times, we must make investment in innovation a priority.

Thank you for listening, and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Getting Ready

September 5, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, I signed a Proclamation of Civil Emergency that will help the State in our response to the H1N1 flu.

I?m certain that everyone has heard about H1N1 by now.

This new virus stunned the world during the spring when it first appeared in Mexico and quickly spread around the world, including the State of Maine.

Since it was identified in March, H1N1 has spread through 53 American states and territories and to more than 200 countries.

And there have been more than 2,000 confirmed deaths associated with the disease.

So far, there has been only one death in Maine where H1N1 was involved.

During the spring months, we found that the disease was highly contagious, but wasn?t as dangerous as we had feared.

But our experiences last spring and with summer camps tell us that we must be responsible and aggressive in our response to this unusual flu.

The key to slowing the spread of the disease is to keep it from taking hold in our schools.

The civil emergency declaration protects school districts and health care workers who participate in vaccination clinics from being sued.

As we discussed the importance of school-based vaccination clinics with superintendents and school boards, it became clear that the liability concerns would keep some districts from participating.

With this order, those concerns are answered, and Maine policy tracks with federal policy, which has already granted similar immunity.

It is critical that we make both seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines as widely available as possible.

And it is our goal that every person in Maine be vaccinated.

But we also recognize that not everyone is comfortable with vaccines or might prefer to receive them from their personal health care provider.

The school-based vaccination clinics are completely voluntary.

Parents must give their consent for children to receive the vaccines.

Neither the seasonal flu nor the H1N1 flu vaccines are mandatory.

But we know that the more people who are inoculated, the better chance we have of slowing the disease.

Mercifully, H1N1 has not been as deadly as was feared.

But public health experts warn that it could change rapidly as it begins to circulate again.

Maine will be cautious, responsible, prudent and prepared in its response to H1N1.

Our work began in earnest in March and April, and the Maine Center for Disease Control, Health and Human Services, the Department of Education and the Maine Emergency Management Agency are all well-prepared for the work ahead.

Maine has been proactive in its response to this new flu.

But as the school year begins, we must continue our vigilance.

As of this week, Maine has begun to receive doses of the seasonal flu vaccine, and public health workers will begin making it available.

The vaccine for H1N1 will likely be available in October.

It?s important for Mainers to get vaccinations for both to maximize effectiveness.

The flu has the obvious potential to make thousands of people ill.

But the impacts could be much more serious than a few days in bed with flu symptoms.

A fast-spreading flu has the potential to shutdown schools and businesses, close government offices and leave vulnerable individuals without the support and services they depend upon.

There could be broad economic disruption, and tragic consequences for some individuals.

So, I encourage all Mainers to receive the appropriate flu vaccinations.

And I would repeat the same safety message that you have heard from me since April:

? Cover your cough;

? Wash your hands often;

? And if you feel sick, stay at home from work or school.

I know that a lot of people are skeptical about the seriousness of the threat from H1N1.

And frankly, I hope that they are correct.

I hope that this year?s flu season turns out to be no more serious than a typical year.

And that the threat from H1N1 quickly evaporates.

But those are just hopes.

The science tells us we must take this threat seriously, and we must act to stem the spread of H1N1.

It?s a matter of public health and public safety.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Day of Service

September 12, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Eight years ago, terrorists changed the landscape of our country with terrible attacks on New York City, the Pentagon and aboard an airliner that crashed in Pennsylvania.

In New York, brave men and women ? firefighters, police officers and other first responders ? paid the highest price for their valor.

While most people ran away from the World Trade Center, they charged into harm?s way to save others.

And in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93 mounted a desperate defense of themselves and their country.

Their bravery saved untold lives.

Even during the horror and confusion of that day, thousands upon thousands of men and women from every corner of the United States and every country in the world answered a call to service.

Blood banks were overwhelmed with people who wanted to donate. The lines stretched for blocks as good people did what they could do to help.

Old struggles and disagreements faded as the country came together ? united and determined.

The world has changed greatly in the eight years since September 11.

But the day remains brightly etched in our memories.

This week we observed the anniversary of September 11 with a National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Congress passed ? and the President signed ? the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.

The law is a fitting tribute to a dedicated public servant ? and a dear friend that he was.

The Act memorialized September 11 as a ?National Day of Service and Remembrance.?

In Maine, we have also proclaimed September 11 as a Day of Service and Remembrance.

Together with many community volunteers, AmeriCorps members, National Civilian Community Corps members and many others, we worked on Friday to cleanup and restore a park in the Park Wood Transitional Housing area of Bangor.

The project is part of the United We Serve Campaign.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama created the United We Serve Campaign to promote a renewed focus on the environment, safety and community renewal.

You know each of us has an opportunity to make a difference in our communities.

We can volunteer at our child?s school, donate groceries to a food pantry or simply help our neighbors who might be struggling.

Every single act of kindness and service does matters.

While folks around the State turned out on Friday for public service, we were also reminded this week that the chain of events sparked on September 11 continues.

It?s impossible to compare this small project to the work that our first responders and military do every single day in service to their country.

This week, Private First Class Jordan Brochu was laid to rest during a service in Waterville.

Private Brochu was killed while serving with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan.

I spoke with Private Brochu?s mother not long after learning of his death.

She told me that her son wanted to make his family and his community proud.

He did that with his service. He made all of us very proud.

And we will keep his family in our thoughts and prayers.

His tragic death is a reminder that the wounds of September 11 have not fully healed.

That families ? with young men and women serving in far away and dangerous places ? continue to make the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

For the men and women in the military, every day is a Day of Service and Remembrance.

They brave the unknown, away from the comfort of family and friends, for the ideals that have made our country a shining light to the world.

It is appropriate that on this anniversary that we all do our own, small part to make our communities a better place.

Thank you for listening, and thank you for your service.

Radio Address: Strengthening Ties for a Common Purpose

September 19, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

When we think of the opportunities and challenges facing Maine, it?s easy to forget that our State is part of a much larger region.

Like here in Maine, our neighbors in New England and the Eastern Canadian provinces have been fighting the effects of the international recession.

Now, as many indicators suggest that the recession is beginning to ease, we still have a long way to go. We stand ready to take advantage of new opportunities.

One thing is clear: When we are able to act with common purpose as a region, we are stronger.

On Tuesday, I was the co-chairman of an important meeting of New England Governors, Eastern Canadian Premiers and their representatives.

Our agenda included critical issues facing our region, ranging from new opportunities in the energy sector, to climate change and pandemic flu preparation.

Throughout the day, there was a healthy exchange of ideas and information.

And we heard from some of the leading thinkers in the private sector.

Men and women who are putting their ideas of a new, green economy and a third industrial revolution into practice.

A common question, asked many different ways, ran through the day.

What actions can we take to create prosperity for our people and improve our economies?

In short, there was no single answer, no silver bullet that will address all the issues we face.

But there was one, overriding conclusion.

While each of us as states face challenges and unique circumstances, we all benefit when we approach issues together.

Eastern Canada and New England are linked by common borders and a shared culture and heritage.

The ties among us date back to our earliest days, as goods and people moved along our borders.

That same cooperation and the strong bonds that still exist are an asset that must be developed.

In some areas, close relationships are easier than in others.

For example, this week the Maine Emergency Management Agency conducted a joint drill with their partner agencies in New England and Canada.

The purpose was to make sure that if disaster strikes, we will be able to integrate our response and depend upon one another for help.

But in other areas, cooperation is more difficult.

In the past, our region was too easily pulled into competition with itself.

And there remain issues on which a regional consensus might not be possible.

But when we work together, we can all benefit.

For example, Maine, New England and Eastern Canada have tremendous natural resources.

Together, we hold the promise of leading our countries in the development of renewable energy.

We have wind, tidal, hydro-electric and biomass resources that are the envy of the world.

We can reduce our dependency on foreign oil, improve our environment and help to address global climate change.

I?m very proud of the work that has been done on this issue.

During the meeting, we presented the New England Governors? Renewable Energy Blueprint.

This Blueprint is an important tool that will help us advance the development of renewable energy in New England.

The report also demonstrates the necessity of partnerships both within our region and with the federal government.

Maine and New England have the cost-effective, low-carbon energy resources that we need to break our dependency on foreign oil.

There are challenges, not the least of which is the necessary investment in transmission capacity.

But if we work together as a region, Maine, New England and Eastern Canada will have the best opportunity to determine our own energy future.

If we allow cooperation to be derailed, then we will allow others to dictate our policies to us, and continue down a road where we pay higher prices for all kinds of energy.

Right now, Midwestern states are working together to build an enormous and costly power line from their region to the East Coast.

Estimates place the cost on the project between $80 billion dollars and $160 billion dollars.

With our intra-region resources we can meet the same power needs at a fraction of the cost.

Early estimates suggest we could bring the same amount of energy to the same market for no more than $20 billion dollars.

That translates into billions of dollars of savings for taxpayers and ratepayers.

It means a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for all of North America.

But the opportunities we have are not guaranteed.

We have to be smart, bold and flexible.

And if we make the right decisions, we will be in control of our energy future.

If, instead, we opt for division, fear and internal competition, we will find that others have gained the upper hand.

Then our energy policy will be dictated to us by others, and the potential for new jobs, new investments and a new energy future will be lost.

I am confident after meeting with my counterparts from New England and Eastern Canada that the strengths we share far outweigh the differences amongst us.

By working together, we can all enjoy increased prosperity.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Trade Mission

September 26, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Since taking office in 2003, I have made it a priority to reduce Maine?s dependence on fossil fuels and improve our State?s position as a leader in renewable energy.

We have made great progress, but we have not yet capitalized on the full potential of our growing renewable energy sector.

This week, I led a Renewable Energy Trade Mission to Spain and Germany, and also visited a deep-water offshore wind platform in Norway.

Spain and Germany and the United States lead the world in the production of wind turbines and installed wind power.

By the end of 2008, 11 and a half percent of Spain?s electricity production was coming from wind.

And the country has set aggressive goals in building on that capacity.

In addition, Spain is the home of Iberdrola, which owns Energy East and Central Maine Power.

Iberdrola is one of the largest wind power operators in the United States and has plans to more than triple its capacity by 2012.

The country offers great potential as a source of investment in Maine and as a market for technologies that will be developed and tested here.

Germany has a long history of renewable energy production and was the 5th largest market for U.S. exports in 2008.

The country is rapidly developing its ability to build and maintain offshore wind farms.

Both offer incredible opportunities for Maine businesses to attract significant investment here at home.

In Maine, we understand the necessity of improved energy security and an end to our reliance on foreign oil.

We have tremendous untapped natural resources, including wind, tidal, hydro and wood-based sources of energy.

And we have taken the necessary steps to put them to work for a more prosperous Maine.

Two years ago, I convened the Governor?s Wind Power Task Force.

We developed legislation that set ambitious but achievable targets for wind power.

By 2015 ? just six years from now ? we will produce 2,000 megawatts of electricity from wind. By 2020, that number will grow 3,000 megawatts, with at least 10 percent coming from offshore wind.

Maine is already New England?s leader in developing land-based wind power.

We represent 95 percent of all the wind power in New England so far.

We have more than 300 megawatts of currently operating or under construction and another 450 megawatts being planned.

And our offshore wind resource is even greater, with the potential to produce as much electricity as 45 nuclear power plants.

Our tidal energy resource is large, strong and predictable, and a pilot project is moving forward near Eastport in Washington County.

The momentum is clearly with us.

We are growing the partnerships with our regional neighbors and with the federal government. And they?re both necessary for our success.

Together with my fellow New England governors, we have approved a regional Renewable Energy Blueprint that will help to guide a cooperative approach to energy production and transmission.

And we continue to build productive relationships with our federal partners, including the White House, Department of Energy and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

In June, Maine hosted a highly acclaimed ?EnergyOcean 2009? Conference that brought together 350 leaders in ocean energy technology and innovation.

The conference and its success underscored Maine?s growing reputation in the renewable and ocean energy sectors.

And today we are working to identify between one and five wind technology demonstration sites in Maine?s coastal waters.

The sites will serve as a proving ground for new technologies that will help our State capture the power of the wind offshore.

Maine also sets at the nexus of delivering clean, renewable electricity to power-hungry areas to the south in a way that benefits ratepayers and taxpayers alike.

I love Maine, and it?s hard to get me to travel out of State.

But when it comes to making Maine?s case on the world stage, it?s often an easy sell.

Our State?s reputation for craftsmanship, for hardworking, friendly people and wondrous natural resources has already circled the globe.

On the trip last week, I worked to spread the word that Maine is the place to conduct renewable and wind energy business.

We have the strong research work going on at the University of Maine and with partners around the State.

We are committed to a cleaner, more secure energy future.

And we have the people, regulatory climate, and natural resources to be successful.

So I know that this mission will pay dividends to the people of Maine for years to come.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Creating Jobs

October 3, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Right now, our country is in an unusual position.

We are beginning to recover from the most serious economic downturn since the Great Depression.

There are good indicators that things are starting to improve, at least on the national level.

But the scars of the recession are healing slowly, especially in the states.

Maine is no different.

We saw some positive signs from the Recovery Act and the Cash for Clunkers program, and it appears that our real estate market is slowly improving.

But State revenues are continuing to fall short of projections, and we haven?t seen job growth we would expect with a recovery.

More than ever, our State must focus on creating a good environment for businesses to grow, expand and prosper.

I believe the very best social program is a good job.

And that?s why I?m proud of the work that?s going on in Maine right now.

Last year, working with the Maine Legislature, we lowered the State?s top income tax rate from 8.5 to 6.5 percent for people making less than $250,000 a year.

The change not only helps working Mainers, but it also helps many of the State?s small business and will encourage investment in Maine.

The move won accolades from the Walk Street Journal and the Tax Foundation.

We have also expanded our State?s economic development programs, like Pine Tree Zones, which will help attract new and growing businesses to the State.

And we have been recognized nationally for our efforts to redevelop Brunswick Naval Air Station.

And we are working continually to improve opportunities for Mainers to learn the skills they need to be successful in a changing economy.

But creating a good environment for job growth takes even more.

We have to foster an attitude in Maine that we are open and ready for business.

That?s why I led a trade mission to Europe in September that included the Ivy League of Maine businesses.

We went to Europe to show that Maine is serious about growing new jobs in expanding fields, such as renewable energy.

Maine has tremendous potential to become an international leader in the renewable energy sector.

We?ve been blessed with abundant natural resources, and the research going on at the University of Maine puts us in an excellent position for success.

Already, Maine produces 95 percent of the wind power in New England and has developed a regulatory environment that is strong, stable and predictable.

But our future is not guaranteed.

That?s why it?s important that we fight for every job we can.

That means protecting the jobs that we have, and bringing new jobs home.

And that?s why we must reach out and develop relationships that will help us develop the technologies we need for success.

In Oakfield, Maine, we see a good example of how new ideas can delivery real benefits.

This week, the town overwhelmingly approved the development of a 34-turbine wind farm.

The votes came during a special town meeting in which voters also rejected a moratorium on wind projects.

Oakfield made the right decision.

The project will generate enough electricity to power more than 20,000 homes.

But the agreement also means a new fire station for the town, road improvements and a scholarship fund for students from the town who attend a Maine college or university.

This is the sort of economic development that will pay dividends for years to come, benefitting local taxpayers, students and making our country more energy independent.

If we want to grow jobs and grow our economy, we have to be ready when opportunity knocks.

In Maine, we are committed to charting a course for economic prosperity that protects our most important assets: our people and our natural resources.

We will always protect the things that make our State strong: Our clean water and air, our open spaces, and our commitment to the environment.

And we can do it in a way that reduces our dependency on foreign oil and reduces pollution.

If we want good things to happen, we?re going to have to make them happen.

I can see a Maine, not too far into the future, that leads the nation in onshore and offshore wind power generation and renewable power generation.

Where technologies developed right here are put to work around the world.

Where good jobs and growing industries call Maine home.

I have seen what?s happening in other places, and I know we have the people to do it better here.

We have tough days ahead of us.

But we will recover and we will grow.

The foundation is being set right now for a greener, more prosperous Maine.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Governor's Weekly Radio Address: International Relations

October 10, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

For all governors, the top priority is looking out for the well-being of the people who live in our state.

Every decision I make comes with the intent of protecting Maine and expanding opportunities for the people who live and work here.

Sometimes, that means reaching beyond our borders to attract new jobs and new industries, to defend our economy, to make sure our State is heard in Washington, and to assist our nation?s allies around the world.

This week, Maine hosted an official delegation from Montenegro, one of the world?s newest democracies.

Montenegro was once part of Yugoslavia. In 2006, the country declared its independence.

Later that same year, the Maine National Guard began a partnership program with the young country.

As a new country, Montenegro needs our help in establishing the institutions that are the foundation for democracy.

Our National Guard has worked to transition their military into a professional force capable of participating in NATO missions.

When Maine?s National Guard soldiers deploy next year to Afghanistan, we expect a platoon from Montenegro to join them.

But the relationship has grown beyond just military exchanges.

In 2007, the president of Montenegro visited Maine and the international relationship has grown stronger since.

Through support from the federal government, Maine has sent more than 23 missions to Montenegro.

We have helped train the country?s marine patrol, increased exchange between our institutions of higher education, and begun work to expand our economic development and tourism ties.

It?s a relationship that helps our National Guard, it helps our State, helps our country and helps to promote democracy around the world.

But as Maine looks out for its interests on the world stage, there will also be disagreements.

Right now, Maine and the United States are in a dispute with Canada and New Brunswick over shipping in Passamaquoddy Bay, the St. Croix River and through Head Harbor Passage.

There is much that binds Maine and New Brunswick together.

We have common borders and many common interests.

During my term as governor, I have worked hard to increase cross-border cooperation on a number of issues critical to both sides.

And we have made great progress by recognizing that our region is only stronger when New England and Eastern Canada are able to work together.

But these strong relationships do not guarantee that we will always agree on all issues.

Passamaquoddy Bay and the St. Croix River are boundary waters between the United States and Canada.

According to international law, ships headed to port in Maine have as much right to use the passage as ships headed to Canada.

Canada disagrees and has asserted that the river and bay are ?internal? Canadian waters, and that commerce there can be controlled and regulated by Ottawa.

In the simplest of language possible, that?s wrong.

Ships bound for Maine and the United States have the right to travel up the river.

The issue of right of passage has been tied up with two current proposals to develop liquefied natural gas terminals in Maine. Canada, which has an LNG terminal of its own, is attempting to block the developments on our side of the border.

While I support the development of LNG facilities in Maine as long as they meet all environmental and safety requirements and have the support of the host communities, the issues along the St. Croix, Head Harbor Passage and Passamaquoddy Bay go much deeper than these two proposed projects.

Today, Canada and New Brunswick have made the decision that it is in their best interest to attempt to block tankers from reaching port in the United States.

Tomorrow, the decision could be made that other types of commercial traffic should be blocked.

As Maine works to develop and grow exports, there is great potential for wood pulp, biofuels, wood chips and any number of other products to be shipped down the St. Croix to markets around the world.

Annually, more than 100 deep draft cargo ships visit the ports of Eastport in the U.S. and Bayside in Canada already, and the U.S. Coast Guard uses the waterway to reach the ocean. If Canada?s claim is left unchallenged, that traffic will also be left to the discretion of Ottawa.

It isn?t appropriate for the Canadian government to hold control over commerce in Maine and the United States.

I have met with the Obama administration and with the United States State Department, and both have reiterated their support for the right of innocent passage through Head Harbor Passage.

Whether LNG terminals are developed in Washington County or not, we cannot cede control of commerce in Maine to another country, no matter how well we are able to cooperate on other issues.

Maine has much to offer on the national and world stage, but our top priority will always be what?s best for our people.

Thank you and have a good holiday weekend.

Radio Address: Budget

October 17, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Looking back over the week?s news, it?s easy to understand why there?s so much confusion about the national and State economy.

On Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial average topped 10,000 for the first time in more than a year.

We also announced the good news about a new company moving to Maine, with plans to hire 125 people.

At the same time, unemployment remains too high and State revenues are not meeting projections.

Most economists believe that the national recession ended late this summer, but also think it will take several months before things stabilize.

Like most other states, revenues in Maine are under budget.

While the evidence suggests that economic expansion will take hold next year, we have to take the necessary steps to keep Maine?s financial house in order now.

So this week, I directed all State agencies to make plans to reduce spending to bring the budget back into balance.

The targets I?ve set to reduce spending are by $100 million dollars this year and $100 million dollars next year.

Already, the budget we passed early this year reduced State spending by $500 million below the last two-year budget.

Now, that?s the first time that a biennial budget has been less than its predecessor in over 30 years.

So the task I?ve laid out for my administration will be difficult.

But it?s clear we must do more ? and do it without raising broad-based taxes or cutting the most vulnerable in our society.

We must find efficiencies and make the changes necessary to keep spending in line with resources.

We must continue with the reforms, and protect the gains we have already made.

We can?t afford to undo important progress, like the steps we have taken to reduce unnecessary administration in public schools.

And at the same time, we must protect the core of our safety net and critical services that government provides.

We must find ways to invest in our people so that they are prepared to take advantage of new opportunities when they emerge.

In Maine, we have shown that even during the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, we are able to balance a fair, responsible and compassionate government with the necessity of reduced spending.

It hasn?t been easy, and it?s only going to get more difficult as we move forward.

But working with the Legislature, we have demonstrated our commitment to Maine values of good government and fiscal discipline.

Almost every State has faced the same financial dilemma as Maine. What sets us apart has been our ability to work together, across party lines.

With that same type of cooperation, I am confident we can chart the best path forward.

Even now, as we work to close an anticipated budget gap, we know that a turn-around is coming.

The steps we have taken to lower the income tax rates, to improve business incentives and to safeguard our economy will leave us in a stronger position for recovery.

So on Wednesday, PlumChoice, a Massachusetts high-tech company, announced its plans to expand into Maine.

This is the first time the company has created a new Center of Excellence outside of its home state.

The competition for PlumChoice was intense.

Ten other locations were considered for the expansion, but PlumChoice picked Scarborough, Maine, because our State has a high-quality workforce and the right business incentives.

This is exactly the kind of innovative company Maine wants to attract. It?s bringing good jobs and benefits that were once outsourced to foreign companies back to the United States and to the State of Maine.

The company is growing fast. It hopes to double its revenues this year.

Hiring has already begun and the company expects to hire 125 employees by the end of this year.

Of course, one new company doesn?t mean that we?ve recovered.

But it does demonstrate that our State has the foundation to be successful.

We have created an environment that is attractive to cutting-edge companies, and that we have the workforce they need for success.

In the days and months ahead, we will face many tough decisions.

We will have to reconsider our priorities and make decisions about our values and the appropriate size of government.

And it won?t be easy. There will be disagreements.

But I know that as long as we all approach our current financial reality with an open mind and a willingness to work together, we can move forward.

That?s what Maine people expect, and that?s what we are going to do.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Recovery Act Reports

October 24, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week Maine completed its first required reports to the federal government for the Recovery Act.

The results are impressive.

The Recovery Act is putting thousands of Mainers to work.

It?s improving vital State infrastructure.

And it?s helping Maine families get through the toughest economic period since the Great Depression.

More than 3,400 people have been directly employed in Maine on transportation and clean water projects alone.

Hundreds of other jobs have been created or saved by Recovery Act funding for health care, education, housing and in other project areas.

In just the first six months, the Recovery Act has created thousands of jobs, saved many more and paid direct benefits to Maine families that have helped them through the most challenging economy of our time.

So people are working today because of the Recovery Act.

And hundreds of thousands more have received tax breaks, and received extended unemployment insurance and had their health insurance protected.

In addition to Recovery Act dollars that flowed through State agencies, more than 5,000 Mainers applied for the first-time homebuyer credit, which was expanded by the law.

Maine residents have also received $73.5 million in additional Unemployment Insurance compensation.

And about 500,000 Maine families benefited from the ?Making Work Pay? tax credits.

The Recovery Act has made a real difference to Maine families.

And Maine has led the way in making the Recovery Act successful.

Our State was the first in the country to obligate 100 percent of the funding for transportation projects, putting people to work quickly and getting important road and bridge projects done this summer.

The results can be seen around the State.

Of 71 projects, 64 have been started and 27 have already been completed, including the largest ? the reconstruction of the north bound lanes of Interstate 295.

The $31 million project was done efficiently, and Mainers are already reaping the benefits.

I?m also very proud of the work the Recovery Act has made possible at the Department of Labor.

About 700 people went to work as part of the summer youth program, including about 60 young people who learned valuable skills helping others in their community weatherize their homes.

Housing projects in Augusta, Houlton and Bangor have created or will create another 295 jobs.

And education funding has created or saved another 120 jobs.

With more than a year and half of the Recovery Act remaining, we are already seeing results that will last a generation.

Maine communities will benefit from 53 projects to enhance drinking water quality, and another 35 projects will help ensure our State?s water remain healthy and clean.

From the beginning, both President Obama and I have focused on accountability and transparency.

Maine has been at the forefront of making Recovery Act information public and working cooperatively with the Legislature to ensure appropriate oversight.

We are working hard to make sure taxpayers can see where their money is going and to track how it is being spent.

I am proud of the work we have done at www-dot-maine-dot-gov-forward slash-recovery.

The State Web site is a model for information sharing, and we are continually working to make it more user-friendly and informational.

States were required to make their first reports on Recovery Act spending to the federal government on Oct. 10.

States had until midnight on Oct. 21 to review and revise the information.

Maine?s preliminary reports became available Thursday on our Web site.

And they will be available from the federal government on Oct. 30.

The Web site includes an overview of major categories where work was done and more than 130 individual reports on how Recovery Act dollars have been used.

I encourage you to visit the Web site and look at the information that is available.

So while our economy is just beginning to recovery from a global economic recession, we know without a doubt that the Recovery Act has made a difference.

I especially want to thank our Congressional delegation for their support of the Recovery Act. Both Sen. Snowe and Sen. Collins were vital to its passage in the Senate, and the leadership of Rep. Michaud and Rep. Pingree were instrumental in the House.

In just six months, much has been done that will benefit Maine.

But the work will continue, and the benefits of the Recovery Act will extend well into the future.

We will see more projects completed and more jobs created.

And we will see the lasting impact of this significant public investment in Maine and our people.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Maine?s Budget Challenge

October 31, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, State departments and agencies submitted ideas for a new round of budget reductions.

No final decisions have been made about what I will present to the Legislature in December, but many difficult choices are ahead.

Maine?s economy remains in flux, and we are preparing to make tough decisions to keep the State budget in balance as required by law.

Our State has shown that we are able to balance our budget without raising broad-based taxes and with overwhelming bipartisan support.

And we have cut spending dramatically.

And we have exercised the fiscal discipline necessary to protect the most vulnerable, make smart investments and fund K-12 education.

We know that in this time of economic stress, Maine must have a solid foundation from which we can grow.

In the spring, we passed a two-year, bipartisan State budget that is $500 million less than its predecessor.

But now, it seems almost certain that we will have to cut more.

My administration is working with the Appropriations Committee and the Legislature on ways to further reduce State spending.

While our situation is serious, I?m not going to raise broad-based taxes to balance the budget.

To put things into perspective, my first two-year budget was roughly $5.4 billion dollars.

Of that, almost $700 hundred million dollars per year went to education.

Before it?s all said and done, our budget this year could be close to that same amount.

But now, in 2010 we are budgeting more than $1 billion on education while enrollment has continued to decline.

We?ve made the most of this investment because voters said, at the ballot box, it was their priority.

To get there, we have reduced the State workforce by about 1,000 positions, or about 8.8 percent of the State workforce.

We have combined State departments and agencies, and improved efficiencies throughout government.

We have cut and restructured, and then cut some more.

Our children deserve the best education.

And we?ve have worked diligently to make sure that scarce resources get into the classroom.

That?s where they do the most good, supporting teachers and their students.

We must also continue our efforts to streamline State government.

We will set priorities and live within our means.

We recognize that Government can?t be the answer to all problems.

But government can ensure a foundation for success by enacting good public policies.

With the Legislature, we?ve been able to:

Expand Pine Tree Zones, enabling more existing Maine businesses tax benefits for their expansions.

Lowered the State?s top income tax rate from 8.5 to 6.5 percent for people making less than $250,000 a year.

We?ve invested in areas that will result in future returns for businesses through research and development, quality places and transportation bonds.

We?ve provided funds for industry cluster development through the Maine Technology Institute.

We?ve repealed the Business Equipment Property Tax so that new investments in business equipment will not be taxed ? this helps our businesses to expand and to hire new employees.

And we have controlled spending while making crucial investments to create sustainable, private sector jobs.

These initiatives will help create good-paying jobs with benefits.

Education and human services account for about 80 percent of the State budget.

In both areas, we?ve made important structural changes and improved efficiency.

Every state in the nation struggles to control health care spending and the cost of their Medicaid program.

During tough economic times, more people turn to these programs for help, putting even greater pressure on limited resources.

As we look at the steps other States are taking, we see that Maine has led the way in constraining costs.

We have held growth in Medicaid to less than 3 percent, which is well below the national average.

And we have done it while maintaining the core of our safety net.

Good government takes hard work, and Maine people have been doing it.

And we will continue to create opportunities with public policy that:

? Invests in our people;

? Builds infrastructure;

? Focuses on key sectors of Maine?s economy; and

? Creates a fair and stable business environment.

It?s all about jobs and expanding opportunities for Mainers.

It won?t be easy and it won?t happen overnight, especially during this challenging budget environment.

But working together, we?ve demonstrated our commitment to Maine values of good government and fiscal discipline.

The steps we have taken to lower the income tax rate, to improve business incentives and to safeguard our economy will leave us in a stronger position for recovery.

Thank you, and have a safe and happy weekend.

Radio Address: The Road Ahead

November 7, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

It was an exciting week here in Maine.

With near record turnout, Maine voters went to the polls on Tuesday and decided some of the most important issues facing our State.

While I know that many people were disappointed with the results, I am proud of all the folks who turned out to vote.

Voting is the backbone of democracy, and hundreds of thousands of Mainers from every part of our State took part on Tuesday.

On Question 1, I still firmly believe that Maine?s Constitution requires that we treat everyone in our State the same.

We didn?t take this issue on because we were certain that we would win.

We did it because it was the right thing to do.

On Tuesday, we didn?t reach the top of the mountain.

But we did change a lot of hearts and a lot of minds.

Mainers now have a better understanding of the issue.

And I remain impressed with the way the people of this State stood up and told their personal stories, and with the courage that it required.

Eventually, we will be successful in making sure all Mainers, individuals and families, are treated equally.

But for today, we must respect the judgment of Maine?s voters.

On several other issues, Mainers spoke loudly.

Voters rejected for the third time in recent years a ballot initiative often referred to as TABOR.

They also rejected a proposal that would have changed the excise tax.

And they affirmed their support for school administrative reform.

The votes demonstrate that people understand that Maine has reduced its budget to match the economic times while protecting our State?s core values.

Working with the Legislature, my administration reduced the State?s two-year budget by $500 million dollars, and did it with broad, bipartisan support.

It?s the first time in at least 35 years that a two-year budget has been less than its predecessor.

We maintained the safety net for our most vulnerable citizens and did it without raising taxes.

During these tough economic times, I know that we can not add to the tax burden of Maine families.

Voters recognized that we should not allow our budget process to be driven by formulas.

Through a thoughtful and deliberative process, we have shown our ability to balance the size of government with available resources.

I was also encouraged that voters supported our efforts to reduce administrative costs in K-12 education.

By rejecting Question 3, voters showed that they understand that the best way to help our students is to put resources into the classroom, not outdated administrative structures.

I know that it?s difficult to cut the State budget.

And I know it?s hard to change old habits.

But we must adapt, and we must be willing to change if we want our students to get the best possible education.

We have done much to reduce the cost of government, to make it more efficient and reduce its size.

But more work is necessary.

Early estimates suggest that State revenue for October will continue to fall short of projections.

The national recession continues to impact our State, and we must take action now.

I am preparing plans to immediately cut State spending.

The process is called a curtailment, but it?s a blunt instrument.

But I am prepared to use it to uphold my obligation under law and the Constitution of this State to balance the State budget.

Even after curtailment, more cuts are coming.

In December, I will submit to the Legislature revisions to the State budget.

Those changes will further cut spending and position Maine for the economic recovery to come.

Some of those cuts won?t be popular, but we can?t raise taxes.

Instead, we must balance spending with current resources. And that?s the responsible course of action.

While the lingering effects of the national recession require us to make more hard choices, I?m also gratified that Maine voters continue to recognize the importance of investing in our people.

On Tuesday, voters approved a transportation investment plan that will put thousands of people to work.

It will improve our roads and bridges, make important investments in ports and harbors and attract $148 million dollars in federal and other matching funds.

By investing in our infrastructure, we will create jobs and promote Maine businesses and give our economy a boost.

And as we look ahead and the passion from Tuesday?s election fades, I know that the people of Maine care deeply about their neighbors and their communities.

The strong turnout demonstrates just how much.

Your involvement and willingness to participate is the hallmark of a healthy democracy.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Veterans Day

November 14, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week we paused to honor the men and women who have served our country in the military.

Wednesday was Veterans Day, and there were celebrations held around the State to show our gratitude and respect for all the people who have served and all those who continue to serve today.

Whether it was the parade in Bangor and Brewer that I attended or similar gatherings elsewhere, Mainers turned out to support our veterans.

We owe a tremendous debt to those who serve.

They leave jobs, friends and family, and voluntarily put themselves into harm?s way.

They fight in far off places, like Iraq and Afghanistan.

But they do much more.

They build roads and schools.

Deliver food and medical supplies.

They save lives and provide comfort.

And they are an example of all that is great about our country.

In the worst of circumstances, they are professional and dedicated, putting the lives of others ahead of their own.

On Tuesday, I had the great privilege to meet Retired Major Eva Price.

Eva was born in 1909 and spent a career as a nurse in the United States Army.

During that career which stretched 20 years, Eva treated our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in far-flung places around the globe.

She arrived in Japan soon after the bombing of Hiroshima and treated the civilians injured by the nuclear blast that helped to end the war.

She also served in the Philippines, Germany and Seoul, South Korea.

Later her duties took her to Washington State, Arkansas, New Jersey and Walter Reed Hospital in Washington.

At each stop, Eva helped to open doors for women who wanted to serve in uniform. And at each stop, she took care of the soldiers who had been injured wearing the uniform of the United States of America.

Eva?s story is one that we can all celebrate as an example of a life of service.

Today, men and women continue to answer the same call of duty that she took all around the world.

Right now, there are about 160 members of the Maine National Guard serving overseas.

Early next year, that number will grow by roughly 900, as elements of the 133rd Engineer Battalion, the (Eleven-thirty-sixth) 1136th Transportation Company and the 172nd Mountain Infantry Company will deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan.

This will be the second deployment for all of these units.

We have about 2,100 men and women in the Maine National Guard.

Every one of them is a hero.

More than 2,300 members of the Maine National Guard have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Eight gave their lives for their country.

More than 50 have earned Purple Hearts.

Our State relies upon these brave men and women during foreign deployments and to safeguard our State during an emergency here at home.

While a high percentage of the Maine National Guard will be serving overseas, the mission at home is also important.

We are confident that the men and women serving in-state are up to any challenge we might face ? whether it?s an ice storm, blizzard or flood.

Each time they have been called upon, they have answered. And I am proud of them all.

As our men and women prepare for a year away from home, those of us staying behind have our own mission to accomplish.

It is our responsibility to make sure these brave soldiers know that they are in our thoughts and prayers.

It is our responsibility to take care of their families, to support them during the good times and the bad.

It is our responsibility to make sure that those who are deployed receive everything they need ? the best equipment, the best health care, and the support to accomplish a difficult mission.

And when they come home, we must make sure that care continues.

We ask our soldiers to put their lives on hold for more than a year.

To live in hard places away from the comfort of home.

And to risk their lives.

When their duty is done, our duty continues.

We must make sure that our veterans receive the support and gratitude they have earned ? not just on Veterans Day, but every day.

On behalf of the First Lady, myself and a grateful State, thank you to all the men and women who have served and to all of them who continue to serve today.

Thank you for listening and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: Curtailment

November 21, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

As our thoughts begin to turn toward the holidays, we can lose sight of the challenges that Maine faces.

The effects of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression continue to weigh on Maine.

State revenues have not met projections.

On Friday, I took action to cut State spending to ensure our budget remains balanced, as required under Maine law and the Constitution.

I ordered a curtailment of roughly $63 million dollars.

A curtailment order is a blunt instrument that allows the governor to cut spending immediately when revenues fall.

It?s a tool that helps us to keep our budget in balance.

I don?t take the order lightly, and I have considered its implications thoroughly.

But we must continue to cut State spending.

There is no option.

The working men and women of Maine cannot afford a tax increase.

And I will not support one.

At the same time, we must balance our budget, which means more cuts.

Last spring, working with Legislature, we passed a two-year budget that is $500 million dollars less than its predecessor budget.

That?s the first time in 35 years that a two-year budget has been less than the one before it.

We passed the budget with broad, bipartisan support.

We made tough cuts while maintaining our core values:

Protecting our most vulnerable;

Safeguarding public health and safety;

And investing in those areas that will help our economy grow once the effects of the national recession end.

Unfortunately, State revenues have continued to decline, and more cuts are necessary.

After the curtailment, the budget revisions I am going to submit to the Legislature in December will include more cuts.

We live in unprecedented times.

The difficult task of predicting how our economy will perform has gotten even harder.

Even the country?s leading corporations have difficulty predicting performance next month, let alone next year.

Like Maine, at least 42 states have had to make additional spending cuts after passing their budgets.

Even as the recession has begun to end on the national level, States continue to struggle.

In 2009, States had to close budget gaps of $72.7 billion dollars.

In 2010, the number is already $113 billion dollars ? and growing.

In Maine, we have a history of austerity.

During the last six and a half years, Maine has reduced the size of State government.

We have 1,000 fewer State employees since I became Governor.

And we have made important changes to stretch dollars farther.

We?ve reduced administration throughout state government.

We?ve made major reductions in administrations in health and human services, information technology and finances.

We?ve eliminated and consolidated school administration.

And we?ve combined the oversight and operations of local jails and state prisons.

We?ve done all this ? and much more ? so we can focus resources on those places where they do the most good.

Government is leaner, more efficient and more effective.

But more must be done.

Following the will of the voters, Maine has also made a significant investment in K-12 education.

Since my first budget in 2003-2004, education funding has grown to almost a billion dollars this year, up from $709 million dollars back then.

And there are 19,000 fewer students.

Without those increases, General Fund spending today would be about at the same level as it was seven years ago.

It hasn?t been easy.

But we must continue the work to maintain a responsible State budget.

Friday?s curtailment will reduce funding in several areas.

Eighty percent of the General Fund goes to support health and human services and education.

As a result, curtailment hits those areas hardest.

But our universities and community colleges will also see reductions, as will nearly every department within State government.

It isn?t pretty, but it is necessary.

We?ve taken special care and evaluated each reduction based on several factors, including:

? Its effects on public health and safety;

? The extent an impact could be minimized;

? And, when possible, that the reduction followed the intent of the Legislature.

While the news is hard to hear, it?s important that school districts and other folks affected by the reductions know as soon as possible what to expect.

I?ve asked the Commissioner of Education to continue to work with the Legislature and local school districts to limit the impact on classrooms.

The days and weeks ahead are going to be difficult.

And I?m going to approach this budget process with an open mind and a commitment to protect the values we all hold dear.

We no longer have the option of saying no to uncomfortable ideas if they allow us to save money, become more efficient and protect important services.

But the people of Maine can respond to any challenge. They prove it every single day. And we also will be able to rise to this challenge.

And as we move forward, we will all have to work together for the greater good of the State.

I know we can do it.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Budget Preview

December 5, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

In the coming weeks, I?ll be presenting to the Legislature my plans for bringing Maine?s two-year budget into balance.

The truth of our country?s economic condition is well-known. Unemployment levels are high, over 10 percent nationally and 8 percent here in Maine.

Businesses are moving with caution and aren?t investing as much.

Consumers are worried about their jobs and their health care and aren?t spending as much either.

So incomes are down. Investments are fragile and people are nervous.

All in all, it translates into an economy that has been slow to regain its footing.

This national recession has been the longest, most severe since the Great Depression, and we feel it at home, at work and in government.

Despite a conservative and data-driven approach to revenue projections, the unprecedented nature of the recession has led economists to consistently downgrade projections for economic growth.

In just the last year, Maine?s revenues have been re-forecast down by $1.1 billion dollars. Most recently, projections for the rest of 2010 and 2011 were reduced by more than $380 million dollars.

It can feel like Maine is all alone.

But the truth is, at least 34 states at last count are in the same situation.

Their Legislatures passed budgets for 2010 and 2011 that now must be cut.

It is a challenging time.

We are called upon to balance the budget at the same time the recession is placing increased demands upon government to take care of people and families in need.

While funding for the State?s Medicaid program has been held almost flat and well-below the national average for growth, the program is serving an additional 20,000 people.

Other programs, like food assistance and unemployment, have grown and more and more people have fallen on hard times.

In the spring, Maine passed a two-year budget that was $500 million dollars less than its predecessor. It?s the first time in at least 35 years that that?s happened.

And on Dec. 18, I will present my plan to close a shortfall of $383 million dollars more.

As a preview, we will not increase taxes. I don?t think working Mainers can afford a heavier burden.

You can expect more cuts across State government.

I will propose new ways to streamline government, and make structural changes that will reduce the cost of government going forward.

And I will also use one-time tools to help reduce the impact of the revenue decline on education, health care, public safety and job creation.

We face a necessity to reduce state spending, but government still has a responsibility to protect its people.

? When you call the police, they come.

? When you need medical care, you can get it.

? When you go to work, you get paid.

? And when things fall a part, there are supports that will help you lift yourself back up.

You can talk about government in a lot of ways, but essentially it is how we, as a people, deliver upon the promises we have made to one another.

Regardless of political party, we all want a good education for our kids, to help our neighbors who are struggling and to expand economic opportunity.

Those are the basics, the essentials. We have to protect them.

And we can do it by making tough choices today that leave us in a better position for recovery.

Already, much has been done.

Government today has more than 1,000 fewer employees than it did when I took office.

We have consolidated school administrative districts, and reduced the redundancy between the state prison and 15 different county jail administrations.

We have merged state agencies and departments, and made our information technology and financial systems more efficient.

And we?ve made major investments in K-12 education while holding the rest of government spending almost static.

My first budget as governor was $5.35 billion dollars. Seven years later, the budget for 2010-2011 will be close to the same, even though we have increased aid to education by more than $500 million dollars with 19,000 fewer students.

We have continued to be fiscally responsible.

And we?ve have never lost sight of our core values.

And we won?t lose sight of them now.

My proposal to balance the budget will include hard choices and will require shared sacrifice.

And we will have to change the way we do business and continue on the path to a smaller, more efficient government.

But we will maintain the essentials. And we will support job growth.

By working together, we can make sure our economy will start to grow again.

Thank you and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: Job Creation

December 12, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, we heard from the President a renewed commitment to put Americans back to work.

In February, President Obama, working with Maine?s Congressional Delegation, passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The law made significant investments in infrastructure, health care and education.

It created thousands of jobs in Maine and hundreds of thousands of jobs nationally.

Without question, the law helped our country avoid depression.

Even so, it?s clear that more needs to be done.

In Maine, the unemployment rate remains near 8 percent, while nationally the number is about 10 percent.

That?s still too high.

As I?ve said on many occasions, the best social program is a good job, and the best social service department is the family.

That?s why I was pleased this week when the President outlined his plans to spark job creation.

The plan focuses on several key areas, including:

? Small business growth;

? Investment in roads and bridges;

? Improved communications networks;

? Energy efficiency;

? Direct assistance to workers;

? And extended assistance to state and local governments to avoid layoffs and service reductions when people need help the most.

The plan is bold, but also targeted.

It addresses specific areas that we know will help our economy, put people to work and keep families safe during this unprecedented recession.

Small businesses are the backbone of Maine?s economy, and we?ve known long that they are the foundation for job creation.

The President?s plan will help to ensure that innovative businesses and people have access to the tools they need to be successful.

His plan includes tax incentives for hiring.

Like Maine?s Pine Tree Zone economic development program, the president wants to reward companies that put people to work with good-paying jobs and benefits.

His plan also calls for new investment in roads and bridges, airports and water systems.

Already in Maine, the Recovery Act has helped to create 3,400 jobs in these areas, while improving our roads, bridges and making our water cleaner and safer.

I know some critics have knocked the Recovery Act. They say it didn?t do enough and didn?t do it fast enough.

But if you ask the men and women who went to work beginning this summer, they will tell you it was a success.

Time and again, Maine has been recognized as a leader in implementing the Recovery Act.

And on Dec. 3, Congress?s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee ranked Maine first in the nation for the speed and efficiency of its use of Recovery Act dollars.

In addition to the jobs created, untold thousands were saved because of increased federal support.

It was a priority of my administration to put people to work as quickly as possible.

The president also talked Tuesday about the need to keep in place important safety net provisions that are directly related to helping families hurt by the recession.

While it?s critical that the economy begin to create jobs more quickly, we also have to recognize that recovery will take time.

During the transition, the federal government needs to continue its support for the unemployed and for families struggling to keep health insurance.

These programs directly help people who have fallen on hard times. We shouldn?t leave them behind.

Finally, the president talked about extending assistance to State and local governments.

In Maine, I am working right now on budget revisions that will close an anticipated gap of about $400 million dollars in the State?s two-year budget.

I am making the difficult decisions necessary to keep our budget balanced, as required by State law and the Constitution.

But I am also asking that Washington recognize the plight of the States.

This week, I sent a letter to the White House and Maine?s Congressional Delegation asking that the increased support for Medicaid included in the Recovery Act be extended for at least six months.

With increased demands and diminishing State resources, people are at risk of losing their health care coverage without greater federal support.

I have talked with the Vice President and with the President?s economic team. I?ve told them state assistance should be part of any jobs plan.

We know that at least 34 states are facing significant mid-year budget cuts because the economy is still struggling.

If State and local economies are allowed to collapse, there can be no national recovery.

So as I finalize my budget revisions, my goal will be to minimize layoffs and to protect important areas such as public health, public safety, education and job creation.

While we need a strong partnership with the federal government, Maine will do what?s necessary to maintain a balanced budget and to spur economic recovery.

I will not support a tax increase during this recession that would only add to the burden on families and businesses.

And we will be holding our own jobs forum in January.

We will bring the best thinkers in the public and private sectors together to identify those steps we can take locally to promote job growth.

We?ll build on the ideas from the Presidents Jobs Forum earlier this month.

And we?ll highlight the resources that are already available to help businesses grow.

We need to work cooperatively with Washington to help private businesses be successful.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Budget Revisions

December 19, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

On Friday, I released my plans for closing a $438 million dollar budget gap created by declining revenues.

As we approach the holiday season, the details of our country?s economic plight are front and center.

And the impact goes beyond the numbers and the bar graphs we?ve all been accustomed to.

Unemployment and economic uncertainty are taking an increasing toll on our economy and on our families.

It has devastated people looking for work, and hangs like a dark cloud over people who are working.

This national recession has been the longest and most severe since the Great Depression, and we all feel it.

Since just last year, Maine?s revenues have been re-forecast down by $1.1 billion dollars.

As I worked on developing a plan to close the gap, I considered a list of priorities that would help guide my decision making.

My plan would work to lessen the impact as much as possible on education, public safety and health, and our most vulnerable citizens.

Given that education and health and human services account for about 80 percent of the General Fund budget, there are no ways around those areas to avoid serious reductions.

But I sought to reduce the impacts and give communities greater flexibility to reduce their costs and to focus their resources on the classroom where they do the most good.

I wish I could say we have eliminated all the hardships in this budget, but we?ve not.

There are difficult cuts, and we?ll have to continue our efforts to make government leaner and more efficient.

I also wanted to avoid including things in the budget that could unnecessarily hurt job creation or hamper economic recovery.

My plan does not increase taxes, fees or fines. I do not believe that working families and businesses can afford a greater burden.

I?ve always said that a good job is the best social service program, and the family is the best social service agency.

I have tried to find a path forward through these challenging times that protects both.

Earlier this year, Maine passed a $5.8 billion dollar two-year budget.

It was the first time in at least 35 years that a two-year State budget was smaller than its predecessor.

With the revisions I am submitting today, that budget will fall to $5.5 billion dollars.

To put that in perspective, seven years ago my first budget was about $5.4 billion dollars.

During that same time, we have increased funding for education by hundreds of millions of dollars ? even though we have seen student enrollment drop by about 21,000.

We have restrained the rest of State government.

With all of my proposed revisions, education spending now accounts for more than half of the General Fund dollars.

Health and Humans Services is about 28.6 percent.

And the rest of State government is 20.9 percent.

Our priority remains our State?s children, our neighbors who need help, public health and safety.

But we have no choice. We must reduce State spending further.

My budget revisions include cuts across all agencies and departments in State government.

It reduces municipal revenue sharing, makes changes in provider rates, and adds three additional government shutdown days ? taking the total to one per month.

The budget revisions contain a roadmap forward to achieve efficiencies through greater cooperation and consolidation of natural resource agencies.

It realigns the Department of Economic and Community Development and streamlines the delivery of Child Development Services in the Department of Education.

It reduces the number of bureaus within the Department of Agriculture from four to three.

The plan seeks new efficiencies in regional service delivery in the Department of Transportation.

And it includes an internal consolidation within DHHS to better utilize medical staff within the mental health program.

So while my budget contains many difficult cuts in spending, I have also used several one-time tools to reduce the impact of closing this $438 million budget gap.

In addition, I have proposed significant ongoing budget reductions that will begin saving money now and save even more in the future.

We are close to the bone. These one-time tools are a better alternative than additional, painful cuts.

My budget proposal includes those hard choices and requires shared sacrifice.

It?s a road we have been down before.

But we have never lost sight of our core values.

And we won?t lose sight of them now.

And when our economy begins to escape the shackles of this recession, we will be better positioned for recovery.

We will have a leaner, more efficient government built upon a foundation of fiscal responsibility.

The days and weeks ahead will be difficult.

But I know that if we are able to put aside partisanship, as we have been able to do in the past, and focus on the job at hand, we will be able to do the work we were elected to do.

Thank you and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: Christmas Message

December 26, 2009

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

The rushing around is over. The presents are unwrapped. And the boxes are emptied.

The anticipation of Christmas has passed, and we are beginning to look forward to the turning of the clock and the dawn of a New Year.

For many people, this year has felt a little different.

There?s a great deal anxiety and stress.

Over the economy.

War.

The uncertainty of the times.

But the cheer and goodwill of the holiday season always prevail.

We come together as a people, as a state, and as a nation in the common wish for peace.

While our desire today seems out of reach, we do not wish it in vain.

It is the struggle for peace and an undying hope that one day it will be possible.

It doesn?t make us na?ve or blind to the cruelty and evil in the world.

Instead, it?s an ode to the better qualities of human nature, that despite difficulties and hardships and full knowledge of the impossible, we reach and persevere and work for a better day that we know is coming.

This time of the year, I?m reminded of a famous short story by William Sydney Porter, who was better known by his pen name of O. Henry.

He had a talent for telling stories and a twist for endings.

One of his most famous is ?The Gift of the Magi.?

In the story, a young couple ? Jim and Della ? are struggling to get by.

They?re poor and nearly destitute, but desperately in love.

Della, determined to find the perfect gift for her husband, sells her beautiful hair ? her prized possession ? so she can buy Jim a chain to go with the pocket watch that once belong to his father.

Jim equally determined sets out to buy Della a set of combs for her hair. But the only thing of value he has is his father?s watch, which he sells to buy Della?s combs.

On Christmas, the young couple exchanged their gifts, each having sacrificed for the other and learning only then about the trade they had both made.

It?s not a sad story, at least not to me. The joy in the gifts was not the receiving, but the giving.

As Porter wrote, ?But in a last word to the wise of these days, let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest.?

All around us this holiday season, we see the spirit of those who give of themselves for others.

Like Tom and Kate Chappell who donated clothes from their business to help Maine families.

Or Stephen and Tabby King, who helped to make sure members of the Maine National Guard preparing to deploy to war could be home for the holidays.

Or Dr. Dora Mills, who through happenstance received a call at 6:10 in the morning from a women suffering a rare and chronic blood disorder and receiving chemotherapy. The caller needed information about the flu vaccine.

As you know, Dr. Mills is the Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and the State?s expert on H1N1 flu.

The woman wrote to my office, she said: ?This wonderful, wonderful lady took my call, she said she had a few minutes before she needed to get her children to school and wanted to know how she could help.?

The writer continued: ?My husband and I went to the Buker Community Center and [were] met at the door by Dr. Mills herself. ? She gave each of us a big hug and thanked us for being there. We were blown away.?

In countless ways, big and small, Mainers look out for one another.

I am proud to live in a State where the people give of themselves so freely, and take that extra step to extend a helping hand to others.

Thank you for listening on this holiday weekend. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah and Happy New Year.

Radio Address: New Year

January 2, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

The Legislature returns to Augusta this week, and there?s much work to be done in just a few short months.

My top priority for the Legislative session remains the State budget and the economy.

Through the budget process, which includes extensive review and deliberation by the Legislature, we establish our priorities as a State.

I have put forward my proposal for bringing the State budget into balance, while protecting education, public health and safety, and the economy.

I?ve used a combination of spending cuts, reorganizations to make government more efficient, and one-time tools to close a budget gap of $438 million dollars.

We have made many tough decisions, and this budget will create hardships. We?ll all be called upon to make sacrifices.

But it also protects the people who need our help the most, maintains core government functions and does it without raising taxes, fees or fines.

I know that there are some people who believe higher taxes are the answer to our current budget dilemma. I don?t question their motives or their commitment to our State.

But I believe they are wrong.

Working families are struggling under the same global recession that has caused State revenues to fall far short of predictions.

High unemployment and the fear of job loss add to the stress that families already feel.

Uncertainty about the economy leaves many businesses reluctant to invest and to create new jobs.

New taxes will only add to that uncertainty for businesses and create more stress for working families.

I think that?s the wrong policy and the wrong message.

Maine needs policies that encourage work and investment, which is why I supported tax reform last year.

That law, which will be on the ballot in June, lowers the State?s income tax rates, while making the system more favorable for working men and women.

It also exports about $50 million dollars of Maine?s tax burden onto tourists, which means real relief for people who live and work here.

While some folks are advocating that we raise taxes, others are saying that my budget proposal doesn?t include enough cuts.

My budget proposal strikes a careful balance between cuts in support for critical government programs, the demand for more efficiency and the use of one-time measures to achieve savings.

I am convinced that we can streamline government more and make it more efficient.

I am proposing additional restructuring within the Natural Resources agencies, Economic and Community Development, the Department of Education, transportation, and health and human services that will save money and improve service delivery.

I know it will work because we?ve done it before with school district administration reform and our new unified corrections system.

We are saving property taxpayers millions of dollars by eliminating duplication and unnecessary administration in corrections.

No one will accuse this administration of being shy about making touch decisions.

In the last seven years, we have reduced the size of State government by 1,000 positions.

We have held spending flat, while at the same time increasing support for education by $352 million.

And we have kept taxes in check.

For our efforts, the Tax Foundation says Maine?s business climate has improved and the Wall Street Journal has touted the Maine Miracle.

But I also know that there are limits to what we can achieve in efficiencies and spending reductions between now and June 30th, which is the end of the fiscal year.

Maine?s Constitution requires a balanced budget and the clock is working against us for this year.

While I have proposed significant ongoing savings in my budget proposal, we are also using one-time tools for short-term savings.

Again, it?s about finding the right balance.

My proposal is the starting point. Now, the Legislature will have its opportunity to examine my ideas and suggest their own.

At the end of the process, it?s my hope that we find a strong, bipartisan solution.

As I look around Maine and the country, I see signs that the economy is beginning to awake.

But nothing is certain, and we must do the hard work now that will position Maine for recovery when it comes.

That is the task we have before us.

Thank you and have a good weekend and a Happy New Year.

Radio Address: Investing in Energy Efficiency

January 9, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

After oil prices peaked at more than $140 dollars per barrel, contributing to a global economic recession, it became clear to most people that things had to change.

We?ve seen high energy prices hurt our economy before. It started in the 1970s and the pattern has continued.

I can remember being in Bangor when oil shortages forced rationing and people had to wait in line for gasoline.

When I talk to businesses, the high cost of energy and transportation, which is energy related, are constant themes.

Business owners tell me that they can cut their costs, create jobs and improve the environment. . . . They just need a little help.

This week in conjunction with the Maine Public Utilities Commission, Efficiency Maine and the Energy and Carbon Savings Trust, Maine announced $8.9 million dollars worth of grants to Maine businesses.

The grants, which will leverage about $81 million dollars in private investments, will help to fund important energy improvements around the State of Maine.

With support from the federal Recovery Act, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates more than 950 jobs will be created.

And companies that currently employ 7,000 Maine workers will receive help in becoming more energy efficient.

That means real savings that can be re-invested here in Maine.

The projects are focused on Maine?s industrial sector and are spread around the State.

One good example is Verso Paper in Bucksport. Verso received a grant for $2 million dollars. This one project will convert the energy systems inside the mill and save roughly 5,000 gallons of oil a day.

Impressive by any standards, this investment will protect current jobs, create new ones and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Another good example is Tex Tech Industries in Monmouth. With a grant of $1.6 million dollars, this company will be able to reduce its operating costs, making it more competitive with its rivals overseas.

On Wednesday, the company told us that the grant will save 45 to 50 jobs that would otherwise have been moved out of the country.

That?s good news for those families, for those communities and for our State.

There are stories around the State: in South Portland, Madawaska, Hartland, Old Town and Brunswick.

The 16 projects are ready go, and the grants will put people to work almost immediately.

But even more importantly, they will help to create and protect Maine jobs for years to come.

We know that we have to reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

Just take a look around the world at what?s going on.

In places like Iraq, Yemen and Saudi Arabian Peninsula, the struggle to secure oil forces our country into terrible decisions.

Whether you believe in global warming or not, reducing our dependency on foreign oil should be a question of national security.

If we can build renewable energy resources here in Maine, we will keep billions of dollars here at home ? creating jobs and new investments ? and out of the hands of people who would target our country.

But to reduce our dependency on oil requires a conscience and consistent effort.

It?s why I support developing Maine?s natural resources and renewable energy opportunities ? whether its wind, water, wood or solar power.

And it?s why we remain focused on conservation and reducing our dependency for energy.

Maine is leading the way toward a new energy future.

Our success is built on innovative leadership and public-private partnerships.

Last year, the Legislature passed my comprehensive energy package, An Act Regarding Maine's Energy Future.

The law established the goal to weatherize all residences and 50 percent of businesses by 2030 and reduce the State?s consumption of liquid fossil fuels by at least 30 percent by 2030.

We have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy for our conservation and weatherization efforts.

Reshaping Maine?s energy future won?t be easy.

But it is critical for our State.

We can no longer allow our economy to be dictated by the price of oil produced in hostile foreign lands.

We have the resources, the people and the commitment to set our own energy course.

Now, there will be naysayers and critics and people who seek political gain by resisting change.

But we have in front of us great opportunities to put people to work and break our dependency on oil.

We must: For our economy, for good jobs, for a cleaner environment and for national security.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Finding Balance

January 16, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week the Legislature?s Appropriations Committee finished the public hearings on my proposal to close a $438 million dollar gap in the State?s current budget.

Hundreds of Mainers traveled from across the State to Augusta to have their voices heard.

Many of them told compelling, personal stories about how State government touches their lives, the good work that it does.

Especially in the area of human services, we heard how the State helps people to live independently, to rebuild their lives after tragedy, to survive hardship and disease.

I?ll continue to do everything we can to maintain life-sustaining services.

We also heard from towns and cities that said they could withstand no funding reductions.

From school district administrators.

And from folks who oppose the consolidation of the State?s natural resources agencies.

In a perfect world, no need would go unmet and no worthy program unfunded.

But we do not live in a perfect world.

We?re all trying to come out of this global recession.

And I have a constitutional and statutory obligation to balance the State budget.

That means making tough choices.

Maine ? likely virtually every other State ? has been hurt by the worst recession since the Great Depression.

In the last 12 months, projected revenues for the State have declined by $1.1 billion dollars.

There is simply no way for the State to absorb that loss without impacting people and their communities.

Almost 46 cents out of every dollar that comes to the State?s General Fund is returned to municipal and county governments.

During the last seven years, my administration has been aggressive about cutting the size of State government.

We?ve eliminated 1,000 positions, about 8.8 percent of the State?s workforce.

State workers have taken shutdown days, lost pay raises and are now required to pay a portion of their health care.

We?ve combined State agencies and departments, school administrations, and county and State prisons.

And we are continuing our efforts to find efficiencies and to reshape government at all levels to be less expensive.

You know folks, it?s been studied and studied, from the Productivity Task Force, the Brookings Report, the McKinsey Report.

We know what needs to be done. We just need to do it and do it now.

I am convinced that government at all levels can operate more efficiently, that administrative costs can be reduced through greater cooperation.

And I am equally confident that service providers can do their very important work with less administration, better cooperation and greater efficiency.

We?ve seen it work with the Board of Corrections and with School Administrative Districts.

Every dollar that we save from reduced administration means more resources for direct services ? those places where the money does the most good.

I have proposed one-time tools to help reduce the impact of revenue declines on education, health care, public safety and job creation.

What I haven?t done ? and I don?t support ? is raising taxes.

Economists are telling us that the recession is slowly ending, but that job creation will lag.

Even though Maine?s unemployment rate is better than the national average, we must be cautious about any action that could hurt recovery.

Working Maine families and businesses can?t afford higher sales or income taxes.

We have to balance protecting core government functions and the need to safeguard our economy.

It?s no easy task, but it is the job we have before us.

The Legislature?s committees are working hard to make improvements to the proposal I submitted to balance the current State budget.

There are long days and long nights ahead, and I am committed to working with the Legislature to find a bipartisan answer.

We?ll have to change our ways, be innovative and creative, and do things differently.

But we will get there.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: State of the State Recap

January 23, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, I delivered the State of the State Address to a Joint Session of the Maine Legislature.

It?s an opportunity for our State to make a frank assessment of where we are and where we want to be.

I can not remember a time that has presented Maine with such hard choices and such great opportunities.

It?s a bit of a contradiction ? to talk about economic hardship and opportunity in the same breath.

But that?s the situation we face today.

In the last 12 months, State revenues have fallen by $1.1 billion dollars. Unemployment has topped 8 percent; housing and businesses are struggling; and people are uncertain and anxious.

It?s a time of great turmoil.

But it?s also a time of incredible opportunity and revolutionary change.

A time when our State is breaking with the comfortable patterns of the past to blaze a brave new trail.

We have come together to say enough, to put our foot down and to put an end to the circumstances that have held our people and our economy hostage.

Today, we are laying the groundwork for economic revitalization and freedom from the tyranny of foreign oil.

Are we there yet? No.

But we are on the way.

Despite the difficulties we face, the hard choices and hard work ahead, the next chapter in Maine?s history will be one of resurgence, growth and opportunity.

Because I know beyond question or doubt that the people of this State ? our greatest resource ? can persevere and overcome any challenge.

I see a Maine that is energy secure, with highly educated and successful people.

Natural resources that are protected, accessible and put to work.

A place where innovation and creativity prevail.

And cities, towns and villages draw people from around the world to a quality of life unmatched.

We are in the midst of unprecedented times.

The choices we make will help to determine which way Maine goes.

On Thursday, I laid out an aggressive agenda that will help move Maine toward sustained prosperity.

It starts with a plan to balance the State budget without raising taxes.

There should be no illusions.

There are no easy answers.

We must balance core government functions while protecting the vulnerable and safeguarding our economy.

But we shouldn?t take any action that will jeopardize recovery.

The best way to help all Maine people is to promote job growth and economic recovery.

We can?t tax our way out of our problems, but we can grow our way out.

As former President Kennedy had said: ?A rising tide lifts all ships.?

While we still have a long way to go, there are signs that things are beginning to turn around.

Last year on the day before the State of the State, I visited to Domtar in Washington County. The plant had just announced that it was indefinitely closing.

I?m happy to say that today, 300 workers are back on the job and the owners of the company are committed to finding a business model that will work.

Maine is ready to help. We want to keep those men and women working.

My agenda is built around job creation and job protection, and it begins with our people and our natural resources.

Right now, Maine is leading New England in onshore wind power generation.

And every day this important sector is growing.

Producing renewable and safe electricity.

But we have only begun to tap the potential for wind.

Work going on today by Habib Dagher at the University of Maine, with private-sector partners and critical support from the federal government, is positioning our State at the forefront of a new energy revolution.

We have it within our power to develop new, cutting edge sources of energy that can help to forever reshape the world.

In the coming weeks, I will submit legislation to continue our aggressive pursuit of offshore wind energy.

The plan, which is the result of my Ocean Energy Task Force, will help to spark this new industry and confirm Maine?s leadership role.

The project has earned nearly $25 million dollars in competitive grants and is in line for additional federal support.

Maine competed nationally and was one of just 12 sites in the entire country that has received this support to construct an offshore wind laboratory.

The plan has tremendous potential to create thousands of jobs in Maine and attract billions of dollars worth of investment.

Permitted and approved wind power development in Maine already represents more than $1 billion dollars of capital investment in our economy.

We face hurdles and hardships, but we are not afraid to make decisions, to break new ground and to build. To set the bar high.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Passenger Rail to Brunswick

January 30, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, President Obama announced that Maine has been awarded $35 million dollars to expand the Downeaster passenger rail service north from Portland to Brunswick.

The award will create hundreds of jobs, generating millions of dollars in economic development along the line.

Passengers will be able to visit Brunswick and Freeport, two of Maine?s most popular destinations.

And the service will help support our efforts to redevelopment the Midcoast region in the wake of the closing of the Brunswick Naval Air Station.

The grant is part of an $8 billion dollar program included in the federal Recovery Act to expand rail service throughout the country.

It?s an important investment in our future that will pay off for Maine.

The Downeaster has carried 2.7 million passengers and taken 224 million passenger-miles off highways, which mean roads are less congested and our air is cleaner.

The service has been operating between Boston and Portland since 2001 and is one of Amtrak?s most successful lines in the nation.

By extending service to Freeport and Brunswick, ridership will continue to grow, and more communities will be served.

More than 28 miles of track will be replaced. 30,000 ties will be laid and 36 crossings will be improved.

What do those numbers mean? People will be put to work almost immediately.

Businesses will grow. Tourism will expand. And communities will be better connected.

The project can be completed in two construction seasons, which means passengers could be able to travel from Freeport and Brunswick to Portland and Boston by as early as 2012.

But the impact of this investment doesn?t stop in those communities.

The rail improvements also provide a necessary link to the further expansion of passenger rail to Lewiston-Auburn and then, eventually, on to Montreal.

Communities throughout Maine will be connected to a national rail network, making it easier and more efficient to travel.

The expansion will be managed by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, which has experience developing significant rail projects.

For nearly 20 years, we have been working to revitalize passenger rail service in Northern New England.

A coalition of advocates including TrainRiders/Northeast, business and community leaders has worked to build support and create a plan to integrate passenger rail into their communities.

And Intercity Passenger Rail service has been a long-term goal for our State and my administration.

In 2006, I issued an Executive Order reaffirming support for completing the Downeaster.

And in 2008, the Legislature passed and I signed the ?Rail Improvement Act? to provide funding to sustain Downeaster operations and complete service to Brunswick.

Maine, time and again, has shown its commitment to rail.

We have developed public-private partnerships to open freight rail services to industry.

We have supported the Downeaster.

Protected rail lines and right-a-ways.

And done the work to prepare for quick action.

Our economy is stronger when both passengers and shippers have more transportation options.

We know that rail is good for the environment. But it?s also critical for our economy and for connecting our communities together.

The plans are ready. The agreements have been made. And we?re ready to put this important grant to work ? creating jobs and new economic development now.

This award would not have been possible without President Obama, Vice President Biden, Sen. Snowe, Sen. Collins, Rep. Pingree and Rep. Michaud and the passage of the Recovery Act.

As the six New England states agreed last July, the Downeaster is a national model for the successful introduction of new intercity passenger rail service.

With the expansion of the service north, the success of the Downeaster will grow, bringing our communities closer together and increasing opportunity for our people.

It?s job creation today and for the long run and a good investment for our people and our economy.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: President Obama and Energy

February 6, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, I joined 10 other governors from across the country to meet with President Obama and key members of his Administration focused on changing our nation?s energy future.

Maine can be proud that we are leading the way and becoming a model in aggressively pursuing clean, renewable energy production.

Already, Maine is home to 95 percent of the operating on-shore wind capacity in New England.

And with businesses like Old Town Fuel and Fiber, we are developing new technologies that can help reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

A core component of the Old Town Fuel & Fiber operation is using technology developed at the University of Maine to create biofuels, which are renewable energy resources from our forest products.

What this means to Maine is that we can produce energy here in our State ? making our country more secure and keeping our energy dollars working here at home.

Maine is THE most dependent state in the country on foreign oil.

Many of the homes are not energy efficient and rely on oil for heat.

On top of that, as a rural state, most of us rely on our cars to get to work, to go to the grocery store and to go about our lives.

We rely upon oil too much.

Billions of dollars earned by hard-working Maine families leave our state and country to support foreign countries and sometimes hostile governments.

And relying on fossil fuels jeopardizes our environment and the way of life we enjoy.

Energy independence means using our abundant natural resources in a way that reduces pollution and grows good-paying jobs.

This is about financial, environmental and national security.

Here in Maine we have been investing in renewable energy, promoting energy efficiency, and working with private partners to ramp up our ability to compete for green jobs and industries.

It?s no surprise, then, that Maine has been recognized by the Obama Administration for its leadership.

At the White House on Wednesday, I pressed the Administration on a number of energy issues important to Maine.

This wasn?t the first time we?ve had the ear of the President on energy.

I first approached then President-elect Obama at a meeting he hosted with the nation?s governors late in 2008.

I told him then that Maine is eager to lead the way to a more stable and secure energy supply.

This week, I was pleased to tell the President about the aggressive steps we have taken in Maine to show what is possible, and to provide insights on steps the federal government could take to help Maine continue our way to energy independence.

This includes establishing in law the goal to weatherize all residences and 50 percent of businesses by 2030.

Efficiency Maine has developed new incentives to support Maine residents and businesses seeking to become more energy efficient.

Significant additional federal funds may be available to the State to accelerate Maine?s weatherization program and to stimulate clean energy projects here.

I also approached the President to support regional energy approaches, and I was heartened to hear his commitment to each region of the country using its strengths to develop clean energy.

Maine has particular strengths to be a leader in biofuel and wind energy generation.

We have a favorable geography and natural resources, broad-based support, including public-private partnerships, and the technological and workforce strengths that the State has tirelessly built.

A broad mix of renewable energy sources is necessary to provide secure energy supplies and jobs. So I?m pleased that the President is looking favorably to supporting biofuels as well as wind.

The President listened and he has vowed to be a partner with the states as we seek energy independence.

This is important, because energy security and the job growth it supports are long-term goals requiring sustained partnerships between the federal and state governments as well as the private sector.

Together, we can realize this bold vision of producing renewable energy that will benefit Maine now and for generations to come.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Job Creation

February 13, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, in cooperation with the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, I attended the Governor?s Job Summit.

The event brought together representatives from more than 75 of Maine?s leading businesses for an open and honest discussion about the economy and about how best to create jobs.

Maine?s unemployment rate is about 8 percent, better than the national average of about 10 percent, but still too high.

The focus of the Summit was to hear from businesses about how they have been able to protect and grow jobs.

Even during this difficult economic time, these businesses have been successful and, in some cases even growing.

There is no single answer to creating jobs.

But we did hear common themes and discussed ideas about how many can improve its business climate.

During the summit, business leaders broke into smaller groups with a moderator, representatives from my administration, State lawmakers and federal partners.

They covered a lot of topics and the work they did will help Maine tailor its efforts to help companies create jobs.

In some areas, Maine is doing well.

We heard that our efforts to help business improve energy efficiency are paying real dividends.

The programs we have in place, particularly those through EfficiencyMaine, are creating and saving jobs right now.

But we must keep working toward greater energy independence and grow our renewable energy industries.

We also heard from businesses that they need stability and predictability in State programs.

They also need simple access for economic development programs and a clear process for obtaining permits.

We are already working to make it easier for companies to get information and navigate the rules.

I have proposed a new structure for Maine?s Department of Economic Development that will streamline outreach, make it easier for companies to receive assistance and reduce duplication.

Maine has good economic tools and experts available, and we can do better using them to help businesses create jobs.

I also heard on Tuesday that Maine needs effective transportation to move goods within our State and beyond.

This has been a focus of my administration for seven years, and recently we?ve made significant progress.

With critical federal support, we will be expanding passenger rail service north of Portland to Freeport and Brunswick.

While the additional passenger service will be a boost to tourism, reduce traffic congestion and pollution, and help Maine?s Midcoast region recover from the closure of Brunswick Naval Air Station, the expansion does much more.

It will improve freight rail in our State and is a necessary step in improving service to Auburn and Lewiston.

We are also working through the Maine Department of Transportation to ensure that we have continued rail service in Northern Maine.

The rail line that serves northern Maine, from Millinocket to Madawaska, Houlton and Presque Isle is facing serious difficulties.

My administration is working hard to ensure that industries in the region and those communities stay connected.

If we want businesses to invest in job creation, we must have a skilled and educated workforce.

I was particular impressed with the ideas I heard on this topic.

Business leaders at the summit told me that they know they have to part of the solution for a better education system.

There are great opportunities for companies to develop partnerships with high schools, colleges and universities.

To build connections and become mentors.

And to help students to build aspirations and nurture ambition.

Maine is blessed with many successful, growing and innovative companies.

They are doing amazing and inspiring work.

By partnering with schools, they can help introduce our students to the world of possibilities that exist while at the same time helping to develop the workforce that we need for a modern economy.

During the last two months, we have seen signs that Maine?s economy is beginning to turn around.

But the recovery remains fragile, and job creation is lagging behind.

In December, I presented plans to close a $438 million dollar gap in the State budget.

My plans include many difficult choices, including major reductions in State spending.

While we have an obligation to protect the most vulnerable, we must also strike a careful balance to make sure government takes no action that could threaten economic recovery.

It?s a hard line to walk, but I don?t believe Maine?s families and businesses can afford higher taxes.

As I work with the Legislature to close the budget gap, I am committed to doing what?s necessary to safeguard our economy and put us in the strongest position for economic recovery.

I want thank the many business and community leaders, including the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, for their valuable insights during the Governor?s Job Summit.

We will continue to work with Dana Connors and the Chamber and other businesses to improve Maine?s business climate and to create new jobs.

Thank you for listening and have a good holiday weekend.

Radio Address: Race to the Top

February 20, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, I submitted legislation that will improve Maine?s bid for $75 million federal dollars for education reform in Maine.

These funds are part of an initiative called Race to the Top, which aims to make bold reforms to education across the country.

To be successful in our application, Maine must demonstrate its commitment to improved K-12 education.

Maine has long been recognized for taking bold initiatives to improve education, and I am confident that Maine will be a strong contender in the competition for Race to the Top funds.

Our State leads the way in the use of technology, and has been innovative by using the SAT test for 11th-grade students.

By using the test as part of the state assessments, we introduce students to the possibility of higher education and help prepare them for learning after high school.

The number of high school students enrolling in college courses as juniors and seniors through the Aspirations Incentive Program has more than tripled since I took office seven years ago.

This past year Maine joined New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island to administer a common test based on common standards for grades 3 through 8 in reading, writing and mathematics. And our students are performing well.

And a growing number of Maine students are taking and scoring well on rigorous Advanced Placement exams, putting Maine well ahead of the national average.

Our educational leadership in Maine is outstanding.

Maine?s Education Commissioner Sue Gendron is now on the national stage as the president of the association that represents the education commissioners in all 50 states, and closely involved in the formation of new national standards and assessments, and at the forefront of several other national and regional projects.

One of the places we have seen expanded educational programming this past year has been in the school districts that reorganized to be more efficient.

RSU 1 in the Bath area they have implemented universal pre-kindergarten, added more AP courses and enhanced their Gifted and Talented program ? all while saving more than $1 million per year.

In Regional School Unit 24, which includes Ellsworth and 11 surrounding communities, they have been able to save programs like guidance, music and art, and Advanced Placement that would otherwise have been on the chopping block.

Reorganization is working.

Last week, the Education Committee working with my administration agreed unanimously to some modest changes in the law.

The minor changes will add flexibility so that well-intentioned small school districts that have had difficulty reorganizing can move forward.

The agreement recognizes that under special and unique circumstances some districts might need a little more help to successfully reorganize. Commissioner Gendron will have more leeway to approve reorganization plans.

Nobody gets exempted. That?s not fair to taxpayers and it?s not fair to our students.

We?re doing great things in education in Maine.

But we must do more.

If we want to be successful in the federal Race to the Top program, we need to make improvements.

The legislation I am submitting will do three things:

First, it will allow Maine to adopt new national Common Standards. But we will do that only if they meet our already-high expectations.

We?re not going to lower our standards.

Common Standards will help us to identify those areas where we excel and those areas that need improvement.

The standards will allow us once and for all to see where we are excelling and share our experience with others. And we will see where we come up short, and we will seek guidance and examples so that we can improve in those areas.

Next, we will allow school districts to link data on student performance to teachers.

This allows us to use real data as ONE way to measure the effectiveness of teachers, recognizing those who are doing a great job and helping those who need help to improve.

Finally, I am submitting legislation that will allow and encourage innovative public schools.

They will have the same flexibility of a charter school, but with the accountability of public schools, including all certified teachers.

These schools ? created only by school boards that want them ? will have flexibility in instruction design, staff selection, school calendars and assessments of professional development.

So when federal reviewers look at Maine?s application for funds, we know they will see a state that has already been successful and that is eager to innovate and improve.

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: The Budget and the Economy

February 27, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Last week, we saw another positive sign that Maine?s economy is beginning to improve.

Our state?s independent revenue forecasters have seen enough improvement in the economy to slightly upgrade our financial outlook for the next year and a half.

They were cautious and conservative, and the improvement is modest ? at best.

We know that our economy remains fragile and that recovery is far from certain.

In December, when I released details of my plans to close a $438 million dollar budget gap, I laid out my priorities.

We must protect and encourage economic recovery, and take no action that would jeopardize growth.

We must safeguard our core values and safety net, so the most vulnerable in our society receive the care they need.

And we must make structural changes so that our state is better prepared for economic recovery, and so that the size of government better matches available resources.

From the beginning, I have placed a high priority on finding a bipartisan and cooperative path through these troubled economic times.

With the news we received last week about improving revenues and with some other tools that are now available, I will submit revisions to my plans for closing the budget gap.

It?s critical that Maine not raise taxes or increase the burden on families and businesses. And I remain committed to this.

But I also understand that the cuts I proposed are difficult.

I have said from the beginning that if given the opportunity, we would work to mitigate the worst of the cuts in Human Services.

My revisions will look first to strengthen our support in those areas that provide 24-hour, seven-day-a-week care: Nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

I will also look to restore support for mental health and crisis management.

If possible, we will also look to ease the cuts to education in K through 12 and our colleges and universities.

But even with the changes I will recommend, there will be many difficult choices in this budget.

There simply are not enough resources today ? and won?t be enough in future years ? to continue the status quo.

We must continue to change and adapt.

I spent part of last week in Washington meeting with the President and members of his administration.

I am convinced that we have a partner in the federal government who understands the plight of the states and the steps necessary to get our economy moving.

Despite growth in the fourth quarter and a slight improvement in the financial picture, we know that unemployment is still too high.

And the stories go beyond the numbers and statistics.

I visited with workers in Prospect Harbor. They learned that the last sardine packing facility in the country will be closing.

128 workers will lose their jobs through no fault of their own.

The reasons are complicated, and have to do with declining herring numbers in Maine?s coastal waters and federal regulations.

But what the workers know is that their jobs are ending.

My administration is committed to redeveloping that facility and finding a new owner who can put these folks back to work.

And in the meantime, we will do what we can do to provide support for the workers and their families who have lost their jobs.

It?s understandable that during this Great Recession that consumer confidence and the general mood would be dark.

But surveys tell us that people are anxious and that even those people with jobs are reluctant to spend and invest.

But when I talk to people in Maine, I?m struck by the fact that most of them remain optimistic even in the face of hardships.

They are concerned ? even worried ? about their jobs, their health care, and the direction of the country.

But they are not overwhelmed or overly pessimistic.

As we have before, Maine and the country will overcome the recession.

As the Legislature and I work to finish the budget, I will do everything I can to promote growth and prosperity, to help the middle class, and to prepare our economy for the future.

We?ll make the tough choices today that will translate into opportunities tomorrow.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Overcoming Recession

March 6, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Because of the deepening recession and a slowing economy, I had proposed a plan to close a $438 million budget gap.

The plan included many difficult decisions and significant reductions in spending.

Since that time, my administration has worked with the Legislature to make improvements and consider alternatives.

We have an opportunity to address some of the most challenging issues that have been identified.

Over the past three months, our state?s revenue forecasters have seen positive indicators in the economy to slightly upgrade our financial outlook for the next year and a half.

They tell us we can expect revenues to increase by about $51 million dollars.

It?s a conservative estimate, and the forecasters have been very cautious.

In addition, the federal government has made an administrative change in MaineCare reimbursement.

That change translates into about $28 million dollars in resources for the State.

Even with the new resources that are available today, this budget is still very constrained.

For context, my first budget in 2004-2005 was $5.4 billion dollars;

This proposed budget seven years later, even with restorations, will be just $5.6 billion.

Despite today?s good news, we know that our economy remains fragile and that recovery is far from certain.

We must protect and encourage economic recovery, and take no action that would jeopardize growth.

We must safeguard our core values and safety net, so the most vulnerable in our society receive the care they need.

And we must make structural changes so that our State is better prepared for economic recovery, and that the size of government better matches available resources.

I have placed a high priority on finding a bipartisan and cooperative path through these troubled economic times.

From the beginning, I have been committed to presenting a fiscally responsible plan to balance the State budget.

The slight improvement in the economy and the increased assistance from the federal government will allow us to address legitimate concerns in human services and education while also making investments in Maine?s long-term fiscal health.

My plan restores $30 million dollars in health and human services, including increased support for:

? Nursing homes;

? Assisted living facilities;

? Disability services;

? Mental health crisis intervention; and

? Home-based services.

It also identifies alternatives to earlier proposals that will help bring Maine?s budget into balance.

The plan restores $20 million dollars for K-12 education in 2011.

By restoring this, we?re helping communities to be able to transition to declining revenues in the future.

Eight million dollars for the University System, Community Colleges and Maine Maritime Academy.

The plan includes a $6 million dollar restoration in municipal revenue sharing to help communities weather the recession.

Other initiatives in the budget I introduced include:

? $3.5 million dollars to reduce the State?s obligation for retiree health benefits;

? $8.1 million dollars to eliminate a proposed delay in State employee pay;

? $1.75 million dollars to fund the State?s obligation for disaster assistance to local communities.

With these proposals, I believe we can give school districts and municipalities time to adjust to declining revenues, protect our core values and the State?s economy.

I am also including a number of savings initiatives in this package that will reduce costs going forward, particularly in the Department of Health and Human Services.

We must continue our push to make government more efficient.

To that end, it is important to replace the one-time payroll delay so that the obligation isn?t passed on to the next administration.

It?s also prudent for us to pay down our obligation on retiree health and to fulfill our commitment on disaster assistance to local communities.

By addressing these obligations now, we reduce the State?s structural gap going forward.

Even with these changes I?m proposing, this is still a very difficult budget.

There are still many hard decisions that must be made.

But during this difficult economy, I will not support higher taxes.

Maine families and businesses cannot afford a greater burden.

But I do support targeted investment.

We have an opportunity to put people back to work, to create jobs and grow our economy.

My budget plan includes the finances to support the debt service on a jobs bond.

The investments will focus on those areas where we can put people to work quickly and have a lasting impact on our State.

I expect to release the details of my plan early next week.

As I work with the Legislature to finish this budget, I will do everything I can to promote growth and prosperity, to help the middle class, and prepare our economy for the future.

We?ll make the tough choices today that will translate into opportunities tomorrow.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Investing in Jobs

March 13, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

As I look at the headlines and study the economic data for Maine and the nation, I see reports that the economy is showing some signs of improvement.

Unfortunately, we?re still losing jobs.

While the rate of job loss has slowed, that?s not good enough.

In January, Maine?s unemployment rate was 8.2 percent. Up from 8.1 percent in December.

A year earlier, the unemployment rate was 7.3 percent.

Maine has almost 58,000 people who are unemployed.

I?m not satisfied with a jobless recovery that leaves too many families and businesses behind.

I believe we must do better.

To climb out of this recession, job creation and protecting our economy must be our highest priorities.

That?s why I have proposed to balance the State budget without a tax increase.

That?s why I support cutting the top income tax rate for working Mainers and small businesses.

And that?s why I am proposing a job creation investment package that will put people back to work this year.

On Wednesday, I released the details of my proposal to create jobs.

It invests $62 million dollars in highways, ports and rail lines.

I propose significant investments around the State, including resources to save rail service in Aroostook County.

Without these resources, 22 major employers and the largest county in the State would be cut off from rail service.

That is unacceptable.

Jobs are at stake, and we must act.

In addition, my plan invests in rail service in Lewiston-Auburn, connecting the good work that?s happening in Southern and Coastal Maine with rail.

I am also proposing to invest in the Ocean Gateway in Portland, to strengthen our ability to reach markets in the United States and around the world.

And to triple the number of cruise ships that visit our State.

The majority of the resources in my plan are targeted toward roads.

Drive around the State, and you?ll see the need to invest in our highways.

By doing this now, we create jobs and we build a better transportation system that will last decades.

The projects are spread around the State, and will help connect our communities and our people, strengthening our economy.

There are road projects in Farmingdale, Newport, Jay and Farmington.

Kittery, Dixfield, Bluehill and Rockport. Monmouth and Boothbay Harbor.

Around the State, our roads need improvement.

All told, the transportation portion of the investment package is projected to create more than 1,000 jobs, and protect many more.

The bond package also includes money to provide communities with clean drinking water and better sewer systems.

The $7 million dollar investment will be matched by $26 million dollars in federal resources.

This investment will put more than 870 people to work.

And it will mean communities will have safe, clean water for years to come.

My plan also invests $5 million dollars in energy efficiency to help large employers in the State save money and protect jobs.

And when we invest in energy conservation, our environment is cleaner, our companies are more competitive with overseas competition and jobs stay here in Maine.

I understand that some people are concerned about borrowing.

But now is the time to make investments in jobs, and to put people back to work quickly.

According to the bond rating agencies, Maine has a strong debt ratio and conservative borrowing practices.

As the Bangor Daily News wrote last weekend, the State ?can hunker down and hope the recession ends or it can borrow to make strategic investments to create jobs, speed recovery and position the state to prosper.?

?Coupled with spending reductions, borrowing to invest is an important piece of the state?s economic plan.?

The budget I have put forward reduces government spending.

It sets priorities, protects our most vulnerable and puts Maine in a stronger position for recovery.

The bonds will help to speed that recovery by creating jobs today.

And benefits from the work that?s being done will pay dividends for generations.

It?s my hope that we can work in a bipartisan way to balance the budget and put people back to work.

We need to take action and we need to take it now.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Budget Progress

March 20, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

As we move closer to the end of the Legislative session, I remain hopeful that we can chart a bipartisan course through the most difficult issues of the day.

Maine ? like the rest of the country ? has been struggling to overcome the worst recession since the Great Depression.

One of our biggest challenges has been to balance the budget during a time when State revenues are declining.

In the last 12 months, revenues for the State have declined by more than $1 billion dollars.

Late last year, I presented a plan to bring the budget into balance and to close a projected $438 million dollar gap.

Since then, our economy and our financial situation have improved, making it possible to mitigate some of the most difficult cuts, particularly in the areas of human services and education.

I have sought a path that protects the State?s most vulnerable and core government services, while also safeguarding economic growth and promoting recovery.

The work has been difficult.

Fortunately, revenues have rebounded slightly as the economy has begun to improve, and we have taken responsible actions to bring spending in line.

With work on the budget moving toward a close, I believe we must continue to reduce State spending, continue important structural reforms and protect public health and safety.

While many other States have resorted to raising taxes or draconian cuts, we have sought better solutions.

I have pushed for more efficiency and a smaller, smarter government; right sizing government to existing revenues.

I have asked providers and government agencies to find better ways to deliver important services.

And I have refused to raise taxes.

I do not believe that Maine families and businesses can afford a greater burden, especially as the effects of the recession linger on.

At the same time, I recognize that government provides a critical safety net to many of our neighbors and friends.

They depend upon the State to keep them safe. And we cannot, no matter the difficulties, turn our back on them.

Nor can we ignore our responsibility to educate our children, support higher education and keep our communities safe and clean.

It hasn?t been easy, but I believe that we are close to a solution that finds the right balance.

It will require shared sacrifice, innovation and perseverance.

But I know we can do it.

Also, the work would have been much more difficult without the continued support of Maine?s Congressional delegation: Sen. Snowe, Sen. Collins, Rep. Michaud and Rep. Pingree.

So as we approach what I hope is a bipartisan agreement on the budget here in Maine, I am reminded about what a special place this is.

While other states ? and the federal government ? are often locked in partisan gridlock, Maine is able to find a way forward that brings people together.

Even on those areas where the parties disagree, this session we have managed to work together for the greater good of the State.

As my administration made adjustments to our budget plans, we listened to the concerns that we heard from the public, from Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature.

This week I meet with leaders of both parties. They told me that there might still be difference on the budget, but the cooperative approach had made it more likely that we can reach consensus.

We haven?t finished the task yet.

But the experience of the past three months shows me that we can get there from here if we keep talking and working in good faith for the State?s best interest.

So while we remain short of the finish line, every day we get closer.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Bipartisanship and the Budget

March 27, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

When I was elected to Congress in 1994, I had a front-row seat for high stakes and heated rhetoric of a divided Washington.

Republicans were riding an electoral wave into power, and we were on the verge of a government shutdown and paralysis.

As I look to Washington today and around the country to other states, I see similar circumstances.

Democrats and Republicans are unable to work together.

In Maine, though, it?s different.

Despite the most difficult economy since the Great Depression, Democrats and Republicans have been able to put aside partisanship and work together to put Maine on the right track.

And they?ve done at a time when the odds have been stacked against them.

Every seat in the Legislature and candidates for governor will be on the ballot this fall.

State revenues have declined by more than $1 billion dollars since last year, forcing tough choices to close a budget gap.

In most places, that would be a recipe for political gamesmanship.

But not in Maine.

We have resisted temptation and found a responsible way to close a budget gap that was $438 million dollars.

Earlier this week, the Appropriations committee voted unanimously on a budget plan.

It makes important structural changes to government, which will make our State stronger in the future.

It protects the most vulnerable and maintains our core government functions.

It brings spending into line with revenues.

It begins to rebuild our reserves, so our State is better prepared for the future.

And it does it without raise taxes.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, during the current recession more than 30 States have had to raise their taxes.

Maine is different.

Under the leadership of Senator Bill Diamond, Representative Emily Cain, Senator Richard Rosen and Representative Sawin Millett, Maine has begun to lay the foundation for a strong recovery.

Together, they lead a thoughtful and responsible process that looked carefully at proposals to close the budget gap.

They put partisanship aside, and the entire committee ? Democrat and Republican alike ? was able to support the budget.

At times, there were disagreements. In some areas, the differences between the parties are important and real.

But through it all, the committee kept talking and kept working together.

And at the end, they had produced a plan that was better because of their efforts.

I also think it?s critical to recognize the way House and Senate leaders approached the budget.

Senate President Mitchell, Senate Leader Raye, Speaker Pingree and House Leader Tardy and the entire leadership team allowed the committee to work through the most difficult issues.

They kept an open mind and remained committed to a budget we all believe can win two-thirds support of the Legislature.

Too often in politics, it?s easier to fight than to work together.

If ever the circumstances existed for fighting to erupt, this year was it.

Instead, cooperation and bipartisanship carried the day.

Early next week, the full Legislature will consider the budget.

The plan will be before them. It strikes the right balance. It puts people first without sacrificing the opportunity for economic growth.

There are still tough cuts, and we are all required to do our part.

But the bipartisan work of the Appropriations Committee and the incredible efforts of folks like Commissioner Ryan Low and his team have created a strong foundation for recovery.

To everyone who has worked so hard to chart a course through these unprecedented times, I say: Good work.

Switching for just a moment, I also want to say ?good work? to the University of Maine men?s hockey team.

Under the leadership of Coach Tim Whitehead, the Black Bears made an incredible run to the Hockey East finals.

Overcoming a late-season slide, the team fought hard night after night.

Fans got a great show, as the Black Bears erased an early deficit and forced overtime in the finals.

In the end, the team came up just short of the title and a bid to the NCAA tournament.

But the gutsy playoff run showed all of us that Maine has returned to prominence and is once again a contender.

The Black Bears showed incredible heart and delivered a great season.

Thanks for listening and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Job Creation

April 3, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Last week, the Legislature put aside partisanship and passed a responsible budget that will bring State spending in line with revenues.

Through the hard work of countless individuals, we passed a plan that will make government smaller and more efficient.

It will protect the most vulnerable.

It will make important investments in health and human services and in education.

And it does it without raising taxes, fees or fines. And it brings the spending level in 2010-11 to the same level that it was in 2001, almost 10 years ago.

All of Maine should be proud of the overwhelmingly bipartisan effort to address problems caused by the worst recession since the Great Depression.

But as we enter what is likely the last week of Legislative session, there is still much work to be done.

The Legislature will soon consider proposals to make a significant investment in job creation.

While State revenues and our economy appear to be stabilizing, unemployment is still too high.

More than 57,000 Mainers are without jobs, and the unemployment rate in some construction-related industries is still more than 25 percent.

It?s critical that we take action today to put people back to work.

I have proposed a $79 million dollar investment package that will put almost 2,000 people back to work within the next 12 months.

And the package will help to protect the jobs of thousands of more workers.

This bond package is conservative, targeted toward projects that will create jobs quickly.

It includes $31 million in highways, making much needed repairs around the State.

Eleven counties in Maine would benefit from improved roads.

My plan also includes a major investment to protect rail service in Aroostook County.

Right now, the State is on the verge of losing the railroad.

If we don?t invest, 22 companies will be cut off from rail, almost 1,000 workers directly impacted.

Aroostook is heavily dependent on farming and wood products, industries that depend on rail to move their goods to markets around the world.

The State MUST NOT stand by while this asset is lost.

The consequences are still too high. And the ripple impacts will be felt all over the State.

In addition, the investment package will improve freight rail and begin to open up more of the State to passenger rail, particularly in the Lewiston-Auburn area.

My plan would also invest in the deep-water pier in Portland, expanding the ports operation and drawing thousands of people and millions of dollars to the State.

I?m also proposing that we invest $7 million dollars to keep our State?s water cleaner and our communities healthier.

These water projects create jobs and draw as much as five-to-one match from the federal government.

It?s a good deal and it?s important work.

My proposal invests $5 million dollars in the State?s industrial energy efficiency program.

This program helps large employers reduce their energy costs and the amount of pollution they produce, and protect a significant amount of the workforce.

But as important, the savings make the companies more competitive and also help the State of Maine.

We know that our people can compete with anyone in the world if they have a level playing field.

These grants give them a fighting chance, and keep jobs from moving overseas.

I?m also proposing to invest $5 million dollars at the University of Maine to help our State grow a new industry building the component parts, the manufacturing for wind energy generation.

Maine is a leader in the United States on energy conservation and the development of alternative energy.

With these investments, we can continue our leadership role and attract new businesses to Maine, creating jobs and securing our State?s energy future.

I know that among some there is concern about borrowing right now, even for the worthy cause of creating jobs.

But we cannot sit back and wait for the economy to improve. We must take appropriate action to make it happen.

But just as the budget we passed last week was responsible, protecting human life while also safeguarding our economy, investing in new jobs is also responsible.

Maine is conservative in its bonding, maintaining debt levels well below the national average. And paying them back in 10 years, not the standard 20 years.

The bond rating agencies consistently point to the strength of Maine?s borrowing practices.

We can afford this investment.

Months ago, I heard people say that there was no way the State could find its way to re-balance the budget.

But through hard work, and a focus on doing what was right for the State and good-faith efforts by Democrats and Republicans, we were able to pass a budget plan that was supported by 110 members of the House and 31 out of 35 members of the Senate.

It wasn?t easy, but at the end of the day we were successful.

I hope the same thing can happen on this issue.

It?s a tough vote for some folks, but our roads our crumbling and our people need work.

Now is the time to invest.

Thank you, have a nice weekend and a Happy Easter.

Radio Address: Bridging the Divide

April 10, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

As the Legislature draws near the end of its work for the year, it?s understandable that some issues are lingering unresolved.

Last week, the House of Representatives approved a package of investments that would create thousands of jobs in Maine and protect many thousand more.

Unfortunately, the plan ran into resistance in the Senate.

The stakes are very high.

At risk are good-paying jobs, vital transportation links and economic development.

The bond plan being considered is tightly focused on job creation and job protection.

While we are seeing signs that our economy is getting stronger, unemployment is still too high.

More than 57,000 Mainers are without jobs, and the unemployment rate in some construction-related industries is more than 25 percent.

Our industrial base around the State, and particularly in Aroostook County, faces dark days.

We must take action.

The railroad that connects Aroostook County to the rest of the State is about to be lost.

Intervention is necessary. Or our entire State will pay a terrible price.

The railroad connects 22 major shippers in Aroostook to customers in Maine and around the world.

Towns as diverse as Madawaska and Portland, Lincoln and Rockland, Jay and Searsport depend upon the rail.

The rail line is critical to Maine?s manufacturing industries.

Rail is the most economical, most cost effective and environmentally sound way to move wood and finished forest products to market.

Without the rail link, it?s estimated that an additional 30,000 trucks will be put on Maine roads, and shipping costs could increase by 30 percent.

No business can afford that cost hike, especially in this difficult economy.

But the bond package being considered by the State Senate does more than just save rails in Aroostook.

It will expand rail service in Lewiston and Auburn and in Western Maine.

It will invest $35 million dollars in highways around the State, creating more than 900 jobs.

Our roads link our communities together. They enhance commerce, and lead to economic growth and opportunity.

Now is the time to invest in making them better and safer.

The plan also invests in a deep-water pier in Portland and Harbor improvements around the State.

The Portland pier would open Maine to thousands of visitors every year, bringing millions of dollars into our economy.

And the economic impact is felt across the State, as increased revenue is sent back to local communities to offset property taxes.

The bond package will also invest $5 million dollars in clean drinking water and improved sewer systems.

This investment draws a five-to-one federal match, puts people to work and makes our communities cleaner and healthier.

We are also proposing to invest $5 million dollars to build dental clinics and provide dental care in rural areas of the State.

There is a shortage of dentists in Maine, and our overall health is suffering because of it.

The competitive program will expand access to dental care to areas of Maine that need it.

And the bond package will purchase state-of-the-art equipment for the University of Maine to beginning building a manufacturing sector for onshore and offshore wind energy components.

This package creates jobs today and will create jobs for tomorrow.

I understand the reluctance by some folks to borrow, to pledge the credit of the State.

But we must act.

Too many of our people need work and the risk of inaction is too great.

We have the capacity to invest.

We are conservative with borrowing.

And there is much to be gain.

No one can predict the future.

There are no guarantees and this investment package won?t address all of our challenges.

But if we don?t act, we know what will happen.

The railroad in Aroostook County will be torn up and turned into scrap metal, cutting our State apart.

And that is unacceptable to me.

Ships will bypass Portland, taking an economic boost to ports further down the coast.

Our roads will continue to deteriorate.

And too many of our people will be without jobs.

We have a plan.

It is targeted and focused.

And it will work.

Together, we can make it happen.

Thank you and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: A Successful Session

April 17, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, the Legislature finished on a high note.

After a weekend of hard work, Democrats and Republicans came together to pass an investment plan that will start to create jobs this summer.

At times, it seemed like the prospects for consensus were slim. The two parties were divided, and talks had stalled.

The outlook was uncertain.

But we all kept at it.

The good relationships that had developed during a difficult year when Maine had been buffeted by the worst recession since the Great Depression carried the day.

Senator President Libby Mitchell, House Speaker Hannah Pingree, and Minority Leaders Kevin Raye and Josh Tardy kept working.

For hours on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, we sat in my office talking about our priorities and how we could find common ground.

At the end of the day, both sides compromised.

And the real winners are the Maine people.

On Monday, the Legislative session ended with a bipartisan agreement on bonds that will create or protect thousands of Maine jobs.

We overcame partisan differences and did what was right for our State and our people.

Democratic and Republican Leaders, including members of the Appropriations Committee, worked together in good faith on a plan that will put people to work this year, make critical investments in highways, rails and ports, and strengthen Maine?s economy.

The bond package includes about $25 million dollars for highway construction and repair.

$16 million dollars for rail, including a critical investment that will help to save rail service in Aroostook County, which is important to the entire State;

$7 million dollars for ports, including a new deep-water pier in Portland;

$5 million dollars to advance the development of wind energy technology at the University of Maine;

And $5 million dollars to expand access to dental care in the State and for a community-based teaching clinic.

While the negotiations on the bonds were difficult, I knew that if we kept talking we could find a solution.

We?ve demonstrated that all year long.

When the Legislature began its work in January, it faced incredible challenges.

State revenues were declining while the needs of our people were increasing.

With an election pending and the political rhetoric on the national level running hot, there was danger for a stalemate.

We see it around the country. Political differences rule the day.

Maine is different.

The two political parties came together to balance the State budget.

Protected the most vulnerable.

Made important investments in education and improved our schools so our kids have the best opportunity for success.

We reduced State spending and made changes that will reduce costs going forward.

We began to rebuild our reserves. And we did it without raising taxes.

We have moved Maine farther down the road to energy independence and security.

And protected Maine?s air and water.

Helped Maine businesses.

And improved health care for our people.

Now, as the Legislative session has drawn to a close, we can begin to see the results of a job well done.

State revenues are beginning to slowly recover. Maine finished March with revenues above projections.

And while the economy is still fragile and it?s critical that we make important investments to prevent further decline, things are improving.

In Prospect Harbor, a deal is close at hand to reopen the Stinson cannery to process seafood, including lobster.

In Portland, Idexx announced its intention to expand, creating 500 good-paying jobs with benefits.

And at the Italian Heritage Center, more than 800 people turned out in one night to support the Preble Street Homeless Shelter and enjoy a plate of homemade spaghetti.

All in all, that makes for a pretty good couple of weeks.

This spring and fall, as campaigns heat up and people running for office try to stand out from the crowd, you?ll hear a lot of things about the folks who have been working for you in Augusta.

The fashion of the day is to throw stones at the men and women who serve and to second guess their decisions and their actions.

That?s politics.

But I remain deeply impressed with the work accomplished this year, when partisanship gave way to cooperation.

From energy to bonds to the budget, Democrats and Republicans found a way to get the job done and put the people of Maine first.

For that, I?m thankful.

Have a good weekend and a great Patriots? Day.

Radio Address: Earth Day and Energy

April 24, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, which we celebrated on Thursday.

Earth Day started quietly in Maine back in 1970, with events mostly on college campuses.

But environmental advocacy and a commitment to the land, air and water have a long history here.

Maine has always depended upon the natural world to attract people and to sustain our economy.

While much has changed in our State, the commitment to protecting the environment has never waivered.

Earth Day began during the birth of the national environmental movement, when important reforms were taking hold in Washington.

Led by Maine Senator Edmund Muskie, Congress enacted the Clean Air Act in 1970 and the Clean Water Act in 1972.

The laws laid the foundation for modern environmental policy and protection.

Working with Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals to craft forward-thinking policies, Senator Muskie changed the direction of our country for the better.

But the work to protect our environment cannot stop.

Once, environmental stewardship was placed at odds with job creation and economic development.

But today, we see clearly that we can promote a strong economy and have cleaner air and water.

On Wednesday, Vice President Biden announced that Maine had won a $30 million energy grant to help make homes more energy efficient.

This significant grant will help break down the barriers to energy efficiency that many families face.

There?s great potential for savings. But upfront costs make it difficult for too many families to make improvements.

Through an innovative program at MaineHousing and the PUC, the federal grant will make energy upgrades more affordable.

In the short-term, the grant will create new, green jobs and give a boost to our construction industry, which has been battered by the recession.

Over the long-term, Maine homes will use less energy, saving them money and reducing the amount of pollution.

Families will see the benefits in their wallets and feel them when there?s less pollution in the air.

Maine is too dependent on costly, foreign oil.

About 80 percent of our households depend on oil for heat.

Every year, billions of dollars are shipped to dangerous parts of the world instead of staying here at home where they can do the most good.

Energy efficiency is the most cost-effective way to reduce that dependency.

Maine has been aggressive in its efforts to increase our energy independence and security.

Last year, we passed an Act to Secure Maine?s Energy Future, which organized all of the State?s energy efficiency programs into one place ? the Efficiency Maine Trust.

That Trust will make it easier for families and businesses to get the help and support they need to retrofit their buildings.

The law sets ambitious ? and achievable ? goals of reducing and cutting Maine?s dependency on fossil fuels and reducing energy consumption.

And we will weatherize every home in Maine and half of all businesses during the next 20 years.

The significant grant we received this week will boost those efforts.

But it will also give us the opportunity to turn one-time federal resources into a sustainable program to fund energy efficiency.

You know, when I took office seven years ago, I was determined that Maine would break the grip that unstable energy prices hold on our economy.

Working with the Legislature in a bipartisan way fitting of Sen. Muskie?s legacy, we have been bold in our pursuit of energy independence.

We established predictable and appropriate rules to foster the growth of new sources of renewable energy.

We have supported industry with grants that are saving jobs today, making Maine companies more competitive and reducing pollution.

And we are setting the stage for new projects that will directly benefit Mainers.

Maine?s comprehensive approach to energy policy is already paying dividends.

? With new investments;

? Job creation;

? And a cleaner environment.

For 40 years, Earth Day has been about increasing environmental awareness and inspiring people to take action to make things better.

That work continues today as a new generation of men and women follow in the footsteps of Edmund Muskie and take up the cause of environmental stewardship.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Teacher Evaluations

May 1, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Accountability, effective teachers and student success go hand-in-hand.

Most teachers and principals work hard, and are committed to improving.

And their efforts translate into successful schools and students.

They deserve to be recognized for their performance.

But a few teachers and principals need more support. They aren?t getting the results that parents expect.

Our students deserve the best teachers and principals.

And the health of our economy demands high-achieving students who are prepared for college and careers.

Before adjourning last month, the Legislature approved a bill to allow using student achievement as one of the factors in evaluating teachers and principals.

This reform is coming, to Maine and the rest of the country.

In fact, some schools in Maine already are on board.

It?s time that we apply this tool more widely.

We know that evaluating teachers based, in part, on student achievement leads to significant improvements by students.

And as we work to implement the law, I have formed a stakeholder?s group to work on this issue.

The group includes teachers, principals, superintendents and a range of educational professionals.

Their goal is to work quickly to develop a model for tying together student performance and teacher evaluations that can be used by local school districts.

The work is that important.

I have set an aggressive timeline for the group to deliver results.

Earlier this week I sat down with this group of 10 educators at their first meeting.

Their task is challenging.

They must develop a fair and credible way to evaluate teacher performance.

It has to encourage excellent teachers and principals and not penalize others for things they cannot control.

It must encourage teachers and administrators to work together.

And it must deliver results.

It is not easy work.

To be successful, teachers and administrators will have to move past differences.

No one can draw lines in the sand. We want to build a consensus around reform, but we must make changes.

The bickering over past grievances has to stop, and everyone ? teachers? union and administrators ? must work in good-faith to improve classroom performance.

If they?re not willing to do that, then they are putting past fights ahead of Maine?s students.

And I cannot accept that.

We need action soon.

Maine is applying for $75 million in additional federal funds through the Race to the Top grant program.

Maine can?t apply until we have at least one evaluation method that is available to all our schools.

The deadline is May 14.

The Department of Education has suggested a method of evaluating teachers that is supported by the National Education Association, superintendents and others.

It?s already working in more than 200 districts around the country.

And has led to significant improvement in student achievement where it has been implemented over the past 10 years.

In addition, it provides teachers with much needed and appreciated feedback for improvement.

Our goal is to create great teachers and great leaders, and give our students every opportunity for success.

Moving beyond the May deadline, the stakeholders will develop other options for evaluating teachers.

And local school districts will have a choice about which method to use and whether or not to tie student performance to teacher evaluations.

As with any change, there are legitimate concerns about teachers being unfairly graded.

That?s why it?s critical that teaches have a seat at the table and fully participate in this effort.

The work is necessary, and it?s the right thing to do.

It?s critical for our Race to the Top application, but it?s bigger than that.

Improved student performance and teacher evaluations are being incorporated at the national level.

Putting this reform in place will likely be part of the requirements for ongoing federal support for K-12 education in Maine.

Our State has great teachers and great schools.

We need to empower both to be better.

With the stakes so high, I am hopeful that all parties can set aside old fights, and develop ways to assure our students have the best teachers in the country.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Being Prepared

May 8, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

As I?ve watched recent events unfold in the Gulf of Mexico, in Nashville and in Boston, we are reminded of how important it is to be prepared.

We can?t always predict how or when dangerous events will unfold.

The oil spill in the Gulf is of enormous proportions. The flooding in Nashville has claimed lives. And much of Boston was forced to boil water after a massive pipe leak.

In Maine, we?re used to strong winter storms and heavy spring rains. We know how to deal with them, and Maine people know how to overcome the challenges they bring.

But on occasion, the rains can be too much. The ice can be too heavy. The winds can be too strong.

And we must deal with emergencies that put lives and property at risk.

It?s the work we do when the weather is calm that sets the stage for success.

At the end of April, the Maine Emergency Management Agency held its Emergency Preparedness Conference.

The event brought together first responders, school personnel, business leaders and volunteer agencies.

And the work they did put Maine in a better position to prevent disasters and respond when they occur.

I?m proud of the work done by the MEMA.

During an emergency, MEMA coordinates our response by bringing together all the assets of State government and working hand-in-hand with the private sector.

Last weekend, a major water main broke in the Boston area. Drinking water was in short supply and about 2 million residents were warned to either boil water before using it or use bottled water.

Our neighbors to the South were in trouble. Through cooperative agreements with Maine, they reached out for help.

MEMA was able to put Massachusetts responders into contact with our private-sector partners ? Poland Spring and Hannaford.

And just like they have done countless times in Maine, these companies responded to neighbors in need with water to help Boston get through the crisis.

In the Gulf Coast, the true extent of the damage caused by the explosion and sinking of an oil platform won?t be known for some time.

But the impact -- to important ecosystems, to the economy and to the people?s way of life -- is already being felt.

Maine stands ready to respond and offer any assistance we can to support clean-up and response efforts.

Through a national cooperative system, during an emergency with other States, they can request help.

When the call comes, Maine is prepared to answer.

In March, Maine worked cooperatively with the federal government, the United States Coast Guard and other local, regional and private-sector partners on a disaster exercise.

The scenario will sound unfortunately familiar.

The exercise tested the response to a major oil spill that affected multiple states, creating extensive environmental, economic, public health and political challenges.

The lessons learned off Maine?s coast in March are being put to work in the Gulf right now.

The enormity of this disaster is hard to grasp.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection and MEMA are active in planning potential assistance.

And the Portland-based Maine Responder, a 208-foot-long ship that can skim oil off the water is en route to the Gulf.

This is a national disaster, and it is going to require a national response.

While it?s important that we prepare for disasters, it?s equally important that we look at ways to prevent them.

Our dependence on oil makes us vulnerable to both environmental and economic disasters.

As much as I believe that Maine and the United States must end our dependency on oil, it remains an important part of economy ? particularly in the short-term.

Portland is the second busiest oil port on the East Coast, and 80 percent of Maine?s homes rely on oil for heat.

But it doesn?t have to be that way in the future.

During my administration, I have aggressively pursued policies that will reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and help us to develop alternative sources of energy.

On Tuesday, we?ll celebrate important work accomplished to make Maine?s energy future more secure.

Legislation passed this year will make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to reduce their energy costs, make our electrical grid more efficient, and support efforts to develop Maine-based renewable energy.

Maine has demonstrated, time and time again, that we understand the urgency of change.

We lead New England in the production of wind power and have tremendous opportunities off shore to generate wind and tidal power.

Those sources are safe and clean, reducing the amount of oil we need, and we will attract billions of dollars of investment.

We?ll have a cleaner environment.

Local sources of energy.

And thousands of new, green jobs.

Just like preparation is the key to responding to a disaster, preparation is critical to transforming Maine?s energy future.

Maine is ready.

Thank you and have a great weekend. And happy Mother?s Day.

Radio Address: Congratulations to Our Graduates

May 15, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

College seniors ? and soon high school seniors ? across Maine are in the midst of graduation season.

This is a time of great hope and opportunity for our graduates.

To those of you celebrating this milestone, congratulations.

Like you, I?m also graduating this year.

And like some of you ? I bet ? we will be moving back home.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve my hometown of Bangor, my State and my country in elected office.

Throughout more than 30 years in government, I have had the pleasure to meet many wonderful and inspiring people: Presidents, poets, statesmen and world leaders.

The people I find most inspirational are the young men and women of Maine, our State?s next generation of leaders and thinkers and creators.

The world our graduates will face is much different than the one that was waiting for me when I graduated from college.

But there is also a fundamental and core value that runs deeply through Maine?s communities.

In 1966, Robert F. Kennedy delivered a speech at the University of Capetown, South Africa.

He asked the world to tear down the barriers of race and religion, social class and ignorance.

The challenge he gave to students was this:

?This world demands the qualities of youth?; he said, ?not a time of life but a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the life of ease.?

While the nightmares of segregation and apartheid have ended, injustice remains.

As our graduates move on to the next stage in their lives, they will be called upon to stand for what is right.

There is still discrimination and hate ? intolerance for the things that make us different.

These battles are sometimes fought in crowds and through protest, but they are won with one person and one changed mind at a time.

Through small, individual acts of kindness, strength and moral courage, the world can be changed.

That our leaders of tomorrow can inspire others.

You can lead the way, and you can turn the tide.

One person can make a difference ? Martin Luther King Jr.; Archimedes, who said give me a place to stand and I will change history; a young woman freed France: Joan of Arc; and a young man ruled the known world: Constantine.

So history is marked by the names of men and women courageous enough to make a difference.

But even if small acts can send a ripple that travels around the world, it also can help to change lives.

But good things don?t just happen.

They demand hard work and commitment.

Those are two qualities Mainers have had always in abundance.

It?s exciting to think about all the great things our Maine graduates will do.

The challenges they will overcome.

The doubts they will lay aside.

And the problems they will solve.

So as our graduates enter a world that is uncertain and changing.

As it was in 1961 when Robert Kennedy said:

?All of us might wish at times that we lived in a more tranquil world, but we don?t. And if our times are difficult and perplexing, so are they challenging and filled with opportunity.?

Years spent on the campaign trail and in public office give you a great gift ? the chance to meet thousands of people, each with their own story.

It is the mill worker, the nurse, the teacher, the coach. The police officer, the fishermen, the line worker and firemen that I remember, and I think about every day when I go to work.

It?s people who work hard and play by the rules.

They raise their families, they pray that their children will be happy and have opportunities that they missed.

These children ? our graduates of today ? will realize our hopes for better days ahead.

And in celebrating their future - in recognizing their education, their skills, their creativity and their talent - we are celebrating Maine?s future.

Our graduates are the new leaders.

It is within their power to build a brighter future for themselves and their families.

But they will also help to build a better future for our State, and the many students and workers who hope to follow in their footsteps.

Anything is possible. Maine?s graduates can make it happen!

Congratulations.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Voting for Jobs

May 22, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Maine voters will go to the polls on June 8th and face several important questions.

Democrats and Republicans will be asked to pick their party?s candidate for governor in November.

But all voters have a chance to let their voices be heard on five important questions.

How they vote will have a lasting impact on Maine?s economy.

Maine voters are being asked to approve four bond questions that will make critical investments in our State and create new jobs.

To make it to the ballot, these questions had to win overwhelmingly bipartisan support in the Legislature.

During difficult negotiations, Democrats and Republicans worked together to build an investment package they could both support.

We put partisanship aside and compromised on a plan that put common-sense solutions ahead of short-term political gain.

It wasn?t easy, but the end product is something that deserves voter support.

We?re beginning to see signs that Maine?s economy is recovering from the national recession.

But the recovery remains fragile and uncertain.

By making important investments now, we can help the private sector create good-paying jobs, improve vital transportation links and increase economic development.

Unemployment remains too high.

And we have a chance to do something about it on June 8th.

We shouldn?t miss the opportunity.

The investments are broken into four categories.

Question 2 on the ballot asks voters to approve $26.5 million to invest in developing offshore wind technology in our State.

The investment will help to leverage almost $25 million.

This combined investment will help to build a new industry in Maine, creating jobs and helping to secure our energy future.

The resources also invest in the University of Maine, the Community College System and Maine Maritime Academy, to help them be more energy efficient.

It?s critical that Maine breaks its dependency on costly foreign oil.

Question 2 will do that and help our State maintain its leadership position in the development of alternative sources of energy.

Question 3 is about jobs today and jobs tomorrow.

It asks voters to approve $47.8 million for critical highway, railway and port improvements.

The question includes funding for a new deep-water port in Portland that will provide an economic boost to the entire State.

Drawing more tourists to Maine and expanding Portland?s ability to attract ships.

The question will also help us to save rail service in Aroostook County.

The railroad that connects Aroostook County to the rest of the State is about to be lost.

Intervention is necessary. Or our entire State will pay a terrible price.

The railroad connects 22 major shippers in Aroostook to customers in Maine and around the world.

The rail line is critical to Maine?s manufacturing industries.

Rail is the most cost effective and environmentally sound way to move wood and finished forest products to market.

Without the rail link, it?s estimated that an additional 30,000 trucks will be put on Maine roads and shipping costs could increase by 30 percent.

No business can afford that cost hike, especially in this difficult economy.

If approved, the question will also expand rail service in Lewiston and Auburn and in Western Maine.

And the question will make significant investments in roads around our State.

Our roads link our communities together.

They enhance commerce, and lead to economic growth and opportunity.

Now is the time to invest in making them better and safer.

Question 4 asks voters to invest almost $24 million in economic development.

This question will support small businesses, farmers, fishermen and loggers.

It will save historic properties.

And it will help us redevelop the Brunswick Naval Air Station.

The federal government made a terrible mistake when it decided to close the naval air station.

But their mistake is our opportunity.

And with Question 4, we can help to ensure Mid-Coast Maine comes back stronger than ever.

Question 5 will invest about $10 million to make our drinking water cleaner and safer.

This investment immediately creates jobs and will be matched by more than $33 million.

Water projects funded by this question not only protect our drinking water, but they put people to work almost immediately.

If approved, these investments will create jobs today and for tomorrow.

Now, I understand the reluctance by some folks to borrow.

But Maine is very conservative with bonding. We pay our debts in less than half of the time of most states ? 10 years instead of the traditional 20 years.

So we have an opportunity to put people back to work.

The plan is focused, bipartisan and responsible.

And it will create jobs.

So on June 8th, we can give our economy a boost, help Maine small businesses, and take an important step forward, safeguarding our economy and our energy independence.

I hope you will vote ?yes? for jobs.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Memorial Day and Tax Reform

May 29, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

As we enjoy this spring weekend with family and friends, I hope everyone will join me in paying tribute to the men and women who have served in our military.

On Memorial Day, we pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while wearing the uniform of the United States of America.

They kept us safe and protected the values that make our country great.

We will never forget their sacrifice, and the sacrifice of those close to them.

And as we also hold close in our hearts the men and women who are serving in Afghanistan, Iraq and around the world, we are proud of their service and look forward to their safe return home.

They are giving of themselves for all of us.

While our attention this weekend is on matters much more personal than the June 8th election, there?s an issue that will be decided in the next couple of weeks that I would like to talk about.

It?s not often that voters get a chance to weigh in on a so-called ?miracle.?

But come June 8th, that?s exactly what will happen.

Last year, the Maine Legislature lowered the Maine income tax rate.

Despite the worst recession since the Great Depression and tremendous pressure to raise taxes, it didn?t happen.

Maine held the line.

And instead of raising taxes, we passed a new law that actually lowers the income tax rate for Mainer?s making less than $250,000 dollars from 8.5 percent to 6.5 percent.

The change was so impressive that the conservative Wall Street Journal characterized the tax change as the ?Maine Miracle.?

Since then, the law has come under attack from some folks, hoping to grab power by misrepresenting tax reform.

They have placed the law on the ballot and are asking Maine voters to repeal the law and raise their own taxes.

It just doesn?t make sense.

Here are the facts:

The tax reform plan will lower the overall tax burden for nine out of 10 Maine families.

For families making less than $30,000 dollars a year, 97 percent will pay less in taxes.

The plan lowers the income tax rate, and makes the tax code more progressive.

That means more low- and middle-income families will get a refund.

Overall, Maine taxpayers will pay more than $50 million dollars less in State taxes.

The reform has the support of the business community, including the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Portland Region Chamber of Commerce and the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce.

It also has the support of organizations such as AARP and Maine Center for Economic Policy.

Taxes ? and changes to the tax code ? are almost always controversial.

But this reform has drawn the support of a broad coalition.

They are united behind the idea that a lower income tax and a more progressive tax code are good for Mainers, good for business and good for investment.

So, tax reform rewards work and gives Maine families more money to spend on the things they need.

It will attract new businesses to Maine and help to make our State more competitive.

So, to pay for the lower income tax rates, the tax reform plan does apply the sales tax to some things that were tax-exempt.

And it increases the amount paid by tourists to eat in restaurants or stay overnight in hotels.

But for people who live and work in Maine, taxes will go down by more than $50 million a year.

Now, there?s a lot of misinformation out there about tax reform.

And some people claim it includes adding a sales tax to hair cuts or electrician services, for example.

It doesn?t.

And the tax changes don?t include business-to-business services.

For other groups, opposition to tax reform is based on a national strategy to protect special interest carve-outs and exemptions.

I understand that they want to protect their own interests.

But tax reform is good for ALL of Maine.

It will help to grow our economy.

And it demonstrates that Maine is committed to creating a positive business environment.

If the new law is repealed, the highest income tax rate in Maine will increase by 30 percent.

To me, that?s unacceptable.

The law will help working families, the elderly and businesses.

It will make our tax code more stable.

And it will help our economy grow.

For the past seven years, Maine has been frugal.

We?ve reduced the size of government, while protecting core services.

We?ve invested in innovation and education.

And we?ve done it without raising taxes.

Now we have an opportunity to lower the income tax rate and reward work and reward investment.

On June 8th, I will vote ?No? on Question 1.

It?s a vote that will help our economy, businesses and families.

Thank you and have a great Memorial Day weekend.

Radio Address: The June 8th Election

June 5, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

We all have some important work to do on Tuesday, June 8th.

For this Election Day, candidates running for the Democratic and Republican nominations for governor have received the most attention.

There are four Democrats and seven Republicans all vying for the opportunity to run this fall in the General Election.

In addition, there are competitive primaries in some Legislative districts.

But this election isn?t just for the political parties.

There are other important questions on the ballot, and I?d encourage everyone ? Democrat, Republican, Green or unenrolled to turnout on Tuesday.

There are five statewide questions and a number of local ones that deserve voter attention.

From school budgets to city councils to tax reform and bonds, on Tuesday we have an opportunity to make our voices heard.

Maine has a history of strong voter participation, but June elections usually don?t draw the same crowds that we see in November.

But the issues are just as important.

In addition to choosing candidates, voters will decide on an important tax question and on four critical bond questions.

The outcome will have a lasting impact on Maine?s economy.

Question 1 asks voters to repeal changes made to the tax code.

Last year, we lowered the Maine income tax rate.

For most people, the rate goes from 8.5 percent to 6.5 percent.

A big drop. More money staying in your pocket.

It also makes the tax code more progressive, meaning working-class families can expect a bigger refund.

The tax reform plan will lower the overall tax burden for nine out of 10 Maine families.

And for families making less than $30,000 dollars a year, 97 percent will pay less in taxes.

The change was so impressive that the conservative Wall Street Journal called it the ?Maine Miracle.?

Overall, Maine taxpayers will pay about $50 million dollars less in State taxes.

To pay for the lower income tax rate, the law applies the sales tax to some things that were tax-exempt.

And it increases the amount paid by tourists who eat in restaurants or stay overnight in hotels.

The reform has the support of the business community and chambers of commerce and a broad coalition that includes the AARP.

The law rewards work, and Maine families get to keep more of their own money.

It will attract new businesses to Maine and help to make our State more competitive.

The law is good working families, the elderly and businesses.

Now, the other four statewide questions are about bonds.

The bonds faced rigorous scrutiny in the Legislature and the proposals being sent to voters have earned strong bipartisan support.

The bonds are targeted and focused and, if approved, will begin creating jobs this year.

Maine?s economy is showing signs of improvement.

But the recovery is not certain.

These bonds will make important investments now that will put people to work and help businesses to grow.

Unemployment remains too high.

And Maine voters can do something about it.

Question 2 on the ballot asks voters to approve $26 million dollars to invest in developing offshore wind technology in our State.

The investment will help to leverage almost $25 million dollars.

This combined investment will help to build a new industry in Maine, creating jobs and helping to secure not only our energy future but also helping our country.

Question 3 is about jobs.

It asks voters to approve almost $48 million dollars for highway, railway and port improvements.

The question includes funding for a new deep-water port in Portland and to save rail service in Aroostook County.

The railroad that connects Aroostook County to the rest of the State is about to be lost.

It?s a critical link to Maine?s manufacturing industries.

Our entire State will suffer if the railroad is allowed to disappear.

The investment would also expand rail service in Lewiston and Auburn and to Western Maine.

And it will make significant investments in roads around our State.

Good roads help our economy and businesses. We need to make them better and safer.

Question 4 asks voters to invest almost $24 million dollars in economic development.

It will support small businesses, farmers, fishermen and loggers.

It will save historic properties.

It will also help us redevelop the Brunswick Naval Air Station.

Question 5 will invest about $10 million dollars to make our drinking water cleaner and safer.

It will immediately create jobs and be matched by more than $33 million dollars.

Projects funded by this question not only protect our drinking water, but they put people to work almost immediately.

Maine is conservative with bonding. We pay our debts back in less than half of the time of most states ? 10 years instead of the traditional 20 years.

And we have been rewarded with low interest rates and strong support from the financial markets.

And we have an opportunity to put people back to work.

So these bonds are responsible and will create jobs.

Come June 8th Maine voters get to decide what happens next.

And as Adlai Stevenson said: ?As citizens of this democracy, you are the rulers and the ruled, the law-givers and the law-abiding, the beginning and the end.?

I trust Maine voters to make the right decisions, and I encourage everyone to participate in Tuesday?s election.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Energy Update

June 12, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

On Tuesday, Maine voters let their voices be heard on a number of important issues.

Election Days are always exciting, and on Tuesday, I was gratified that Maine voters showed their support for job creation, innovation and economic development.

Voters approved an investment of almost $27 million dollars to advance Maine?s energy independence.

That investment, which will help to attract more than $24 million dollars in matching resources, will help our State become more energy efficient and develop new cutting-edge technology.

Paired with other federal and State, nonprofit and private resources, the investment will solidify the role of the University of Maine as a leader in the development of off-shore wind energy.

On Monday U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu will visit the Advanced Structures and Composites Center at the University.

The federal government -- through the hard work of Senator Collins who invited Secretary Chu to Maine, Senator Snowe, Representative Michaud and Representative Pingree ? is a strong partner with our State and the University.

Together, we are working to build an offshore wind energy demonstration site in Maine waters.

The site will attract private-sector investment and help to strengthen a new industry in Maine ? the manufacturing of wind energy components.

Our efforts have earned the support of the Obama administration, attracting more than $25 million dollars in grants to help develop offshore energy.

In addition, on Monday Maine joined with nine other states and the U.S. Department of Interior to establish The Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Consortium.

This is a group that will work to streamline the review and siting process for offshore wind projects in federal waters.

It can take more than seven years for a wind project to make its way through the federal bureaucracy.

That?s too long.

Opportunities will be missed.

This group will work to reduce that time, while also making sure the process protects the environment and that development is done responsibly.

Maine has a tremendous energy resources off our coast.

The work going on today will create thousands of new jobs, and translate into a cleaner, safer energy future.

Maine is already a leader in alternative energy and conservation.

We lead New England in wind power, with 95 percent of the region?s generation capacity.

Our offshore wind resources hold incredible potential to reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

Working with a bipartisan Legislature, Maine has set aggressive goals that will put our State in control of our energy future.

But power generation is only part of the equation.

The most cost-effective way to reduce the cost of energy is to conserve.

In May, Maine was recognized for putting Recovery Act dollars to work quickly on weatherization projects.

Our State is one just one of seven to meet important requirements necessary for full funding.

Maine has weatherized more than 1,500 low-income homes under the Recovery Act, saving families on average $437 dollars a year.

The weatherization program has already created more than 160 jobs in just three months of this year.

About 80 percent of Maine?s households depend on oil for heat.

But we are making real progress to reduce this reliance.

And we?re doing it in a way that creates good jobs.

When I took office seven years ago, I made it a priority for Maine to break the stranglehold that unstable energy prices have on our economy.

We?ve established responsible rules to foster the development of new sources of renewable energy.

We have supported industry with grants that are saving jobs today, making companies more competitive and reducing pollution.

And we are setting the stage for new projects that will directly benefit Mainers.

We are seeing the benefits with investments being made in the State, new jobs and a cleaner environment.

Now, much work remains to be done, some of it will be difficult.

But we are making real progress.

Voters on Tuesday affirmed Maine?s commitment to a new energy future.

And our State will not turn back.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Governor's Weekly Radio Address: Father's Day and State Parks

June 19, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Maine?s State Parks are celebrating their 75th Anniversary this year.

Since 1935, our State Parks have developed a worldwide reputation for quality and beauty at an affordable price.

Generations of families have grown up with fond memories of their visits, and they?ve learned about Maine?s culture and history.

Through the years, we have enhanced our parks, adding more amenities to make them safer, more convenient and more fun.

There?s a lot happening at our State Parks.

And this weekend is a great opportunity to check out what they have to offer.

On Father?s Day, State Parks and Historic Sites will be free for Maine residents.

Time together is one of the greatest gifts we can give our families.

Sometimes, we need to lead our kids outdoors.

And we need to get them away from the iPods, television and text messaging and let them smell the fresh air;

See the waves crashing on the beach;

And hike along some of the most beautiful trails anywhere in the world.

Three years ago, my Administration launched the Take It Outside initiative with the Department of Conservation.

The goal of the program is to improve the health of Maine families, to fight obesity and introduce folks to the wonderful outdoor recreation available in Maine.

Our 48 State Parks and Historic Sites make it possible for families to have a great experience close to home.

Last year, our parks welcomed 2.3 million visitors, who helped to contribute over $100 million to our State?s economy.

And since 2007, Maine voters have supported $7.5 million dollars in investments to improve our facilities, and protect our unique cultural heritage.

Did you know that the first cows ever brought to the United States came ashore at Vaughn Woods Memorial State Park in South Berwick?

Or that Fort Knox is the second largest historic fort in the country?

Our parks and historic sites keep us in touch with the past, bringing to life Maine?s place in American history.

And special events are planned all summer long.

And there?s a long list of activities to suit almost every taste, including:

? Bird watching tours; ? Music; ? Living History Displays; ? Artisan and crafts festivals; ? Horseback riding ? And much, much more.

Our State Parks also have expanded their four-season recreation opportunities.

Winter Family Fun Days at Mount Blue State Park has tripled in size since it began in 2008, and the same event at Aroostook State Park welcomed 700 people.

And the Youth Ice Fishing Derby at Lake St. George State Park drew 600 visitors.

People love Maine?s parks, and they let me know it.

They send letters and e-mails that tell a common story.

The parks are well-maintained, they?re safe and affordable.

They offer unique and fun experiences.

And they are staffed by dedicated professionals who want every family to have a fun and memorable visit.

Tourism is a critical part of Maine?s economy, and nature-based tourism is one of our State?s largest draws.

People come from around the world for our beaches, lakes, mountains and rivers.

They are drawn here because Maine has aggressively protected the qualities that make our home special.

It?s why in Maine we have been aggressive in our efforts to conserve pristine wilderness, keep our forests working, and develop alternative sources of energy that are cleaner and safer.

Mainers take pride in the stewardship of our State.

We know that we live in a special place. Keeping it that way takes hard work and commitment.

And we do not take our blessings for granted.

I hope Maine families will be able to take advantage of our State Parks this weekend and spend some time together outside.

The memories will last forever.

Thank you and have a very happy Father?s Day.

Radio Address: The Economy and Recovery

June 26, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, we learned that Maine finished May with revenues beating projections by more than $15 million dollars.

With less than a month left in the current fiscal year, Maine is on track to finish $50 million dollars or more above budget.

And we?ve seen our unemployment rate fall to 8 percent in May, a slight improvement over April and last year.

In fact, in four of the last five months, Maine has shown job growth.

The economy is improving ? slowly ? but improving.

But there is a larger, more complicated picture we have to understand.

For many businesses, success for the entire year is determined between now and Labor Day.

Important parts of our economy depend upon tourism, and the ability of visitors to come to Maine and enjoy all our State has to offer.

As we continue our efforts to recover from the worst recession since the Great Depression, we cannot underestimate its lingering effects.

Tourism depends upon people feeling confident about their jobs and the future.

Right now, we still face some pessimism and uncertainty.

And too many of our people lack work and even more are afraid that things could get worse before they get better.

As I look back over the last year, it?s clear to me that the Recovery Act, and the quick and responsible actions we?ve taken in Maine and the support of Maine voters ? we?ve made the difference.

Without that action, this recession would have been much worse, and the effects much more difficult to overcome.

A little more than two weeks ago, Maine voters showed they understand the struggle we still face.

They approved a significant investment in job creation that will help our economy beginning almost immediately.

It will create good jobs, and set Maine on a course for future growth.

The investments in new energy research, roads, clean water and economic development will pay dividends for years to come.

But the hard work isn?t done yet. And the difficult choices are far from over.

Right now in Washington, Congress is considering legislation that would help our country to continue to recover from the recession.

And while there is broad support for the goals of the bill, there are concerns about federal spending and the deficit.

It?s a difficult balancing act.

I have talked to Maine?s Congressional delegation and I know that they are all working for what they believe is a good solution.

Nonetheless, I am preparing to take action if it is necessary and there is no action from Washington.

I have an obligation to make sure Maine?s budget remains balanced.

Beginning in July, my administration will begin to prepare to adjust State spending for 2011 to match available resources.

It?s possible we will need to consider new reductions in State spending to balance the budget, which could mean more cuts to an already tight State budget.

But we will not be proposing raising taxes.

For context, Maine?s budget for 2011 is $2.6 billion, the same as it was 10 years ago.

And the number of State workers has been reduced by 1,000.

When people talk about runaway government spending, they aren?t talking about it here.

So as our summer tourism season reaches its high points in the next few months, we will have a much clearer picture of the economy and what we can expect down the road.

Maine has started to recover from the recession.

And we?ve done it with smart investments, frugal spending and by holding the line on taxes.

If we make the right decisions in Maine, recovery will continue.

Our economy is showing that it can grow and that it can create jobs.

We need to continue to support working families, fighting for every job and help those who are unemployed.

And if we stay focused on those goals, we can overcome this recession.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Fourth of July

July 3, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This weekend, we celebrate the birth of our great nation.

With fireworks, parades, silly costumes and family barbecues, on the Fourth of July we fly our flags with pride and remember what makes our country such a special place.

Unique in history from the day it was born;

Determined to be a light of justice and opportunity in a sometimes dark world.

This weekend is a time to celebrate all that is good about our country and our people, and to take stock of our place in its grand history.

But after the smoke from the sparklers has cleared and the sound of the patriotic music has faded, we will return to the circumstances we face today.

Among some, there?s a sense that things just aren?t right.

And you can?t blame folks for being angry when unemployment is too high, or we feel helpless to the stop the environmental disaster in the Gulf Coast.

There?s discord, and it looks like the issues in Washington are too much for our system to overcome.

But the troubles we face today will only be short passages in the story of our great country.

Just as we overcame the Great Depression, we will overcome this terrible recession.

Just as we defeated the Axis Powers during World War II and pried open the Iron Curtain to end the Cold War, we will defeat the enemies of our country who wrap themselves in the cloth of extremism and terrorism.

And just as we have overcome great fires and floods, disease and drought, attacks and disasters, we will overcome the oil that fouls the Gulf of Mexico.

Our resilience is the pedigree of our birth.

Two hundred and twenty-four years ago, as our nation came alive, things looked much worse.

In 1776, as Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, a British invasion fleet was preparing to land in New York.

Time has a way of softening the edges of reality. We forget that the men of the Continental Congress weren?t all friends, united behind a single idea.

The Congress included open rivalries and men of different convictions, all thrown together at a precarious moment in history.

Everything was at risk.

Despite being labeled ?traitors? and ?turncoats,? the members of the Continental Congress faced down the most powerful country in the world.

It?s easy to forget today, more than 200 years later, that when the Congress declared independence, the thirteen colonies also dissolved their central government.

As the war began, a new compact among the colonies was created. And a new federal government was formed hurriedly but from noble ideas.

But the Founding Fathers weren?t starting from scratch.

They built the United States on ideas from the Magna Carta that said no man ? not even the King ? is above the law.

They incorporated notions of individual liberty, justice and equality.

And they compromised and worked together to build a government that has survived through war, fear and desperation.

The choices they made have served our country well.

Ideas meant to keep the power of the government in check ? such as the separation of powers between the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary ? have insured that the ultimate authority rests with the people.

It?s easy to be frustrated when we look at government, particularly in Washington, and see what happens to appear to be inaction and divisiveness.

But the federal government was designed ? by brilliant men determined to protect against the rise of a new king and the domination of the minority by the majority ? to be deliberative, cautious and, at times, even cumbersome.

We do not invest ultimate power in one man or woman, free to move our country by decree. Or rely on the goodwill of the many to safeguard the few.

And it is that design that has overcome every obstacle, and that has made us stronger.

Formed while looking down the barrel of a British musket, the United States of American maintains the strength and vitality of its birth.

But our freedom has not come easily. It has been earned and protected by the brave men and women who serve our country at home and overseas.

And even as we enjoy this weekend, members of our military are serving under the harshest of conditions, far from family and friends.

We owe them all our gratitude and respect, and have a duty to support them and their families while they are away and when they return.

These men and women, who are willing to sacrifice for their country and its ideals, prove that what we share as Americans is worth fighting for.

Thank you and have a safe and happy Fourth of July Weekend.

Radio Address: Maine Draws a Crowd

July 10, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

With the summer tourism season in full swing, Maine has been blessed with great weather.

Warm temperatures, blue skies and cool water have brought people to visit.

For the Fourth of July weekend, traffic coming into the State on the Turnpike was up almost 9 percent over last year.

More than 245,000 cars and trucks went through the York Toll Plaza for the holiday weekend.

And the Maine Innkeepers Association reports that they had one of the best weekends in at least two years.

While a lot of folks like to joke about tourists and complain about the traffic on Route 1 during the summertime, tourism remains one of our State?s most important industries.

It helps to bring billions of dollars into the State, and supports about 140,000 jobs.

And while August is typically one of the our busiest tourists months, the growth for four season recreation, including skiing, snowmobiling, hunting and fishing, keep people coming to Maine all year round.

In its report, Charting Maine?s Future, The Brookings Institution put it this way:

?As the search for quality places grows in importance, Maine possesses a globally known ?brand? built on the image of livable communities, stunning scenery, and great recreational opportunities.?

People come to Maine because it?s a great place to live, work and enjoy the best that life has to offer.

But that hasn?t happened by accident.

Mainers understand what makes our State special, and we?ve been aggressive in our efforts to protect it.

Maine has more than half-a-million acres of State and national parks, including the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Acadia National Park, Baxter State Park and part of the Appalachian Trail.

There are more than 32,000 miles of rivers and streams that if put together are longer than the Mississippi, Amazon and Nile rivers combined.

And our beautiful coast stretches for more than 5,000 miles and is home to more than 60 lighthouses.

Just this year, the Land for Maine?s Future program helped to protect the Kelley Farm in Bowdoinham, keeping new generations of farmers on the land and providing a good resource for locally grown food and new businesses.

The Land for Maine?s Future also protected more than 1,000 acres around Branch Lake in Ellsworth and permanently secured public access to Higgins Beach in Scarborough.

Working with the Trust for Public Land, the Towns of Ellsworth and Scarborough, Land for Maine?s Future has helped to assure that these important resources remain accessible.

And in June, Maine voters approved $3.5 million dollars to preserve significant historic properties and promote economic revitalization.

It all adds up to make Maine a destination for thousands of visitors every year.

We?ve also made critical advances in helping to make the visit easier and more attractive.

On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and I announced that grant agreements have been finalized to begin work on the expansion of passenger rail service north of Portland to Brunswick ? The Downeaster.

Funded by $35 million dollars from the Recovery Act, the project will put people to work beginning this year and open the Midcoast to passenger rail.

And the expansion is a necessary step to expand passenger service even farther into Maine.

The project is critical for our State, will help our environment, create jobs and will bring more visitors here.

As Secretary LaHood said, travelers will begin to have better options and we?ll be putting people to work on a great project.

While it?s clear that our economy still has a long way to go before it fully recovers from the global recession, we have seen some progress.

And the strong numbers of visitors last weekend and the number of people staying over night are good signs.

But our efforts, supported directly by voters, are making the investments that will put Maine on a stronger economic footing for years to come.

We know that our home has something special to offer ? to visitors on vacation and to new businesses looking to grow or relocate.

Our workers are unmatched and our reputation for quality has traveled the world.

Together with our unique cities, picturesque downtowns, pristine lakes and wild rivers, parks and historic sites, beaches, mountains and forests, Maine has what people all over the world are looking for.

And we?re doing what it takes to protect these special places and position our economy for growth.

Thank you for listening and enjoy another great Maine weekend.

Radio Address: Governor's Radio Address for July 17: Governor Discusses NGA and NEGC Meetings

July 17, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

It seems strange to leave Maine this time of year, when our State is drawing visitors from all over the world, including the President of the United States and his family.

But earlier this week I traveled to Massachusetts to meet with governors from all over the country, including our neighbors in New England and premiers from Eastern Canadian.

The first meeting was with the National Governors Association, a bipartisan group that helps to build consensus among states and develop solutions to complicated policy questions.

Governors have a unique opportunity to work together, share ideas and learn from one another.

We tackled challenging issues, such as making our health care system more sustainable, economic development and federal deficit reduction.

While every state is different and a broad range of voices are represented among governors, it was clear that we have more in common than what separates us.

Almost every state has struggled under the effects of the recession, and all but Vermont are like Maine and are required to balance their budgets each year.

And while Vermont doesn?t have the requirement, State leaders have demanded a balanced budget because they know it?s good policy.

And we heard from experts who shared their knowledge and insights.

Business leaders, scholars and policymakers brought unique perspectives that are helpful as we begin preparations to implement national health care reform and maintain our balanced budget.

One of the most impressive discussions focused on the federal budget deficit and the necessity of finding an answer to the nagging question.

While I was a member of Congress, we were able to work hard with the Clinton Administration and a Republican Congress to balance the federal budget and begin to pay down the national debt for the first time in modern history.

Two wars, disproportionate tax cuts and a terrible recession have reversed that progress.

President Obama has appointed a national commission on fiscal responsibility and reform to work on the problem.

Two chairmen ? former Senator Al Simpson and former Clinton Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles ? joined an impassioned discussion with governors.

Senator Simpson is a Republican and Erskine Bowles is a Democrat.

But they put partisanship aside to work on a serious issue facing our country.

The two men have spent a lifetime in public service, and understand Washington and politics.

And while reducing the deficit is their primary mission, they freely admit their first task is to build trust among the members of the commission.

Senator Simpson told a story about a recent trip he made to the floor of the United States Senate. He greeted an old friend ? a Democrat -- with a big hug.

Right after, he was approached by a newer member of his own party who offered him an ominous warning: If I were you, I wouldn?t do that again.

It is a startling reminder of how partisan and angry things have become in Washington.

There are real differences between Democrats and Republicans, but we are all Americans and we are all working to make our country better.

In Maine, things have been different. Our Congressional delegation has been able to work across the aisle on many important issues and our State Legislature has overwhelmingly passed bipartisan budgets even during the toughest of times.

But we cannot take that Maine tradition of pragmatism for granted.

Compromise is not a dirty word.

And we should support leaders ? like Senator Simpson and Erskine Bowles ? who are willing to work together in good faith for the good of our country.

After the National Governors Association conference, New England Governors joined with the Premiers from Eastern Canada for a separate day of meetings.

The focus was on regional issues -- particularly energy, transportation and jobs.

While there, I signed an agreement with Premier Dexter of Nova Scotia on offshore energy research.

Both Maine and Nova Scotia are aggressively pursuing offshore energy development, including research into tidal power.

This agreement will help us share information and bring together leading thinkers in the field and eventually expand participation to include other New England states and Canadian provinces.

Maine is a national leader in the development of onshore and offshore wind energy. We have some of the largest wind farms in New England. Through creative partnerships with like-minded neighbors, we can push that leadership role even further.

In addition, I signed an agreement with Premier Graham of New Brunswick to expand cross-border cultural exchange.

Maine and New Brunswick have much more in common than just a border.

We have deep historic, cultural and artistic ties, and together we will work to increase collaboration, and business and cultural trade opportunities.

The agreement is particularly important as planning continues for the World Acadian Conference, a signature event that will be held in Maine, New Brunswick and Quebec in 2014.

While my focus remains on Maine, it?s important to remember that our State is part of a larger, broader region and country.

Working together with our colleagues who are facing similar challenges, Maine can become stronger and more secure.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Positive Signs

July 24, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

As we clean up from the severe thunderstorms that blew through Maine this week, it?s encouraging to know that at least the economic forecast has gotten a little brighter.

On Friday, Kestrel Aircraft Company announced that it would locate a new high-tech manufacturing facility in Brunswick, Maine.

The new company will hire between 50 and 70 engineers to begin design work on a cutting-edge passenger plane.

The company intends to build a new, advanced composite passenger aircraft ? called the Kestrel JP 10 ? here in Maine.

Once the design and development work is complete, Kestrel will begin production at the facility, adding another 250 highly skilled jobs.

The company?s decision speaks to the quality of Maine?s workforce, our improving business climate and our commitment to support new technologies.

Kestral Aircraft Company will complement the already strong composite technology cluster in the Mid-Coast and the development of the Maine Advanced Technology and Engineering Center, which will be located at Brunswick Landing.

The Advanced Technology Center, which is a partnership between the University of Maine and Southern Maine Community College, received significant funding this year when voters approved $4.75 million dollars that was for the program.

Mainers understand the importance of investing in innovation and the industries of the future.

Kestrel?s decision to come to Maine demonstrates the success that can occur when government at all levels works cooperatively with the private sector on economic development.

The redevelopment of Brunswick Naval Air Station has been a top priority of my administration, a priority that is also shared by the Maine Legislature and the people of the State.

We will continue to work to help Brunswick Landing realize its full potential.

We have come a long way since the summer of 2005.

The federal government made a mistake when they closed the Brunswick Naval Air Station.

Since that day, we have worked together tirelessly to turn that mistake into opportunity.

We are making progress.

Maine?s financial position is also improving.

While it?s too early to talk about the national economy in terms of recovery, Maine did end last fiscal year with a surplus of more than $70 million dollars.

That surplus puts Maine in a better position to address the challenges facing our State.

And while there are signs that the economy is improving, recovery remains fragile and we must remain vigilant.

The surplus is good news, but we have to understand the context.

Even with the improved circumstances, we finished this year more than $55 million dollars below the 2009 level, and revenues were about the same as they were in 2005, five years ago.

The surplus is the result of improving corporate profits and a recent improvement in the sales tax.

But they are also a result of a disciplined and frugal approach to government spending.

And I remain committed to rebuilding Maine?s financial reserves so the State can weather future hardships without raising taxes.

We have controlled spending and focused on finding efficiencies.

And we have fulfilled our commitment to the most vulnerable in our State.

But it hasn?t been easy, and there have been many, many tough choices.

We?ve done it by working together.

But our work is not done.

Without Congressional action to extend support for Medicaid, Maine faces a potential budget gap of an additional $100 million dollars.

So if Congress does not act, in October I will be forced to issue an executive order to immediately cut spending.

My administration right now is identifying areas within State government where spending can be reduced.

Every department and agency has received a target for those reductions.

In the coming weeks, we will thoroughly examine the alternatives and put forward a plan to assure that Maine?s budget remains balanced.

Already, I?ve heard from some folks saying that we should use the surplus to restore earlier cuts in the State budget.

Unfortunately, that?s not possible.

The lingering effects of the global recession continue, and we have to understand that government must continue to do more with less.

It?s a hard message.

But it?s the truth.

Kestrel?s decision to locate in Maine and our State?s improving revenues point to the opportunities that exist.

And remind us that better days are ahead.

But our task now is to remain responsible and ensure that our economy has every opportunity to begin to grow again.

And if we stay focused, we will get there. The best social service program is a good-paying job with benefits, and the best social service department is the family. We need to work to continue to strengthen both.

Thank you and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: Maine's Pension System

July 31, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week, we have seen a number of news stories about the pension system for public employees in Maine.

For the most part, the reports have done a good job of explaining the situation.

But as the political season heats up, there will be plenty of opportunity for misunderstandings and misrepresentations.

Like almost every State in the country, Maine has an obligation to pay pension benefits for workers who have retired from government service.

And, like almost every State in the country, the share of the General Fund budget that is necessary to support those pensions is rising.

In years past, the State did not always keep up with its payments to the retirement system, and a large debt developed.

That began to change in 1995 when a Constitutional amendment was passed that requires the pension system to be fully funded.

Since then, Maine has made enormous progress.

In 1992, Maine?s pension system only had 33 percent of the assets it was projected to need. By 2009 through disciplined budgeting, the pension system has reached 68 percent of appropriate funding.

While there?s no doubt that we still have work to do, successive governors and legislatures have taken the issue very seriously.

According to the Pew Center on the States, Maine?s pension system is the healthiest in New England. The group says that Maine is a solid performer in meeting its obligations, even while other states in the region were characterized as needing improvement or having serious concerns.

And we have consistently met our obligations for ongoing expenses and those inherited from 20 years ago.

It hasn?t been easy.

As the pension system obligation has grown, it has required a greater commitment of resources.

In future years, it?ll be even tougher.

And the task has been made more difficult by the recession, which has reduced the pension system?s investment earnings.

Just as individual retirement plans have suffered, so have the investments for the retirement system.

The issue is real, and it is growing.

That?s why we have put into law that 20 percent of any year-end surplus must be dedicated to pay down the obligations of the pension system.

And that?s why during my administration we have always met our current obligations and made payments to reduce the unfunded liability that we inherited.

We cannot take this issue lightly, and we do not.

But at the same time, we should not allow it to be manipulated for political or partisan reasons.

Maine?s pension system is at risk of becoming a proxy for attacks on State workers or government.

In Maine, workers are required to pay more than seven-and-a-half percent of their paychecks into the system, which is more than Social Security requires.

Only one in five workers actually receives full benefits, and nearly half -- 50 percent -- do not qualify for any State pension because they leave their job before five years.

There is not simple fix to meeting this obligation.

Changing the benefits for current or future employees doesn?t change the long-term obligation that had built up over time.

And because Maine pays its current bills as it should and can?t add new benefits without fully funding them completely, changes in the retirement system have been limited.

While Maine has kept its pension system, most private-sector employers have moved to what is called a defined contribution plan.

In many cases, they make contributions to an employee?s personal retirement plan, but it is up to the individual to make investment decisions and to shoulder the risk of those choices.

As any one with a 401(k) plan can attest during this recession, the notion of retiring today can be disheartening.

The market has tumbled, and retirement savings have suffered.

There?s great uncertainty.

And we are all aware Social Security faces many of the same pressures that we face with Maine?s pension system.

In Maine, we?ve worked to reduce our pension costs by dedicating resources ? even during this terrible recession ? and reducing the size and cost of State government.

Those changes are making a difference.

We?ve also continued to look at reforms in the system that could reduce its cost. In 1993, for example, Maine raised the retirement age for new employees and those with fewer than 10 years of service.

More changes are likely necessary.

But regardless of the difficulties of the task ahead, one thing is certain.

Maine will always meet its obligations to the men and women who have dedicated their lives to our State.

We will take care of our workers, our retirees and those who are most vulnerable. And we will continue to streamline government, make it more efficient and carefully guard taxpayer dollars.

Of that, I have no doubt.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Taking Notice of the Positive

August 7, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

So far, it?s shaping up to be a good summer for Maine.

The weather has been great. The economy has started to improve.

And there?s been encouraging news for a number of our communities.

After months of hard work and negotiations, this week we announced that a new company will take over the Bumble Bee Cannery in Prospect Harbor.

The cannery closed earlier this year, and we?ve been working hard to find a new owner.

Those efforts paid off this week when Live Lobster announced that it would purchase the facility and immediately put 40 people in the community back to work.

Within two years, the company expects employment to total 120 workers, and there are plans for further expansions down the road.

The company has assured me that it is committed to Maine, to Prospect Harbor and to building a state-of-the-art seafood processing facility.

That?s good news for the community and the workers who were hurt when the cannery closed its doors.

Likewise, TD Bank opened a new call center in Auburn that is expected to employ 500 people by next year.

TD Bank has long been a valued corporate citizen in Maine.

The company?s expansion once again demonstrates a commitment to our State, and speaks to the quality of our workforce.

We recently announced that Kestrel Aircraft Company will locate a research, development and manufacturing facility in Brunswick.

The company plans to hire between 50 and 70 engineers initially and expand to 250 people when they begin production of a cutting-edge composite airplane right here in Maine.

Earlier this week, we began working in earnest on the expansion of passenger rail service north of Portland.

Recovery Act dollars are putting hundreds of people to work on the passenger rail line to Freeport and Brunswick and helping Maine to build the transportation infrastructure necessary to support a vibrant, modern economy.

But the good news isn?t limited to just those four communities.

In each case, the positive impact will spread across the entire State.

I know there?s always a temptation to focus on the dark clouds and to overlook the silver linings.

And I know that the headlines often present a reality that feels less than hopeful.

But even as we work our State and our country out of the worst recession since the Great Depression, there are reasons to be optimistic.

On Monday, we learned that Ocean Renewable Power Company won a significant grant to support its work to develop tidal power near Eastport.

It?s good news for Maine?s effort to break the grip that foreign oil holds on our economy and to develop new sources of energy right here at home.

And in Washington, Maine?s two United States Senators ? Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins ? took a stand to help Maine?s economy.

They cast a critical vote for jobs, health care and for education.

Congress has been struggling to find the right balance between delivering much-needed support to the states while also protecting the long-term sustainability of the federal budget.

It?s a tough issue.

With the support from Sen. Snowe and Sen. Collins in the Senate, and Rep. Michaud and Pingree in the House, Maine is expected to receive critical support that will have a profound impact as we work to protect jobs and grow the economy.

Maine finished 2010 on a good fiscal note, but the partnership we have with the federal government is necessary to ensure recovery.

Our entire Congressional Delegation continues to show that it puts Maine first.

While there?s no question that Maine faces many difficult choices in the future, it?s clear to me that when we are able to work together with cooperation between the private sector and government at all levels, we can get results.

The work to safeguard Maine?s economy and maintain a balanced State budget will continue.

And I know that we must continue to look for efficiencies, stretching dollars and setting priorities.

At the same time, I hope we can also take notice of the positive things that are happening in our communities

There?s work being done to make our State stronger and more prosperous.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Beyond Maine?s Borders

August 14, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

As we look back on 2009, it?s hard to find any sector of the world economy that didn?t struggle.

The global recession hit about every industry in just about every country in the world.

Unemployment in the United States has stubbornly stayed above 9 percent, sticking at 9.5 percent in June.

In Maine, we?ve done a little bit better, but unemployment was still too high at 8 percent as it was reported in June.

Maine?s ultimate success depends on our ability to capitalize on the things that make us unique and to expand our reach into new areas and new markets.

Last year, Maine?s exports were hard hit.

Markets around the world had little capacity to buy or invest. For 2009, exports dropped by 24 percent after four years of steady growth.

Trade is critical to Maine?s economy. More than 24,000 workers are employed by foreign companies, which have invested more than $6.2 billion dollars in property and equipment in our State.

So, their success is our success.

So far in 2010, we are beginning to see the export market turn around.

Through the first half of the year, exports were up 44.7 percent.

And, more impressively, pulp exports were up 200 percent and paper exports were up 72 percent.

The pulp and paper and wood products industry are critical to Maine, and particularly to the more rural parts of the State.

The industry had a rough time in 2009, with production dropping significantly.

As an article last week in MaineBiz points out, Maine?s pulp and paper industry are tied to world events.

The recovering world economy has helped boost demand, but other factors have also contributed.

An earthquake in Chile had a noticeable effect on that country?s pulp industry, and increasing demand in China has made Maine?s pulp more valuable.

It all translates to more work and more economic activity in Maine.

Another important sector of Maine?s economy has also seen exports increase over last year.

According to the Maine International Trade Center, semiconductor exports are up 23 percent.

This high-tech industry is very important to our State.

So when we talk about the economy, the conversation too often ends at Maine?s borders.

As MaineBiz wrote, our state is tied to global markets. A tug in one corner of the world will make ripples in Maine.

We have to take a broader view and be proactive in our efforts to expand trade opportunities for Maine companies and to attract investment into our State.

In June, I announced a new initiative to attract more foreign direct investment in Maine.

In partnership with the private sector, the effort will focus on attracting investments in Maine?s renewable energy and advanced materials fields.

The work will be done by the Maine International Trade Center and was made possible by a cooperative effort between the Department of Economic Development and a private company in Monmouth, Maine, named Tex Tech.

Under the corporate leadership of Ciaran Lynch, Tex Tech has become a valuable corporate citizen in Maine and is working with us to expose new investors to the benefits our State has to offer.

The initiative also builds upon the successful trade mission I led last year to Germany and Spain that reinforced to the world that Maine is a good place to invest in the energy sector.

So far, less than a year after the trip, companies that participated in the European Energy Mission and trade shows in Vietnam, Dubai and Germany reported more than $23 million in export sales ? which is an all-time record.

Last year was tough all the way around, and exports certainly suffered. But our State has tremendous potential now that the world economy is slowly recovering.

Maine has a well-earned reputation for quality, integrity and a highly skilled workforce. That?s an advantage that can pay off for our State.

We?re also working hard to make sure Maine is competitive for new companies looking to get off the ground here.

CB Insights is a New York-based firm that tracks state-run innovation grant programs, which help to support start-up companies.

According to its research, in the last five quarters Maine has made more investments in early-stage innovative companies than any other state.

The success has been attributed to the Maine Technology Institute, which works to spark entrepreneurship, create jobs and increase economic development in partnership with the Department of Economic Development.

This past year, MTI awarded $930,000 in seed grants and another $3.7 million in development awards.

These grants are going to innovative companies in Maine that are working on cutting-edge technologies and creating good-paying jobs here in our State.

Since 1999, MTI has provided funding for almost 1,300 projects, leveraging more than $183 million in matching investment.

For every dollar MTI funds, it attracts more than $14.

That?s a smart investment that was made possible by the voters of Maine supporting a bond initiative to establish it.

Whether it?s working to expand exports, attracting investment into Maine, or supporting homegrown economic development, our State has never lost its focus on creating good jobs for our people.

That work was made harder by the recession, but Maine is blessed with innovative thinkers, good products and a great workforce. With the right support, their potential is unlimited ? both here at home and beyond our borders.

Thank you and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: The Power to Do the Right Thing

August 21, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Next week, I?ll be traveling to Eastport to visit Ocean Renewable Power Company.

The company is operating the largest ocean energy ?power plant? ever installed in U.S. waters.

The prototype machinery produces grid-compatible power from the tidal currents in Cobscook Bay.

Ocean Renewable Power Company is partnering with the University of Maine and has received significant support from the federal government to continue its work.

The tests that are now being conducted will lead to the installation of commercial tidal power generation in Eastport next year.

Maine?s efforts to build new industries based on renewable power are meeting with great success.

Whether it?s the development of onshore or offshore wind energy, tidal or hydropower or capitalizing on our vast forest resources to produce bio-fuels, Maine is leading the way toward a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.

Despite the great progress that we?ve made, everyone understands that much work remains.

Maine, like the rest of the country, must reduce its dependence on costly, foreign oil.

Our economy, our industries and our wallets are at the mercy of energy producers far from Maine.

If we want to secure our manufacturing jobs, make sure families can afford to heat their homes and drive to work, we have to be willing to change.

Fortunately, Maine has tremendous potential energy resources that are cleaner and safer than the fossil fuels that we currently depend upon.

About 80 percent of Maine homes rely on heating oil to stay warm during the winter.

And the rural nature of our State means that workers spend more of their hard-earned money for gas just to get to their jobs.

Those facts are undeniable.

It?s not enough to bemoan our predicament.

We have it within our power to change things.

For example, onshore and offshore wind power have the potential to produce large amounts of affordable electricity right here in Maine, reducing costs and growing jobs.

In the spring of 2007, the writing was on the wall.

Maine?s laws were badly outdated, inadequate to address our State?s potential to produce wind energy.

I formed a Task Force that worked for nearly a year to craft recommendations to improve the situation.

The diverse group included environmentalists, energy experts, generators and legislators on both sides of the aisle.

Through an open and exhaustive process, the group came up with a plan, which was eventually adopted unanimously by the Maine Legislature.

That law has led to the safe, predictable and appropriate development of new wind power production in Maine.

But the Task Force wasn?t solely concerned with growing wind power. The members were dedicated to finding a framework that allowed for development while also protecting Maine?s treasured and unique scenic and natural resources.

In addition, the Task Force developed regulations that take into account public health and safety, and put into place rules that strengthen the oversight of wind power developments.

As the days of $4 a gallon gasoline have faded from our memory, and the effects of the global recession have reduced the demand for oil and natural gas, bashing wind power has come into vogue for some folks.

They are willing to do and say whatever is necessary to keep Maine from taking control of its energy future and transitioning from our deep dependency on fossil fuels.

I take comfort, however, knowing that vast majority of Mainers ? more than 80 percent according to some studies ? support our State?s efforts to charter a new and more sustainable energy future.

Curing our addiction to oil can?t happen overnight.

It takes a long-term commitment and a comprehensive approach that includes many components.

Maine is recognized nationally for our energy conservation and weatherization work. With each passing day, we are making more homes and businesses energy efficient.

That saves money and it saves jobs.

In addition, we?re continuing to work on bio-fuels and bio-mass electricity generation, the development of tidal, solar and hydropower, and other innovative ways to produce renewable energy.

No source of energy is perfect.

Coal, oil and nuclear power all bring tremendous challenges, many of which have never been appropriately addressed.

In that context, wind, tidal and bio-mass energy compare very favorably.

Maine is heading in the right direction.

We are growing our new, clean-energy industries in our State, which are creating real benefits for workers, families and communities.

But our work has not ended.

Just as we needed to modernize our approach to renewable energy back in 2008, the process to refine and improve continues.

In Maine, our political process is very open and accessible.

Lawmakers listen to their constituents and work to put the best interest of the State ahead of politics.

So as new technologies develop and new information becomes available, the way we approach energy projects will evolve and get stronger.

But this I know for certain: If we are committed to a robust economy, cleaner air and water, and greater national security, we must support the development of homegrown, renewable sources of energy.

If we turn our back on opportunity, the price will be high for future generations.

Time and time again, Mainers have shown that they can find the truth and make smart decisions even when confronted with complicated issues and misinformation.

I know that they?re going to do that again, and will lead our State down the road to greater prosperity and energy independence.

Thank you for listening and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Public Service

August 28, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

For the past several weeks, members of the Maine Legislature have been meeting in committees to consider nominations to a number of important state boards and commissions.

The men and women of the Senate and the House of Representatives reviewed credentials, asked tough questions and made their recommendations for the Senate, which voted on Wednesday to confirm more than 70 nominees.

I?m always impressed by the willingness of Mainers to serve.

The Legislature is a fine example. These men and women receive very little compensation for what is technically a part-time job.

It?s not.

To serve in the Legislature requires a strong commitment to the State, long hours, time away from family and hard work, all for little pay. It?s a full-time job and then some.

And during this summer session, these men and women came to Augusta to consider the qualifications of a host of citizen volunteers, most willing to serve their communities for little or no compensation.

These folks help small businesses to succeed, protect our environment, lead our universities and community colleges, make sure our elections are fair, mediate disputes and help government to run smoothly and efficiently.

These boards and commissions that do important work for our State.

They draw on the expertise that exists in our communities, and they help to ensure that Maine government never gets too far from the people.

They help to set standards for professional conduct and ensure that Mainers have access to legal services.

They help to manage the Turnpike, to redevelop the former Loring Air Force Base and the Brunswick Naval Air Station.

They help our agricultural community, to protect our quality of place and to improve the rules that govern new development.

Their experiences help policymakers to set the right course for public education and higher education.

And they help to hold down the cost of Workers? Compensation Insurance while also protecting folks who get hurt on the job.

In many cases, the work is controversial or complex, requiring long hours of study and preparation.

And there are few thank yous when the job is done.

But the Maine ethic of public service starts early, and is one of the cornerstones of our State.

Last week, I helped to recognize nearly 40 students who participated in the Maine State Government Summer Internship Program.

This program is administered by the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine. The program places students from around the State into government agencies.

While there, these students do important and wide-ranging work that includes research, planning and analysis.

These young men and women have made incredible contributions to their State, while also learning about government and the things that government does.

They helped to protect watersheds and provide education opportunities to students.

They were policy planners and conducted research on business start-ups.

They helped with public information, recycling and keeping our forests healthy.

These interns did good work.

And then I think about the nine-year-old girl I met earlier this month.

Her name is Reilly Gilliland, and she lives in Parsonsfield.

Reilly sold snacks and lemonade from a roadside stand and donated the money to the State to help improve school bus safety.

Her hard work and her efforts to make sure other school children are safe are inspiring.

It?s gratifying to see a new generation of Mainer?s answer the call for public service and doing good work in their communities.

Whether it?s serving in the Legislature, as a member of an important board or commission, working as a summer intern or running a lemonade stand for a good cause, Mainers show everyday that they are committed to their State.

From the college students helping to make our government stronger to the men and women who give their time and energy to serve Maine, our citizens demonstrate over and over again that our government is truly by the people and for the people.

The foundation of a healthy democracy is citizen participation.

And I?m glad to say that in Maine, our democracy is strong because of the men and woman who put themselves forward, take a stand and make a difference for their neighbors, their communities and our State.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: End of Summer Reflections

September 4, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

First, I want to take a moment to thank the emergency personnel ? local, county, state and federal ? who have coordinated the response to Hurricane Earl.

Mainers know from our harsh winter storms that we must always be vigilant in preparing for emergencies.

Our emergency officials have been working for more than a week with other public and private entities to ensure that Maine people stay safe.

And it makes all the difference.

You know, these are the signs of the changing season are all around us.

Labor Day weekend is the traditional end of summer:

School buses and classrooms are full with eager young students.

Apple picking season has begun and other fall crops are becoming more visible at farmers? markets.

Summer merchandise is replaced by Halloween and autumn decorations on store shelves.

And businesses that count on the strength of the tourism season are tallying up how they fared this summer season.

Tourism remains our State?s number one industry.

Though numbers are still being compiled, anecdotal evidence shows that this was a good summer season for Maine?s tourism industry.

By accounts from the Maine Innkeepers Association and the Maine Campground Owners Association, the warm and dry summer encouraged large numbers of overnight visitors to our State.

It?s no wonder why Maine businesses were able to take advantage of the weather and price-conscious consumers.

People are in search of good value for their dollars during these tough economic times.

And Maine offers something for all travelers ? from a wide range of recreation, cultural and shopping opportunities to high quality arts and community events.

Our agricultural fairs, music and arts festivals, and scenic towns and wilderness will always be a draw.

Maine?s tourism economy is built on our strongest selling point, though: the Maine workforce.

Among our greatest treasures are the people behind the counters, in the dining rooms and the outdoors ? those are the people who help make Maine the welcoming place it is.

It is our people that solidify Maine?s reputation as a destination state and keep people coming back year after year.

Our brand of delivering the highest level of service is not limited to our tourism industry, of course.

So as we look to the new school year, teachers are preparing lessons plans and readying classrooms.

We all remember those teachers who played a pivotal role in our lives.

They were the ones who made lessons jump off textbook pages, who inspired us, and who challenged us to do better and live up to our promise.

Our State has great teachers and great schools.

As classes begin, we should take the time to recognize teachers for the important work they do, and for the role they have in shaping our State?s future.

Make no mistake: the job of a teaching is challenging. Much is required of them.

I know this because my wife, the First Lady, is an educator.

Like many other teachers, she has spent long hours in the classroom before and after students leave.

And just as many other teachers do every evening, she has dedicated more long hours at home preparing plans for the next day and grading papers.

Most teachers do what they love do because they love the work they do, because they know the importance of their jobs and they care for the students and the communities they serve.

Whether we have children in elementary, high school or post-secondary schools, all Mainers are reminded this beginning of the school year that we must give our students the tools to help them succeed later in life.

Our state?s future depends on a well-educated and highly-skilled workforce.

That?s why we?ve placed an emphasis in Maine on pre-K through post-secondary education and on restructuring school administration so that more resources remain in the classroom.

We are also working to implement national Common Core standards.

And the First Lady ? as Chair of the Governor?s Children?s Cabinet - has led a number of innovations in education that will help kids be better prepared for their lives after graduation.

The Educare Center in Waterville is a good example.

A public-private partnership spearheaded by the First Lady and made possible through seed funds from Doris Buffett and the Alfond Foundation.

Educare will improve early childhood education in every part of the state.

The Waterville Educare center that opens this month is the first site to open in Maine and is the first in New England.

The Educare Center will serve as a model site for childcare and education, will offer professional development and training and serve as a resource center for child care professionals across the state.

Educare teachers will be focusing on engaging infants and toddlers.

Student teachers and providers will be learning best-practices and bringing those skills back to communities throughout our State.

All Maine children, regardless of income levels, will benefit by entering school - ready to learn, thrive and succeed.

As Governor, I wish all children, their families, educators, school administrators and staff a safe and successful school year.

Thank you and have a good Labor Day weekend.

Radio Address: Never Forgetting and Being Prepared

September 11, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Nine years ago, America suffered the worst terrorist attack in the history of our country.

Nearly 3,000 people ? from all over the world ? were killed when mass murderers hijacked four jetliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania.

I know I don?t need to retell the details.

We all remember them clearly and painfully.

The scars from that day ? and from the terrible events that they set into motion ? may never completely heal.

More than 400 first responders gave their lives on that day.

Firefighters, police officers and paramedics rushed in, risking their own lives trying to save the lives of people they?d never even met.

On United Airlines 93, passengers and crew realized what was happening and mounted the first counter-attack of the day, saving untold lives through their courage and bravery.

The consequences of that terrible day are still being felt.

Nearly 6,000 U.S. military families have lost a son or daughter, father or mother, uncle or cousin in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The sacrifices of the brave men and women who serve in the military and their families continue today.

They are stationed far from home and the comforts we all take for granted.

They are among our best and brightest, and they deserve our support while they serve and when they come home.

September 11th, 2001, changed our world and our country.

In the nine years since then, we have avoided another attack.

But one of the key reasons and lessons learned that day is that we must remain vigilant and be prepared to respond.

September is National Preparedness Month.

For the past five years, we have made a special commitment during the month of September to remind Mainers and the people who visit our State about the importance of being ready in the event disaster strikes.

While September 11th was a man-made disaster, born in the minds of murderers, every year Maine faces the potential for severe storms, floods, heavy snow, freezing temperatures and other dangerous situations.

No one can predict and prevent every calamity, but we can all be prepared in case something does happen.

On the National and State level, we have implemented improved coordination, communication and cooperation.

We can more quickly share information and resources among neighboring states and across borders.

Earlier this year we saw an example of those cross-border efforts.

There was a bomb scare on a bus from Maine that stopped in New Hampshire.

From the earliest moments, my office was in contact with Governor Lynch and law enforcement in our State was working with their New Hampshire and federal counterparts.

Fortunately, there was no bomb and no one was injured or harmed.

The folks at the Maine Emergency Management Agency, the State Police, local and State emergency responders and our federal partners are poised to take action to stop an incident before it happens and to respond if something does happen.

Just last week, we saw our communities pull together in preparation for Hurricane Earl.

Resources were prepositioned. Lines of communication were open. The public was kept informed.

Eventually, Earl moved past Maine without causing significant damage.

But when it comes to pubic health and safety, we can never be too careful.

And on September 11th, thousands of people stepped forward to do what they could to help.

They stood in line to donate blood, sent money, held food drives, reached out to neighbors and strangers to offer help.

During Maine?s infamous Ice Storm, the spirit of community responsibility and looking out for one another helped to protect lives and property.

So whether it?s responding to floods in Aroostook or York counties, to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans or the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Mainers never hesitate to lend a helping hand.

So on the anniversary of that awful, awful day nine years ago, I cannot help but to remember the loss of life and the destruction.

But I also remember the unity and purpose that possessed our country. The coming together. And the strength of our people.

It is that knowledge that inspires me, even when our politics seem so divided.

Because I know that our State and our country can overcome any crisis, can rise up above any division, and can overcome any challenge.

During this special weekend of remembrance, I hope you all will join me in recognizing not just the tragedy of September 11th, but also the courage and conviction that was demonstrated on that day and every day since.

Thank you for listening on this special weekend.

Radio Address: Helping Maine Businesses Compete Globally

September 18, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

This is Governor John Baldacci.

Earlier this week I addressed two of Maine?s regional chambers of commerce: the Southern Midcoast Chamber of Commerce and the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce.

It?s important to recognize Maine businesses ? both large and small - for what they do every day to keep the Maine economic engine working.

And for all the support they give to the communities where they play such a critical role.

These are difficult times in our state and our nation, and Maine business owners feel that every day as they look at their bottom lines and work with their employees and customers.

National numbers show that the economy is still in a precarious position.

Indicators are mixed.

People?s confidence is still lagging, meaning that we have a long way to go to recovery.

That?s why the State?s been focused on improving our business climate and providing incentives for expanding the economy.

We have been working with Maine businesses and specifically partnering with the Maine State Chamber of Commerce to improve our outreach and existing programs, and innovating to lay a foundation for future growth.

We are providing the tools to innovators and businesses so that they can succeed.

Maine has been cited as a national leader by The National Economic Council and Fortune Magazine for doing what regional economies need to do to create sustainable growth and quality jobs.

And Maine is a national leader in creating clean energy jobs.

This is important for our State.

We are seeking to grow traditional industries and develop groundbreaking technologies.

Continuing workforce and economic development in ocean renewable energy development can play a key role in economic growth here for generations to come.

According to the PEW Charitable Trust, from 1998 to 2007, Maine green jobs grew by 22.7 percent compared to 9.1 percent nationally.

We are on the cusp of being worldwide leaders in offshore energy development.

Maine also leads the nation in investments in early-stage, innovative companies - as noted by CB Insights.

Portland earned the 5th highest ranking in the country for best place to launch a small business ? according to portfolio.com.

So the State is working with our regional partners to aggressively reinvigorate the economy.

We expanded the successful Pine Tree Economic Development Zone program ? as an invaluable investment tool administered by the Maine Department of Economic Development.

To date, 309 companies have located to Maine or expanded their businesses in Maine.

These companies have committed to more than $800 million in investments and over $300 million in payroll representing over 8000 jobs.

These are largely manufacturing jobs that are good paying and which will have a ripple impact on the entire economy of the region.

So our goal is to bring opportunity to all residents and all businesses throughout the State.

But there?s more we can and must do, and we are aggressively working with private businesses, the Maine Chamber and other partners to improve business climate and increase those investments.

We?ve been targeting foreign direct investment with the help of the Maine International Trade Center and the Maine Department of Economic Development and others.

We recently announced this Invest in Maine initiative, which will attract new investments into our State.

Attracting businesses to come back to Maine from overseas.

From the Jobs Summit held earlier this year with the Maine Chamber, we heard how crucial it is to continually develop our workforce and to ensure easier access for Maine businesses to all the statewide programs and incentives that are designed to help them succeed.

As a result of that summit, the Maine Chamber and my office have been offering a series of regional networking forums for business leaders throughout the State.

We?re also making the Maine Department of Economic Development a One-Stop-Shop for businesses to help them to navigate through State programs and incentives.

We recognize that not every area of Maine needs or wants the same kind of development.

That is why I?ve charged the Department with coordinating and empowering regions so that they can further economic development in ways that makes sense.

This encourages economic development from the ground-up, not top-down.

And the State is partnering with the Chamber on an initiative we?ll be jointly announcing that targets our students and their future opportunities in Maine.

We will enable Maine students to see the opportunities that are here in the State once they graduate.

And they?ll be able to gain valuable experience on the job.

It is important for our State to do this.

And we want our talent, our youth, our future, our workforce to get a high quality education and training and to keep their talents here in Maine.

We want to all Maine businesses and Maine people to have the tools to help them thrive for years to come.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Educare and Early Childhood

September 25, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Earlier this month, children returned to class to begin a new school year.

It?s always an exciting time for the students and their families even if it is accompanied by the end of the summer.

For kindergartners, it?s a time of first bus rides, new friends, new schools and, for many, the beginning of a formal education.

Unfortunately, some of our children arrive for the first day of kindergarten needing extra help.

They aren?t prepared to learn.

Children come from challenged homes that are at particular risk.

They are less likely to have access to quality early childhood programs than their more affluent classmates.

And they are more likely to underachieve, not meeting their fullest potential and requiring special attention or remediation.

Starting this year, we?re taking a new approach to making things better.

New England?s first Educare Center opened this month in Waterville and began welcoming new pre-school students. On Monday, we?ll celebrate the achievement with a formal ribbon cutting.

Educare is a unique partnership between state and local government and the private sector that takes a comprehensive approach to helping children and families get ready for school.

The Center?s highest priority is to help at-risk students be prepared for success.

We all know that parents are essential partners in their children?s education.

Educare combines a high-quality educational environment with family support designed to improve health, self-sufficiency and well-being.

Waterville?s Educare Center will be of particular help for families who are making the transition from welfare to work.

These working parents will know that their young children are safe and being cared for.

While the Center is located in Central Maine, its impact will be felt statewide.

It will be a demonstration site for the rest of Maine, putting the best early childhood research to work while also helping the professional development of teachers and childcare workers around the State.

Families making their way out of poverty can only do so with the support of quality early intervention and care for their young children.

Without the advantages that many of us take for granted, these kids start out behind and have a difficult time catching up.

Our public school system works hard to help, but Maine has limited resources and the costs for services that are sometimes needed are high.

Early intervention is the key for success.

Research tells us that 85 percent of brain development occurs by the time a child turns 3.

And 90 percent of brain development occurs by the time a child enters kindergarten.

It?s during these first years of rapid development and growth where public investment pays the greatest dividend.

While Educare has the potential to save the Waterville School District millions of dollars in special education costs, the Center is funded completely through existing resources and private donations.

With the generous support of Doris Buffett, the Kaiser Family Foundation, Kellogg Foundation, Gates Foundation and the Bill and Joan Alfond Foundation, Educare has become a reality for Central Maine.

In addition, Educare brings together Waterville Public Schools and the Kennebec Valley Community Action Program and several agencies within State government to provide integrated and ongoing support to the program and the families it serves.

If we want our children to be healthy, happy and successful, we have to start early.

I?m proud of Maine?s Educare Center and the promise it holds to help children get ready for school, create life-long learners and provide new opportunities for families to be successful.

Educare wouldn?t have become a reality without the dedication and commitment of many people who have worked tirelessly on the project.

First Lady Karin Baldacci and members of the Educare Advisory Committee helped to open our eyes to the possibilities of a new approach to early childhood education.

Together with countless supporters in Waterville, around the State, in the Maine Legislature, and within the Departments of Human Services and Education, Maine has taken an important step in improving the lives of children and their families.

I believe that Maine?s two most important assets are our children and our natural resources.

We have to nurture and protect both.

Educare will help to ensure that our children have the very best chance of success in kindergarten and throughout their education.

A good start can make all the difference.

Thank you for listening and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: Governor's Weekly Radio Address: Gateway Bridges

October 9, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Like many good neighbors, Maine and New Hampshire have a healthy rivalry, especially when it comes to football and hockey.

But when were talking about regional issues that affect our people and our economy, the rivalry ends and we work closely together.

This week I visited Kittery, Maine, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where I met with New Hampshire Governor John Lynch.

The purpose of our meeting was to discuss the future of the three bridges that cross the Piscataqua River, connecting Maine and New Hampshire.

These connections our vital to the economy of both of our states.

The Memorial Bridge fosters the close relationship between Kittery and Portsmouth, creating jobs and supporting businesses on both sides of the river.

The Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, or the Middle Bridge, carries important commercial traffic that benefits the economy of the entire region. It also services the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, which employs more than 4,000 people.

And the Interstate 95 over the Piscataqua River brings millions of visitors every year and is the major commercial artery for goods and freight coming in and out of our State.

The three bridges are the gateway to Maine for much of the country.

Fir the health of our transportation system, and these crossings are critical to Maine?s economy.

While these bridges are located in York County, their importance reaches every corner of the State.

Unfortunately, both the Memorial Bridge and the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge are nearing the end of their useful lives.

The Memorial Bridge must be replaced and the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge needs significant repair and may ultimately need to be replaced.

The I-95 Bridge is in good condition, but requires annual maintenance and upkeep.

Maine and New Hampshire jointly own the three bridges, and the total cost over the next several years for necessary work could approach between $200 million and $300 million.

Funding those projects will take a special commitment from Maine and New Hampshire, innovative thinking and support from the federal government.

In August, I supported New Hampshire?s application for a significant federal grant to help fund the replacement of the Memorial Bridge.

I recognize how important the Memorial Bridge is to Kittery and Portsmouth.

The replacement of the bridge has to be part of any plan that I would support.

It?s in the interest of both of our states to work together to find the best way to finance the work that needs to be done to improve and maintain these critical transportation links.

Both Governor Lynch and I are committed to identifying a cooperative and cost-effective solution to address all three bridges for the short-term and for the long-term.

You know it?s easy to fall into the trap of thinking about the bridges as a problem to be fixed once. Maybe once every 100 years.

In reality, we need to identify ways to rebuild and repair the crossings and maintain them well into the future.

In 2008, I took an aggressive approach to bridge reconstruction, repair and maintenance in Maine.

After the collapse of the Interstate 35 Bridge in Minneapolis, I developed a plan that would invest $160 million over four years in bridges in addition to the $70 million per year in our annual bridge program.

At the time, we had tentatively planned to invest $20 million each in the Memorial Bridge and the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, with work beginning perhaps as soon as next summer.

But recent bridge inspections show these bridges today are in much worse shape than we anticipated earlier and the costs are much higher.

Across the county, states are grappling with the problem of aging bridges. Maine has more than 2,700 bridges. Of those, more than 200 are 80 years old or older.

Over the next 10 years, we estimate that Maine will need between $1.6 billion and $1.8 billion in total bridge funding.

Under any circumstances, that would be a challenge. But it?s made even more difficult by the lingering effects of this terrible recession.

When we met on Tuesday, Governor Lynch and I created the Bi-State Funding Task Force.

The group is charged with developing funding options to address the three bridges today and to maintain them into the future.

The Task Force will report back to us in December with recommendations that I will present to the next governor and the next Legislature.

This is an important step as we continue our cooperation to meet our transportation needs and enable our economies to thrive.

I know everyone on both sides of our southern border would like a quick and easy solution.

But there isn?t one.

That?s why the work of the Task Force is so important.

The economies of both states depend on our ability to maintain these critical routes into the future.

We must replace the Memorial Bridge and secure the long-term health of the Sarah Mildred Long and I-95 bridges.

I am confident that by working with New Hampshire and the federal government we can find an approach that keeps the gateway to Maine open for years to come.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: A Familiar Theme

October 16, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week in the Wall Street Journal, four governors from around the country wrote about things they have done to help their states cope with the recession.

Two Democrats and two Republicans provided brief outlines of their efforts.

The themes were very similar. And very familiar.

From Pennsylvania, Governor Rendell talked about his efforts to streamline state government and make it more efficient.

He talked about consolidation of state agencies, purchasing in bulk, and asking state workers to take increased responsibility for their health care by participating in a wellness program and contributing to the cost of their health insurance.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger talked about pension costs and holding the line on taxes.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick focused on a smaller state workforce, consolidation of state agencies and smart investments.

And from Virginia, Governor McDonnell put his emphasis on smaller government and consolidation, hiring freezes and pension reform, which included requiring state workers to contribute to their pension system.

All four governors talked about cutting spending.

If it sounds like you?ve heard these ideas before, it?s because you have.

In Maine, we?ve been doing these things for the last eight years.

My administration began to make the push to reduce the size of government before our country was hit by recession.

We consolidated two Health and Human Services departments into a single agency ? reducing the workforce by 300 -- brought all of information technology under one roof and brought new discipline to purchasing.

Overall we?ve reduced the size of state government by about 1,000 positions and imposed a hiring freeze that has helped balance the State budget.

We?ve consolidated the administration of school districts and created a combined county-state correction system that is saving taxpayer dollars at the state and the local level.

State workers are also doing their share. They contribute to the pension system and pay a portion of the premiums for their health insurance. And they?ve taken reduced pay through shutdown days.

As the Bangor Daily News wrote this week, there?s a myth that government spending in Maine continues to grow recklessly.

It?s not the case.

Maine?s budget for 2011 is the same as it was in 2001.

Let me repeat that: Maine?s budget for 2011 is the same level as it was in 2001.

And actual state spending has decreased every year since 2008 as we have closed the revenue gap created by the global recession.

So at a time that we?ve cut spending, we?ve maintained our commitment to education, innovation and growing the economy.

We?ve squeezed spending across state government to maximize the resources we can use to protect our core values of a quality education system, a just and justifiable safety net and strong public health and safety.

And we did it without raising broad-based taxes. In fact, Maine?s overall tax burden has actually declined. It hasn?t gone down by as much as I would like, but it has gone down.

But what does all this mean?

It means that our discipline has helped to set the stage for economic recovery.

Maine finished last year with revenues performing ahead of projections, allowing us to rebuild our reserves to $50 million dollars while also making payments to our retiree pension system and business support programs.

And through the end of September of this year, the first quarter, revenues are also out performing projections by $26.3 million dollars.

While there are still too many people without work, Maine?s unemployment level is lower than the national average.

And new companies are investing in Maine because they know our State has an unmatched workforce and a high quality of life.

Whether it?s the purchase of the Domtar mill in Washington County, which helped secure 300 jobs, Kestrel Aircraft, which will bring high-tech jobs to Brunswick or the expansion of companies like Idexx, Maine is an attractive place to live, work and raise your family.

And our potential for future growth is tremendous.

We are on the verge of a new energy era, where Maine will be a leader in the production of renewable energy, including wind, solar, biomass and hydropower.

And Central Maine Power recently broke ground on a $1.4 billion dollar investment in Maine that will create 2,000 construction jobs a year for the next four years and will improve our energy infrastructure for a generation.

While the there are positive signs for the economy, there?s no question that Maine still faces many difficult decisions.

The work to balance spending with revenue will continue;

Maine must continue to control tax burdens while investing in economic growth;

And we must take care of our children and our most vulnerable citizens without jeopardizing sound fiscal policy;

It requires an honest conversation and good-faith effort to make the right choices for Maine.

And the ability to adapt to quickly changing circumstances.

With consecutive bipartisan budgets ? even during some of the worst economic times in a generation ? Maine has consistently shown that the ideal of public service and servants, compromise and collaboration still exists.

If we can continue to talk with one another, accept good ideas no matter the source and protect the things that make Maine special, our State will recover from this recession.

Our people will have better opportunities.

And our economy will be stronger.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Working on the Railroad

October 23, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

When I talk to business leaders around the State, the two biggest concerns that they have are the cost of energy and the cost of transportation.

And the two are related.

During my eight years, we have been aggressive in our efforts to reduce energy costs and explore new, homegrown alternatives.

We?ve also focused on improving our transportation network, making it more secure and efficient.

For many industries, including Maine?s important wood products, paper and agricultural industries, freight rail is often the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to bring raw materials into their factories and ship their products out.

Early this spring, the privately owned Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway began proceedings to abandon about 233 miles of track in Aroostook and Penobscot counties.

The move sent a wave of uncertainty through Aroostook and its largest employers.

Without the rail line, between 750 and 1,000 jobs would be threatened, and entire communities would be put at risk.

We couldn?t allow those tracks to be pulled from the ground and sold for scrap.

They are too important.

This week, Maine reached agreement to purchase the railroad and save freight rail service in Aroostook County, which service not only Aroostook County but the entire State of Maine and New England.

Earlier this year, Maine voters showed their support for saving the railroad when they approved a bond that will partially fund the purchase.

In a true public-private partnership, one of the shippers on the line also stepped forward to help fund the acquisition.

But the purchase of the railroad is just part of the story.

Last week, we also learned that Maine received a $10.5 million federal grant, which will fund much-needed upgrades along the lines.

The bipartisan efforts of Sen. Susan Collins, who works closely with the United States Department of Transportation, Sen. Olympia Snowe, Congressman Mike Michaud, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree made sure that the Obama administration recognized the importance of the railroad.

And Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood rewarded those efforts with significant support for improvements to the line.

After the repairs are made, traffic on the line will be able to travel faster, more efficiently and safer, reducing costs for Maine businesses and getting their products to market quicker.

I know that there have been skeptics who question the wisdom of this investment.

But if the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway had been lost, the economic impact would have hurt the entire State.

Jobs would have been lost.

Industry centers in Northern Maine and Central Maine would have been crippled.

Instead, we are celebrating the revitalization of a critical transportation link.

Preserving rail and extending it across the State is vital to keeping the Maine state economy competitive. Saving the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway is just one success story.

We?re also making important investments in rail lines that are paying dividends around the State.

On Friday, we cut the ribbon on an important improvement project at Danville Junction in Auburn.

The project was made possible by a voter-supported bond and support from the private sector and the federal government.

Danville Junction was designed in the late 1800s and hadn?t changed much in 100 years.

It was inefficient and created significant delays for Maine businesses.

With the Danville Junction Gateway Project, Pan Am Railways and the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad can work better together and better serve their customers in Maine.

The improvements save time and money, make the area safer and reduce the amount of pollution created.

Also on Friday, I visited with workers who are helping to bring the Downeaster passenger rail service north of Portland to Brunswick and Freeport.

Since it began operation in 2001, the Downeaster has welcomed more than 3 million passengers, and this past year it saw record-breaking ridership.

It?s been a goal of my Administration to expand passenger rail service to Brunswick.

And now that goal is becoming a reality.

The State, working with the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, which operates the Downeaster, and Pan Am Railways, is making great progress.

With the help of federal funds from the Recovery Act, passenger service is expanding north.

Since the first shipment of rail arrived on Aug. 2, crews have installed about 14 miles of rail between Brunswick and Yarmouth.

The project is running on time and on budget ? just like any good railroad ? and should be finished in the fall 2012, when passenger service will start to Brunswick.

The expanded service will help bring new people to Maine?s Midcoast and the repairs will also improve service for freight trains.

It is good for the environment and will encourage new developments all along Maine?s coast, creating jobs and private-sector investments.

And improved freight and passenger rail service will help Maine reduce its dependence on costly oil.

Our air will be cleaner.

And we will have a more cost-effective ways to connect Maine people and businesses to the markets around New England and the world.

Smart investments, like those we are making in freight and passenger rail, will strengthen Maine?s economy for years to come.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Voting

October 30, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

On Tuesday, voters in Maine and around the country will go to the polls to cast their ballots.

It?s an opportunity for your voice to be heard.

In Maine, we have a Governor?s race, two Congressional campaigns, statewide referenda, 186 seats in the Legislature and a broad range of local offices and questions to be decided.

It?s an important day that will set the course of the State for years to come.

Every person who has put themselves forward deserves credit, win or lose.

It?s takes courage to stand before voters and ask for their judgment and their support.

With many competitive races this year, the election has been hard-fought. And there have been a lot of insults hurled and accusations made. Some of them fair and some of them not.

But campaigns, even tough ones, are where ideas are tested and the character of candidate is put on display.

The rough-and-tumble nature of process lets voters see how the men and women who wish to lead the State will handle themselves under stress.

To some folks, an election might seem distasteful by the end of a long campaign.

But I believe our political system has endured and is the strongest in the world because the power to move government rests with our people.

And that success depends on voters knowing the candidates and the issues and then casting an informed ballot.

In Maine, our people vote.

During the last presidential election, more than 70 percent of Mainers voted, ranking our State second in the nation for participation.

And I think that high level of participation helps to explain why Maine?s political leaders have been able to work together regardless of political parties.

You might not know it by the campaign rhetoric, but the Maine Legislature has passed the last five budgets it has considered with bipartisan super-majorities.

On significant issues, such as energy independence, transportation, and bonds, members of different political parties have been able to work together.

That cooperation sets our State apart from much of the country, and I believe it can be attributed to the close connection Maine people have with their Governor and their Legislature.

In addition to the candidates on Tuesday?s ballot, voters will decide three statewide ballot questions and a host of local issues.

Question 1 would allow a casino to be built in Oxford County.

My position on gambling is no secret. I don?t support its expansion. But I know it?s up to the people of Maine to decide whether they think gambling can live up to the promises being made.

Question 2 asks voters to approve a $5 million bond that would be used to expand access to dentists in rural areas and to help create a dental school in Maine.

Maine has a shortage of dentists. And poor dental health can contribute to a wide range of significant medical issues, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other chronic ailments.

While Question 2 is no silver bullet, it will help train new dentists in Maine and make sure more people can see a dentist when they need one.

Question 3 asks voters to invest almost $10 million to protect Maine?s working waterfronts, access to outdoor recreation, our State parks and other pristine areas.

Maine?s economy is closely tied to our natural resources and our outdoor heritage.

So protecting Maine?s most important areas, making sure that hunters and fishermen have access, and protecting a way of life for people earning a living on the water is critical.

I will be supporting both Question 2 and Question 3.

Come Tuesday, the choice is yours.

I encourage everyone to cast a ballot, and let your voice be heard.

The challenges facing our State are real, and it is up to the voters to decide how we move forward.

Through a long career in public service, I have always trusted in the judgment of the people.

While elections are necessarily partisan and divisive, we have always been able to come back together for the good of our State.

And I have no doubt that we will again.

Vote. Be heard.

Thank you. And have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Transition

November 6, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Maine voters went to the polls this week and have made their choices to lead our State.

They elected a new Governor, a new Legislature, re-elected Congressman Mike Michaud and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, and set the stage for at least the next two years.

They also made important decisions regarding investments in Maine?s future and about gambling.

I?m gratified that voters supported our efforts to protect the natural areas and to improve our State parks.

And I believe the investment that they approved for dental health will expand access and help people, especially in rural areas where dentists can be scarce.

And I want to congratulate again Waterville Mayor Paul LePage for his election as Governor and the Maine Republican Party for significant gains in the Maine House and Senate.

I also want to recognize all the candidates who put themselves forward.

It takes a lot of courage to run for office and to risk the judgment of your community.

Elections can be tough, and it takes someone dedicated to public service to run for office.

Winning an election is only the first test for new leaders.

Once the ballots are cast and the voters have made their decision, it becomes time to govern ? to protect public health and safety, to ensure every child has access to a quality education and to implement policies that give our people an opportunity for success.

The rhetoric of a campaign can be harsh.

Rumors and misinformation can take on a life of their own.

Good people ? under stress to succeed ? can say the wrong thing or make a bad decision.

But once the dust settles, voters expect the people they elect to work together for the good of the State.

On Wednesday, I reached out to Governor-elect LePage, Eliot Cutler, Libby Mitchell and Shawn Moody.

The candidates deserve our respect and our thanks.

In early January, Maine will inaugurate a new governor.

Until then the work of government will continue.

My administration will do everything possible to ensure that we have a smooth and efficient transition of power to Governor-Elect LePage and the new leaders in the Legislature.

They face challenges ahead, and have earned an opportunity to be successful.

I understand that the bitterness of the campaign may linger for some. But time and again, Maine leaders have shown that they can work together for the good of our State.

When it comes to the State budget, energy policy, bonds and many of the most important issues we face, Democrats, Republicans and Independents have come together to do the right thing.

While there will be real changes in the people who are leading the Governor?s Office and the Legislature, I hope the spirit of bipartisanship and cooperation that we have seen for most of the last eight years can continue.

For Democrats, Election Day was difficult ? both in Maine and nationally.

But just two years ago, the pundits were wondering if the Republican Party had become a permanent minority or limited to just a regional influence.

Today, the shoe?s on the other foot.

I was first elected to Congress in 1994. I was one of only two freshmen Democrats elected during that historic Republican year.

And what I?ve learned is that there is an inevitable cycle in politics.

Political parties and their ideas ebb and flow.

But it is the competition and the compromise between Democrats, Republicans and Independents that keep our government and our politics invigorated.

Mainers pay attention to what?s going on and are close to their government. They expect results.

I want to again wish Governor-Elect LePage and all the new and returning Legislators good luck as they prepare for the challenges of the future.

We may be of different political parties, but I believe that all of us want the very best for our State and its people.

Thank you and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: Veterans Day

November 13, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This week on Veterans Day we honored the men and women who have served in our military.

The holiday can be traced back to 1918 and the end of World War I. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, peace came to Europe.

Originally called Armistice Day, November 11th was set aside to celebrate the end of fighting on the Western Front and to honor the 20 million people who where killed during the war.

After World War II, Armistice Day became Veterans Day in the United States.

And each year since, we have paid our respect to the men and women who have worn the uniform of our country.

Born as a day to commemorate peace, this year we were tragically reminded that we remain a nation at war.

On Veterans Day, a memorial service was held for Marine First Lt. James Zimmerman in Houlton.

James was killed in Afghanistan on November 2.

A graduate of the Greater Houlton Christian Academy, James worked hard to achieve his goal of becoming an officer in the Marine Corps.

A former headmaster described him as ?quite simply, a fine young man.?

Just six days after James? death, another soldier from Maine died in Afghanistan.

Army Specialist Andrew Hutchins, just 20 years old and awaiting the birth of a child, was killed by enemy fire.

Words cannot do justice to the sacrifice these young men, and too many others before, have made for their country.

The parades and banners and flag-lined streets, the marching Cub Scouts and patriotic music, perhaps offer some measure of solace to the mourning families.

Or at least demonstrate, in a small way, that we are thankful to the men and women who serve our country and to their families for burden they carry.

As John F. Kennedy once said, ?As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.?

We have an obligation, as a State and a nation, to remember that we are at war, and that we have put soldiers in harm?s way ? even when the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq have slipped from the headlines.

It is our responsibility to support their families through the hardships of separation, fear and uncertainty.

And it is our job to take care of our soldiers when they are in a war zone and when they come home.

Later this month, members of the 172nd Infantry of the Maine National Guard will begin to come home after being deployed for almost a year.

The unit is one of two from the Maine Guard serving in Afghanistan. The other is the 1136th Transportation Company.

The 330 soldiers who make up these units have faced challenges and dangers that most of us can only imagine.

They have served honorable and carried out their missions with the utmost integrity and professionalism.

As their work nears completion, ours must continue.

They need to know that our help to restart their lives will not be put on hold.

To men and women serving today, and the thousands of veterans who have served through the years, you have earned our lasting respect and gratitude.

On behalf of a grateful State, thank you.

Radio Address: Tools, Knowledge and Experience

November 20, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Since late spring, Maine?s economy has consistently outperformed the projections.

After years of declining revenues, we are beginning to see incremental improvements.

Our State finished last year with a revenue beating projections by about $70 million dollars, making it possible to reduce our long-term obligations in borrowing and rebuild our reserves to about $50 million dollars.

So far this year, revenues are strong.

For October, the revenues outperformed the forecast by more than $30 million dollars. And since July, General Fund revenues are over budget by $56.7 million dollars.

The numbers point to an economic recovery.

But most people aren?t feeling that recovery in their every day lives.

That?s because most if it is a corporate recovery, where profits for businesses, particularly large companies, are rebounding.

Many companies, reacting to the recession, reduced work hours, salaries and benefits for their employees.

As their profits have begun to rebound, employers are restoring some of those hours and benefits, but they are reluctant to hire new people.

Maine?s unemployment level is significantly lower than the national average ? more than two full percentage points ? and it continues to fall, but job creation continues to lag.

And capital remains difficult to access for many small businesses.

To put some context behind the numbers, the policies and practices we put into place to combat the recession are having an effect.

So by holding the line on taxes, while other states have raised theirs, we have given our people and our industries a competitive advantage.

By wisely using Recovery Act dollars and putting them to work quickly, we have created jobs while making critical investments in our economic health.

And our investment strategy, validated by voters, has put people back to work, saved a railroad, rebuilt roads and interstates, and reduced our dependency on foreign oil.

We?ve helped new companies develop the technologies of the future, invested in the research of composites and alternative energy that will help to drive our economy forward.

Improving revenues and reserves will give the next Governor and the next Legislature more options as they consider the State?s next two-year budget.

Our frugality and spending discipline endorsed by bipartisan supermajorities for at least five straight budgets, have set a sound foundation to build upon.

Nonetheless, there are going to be many tough choices and hard decisions.

Our State leaders will be forced to weigh access to health care, taxes, economic development and education.

There will be more needs than there will be resources to meet them.

But the lessons of bipartisanship, controlled spending and compassion should still be heeded.

During the worst of recessions, Republicans and Democrats and independents worked together to solve problems and position the State for recovery.

We passed comprehensive energy policy, balanced the State budget, supported K-12 education, protected the elderly, the sick and our children. And we did it without raising broad-based taxes.

And as I look at the roster of people who will take on these responsibilities, I am encouraged.

Former Rep. Sawin Millett is leading Governor-elect LePage?s budget team. As a Republican lead on the Appropriations Committee, he was an honest broker and a good partner as we worked to balance difficult budgets.

New Senate President Kevin Raye, as Minority Leader, worked in good faith and eventually helped to pass bipartisan budgets.

And new House Speaker Bob Nutting, as a member of the Appropriations Committee, understood the imperative of working together cooperatively.

New House Democratic Leader Emily Cain led the budget process through the Legislature as the Chair of Appropriations, treating all voices fairly and objectively and producing a strong plan.

And new Democratic Senate Leader Barry Hobbins led an Energy Committee that remained committed to consensus, and unanimously passed some of the most significant, comprehensive energy legislation in a generation.

The work ahead will test each of them.

But I know that they are up to the task at hand, that they have the tools, the experience and knowledge to be successful and that they will put the people of Maine first, as they always do.

Thank you and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Good News for the Holiday

November 27, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Governor John E. Baldacci

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

This holiday weekend, Maine has reason to be thankful.

On Monday, members of the 172nd Mountain Infantry unit of the Maine Army National Guard began arriving home after being deployed in Afghanistan.

The unit has been conducting combat infantry operations against the Taliban and Al Qaeda for nine months in the tribal areas near Pakistan.

During the next two weeks, all 157 members of the unit will be back in Maine.

Operating in a remote and dangerous area, these soldiers performed their duty with honor, integrity and professionalism.

They have endured harsh conditions and a deadly enemy.

We welcome all these men home with a sense of pride and relief.

And we look forward to the day, likely in March, when members of the Eleven-thirty-sixth Transportation Company also return from Afghanistan.

All the men and women who serve in the military and their families deserve our gratitude and respect.

During the holidays, the sacrifices they all make become even more apparent.

The good news doesn?t end with the homecoming.

We learned this week that Maine?s unemployment rate dropped to 7.4 percent for October, down from 7.7 percent in September and more than two points lower than the national unemployment rate.

While there are still too many people who are unemployed, the number is moving in the right direction.

And on Tuesday, Maine?s economic forecasters met and revised their projections for the rest of this year and the next two years.

Based largely on strong corporate earnings, Maine?s revenues are expected to increase by $477 million dollars over the next 30 months.

After shedding more than 30,000 jobs during the recession that began in December 2007, companies in Maine are rebounding and their profits are improving.

So, job creation is still lagging, but there is reason for optimism.

The hard work and the tough votes that have been cast in Maine and in Washington and the resilience of our people have made a difference.

In Maine, we have held the line on taxes and on spending.

General Fund spending has decreased every year since 2008. The current budget for 2011 is $2.69 billion dollars, that is on par with spending a decade ago.

We?ve made smart and targeted investments, ones in research and development and renewable energy.

And we have restructured government at the State, county and school administrative levels to make it more efficient and less expensive.

Along with the federal Recovery Act, the bipartisan efforts of Legislature and my administration have helped to lay the foundation for economic improvement.

So while other States were locked in partisan gridlock and raised taxes, Maine was different.

We?ve passed five straight budgets with overwhelmingly bipartisan support.

Those budgets were disciplined and frugal, but never lost sight of our core values, which include supporting education, protecting the most vulnerable and our environment, and making smart investments.

And those budgets helped us to rebuild our reserves.

When I took office in 2003, Maine reserves were gone and the state had short-term borrowing of $250 million dollars just to cover day-to-day operations.

Today, Maine?s reserves are nearly $50 million dollars. Revenues have beaten projections every month so far this year.

And on the day of my first inauguration in 2003, we received word that a major paper company was filing for bankruptcy.

The industry has faced tough times, but is beginning to show signs of strength.

In the first quarter of this year, pulp exports were up 200 percent and paper exports were up 72 percent over 2009.

About seventy-five hundred Mainers work in the State?s mills, earning very good wages with benefits that ripple across all the rural economies.

In addition, the pulp and paper industry is making critical investments for the future.

Verso paper just recently announced a $40 million dollar investment for a new energy system.

Lincoln Paper and Tissue has installed a new $38 million dollar tissue machine.

Old Town Fuel and Fiber, once threatened with extinction, is investing in a $30 million bio-fuel conversion.

And Sappi has invested $48 million in repairs and upgrades at its Somerset mill.

Despite the positive news, there?s still a lot of uncertainty in the economy.

Policy changes at the State or federal level could impact the new, positive forecast. And long list of things could happen to change the outlook. Things remain fragile and these improvements haven?t yet translated into reduced anxiety for working families.

But given a choice, it?s better to see the economy growing and unemployment falling, even with the caveats.

So this weekend, I?m thankful that some of our National Guard soldiers are home, safe and sound, and others are on the way.

And I?m thankful that the grip of the global recession appears to be loosening on Maine.

Thank you and have a wonderful holiday weekend.

Radio Address: Energy Advances

December 4, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Major announcements in recent weeks have demonstrated that Maine is on the right path for energy security and independence.

Long before oil prices spiked to record levels, helping to push the global economy into recession, our State was working aggressively to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

It?s a long-term effort that will require continued work and attention.

The United States economy has been built, in part, on the availability of cheap fuel.

But the dependency that grew from those supplies has left us in a precarious situation.

We rely on some of the most dangerous and unstable places in the world to feed our oil habit, costing our country billions of dollars and putting at risk our national security.

Instead of being able to count on cheap gas, you can count instead on prices rising as our economy starts to grow again.

Maine?s efforts to develop renewable sources of energy are working, bringing direct benefits to communities and providing new sources electricity.

Wind power generators are creating new jobs, lowering tax bills and supporting communities around our State.

And our research and development into offshore, renewable energy has the world talking.

Last week, the United States Department of Interior launched an effort to simplify the process for federal offshore energy developments.

Working with Maine and other states, the Department revised its regulations to eliminate redundancy and grant permits more quickly.

The effort is similar to the work done in Maine by the Ocean Energy Task Force and the Wind Energy Task Force, which both developed new permitting systems to make it more efficient to invest in renewable energy development.

To be clear, the goal has never been to avoid close scrutiny. Every proposal must pass a rigorous assessment.

Instead, we have created a predictable and timely process designed to give would-be projects an answer about whether they can proceed.

Sometimes that answer is yes, and sometimes it is no. But the revised structure and stable regulatory environment make it predictable and attractive to investors.

Other work that we have done has also put Maine in a position to take advantage of a significant energy deal in Eastern Canada.

Earlier this month, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland agreed to jointly develop the Lower Churchill hydroelectric project.

During the announcement, the provinces included their plans to send some of the electricity to markets in New England.

And their plans include a transmission line through New Brunswick right to Maine?s borders.

Our State becomes critical to their plans.

And the project provides a unique and exciting opportunity for us.

Because of legislation passed by my Administration and the last Legislature, we are positioned to benefit.

With the ability to negotiate long-term energy contracts, the Maine Public Utilities Commission can negotiate with Nova Scotia and Newfoundland on lower electric rates for our consumers.

The new energy resource will provide cleaner and cheaper competition into the New England market, helping to take offline older and dirtier power plants.

And rates could go down.

In addition, corridor legislation also passed by the last Legislature will ensure that Maine sees a direct benefit from energy passing through our State to the rest of New England.

Maine has tremendous wind power resources, both onshore and offshore. But wind power is intermittent. There are times when the weather just doesn?t cooperate.

Hydroelectric power is an excellent partner for wind, adding new strength to our own homegrown sources of energy.

There is no single solution to end our dependency on oil.

But if we stay true to proven methods of reducing consumption, such as weatherization and conservation, and we continue to pursue renewable alternatives, we can make progress.

In recent years, Maine?s energy policies have been driven largely by pragmatism and cooperation. Democrats and Republicans have worked together for the good of their State.

It?s paying off, and making us more secure, creating jobs and boosting our economy.

If we stay vigilant and determined, and continue to work together, that trend will continue.

Thank you and have a nice weekend.

Radio Address: Success Stories

December 11, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to recognize 12 Maine businesses that were named among the fastest-growing, privately held companies in America.

The ranking by Inc. Magazine helps to show that Maine companies can thrive, grow and compete anywhere in the world.

Despite a long and difficult recession, these determined entrepreneurs are finding success here at home and around the world.

They are using State programs ? like Pine Tree economic development zones ? their own initiative and the quality of Maine workers to build that success.

Making Inc. Magazine?s list is a celebration of innovation, leadership and effectiveness.

There are a lot of ideas about how to best create an environment where businesses can grow.

And my administration has worked hard to reduce the cost of doing business in Maine, holding the line on broad-based tax increases, using incentives to boost job creation.

Pine Tree Zones, which allow businesses to essentially avoid income and sales tax for the first 10 years if they create good paying jobs with benefits here in our State, has been called one of the most aggressive business attraction programs in the country.

309 companies have located in Maine and expanded their business here in the State because of Pine Tree Zones.

Those companies have invested more than $800 million in capital, have created more than 8,000 jobs with a total payroll of about $340 million.

These are good jobs with benefits that create a positive ripple throughout the economy.

With the Legislature, we also eliminated the tax on business equipment and machinery.

And we have consistently worked to lower the cost of energy and transportation, by supporting the development of alternative energy resources and by investing in our highways, bridges and rail system.

Successes that have been years in the making are beginning to show results as Maine starts to climb out of this global recession.

Earlier this month, Maine revenues were projected upward, based largely on strong growth in corporate profits here in Maine and businesses doing business around the world.

Companies that do business here in our State are proud to be able to work here and have the best people to work with.

While too many people are still unemployed, Maine?s unemployment rate continues to be lower than the national average.

Things are beginning to improve ? slowly, incrementally, but improving.

And like every state, Maine?s economic fortunes are tied to the national and global economy.

But by working together in a bipartisan way, Maine has managed to avoid many of the traps that could hamper growth moving forward.

Unlike many states, Maine weathered the recession without raising broad-based taxes, and our overall tax burden has started to decline.

That?s good news for working families and businesses.

And our State has maintained a tight balance book, rebuilding our reserves to roughly $50 million, eliminating short-term debt and borrowing, and reducing spending every year since 2008.

The State General Fund for 2011 is at about the same level as it was in 2001.

I know that Maine sometimes gets a bad rap on our business climate.

Frankly there are always areas in which we can improve.

Despite massive reforms that reduced the State government workforce by about 1,000 people, reduced the number of school administrative districts and consolidated county and State correctional systems, there?s still more work to be done.

But I also know that the Department of Environmental Protection has permitted more projects in the past eight years than any comparable period in Maine?s history.

The Department has reduced the average time it takes to get a permit to just 44 days.

And it continues to strike the right balance between approving new development and protecting the environment.

And I know when I was in Washington, the orthodoxy was that you had to choose between business and clean air and water.

It?s a false choice. Our businesses succeed because people want to live and work in Maine.

And we can?t have a healthy economy without healthy people.

Through the years of effort, Maine has reduced the number of people who lack health insurance.

We?re the 6th best State in the country in that category.

And just this week I saw that Maine was ranked as the 8th healthiest State.

These two benchmarks didn?t happen by accident. We have improved because we made a public decision - as a State and as a people - to make sure as many people as possible have access to quality, affordable health care.

There will always be naysayers and doubters.

But I am proud of Maine and the work that we?ve done.

Maine is a great place to live, work, start a business and raise a family.

And there are great success stories all around us.

Those stories can help us to grow and prosper.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Looking Back

December 18, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

During the last few weeks, I?ve had the opportunity to sit down with a number of folks and talk about my time as Governor.

I?m proud of the work that?s been done and many of the things that have been accomplished.

I was speaking with a reporter just this week, and he asked me: What?s your favorite memory as Governor, or the one accomplishment you?ll always remember.

When you think about the things that have happened since I was elected in 2002, it?s a hard question to answer.

I grew up in a family of eight kids. And my parents always taught us that none of us was better than the rest and that we?re all on the same level.

So asking about a most memorable event is like asking a parent which child they like the best.

But the question has given me the opportunity to think about the things that matter most.

We have worked hard to protect Maine?s special places and our environment.

With the support of thousands of people, we completed Governor Baxter?s vision with the protection of Katahdin Lake.

We have preserved more than a million acres of land, which will be available for hunting, fishing, canoeing and hiking and other traditional uses for generations to come.

We?ve made major advances in restructuring government, making it more efficient at all levels, reducing its size and reducing costs.

We?ve rebuilt our financial reserves, and we?ve held the line on taxes, despite the worst recession since the Great Depression. And the cost of doing business continues to go down.

We?ve created a comprehensive energy policy that will reduce our State?s dependence on foreign oil, strengthen our economy and protect our air and water.

When I took office, we made it a top priority to expand access to health insurance and to help Maine people be healthier.

Maine now ranks sixth-best in the country for health insurance coverage, and we?re the eighth healthiest state in the country.

Our reforms have reduced the rate of growth in health care premiums.

And deductibles, on average, in Maine have actually gone down.

People are living healthier lives today in part because of the work we have been able to do collectively with the Legislature and the people of Maine.

But when I think about all the important moments I?ve had the opportunity to experience, there?s one that sticks out and that I?ll never forget.

Not long after I took office in 2003, we learned that the paper mill in Lincoln, Maine was being placed in bankruptcy and headed for closure.

I had to declare a State of Emergency to protect the assets from the bankruptcy attorneys who wanted the parts of the mill, leaving hundreds of workers with few options.

My team got busy to save those jobs and get the mill re-opened.

We were successful.

And on the day those men and women went back to work, I stood at the gates to welcome them ? shaking their hands.

I remember the steam coming out of the mill pipes, and the looks on the faces of folks, who not long before, had wondered how they would be able to make ends meet.

There was this one man in particular. Rugged-looking, carrying his lunch own pail in his hand as he came up to work.

He walked toward the gates, and tears began to run down his face.

I knew at that moment on that day, that my job as Governor would be to focus on the working men and women of this State, and to try to improve their lives.

Since then, we have fought hard to keep the mills open in Millinocket, East Millinocket and Old Town and around the state.

We?ve gotten involved in Prospect Harbor, Windham and Brunswick Naval Air Station.

We?ve successfully fought for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the Defense Finance and Accounting Services in Limestone, Maine.

And we?ve worked hard to bring economic development to communities all around this State.

Our Pine Tree Zone Economic Development program has helped 309 companies as of September either come to the State of Maine or expand here if they were already located.

These companies have made more than $800 million dollars in capital investments, created more than 8,000 jobs with good benefits and account for more than $300 million dollars in payroll.

The recession we?ve been fighting against since 2008 has taken its toll.

But I never lost faith in the skills, integrity and strength of the Maine workforce.

As our economy begins to grow again and corporate profits recover, we can?t lose sight of the fact that the backbone of our State and the nation are those men and women who grab their lunch pails, walk through those gates and do an honest day?s work and deserve an honest day?s pay in return.

They?ve made Maine strong and will lead us in a time of new prosperity and opportunity.

Thank you and have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Merry Christmas

December 25, 2010

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Governor John Baldacci.

I hope those of you who are listening to this message find themselves in the comfort of family and friends.

Christmas is that season.

It reminds us of what is most precious in our lives, and gives us an opportunity to share our blessings with each other.

So as deep cold and harsh weather moves into Maine, we can draw closer together with our families and within our communities.

Whether it?s at midnight Mass at church, or a children?s music festival, or a performance of the Nutcracker Suite, there are gatherings that bring us together to appreciate what enriches us.

This is a time of traditions and cherishing those around us.

When the shopping and the gift wrapping, and the cooking and the decorating are done, we can relax with the people we care about the most and appreciate the wonders of this season.

All across Maine, there are individuals and groups that are collecting warm clothes, food and toys, trying to help their neighbors to have a better holiday.

Even in these hard times, Maine people have open hearts and give of themselves.

Because we all want to know that those in our communities are warm, safe and secure.

This caring for each other is what the Christmas season is all about.

I?ve been reminded countless times as Governor of the independent, self-reliant, yet very generous spirit that Maine people possess.

I?ve seen it exhibited literally thousands of times.

Whether it?s the Troop Greeters as they?ve traveled at a moment?s notice - sometimes in the middle of the night - to the Bangor International Airport to welcome a group of our soldiers flying out or arriving back from overseas.

I?ve seen neighbor helping neighbor through severe storms that threaten people?s ability to stay in their homes.

I?ve seen business owners fight every day to keep up the payroll during this deepest economic recession since the Great Depression.

And I?ve seen Maine workers going above and beyond the call to provide important and sometimes life-saving services for neighbors and strangers alike.

Each of us has opportunities every day to do our best to make the world around us a better and warmer place.

And I?ve been privileged during these past eight years to work with so many high-caliber, dedicated people.

In the public and private sectors across this State, there are people doing their best to make their communities the most prosperous and healthy they can be.

I?ve worked with remarkable people from different backgrounds and political persuasions.

And I?m proud of what we have accomplished together.

While other states found their leaders mired in partisan politics, the Maine Legislature worked with my administration to pass successive bipartisan budgets.

And those budgets contained hard choices and deep cuts. They impacted every person in this State.

To put the financial strain in perspective, the recession required us to cut spending so that the 2011 budget is at the same level it as it was in 2001.

So over the ten-year span, that means we?ve had to do much more with much less.

We?ve reduced the size of government, with 1000 fewer State workers, maintaining the critical safety net for those in need, and maintaining the quality of services taxpayers expect and deserve.

We?ve continued the commitment to Maine people by investing in education, innovation and growing Maine?s economy.

And because we need to balance our books and keep an eye to getting all Mainers back on their feet, we also knew that we couldn?t raise taxes.

We couldn?t increase the burden that Maine families and businesses face.

And it?s beginning to pay off. Companies are investing in our people, and slowly adding jobs back.

The choices we?ve made were difficult, but we met the challenges head-on and honestly.

We succeeded where many other states have stumbled because Mainers put aside the interests of the few for the good of the many.

I know it hasn?t been an easy road. And we still have a ways to go.

But we should be proud that we have stood together, and that the hard decisions we have made will put our State in a better position for years to come.

All during this holiday season I also want to remember and thank the members of the active duty Armed Forces and the Maine National Guard for their service far from home.

We particularly feel their absence during the holidays and pray for their safe return.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and happy holiday season.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Farewell and Thank You

January 1, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is John Baldacci.

For the past eight years, I have had the privilege to serve the People of Maine as Governor.

As my term in office comes to an end, I want to thank you for your support, your kindness and the trust you have placed in me.

We have worked together, through good times and bad, to make our State a better place.

In Maine, government is still close to the people. And the people are never reluctant to let you know what they think.

The people of this State have treated me and my family warmly, even when we have disagreed.

I began my political career more than 30 years ago on the Bangor City Council, and I have had the great honor to serve in the State Senate, in the United States Congress and as Governor.

At each step along the way, I have tried to always put the best interests of Maine ahead of all other concerns.

My mother and father, who inspired me to become engaged in public service, made sure that I understood that politics and government are about making sure everyone has an opportunity to be successful, about making our communities better.

My father challenged me with the question: ?What have you done for the people today??

And each day since, I have tried to live up to the answers that question demands.

As I?ve looked back on the last eight years, the common theme of many of the interviews I?ve had is that I was ?unlucky,? that I was called to serve during very difficult economic times.

I used to joke that on the day I took office, if we weren?t at the bottom we certainly could see it from where we were standing.

But I?ve never considered my time as Governor in those terms.

Serving as Governor presents unpredictable challenges.

The weight of your decisions and the impacts they have on the lives of people can be heavy at times. And the long days and long hours can take away from time with family and friends.

But I believe serving this State is the greatest job a person can have.

I consider the opportunity to serve a blessing and a tremendous honor.

And I will never forget the generosity Mainers have shown to me throughout my career.

Each Governor, I believe, has the obligation to try to leave the State in a better position than he found it.

I have worked hard for eight years to do just that.

With a new administration just days away from taking office, Maine is beginning to recover from the recession.

State revenues are improving. Corporate profits are up. There?s no short-term borrowing to pay the bills.

Unemployment is more than two points lower than the national average.

And the holiday shopping season was brightened by renewed consumer spending.

No doubt the challenges facing Governor-elect LePage will still be considerable.

And the greatest of those may well be a new crisis that today is unforeseeable.

None of us can predict the future or know for certain what tomorrow will bring.

I wish the new Governor, his wife, his team, and the new members of the Legislature, only the best as they work to chart the course for our State.

And I want to thank you all for your support through the years, and for giving me the opportunity to serve.

It has been both a privilege and an honor.

God Bless you. God Bless Maine. And have a very Happy New Year.

Radio Address: Prosperity for Maine

January 8, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good Morning. This is Governor Paul LePage. I would like to use my first weekly radio address to talk about the number one priority of my administration ? prosperity for Maine.

As I discussed in my inaugural address, Maine is the hardest place in the country to start and grow a business.

We earn just 80% of the national per capital income and we are failing to make the investments needed to grow our tax base.

Only the private sector can create the jobs and investment we need to move Maine forward. Profit is not a dirty word. In fact it is the direct and indirect solution to all of our challenges.

Our entrepreneurs need a fair chance to succeed. Otherwise, we diminish the incentive that leads to investment, innovation and job growth.

If we just move Maine to the middle of the regulatory and business climate pack, we give people willing to invest in Maine an equal opportunity to create jobs and build our tax base.

If we continue to be in the business climate basement, our kids will continue to have to look outside of our borders for opportunity and advancement.

We need a vibrant, successful private sector to drive our public sectors and non-profits. Without profit, we do not have economic activity, we do not have income and we do not have a tax base. Profit pays the bills for every sector of society.

When business owners are successful, others will follow. That is the nature of a free market. When profit seeking firms compete, we get lower prices and more choices as consumers and taxpayers.

Every private or public sector job, every program, every non-profit, every state service and every advancement in society started because someone took a nickel worth of input and turned it into a dime of output. It is a trend that has to continue.

I ran for Governor because I know how to run a business and create jobs. As I pick my team to lead Maine, I am looking for the same expertise. We need people who will help us grow the economy and work in partnership with Maine?s private sector.

I will spend every day of the next four years working to make Maine a better place for ALL of our sons and daughters to find work, to start businesses and to stay here to start families of their own.

Thank you and enjoy your weekend.

Radio Address: Achieving the Dream

January 15, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Maine Governor Paul LePage.

This Monday, January 17th is the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.

I talk a lot about putting people first. Dr. King is someone who spent and ultimately gave his life making sure that people got a fair shake regardless of race.

He got his start in 1955 as a civil rights leader in Montgomery, Alabama at a time when blacks had to give up their seats and move to the back of the bus in deference to white passengers.

Dr. King led a 382-day boycott of the city?s bus lines. He was arrested, subject to violent harassment and his house was bombed.

Throughout it all, he stuck to his beliefs of non-violent protest and the Supreme Court ultimately determined that bus segregation was unconstitutional.

After the decision, Dr. King said, ?We have gained a new sense of dignity and destiny. We have discovered a new and powerful weapon: Non-Violent Resistance.?

Which brings me to the recent deadly shooting in Arizona.

One young man resorted to the unthinkable.

One week ago, a gunman opened fire at a constituent event held by U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, killing six people and wounding 14 others. Representative Giffords, who police say was targeted for assassination, was critically wounded.

My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the shooting. My condolences go out to the families of U.S. District Judge John Roll, Gabe Zimmerman, Dorothy Morris, Dorwin Stoddard, Phyllis Scheck, and Christina Taylor Greene.

This violence that was unleashed cannot be tolerated. This carnage is not what the United States of America was built upon.

You may be hearing blame being put on one political side or another for this ugly incident.

Some people have blamed the vitriolic political rhetoric that has consumed the country on the shootings. But the fact of the matter is no democrat, republican, green or independent politician pulled the trigger.

We, as a society need to come together for the people to find out why there is so much hostility surrounding the world today. Why our young people are being led astray.

As Governor, it is my mission to interact with the people I serve. It is my duty to understand how Mainers are doing.

It?s been a difficult few years for many people. The recession has taken hold of many lives. Home foreclosures topped one million for the first time ever. Times are really tough.

I will do everything I can to help Mainers have a better quality of life, grow business and help the truly needy. It?s why I am here. I will be held accountable for my actions and those who turn to violence will be too.

I hope this weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Juniors life we all take a moment to reflect on the other lives that have been lost in our great nation this week.

We have come far through the years, but the journey continues to make Dr. King?s Dreams a reality.

Thank you and please enjoy the holiday weekend.

Radio Address: Paying the Bills

January 22, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good Morning. This is Maine Governor Paul LePage.

In the Fall Campaign, I promised to get Maine?s fiscal house in order. As part of my pledge, I committed to repaying Maine?s hospitals the hundreds of millions owed in unpaid MaineCare reimbursements.

From York County to Aroostook, my campaign organized rallies of concerned Maine citizens at hospitals to show support for our local health care facilities and the professionals who care for Maine?s sick and injured. The $400 million owed has been a big factor in the loss of 600 good paying health care jobs in our state over the last several years.

Along with the Legislative Candidates attending these rallies, I pledged to make good on our debts to Maine?s hospital. The Supplemental Budget I introduced last week makes a significant down payment on that promise.

My budget pays our hospitals $248 Million owed back as far as 2006 in unpaid MaineCare reimbursements. Bills that are four years old will just be getting paid this spring assuming my budget passes.

That is almost a quarter of billion dollars that will be paid into some of Maine?s largest employers in communities large and small throughout our State.

The state allocation of $69.5 million is needed immediately to maximize the federal Medicaid match and to help healthcare providers manage their obligations in what continues to be a tough economy.

I am asking the Legislature to pass my Supplemental Budget as an emergency piece of legislation so it will go into effect the moment I sign the bill. This requires a two-thirds vote of support and it is important that we get it.

Fast action is needed for a couple reasons. For starters, many of Maine?s most essential service providers are facing a cash flow crisis because of the state?s past refusal to pay its bills. In a tough economy, we cannot afford to lose jobs or see community investments reduced because the state owes money to our hospitals.

More directly, the federal match to our state MaineCare dollars decreases over time. For example, it will take an additional $5 Million in state money to pay the hospitals the same amount after April 1, 2011. If we wait until the summer, our share of the $248 million climbs by an additional $20 million. As is almost always the case, it will never get easier to pay our bills in the future so now is the time!

Moving forward, we are making changes to how MaineCare pays for services so the state will remain current. We will also be looking for opportunities to repay the rest of the balance, an additional $150 million, as part of my biennial budget due out in a few weeks.

Working Maine families know that their budgets are not balanced until all the bills are paid. The neighbor down the street who delivers the firewood, the utilities, the mortgage and the taxes all have to be paid. The same rules, as outlined in Article IX, Section 14 of the Maine Constitution, are supposed to apply to Maine State Government.

If you agree that we should be paying our bills on time, please consider talking with your legislator to encourage fast passage of my Supplemental Budget. I think most of our lawmakers agree, but it never hurts for our elected representatives in Augusta to hear from the people they represent.

Thank you for listening. I hope you have a safe and healthy weekend. But if you do wind up visiting one of Maine?s Community hospitals as either a patient or visiting a loved one, please be sure to let them know that help is on the way.

Radio Address: Finding a Balance

January 28, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Maine Governor Paul LePage.

I have recently submitted to the Legislature a collection of regulatory reform proposals. The proposals are the beginnings of the reform agenda I needed to turn Maine?s economy around and create jobs for Maine people.

Most of the proposals I have developed come directly from business owners and managers who have attended the Red Tape Workshops that have been held throughout Maine. Before we are done in early February, local chambers of commerce will have hosted 25 Red Tap Workshops giving over 1,000 job creators the opportunity to share their ideas for regulatory reform.

Part of our plan is to conform to federal regulations when it makes sense. Federal standards offer strong protections and have the benefit of being commonly understood throughout the country.

In many respects federal standards are Maine standards thanks to the leadership role that Senators Muskie, Mitchell, Cohen, Snowe and Collins have had in handcrafting our national environmental laws.

Conforming to federal standards also makes the regulatory process simpler. The rules, handbooks, and training protocols already exist and could be quickly adopted and understood by our agencies and by those looking to invest in Maine.

I am willing to consider additional protections tied to something truly unique about Maine, but I do not subscribe to the notion that nearly every part of our environment needs an expensive additional protection. This approach has made us dead last in business climate and we cannot afford it anymore.

I am committed to finding a balance between protecting Maine?s environment and creating good paying jobs for working families. We need a partnership between the private and public sector and everyone has to do their part.

I am asking state officials to embrace opportunities to improve the relationship between regulators and those filing applications and plans for consideration. After all, Maine people pay the bills.

Everyone in state government has to commit themselves to partnering with the private sector to answer questions and to find commonsense solutions. We must pursue every option, every collaboration and every outside the box suggestion on behalf of taxpayers and business creators.

Maine's working families and small businesses are endangered. It is time we start defending the interests of those who want to work and invest in Maine with the same vigor that we defend Tree Frogs and Canadian Lynx. There is an obtainable balance. We can find it if we put people before politics and work together.

Thank you for listening and have a good weekend.

Radio Address: Putting Money into Mainer's Pockets

February 5, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good Morning. This is Maine Governor Paul LePage.

Three weeks ago I submitted a Supplemental Budget to the Legislature that will adjust Maine?s finances through June 30, 2011 ? the end of our current biennial budget year.

As I have shared with you before, my supplemental budget pays Maine?s hospitals $250 million in unreimbursed MaineCare expenses going back to 2006.

My budget also addresses pending insolvency in the Fiscal Year 2011 MaineCare program. The Department of Health and Human Services makes payments to nearly 4,000 providers who offer services to 300,000 MaineCare recipients. A few weeks from now, the program runs out of money and those payments will stop unless we fill the hole. My budget does that.

As we move headlong into tax season, I want to take just a moment to tell you about the important tax relief included in my budget.

My budget allocates $4.5 million to align our tax laws to changes Congress made to the federal code in December. Nearly 100,000 Mainers will save as they file their 2010 state taxes on items such as out-of-pocket teacher expenses, itemized deductions, child care and the earned income tax credit.

If we don?t act, Maine Revenue Service will have to issue new instructions and forms so that Maine taxpayers can file their returns. Paying taxes is hard enough. We must avoid the upheaval of issuing new instructions and forms as we move into tax season.

My budget is a straight forward attempt to pay our long overdue bills, to keep our vital programs in operation and to simply lower taxes for 100,000 Maine people.

I am pleased with the good faith effort and hard work Republicans and Democrats are doing to finish the supplemental budget quickly. They are doing the people?s work without concern for politics and I believe they will soon have a bill on my desk to sign.

Thank you for listening and enjoy your weekend.

Radio Address: Debt Burden & Voter Approval of Moral Obligation Bonds

February 19, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good Morning. This is Maine Governor Paul LePage.

$19,448! If you are one of Maine?s 653,000 tax filers, this is your share of the Maine?s $12.7 billion in public debt. If you do not remember approving nearly $13 billion in bonds, you did not necessarily miss an election. More than 95% of Maine?s debt was never approved by voters as required by our Constitution!

As a voter and taxpayer you have only had a say on about $500 million in general obligation bond questions on the ballot. The remainder of our taxpayer-backed obligations is the result of promises made, but never paid for and decisions made by quasi-governmental authorities you have never heard of.

That stops now.

$6.5 billion of our total debt, almost exactly half, are unfunded pension and health benefit liabilities owed state employees and school teachers. For years, promises about health benefits and retirement benefits have been made to public sector employees but not fully paid for by the Legislature.

The bills are starting to come due and they are enormous. Without reform, we have to set aside $449 million in the upcoming year to pay for pension liability. This accounts for 15% of General Fund Revenue.

I have introduced some sensible reforms as part of my budget that saves over half-a-billion dollars in retiree pension and health care obligation payments over the next two years. My plan also protects these programs for current and future public sector retirees. Without sensible reform today, Maine?s pension system will cease to exist in a few short years.

If approved, our budget reduces state indebtedness by $3.3 billion over the long term and makes it possible to increase support for local education, fund higher education without any cuts, provide an additional $90 million in support to Maine?s local governments and reduce taxes by $200 million.

Most of the remaining obligations backed up by Maine?s taxpayers were issued by boards or authorities you probably have never heard of. The debt was issued without your approval and passed onto other entities who we hope will repay the money. Here is an example.

The Maine Health and Higher Education Facilities Authority is an obscure, quasi-governmental body that has issued $1.4 billion in tax-exempt debt that has been used to fund hospital and college infrastructure projects.

Each of these projects may be worthy of support and the institutions borrowing the money have a strong record of repayment. But, ultimately, the taxpayers of Maine have a moral obligation to stand behind the debt.

A moral obligation can also be described as a co-signor of the bonds.

Article IX, Section 14 of Maine?s Constitution is clear. With very rare exceptions, the credit of the state shall not be directly or indirectly loaned without a two-thirds vote of the Legislature and a majority vote of electors.

I have made it clear to every agency that has been in the business of issuing obligations backed up by Maine?s taxpayers that I will not be authorizing any issuance of debt that is not directly approved by the voters.

I am willing to consider any project and work with anyone to find state-backed opportunities to finance worthy initiatives. But if the taxpayers are going to be directly or indirectly co-signing the loan, I am going to insist that the voters get their constitutionally mandated opportunity to offer approval at the polls.

Thank you for listening and enjoy your weekend.

Radio Address: The Union Debate

February 26, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good morning. This is Maine Governor Paul LePage.

The budget debate in Wisconsin has garnered national attention for the rhetoric, rallies and tactics employed by opponents of work place reform. It has gotten ugly in Wisconsin and it looks like the spectacle is headed here.

I support anyone?s right to rally and advocate for their position. We are all Americans and, thanks to the military, we have every right to stand up for our beliefs.

What I do not understand is how an elected official would flee their state to shutdown the legislative process. Nor do I understand how teachers could call out sick and shutdown a school to attend a rally.

Here in Maine every state elected official takes an oath to support the Constitution of Maine and the United States. They also must swear to faithfully discharge, to the best of their abilities, the duties incumbent on them.

State Representative Diane Russell of Portland made such a publicized trip to Wisconsin this week to join in the political spectacle despite having legislative work to do here in Maine.

I have noted her criticism of me, but will leave it to the people of House District 120 in Portland to determine if the good representative is living up to her oath to faithfully discharge her elected duties from nearly 1,300 miles away.

As the debate over workplace rules heats up here, I hope we all remember our oaths of office and do our very best to respect the people and institution we serve.

Later today a moveon.org rally has been scheduled for the statehouse grounds in Augusta. Organizers of today?s event are calling it a ?Rally to Save the American Dream.?

March 2nd and 3rd the Maine State Employees Union is planning rallies at State House around the retirement proposals in our budget. They are claiming we plan to ?drive public workers into poverty,? and ?decimate the retirement benefits of current and retired members.?

Here are the quick facts. Next year?s pension checks will NOT go down a single penny as a result of our reforms. We only eliminate 12 filled positions in my budget. For each of these 12 layoffs we retain more than 1,000 good paying, public sector jobs. And the average Maine worker will receive a boost in next year?s take home pay of 2% because we eliminate the shutdown days.

If we promised the same to most hardworking private sector employees they would take to the streets in celebration rather than protest.

As for today?s union rally, we know that the American Dream was first and best captured in the opening of the Declaration of Independence. Unfortunately we have gotten away from defending our rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness and that needs to change.

Workers in Maine should have the freedom to pursue their happiness as they best see fit.

If your workplace has a responsive and effective union, you should have every right to become a member and contribute.

If you do not believe union membership helps in your pursuit of happiness, you should also have the right to decline participation. Forcing a worker to join an organization as a condition of employment runs counter to the rights described in our Declaration of Independence.

For many in Maine there is no freedom of choice when it comes to union membership. I think that needs to change and I look forward to a fair but honest debate on the matter.

Thanks for listening and enjoy the weekend

Radio Address: Saving the State's Pension System

March 5, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good Morning. This is Maine Governor Paul LePage.

The Legislature?s Appropriations Committee began its long review of our budget proposal this week. And they got off to a fast start, reviewing the reforms we have proposed for Maine?s public employee retirement system.

Our pension reforms are an important piece of our budget. Here are some numbers.

52,529 is the number of state workers or teachers who are either in our retirement system or are within ten years of retirement age. These long-serving public servants are counting on our pension system to sustain their golden years. Few in this group qualify for social security and all have few years left to make other arrangements for their retirement.

$926 Million is the amount of money needed to meet our state pension obligation over the next two years if we do not enact reform. That is 15% of all the tax dollars that come into our general fund. Only about $200 million of this sum is for current expenses. All the rest goes to pay down our unfunded pension liabilities.

$1.5 Billion is the amount our state pension obligations will be ten years from now without reform. It would take one-in-every-four dollars of revenue to meet this expense, forcing future lawmakers to cast aside our defined pension benefit program.

Zero. That is how much money we can afford to remove from Maine?s private sector economy to payoff pension debt resulting from the bad assumptions and ignored promises of the past. And there are zero dollars to account for the fact that retirees live considerably longer lives today.

I need to be clear on this point. We need every penny possible in Maine?s private sector creating jobs, investment and opportunity to move our state forward. We cannot tax our way to prosperity. As long as I hold a veto pen, we are not even going to try.

My budget offers sensible reform to our retirement system that saves $524 million in past due payments now, cuts our total unfunded pension liability in half, and puts us on a sustainable path toward fully funding our retirement obligations as required in the Maine Constitution.

Our fix is not easy and is filled with shared sacrifice. Retirees are asked to accept COLA freezes and caps. Current state workers and teachers must contribute an additional 2% to their retirement and the newest hires will have to work longer. Our pension proposal also asks for continued sacrifice from taxpayers who will have to dig even deeper to bear the cost of retiring old debt for sixteen years to come.

The state workers and teachers who have come to Augusta this week have faithfully made their contributions and have passionately made the case to lawmakers that they are due their benefits.

And they are partly right. The promises made could never be honored. Maine has finite resources and there is no amount of obligation, wishing or avoidance that changes this hard economic fact. We need reforms now to save our pension system for our valued retirees and to make funds available for today?s priorities.

And, yes, one of today?s priorities has to be getting more money back into the hands of the private sector where it can be invested by job creators. Our budget cuts taxes, putting an average of $288 in the pocket of 439,000 Maine families. We also send the message that we are serious about lowering Maine?s tax burden and improving our business climate.

Maine lawmakers are being inundated with calls and emails from those who oppose reform. We need to match this effort and let legislators know that Maine people are expecting the change they voted for last November.

Be friendly, be informed and be heard sometime soon because we need your help.

Even if you do not know your legislator, you can call 287-1400 and be connected during regular business hours. You can also go to www.maine.gov and follow the link to the Legislature?s website to send electronic messages.

Thank you for listening, enjoy the weekend and remember we need your help.

Radio Address: DHHS: Good and the Bad

March 12, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good Morning. This is Maine Governor Paul LePage.

We knew we faced many challenges with the Department of Health and Human Services when we took office. Now that Commissioner Mary Mayhew and her new leadership team are in place, it is becoming clear that the problems with Maine?s biggest state agency are worse than we feared.

Before I get into the problems, I would like to share some good news. Our new leadership team at DHHS is finding a great deal of energy and optimism among front line service providers within the department.

Many of the public servants at DHHS have great ideas and are ready to contribute to our reform effort. Working together, we are going to make the Department of Health and Human Services work for consumers, providers and taxpayers.

With that said, there has been additional debt uncovered within DHHS that is enormous.

Tens of millions in budgeting errors have been found which will likely require a new supplemental budget to bridge shortfalls in the MaineCare program through the end of the current fiscal year in June.

What we found includes sixty-six million in overpayments in Maine hospitals, a ten-million spike in weekly claims to MaineCare providers, and a nearly thirty-million dollar targeted case management lawsuit that D-H-H-S lost that will require the state to repay the federal government money we just don?t have.

Work is on-going to determine the total scope of the problems and reforms must be made to better administer Department programs.

Bold moves are needed to bring our government back to the people and return our House to fiscal order. The issues we are finding out about today within D-H-H-S are the result of a Department that consists of thirty-six hundred employees ? the largest Department in State government.

The reality is, currently, there are two Departments within D-H-H-S - Health and Human Services.

At first glance, Health and Human Services looks like they are two of the same when really they are separate entities with different functions.

In an effort to streamline government to make it as effective and efficient as possible we need to take a closer look at D-H-H-S and create two Departments.

The mess we are finding at D-H-H-S is another reason the Legislature should move the start of our biennium to the second year of each Legislature. New Governors and lawmakers need time to truly assess the operations of state government before having to prepare new budget submissions.

Currently, the State?s biennial budget must be presented on the 37th day of the new Governor?s term. Given the logistics of drafting and printing the document, all of the major decisions were made before I was in office a month and before most of my commissioners were confirmed.

This is no way to run a State successfully and certainly no way to tackle a six-point-one billion dollar budget.

We need to change the process to help avoid the issue we are faced with today.

Representative Ayotte has sponsored legislation, An Act to Establish a New Method of Determining the State Budget, starting the fiscal biennium in the second regular session of the Legislature. The bill is cosponsored by President Raye, Representatives Cain and Curtis as well as Senators Rosen and Sherman.

Representative Ayotte?s proposal would give all of us the time we need to conduct oversight and work with the agencies to set priorities. I strongly support the bill and would sign it right now if I could.

To get our fiscal House in order we must first understand the entirety of what we are dealing with.

What I?m asking for is a better understanding of the history of our State finances before blindly moving forward with a budget that impacts Mainers.

We don?t expect Mainers to fill our checks without knowing how much money they have in the bank and the State shouldn?t either.

We have the people in place and they are dedicated to improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and the quality of our government. It will not be easy and will take time to turn Maine around, but we will get there by solving one problem at a time and finding solutions that will lead us away from insolvency and the and back to the road to prosperity.

Thank you for joining me this week and I hope you enjoy the weekend.

Radio Address: Maine is Open for Business

March 19, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good Morning. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Everyday messages are sent to people. We talk, we email, we text and call. And when you enter into the State of Maine there?s a message we read ? ?Welcome to Maine ? The Way Life Should Be.?

That sign was put up on the side of I-95 in 1990. It was part of the winter advertising campaign theme used for Maine tourism, which sent a message to every vacationer that Maine is the place to be.

It?s true. We do have so much to offer from our beaches and mountains to our cities and rural way of life. It?s a balance that most State?s dream of and we have it all in our backyard.

But what we?re lacking is another kind of balance. A balance in the way state government treats business and Maine people.

Every month I?m travelling to towns and cities in our counties visiting business owners and entrepreneurs as part of my ?Capitol for a Day? campaign.

One of the goals of ?Capitol for a Day? is to get to the heart of the problems that businesses are struggling with today. Solutions can be found, but I need to know what to address.

There are about 45-thousand businesses in our State. More than half of those are run with less than five employees. Small businesses are the bread and butter for many hard-working families. Those families are facing tough times and making ends meet is getting more difficult by the day.

I can tell you this though, when businesses are profitable, Mainers prosper. That?s why my Administration is rolling out a number of initiatives to help small business owners.

Our biennial budget is a jobs bill for Maine?s economy. We propose some sensible reforms to our public sector retirement system that will keep monthly benefit checks flowing to retirees while cutting our overall $6.5 billion unfunded obligations in half.

Our reforms also save more than $500 million in the biennium that we use to balance the budget without mass layoffs, preserving thousands of good paying, public sector jobs.

The savings we generate through reform also allows us to return $203 million to the private sector in the form of tax cuts that can be used to invest in Maine?s economy and to save the small businesses employing on average five people.

We also set aside more than $90 million in additional state funding in the form of revenue sharing and support for local schools to help keep the pressure off property tax payers and provide resources to our schools.

Today, there is a new mentality in Augusta. We have assembled an outstanding collection of Commissioners who understand the importance of partnering with the job creators in the private sector.

The men and women leading our state agencies have my full support as they review their operations for needed reforms and make service and cooperation a key part of agency culture.

You can enforce the law and uphold strong protections for consumers and the environment while still working in good faith to find solutions for small business owners and concerned citizens.

A week ago, a Red Tape Hotline number for businesses was set up by the Department of Economic and Community Development. We encourage you to call if you need assistance in licensing, permitting or regulatory issues. The number is 624-7486.

Again 624-7486.

Lawmakers are also getting involved with this movement. Senate President Kevin Raye and House Speaker Robert Nutting launched a new website to track the Legislature?s work improving Maine?s business climate.

Check out the site at www.maineisopenforbusiness.com

And next time you are returning to Maine on the interstate, look at the addition along the roadway in York. We have added an ?Open for Business,? sign to remind everyone that prosperity should also be a way of life here in Maine. A message that I hope will become the new sign of the times.

Thank you for tuning in this week and I hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Radio Address: Helping our Sister-State

March 26, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

In 1889 a ship from Bath, Maine known as the Chesebrough was destroyed off the coast of the Aomori Prefecture of Japan. A handful of the crew from the vessel were saved and cared for by local villagers.

A bond that began in disaster over a hundred years ago off the coast of a small coastal village in Japan led to the establishment of a sister-state between Maine and the Aomori Prefecture in 1996.

The relationship between our governments has opened the door to a strong and friendly relationship with people on the other side of the globe.

Our public schools and universities have sponsored exchanges that have given students and instructors insights into another culture. Our museums have exchanged exhibits and artifacts to enrich their collections and the experience of museum patrons.

And we have sought opportunities to expand our economy through trade missions and programs that give Maine products access to new markets.

The relationship between Maine and its sister state of Aomori, Japan began in disaster more a hundred years ago when a ship from Bath wrecked on the Japanese coast.

The kindness that was shown our shipwrecked sailors a century ago has built a bond between our people. Now that Japan has suffered through a disastrous earthquake and tsunami, we need to help our friends in Japan during their time of need.

I urge all Mainers who are able to consider a contribution to the Maine Friends of Aomori Relief Fund.

A contribution can be made at any Maine Branch of TD Bank. Or you can mail a contribution care/of the Maine Friends of Aomori Relief Fund, TD Bank, 790 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, 04240

Trusted members of the Maine-Aomori Sister-State Advisory Council with years of experience and contacts in Japan are administering the fund. Money collected here in Maine will be transferred directly to official Aomori relief agencies to help the victims of the natural disaster. You can be assured that your contribution will go directly to helping those people in need.

I know times are tight here in Maine. If you can spare a small contribution, please consider a gift to aid the victims in our sister-state of Aomori.

Thank you for listening and enjoy your weekend.

Radio Address: Reducing Regulatory Burden to Help Maine Prosper

April 2, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good Morning. This is Maine Governor Paul LePage.

Over the winter, a thousand job creators attended our red tape workshops to share their ideas for improving Maine?s worst in the country regulatory environment. There were many great suggestions about the need for commonsense reform to standards and regulations.

As I promised, the work requiring statutory changes is happening in the light of day as part of the legislative process. Lawmakers are taking comments and concerns from all Mainers and I appreciate their steady work. By the end of the session, we will have made significant progress on reform.

For many job creators, the biggest frustrations they face do not involve a specific standard or a regulation. The focus of their concern was the lack of cooperation they receive from state agencies as they look to invest in Maine?s future.

Creating a culture of cooperation in state government does not happen with the passage of the bill or the signing of an executive order. It takes hard and consistent work.

And it is getting done now all across state government. I will be sharing many of these success stories with you. Today the focus is on the agency where a can-do approach can arguably make the most difference for Maine.

Commissioner Darryl Brown, his leadership team, and the entire staff at the Department of Environmental Protection are making great strides in their approach to working with the private sector.

For starters, DEP has restructured its Office of Innovation and Assistance to help businesses navigate the permitting process. The agency?s Small Business Ombudsman will be doing more outreach to meet directly with business owners to discuss their concerns.

The Department of Environmental Protection is conducting a thorough review of all existing rules and regulations to see where there is room to reduce burdens on businesses.

One great example are the improvements made to the DEP?s wipe policy impacting solvent-contaminated shop towels, rags, floor mats and other items used for clean up in industrial settings.

The eight page policy had been on the books since 2005 and was a major source of frustration for businesses.

We have updated and streamlined the policy down to just two pages, removing required paperwork and burden. When practical, the policy now allows businesses to launder, recycle and reuse wipes that are not saturated with solvents. This common sense reform will cut down on the amount of costly hazardous waste that often has to be shipped out of state for disposal.

When dealing with applicants, the DEP has a new commitment to improving turnaround times while still ensuring a thorough review.

The Bangor and Augusta offices completed review of an amendment application for an expansion of the Eastport Port Authority in the minimum 20-days allowed by law, saving the project an additional $500,000 in costs. DEP also worked with the federal Army Corps of Engineers to stress the importance of a timely decision as part of their review.

Working together with the Department of Economic and Community Development, DEP staff in the land and water bureaus helped save 170 jobs at the Hartland tannery.

The cooperative approach DEP is taking to achieving compliance is literally helping to save the town of Hartland, and I appreciate the effort of every agency official involved.

Protecting our environment is crucial to developing our economy. There is no better example of how DEP can help than in their response this week to a 1,000 gallon oil spill in Downeast Maine upstream from a major salmon hatchery.

Collaborating with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Department of Marine Resources, the incident was contained and remediated with very little negative impact on the environment and the fisheries.

Creating jobs and prosperity in Maine is an undertaking that will need to move forward on several fronts. I am pleased to report we are already making very good progress at Maine?s Department of Environmental Protection. And I thank everyone involved in the effort.

Thank you for listening. Enjoy your weekend.

Radio Address: Maine vs New Hampshire

April 9, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Creating jobs and prosperity in Maine is an undertaking that will need to move forward on several fronts. Our tax burden, the costs of health care and energy, and our business climate are all things that must be addressed.

We must also commit to educating and training our students at a very high level. Every student should graduate from high school ready for college or a career in a skilled trade.

And we need to make sure cost effective educational programs are always available for members of our work force looking to expand their skills or transition into an industry with better prospects.

Prosperity is a choice we have to make here in Maine. We must align our regulations and our resources so that our private sector has a fighting chance to create jobs and make investments that expand our tax base.

And we cannot start soon enough.

Maine created just 56 net new jobs in the last decade. Over the same span our population grew by about 44,000 and our Medicaid enrollment increased by 100,000 people. Now one-in-four Mainers are on the program.

Those who argue that our challenges are too great merely need to look west to New Hampshire to see what is possible.

In New Hampshire the Forbes business climate ranking is 19th in the country compared to our spot at the very bottom of the list. Being a more welcoming place for commerce makes a huge difference to New Hampshire families.

New Hampshire?s population exceeds our 1.3 million inhabitants by just 6,000 people. Yet their $60 billion gross domestic product is 20% larger than our $50 billion in economic activity.

New Hampshire?s vibrant economy leads to a dramatic difference in household incomes between our two states. The Granite-State household income is $63,731, high enough for 7th in the country.

Here in Maine, household incomes average $46,581. Our earnings put us 37th in the country and an astounding $17,150 below our neighbors to the west.

What Maine family would not be better off with an additional $17,000 to make ends meet?

Because New Hampshire has so much more prosperity, they are able to fund government at much lower tax burden. Mainers devote more than 10 percent of their incomes to state and local taxes. In New Hampshire the tax burden is just 8 percent.

New Hampshire is not nirvana. It is a northern New England state just like Maine with a similar heritage, love of the outdoors and rural nature.

From a competitive standpoint, proximity to Boston and other big markets is an advantage. But a few miles of interstate do not tell the whole story about why New Hampshire is much more prosperous than Maine.

It is the additional burdens and costs that the private sector in Maine must endure to achieve success that accounts for most of what separates our states economically.

While we would never want to co-opt New Hampshire?s motto of, ?Live Free or Die,? we need a healthy dose of the attitude here in Maine. Our people and our markets must be free from infringement in order to thrive.

It will take hard work, but we can put Maine on a footing where we can compete with New Hampshire and the world. Dirigo, Maine?s motto, translates to ?I lead.? Certainly it will take leadership of many to achieve our goals.

Thank you for listening and enjoy the weekend.

Radio Address: First 100 Days

April 16, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good Morning. This is Governor Paul LePage.

This week there was a lot of focus on my first 100 days in office. The loyal opposition took to the steps of the Hall of Flags to claim we are not getting enough done in Augusta to create jobs and boost the economy.

I could not agree more. And my challenge to those on the other side is support my proposals or bring better ideas to the table that will move Maine forward.

The budget I submitted on my 37th day of office reforms Maine?s pension system saving $500 million over the biennium and cutting our $4.3 billion unfunded liability in half. Most important, it saves the defined pension system for current and future retirees who are relying on their pension checks to finance their golden years.

Our budget proposal reforms welfare, supports communities and education, and keeps the safety net under Maine?s neediest families.

Our budget also closes a billion dollar structural gap with no mass layoffs of public employees.

Our budget also returns $203 million to Maine?s working families and small businesses through tax cuts. 439,000 Mainers benefit from the tax cuts we have offered and they will each have more money in their pockets to spend in our economy.

The loyal opposition believes my tax cuts are only for the rich. Let?s be clear, for the 2011 tax year, it will take just $19-thousand dollars to hit the top bracket in taxable income for a single filer. That means if you are single, and are a single filer, you pay Maine?s top tax rate if you have less than 20-thousand dollars in taxable income. That number is 39-thousand for joint filers. Not what I call a tax break for the rich.

And our budget eliminates automatic gas tax indexing. Over the last decade, Mainers have paid an additional $341 million at the pump because of gas tax indexing. We stop it.

If the loyal opposition wants to create jobs in Maine, quickly passing our budget and getting more money into your hands is a good start.

On Thursday, the Joint Standing Committee on Regulatory Reform and Fairness held their 9th public hearing.

LD 1 is a massive piece of legislation that incorporates many of the great ideas that have come from business leaders from across our State. It removes red tape and streamlines government.

The 34-page bill includes common sense reforms such as:

A Voluntary Audit program including incentives to disclose and correct compliance issues

A Business Ombudsman Program to assist businesses with permitting ? a one stop shop and advocate for job creators.

The committee is also making progress on reforming the Board of Environmental Protection. At a minimum, I want to see a much smaller board with a narrowly defined role.

LD 1 is a good down payment on regulatory reform and I hope it gets to my desk soon along with many of the other proposals working their way through the legislative process.

And I am not done offering other reform proposals for the Legislature?s consideration. Not by a long shot.

There is much more to do in the next 60-days. I plan on rolling out initiatives that address energy and health care reform.

Maine has the 10th highest electricity cost in the country. Our high electricity prices are a $400 Million annual tax on Maine?s families and small businesses when compared to national averages. As reported in the 2011 Measures of Growth, in 1990, Maine?s retail electricity prices were 16% higher than the national average. A recent study has Maine 42% higher than the national average.

I will also be introducing a health care reform. We need comprehensive, market-based reform in our health insurance markets.

I hope legislators from both sides of the aisle will support it.

With Medicaid we need flexibility so we can afford to care for our truly needy without shifting more costs onto private insurance premiums.

Over the last decade we created 56 net new jobs in our State and added 100-thousand people to Medicaid. We must reverse those numbers.

I have given our elected officials the tool that will generate jobs. They just need to pass it.

So when Democrats accuse me of not being able to grow our economy in 100 days I simply ask them this: Why won?t they help us? Because the fact of the matter is, in order for the budget to reach my desk, a two-thirds vote is needed.

Thank you, and enjoy your weekend.

Radio Address: Governor's Weekly Address: Lowering Our Energy Costs

April 23, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good Morning. This is Governor Paul LePage. Thanks for tuning in this week.

As Governor of Maine, I believe in change that will truly make a difference in the way we do business, protect our most vulnerable and improve our lives. In order to get there, we need to focus on five areas.

Those areas include reform in the way of regulation, pensions, taxes, health care and energy.

This week gas prices reached five dollars per gallon in Washington D.C. and four dollars in many parts of Maine.

Chaos in the Middle East, the value of the US dollar, and price speculation has steadily led to higher oil prices.

Unfortunately, Maine is dependent on a world oil market to supply transportation fuel and heating oils. In the short term conservation will help minimize costs, but it is only a small portion of the solution.

I urge the President to look for immediate alternatives. A recent study shows if the government will sign off on a plan to open the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, portions of the Rocky Mountains, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Atlantic and Pacific Outer Continental Shelf to oil and natural gas exploration and production, the industry would create 530,000 jobs by 2025. In return we would see a stronger economy and enhanced energy security.

Electricity prices are compiled by three things ? production of energy, T & D also known as transmission and distribution and, of course, government. Recently, the loyal opposition voted to add 25 million dollars to your energy costs. That?s going in the wrong direction.

If we do not commit to lowering our energy costs we are at least a decade away from becoming a competitive State.

Maine?s existing energy needs are met from three primary sources - fossil fuel, biomass and hydropower.

Every year we use 1.6 billion gallons of petroleum fuels which include oil, propane, diesel, gasoline and kerosene. While energy efficiency is an important means of reducing energy costs, the greater utilization of more cost effective non-foreign oil sources will be essential to achieve our goal.

I have asked Ken Fletcher, Director of the Office of Energy Independence and Security to identify opportunities to lower the total cost of energy to consumers in our State. Director Fletcher is capable and committed to finding the right solutions that will benefit the entire State.

To achieve the reduction in electricity prices, other more cost effective forms of generation will need to be utilized and consumers will need better price security.

There is some good news. Just this week the U.S. Energy Information Administration released price data that indicates Maine?s average retail price of electricity has decreased.

In 2009, Maine had the 10th highest electricity prices in the country. Now, we?re at the twelfth spot. We are moving in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go to where we need to be.

I hope you will consider writing to our congressional delegation about our current oil crisis because each one of us is affected one way or another.

It?s also important for you to reach out to our State elected officials and let them know we can?t afford higher electric bills. Tell your Representative and Senator you oppose the add-on rates and enough is enough.

I expect gas prices will rise to nearly five dollars by Labor Day. If this proves true, it will not be a matter of who will not be able to make ends meet or keep their business afloat.

The question will be how many families will have to choose between putting food on the table, heating their homes or putting gas in their cars. Businesses will also suffer. How many workers will be out of a job when their employer is forced to close their doors?

We can?t afford to continue on this path of foreign dependency with so much on the line.

I appreciate you taking the time to listen. Thank you and enjoy the week.

Radio Address: Maine Needs Jobs

April 30, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Maine needs jobs. Economic growth must be a priority for our state government.

This is Governor Paul LePage and each and every day I have been focused on what we must do together to create jobs in the State of Maine.

This week I was proud to announce new jobs coming to Maine.

These new jobs will be coming to Brunswick Landing, the former location of Brunswick Naval Air Station.

I was pleased to be joined at my jobs announcement by United States Senator Susan Collins, local economic development leaders and representatives of the American Bureau of Shipping, a nationally recognized organization bringing the jobs to Maine.

Establishing these new computer-based ship modeling jobs in Maine helps us send a message that Maine is Open for Business.

This is a step in the right direction. But we must do more.

I have been working with Legislative Leaders and members of my administration to make the changes necessary to bring even more jobs to Maine.

Part of that focus is our continued effort to stop red tape government bureaucracy hurting job growth.

Late last year, even before I took office, I visited with small businesses all over Maine to find out what needed to be done in order to create jobs in their area.

They consistently talked about changing state government so that we provide a hand up not a negative attitude to job creating small businesses.

As part of that effort we launched a Red Tape hotline so we could find problems that needed to be fixed to create jobs.

If you own or are involved in a small business that wants to create more jobs but has run into negative government bureaucracy we want to hear from you.

The red tape hotline is 624-7486. Please write it down and call us if we can help remove red tape and create jobs. The number again is 624-7486.

I have spent my life creating jobs and the LePage administration will continue to focus on growing jobs in Maine.

Anne and I wish you a great weekend.

Radio Address: Let's Create More Jobs and Lower Health Care Costs

May 7, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

In order to grow Maine?s economy we must give Mainers the tools to create jobs.

Good Morning. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Maine Businesses, big and small, are struggling with the high costs of health insurance for employees. It?s a burden that is getting in the way of creating jobs.

Maine has some of the highest health insurance premiums in the country. Our neighbors in New Hampshire pay less, and have many more options when it comes to providing insurance for themselves, their families and their employees.

Well-intentioned regulations have raised premiums and lowered choices for Maine health insurance.

This week Republicans endorsed a plan, LD 1333, that will increase competition in Maine?s health insurance market allowing individuals and businesses to buy insurance from other New England states.

LD 1333 also helps small businesses by allowing job creators with fewer than 50 employees to band together to purchase insurance. By widening the insurance pool and reducing risk, the companies that power Maine's economy can drive down their health insurance costs and make room to expand and hire more Maine people.

We must give our job creators the tools to grow without stifling them with outrageous health insurance costs. LD 1333 is health care reform that works and will give more Mainers job opportunities.

Unfortunately, there are some who think creating more choice and job opportunities for Mainers is the wrong kind of reform. Recently, scare tactics have been used by opponents of LD 1333. They say the bill would be devastating to cancer patients and it would deny coverage for cancer survivors due to ?pre-existing conditions.?

The fact is LD 1333 explicitly forbids insurance carriers from denying coverage.

Another claim is that the bill will force the sick and elderly to pay higher rates. Again, not true. This legislation is based on the Idaho health insurance model, which guarantees access to all individuals, and cannot charge different premiums based on health, just like current Maine law.

Still, some say we should do nothing and Maine?s insurance markets are fine the way they are.

As Governor, I cannot sit on the sideline and say we cannot do better. Because the truth is, we can do much better and must do much better.

I encourage you to take the time to learn about this important piece of legislation that will bring down the price of health care insurance premiums and provide more jobs to Mainers.

Call your Representatives and Senators to tell them you support LD 1333.

Thank you for listening. I hope you enjoy the weekend. And to all the mothers tuning in, Ann and I wish you a very Happy Mother?s Day.

Radio Address: Getting our Graduates to Call Maine Home

May 14, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

By 2018, nearly 60 percent of jobs in Maine will require at least some amount of college education. Currently, just 39 percent of Maine adults hold degrees beyond a high school diploma.

Good morning. This is Governor Paul LePage.

If we can?t get more of our students to complete high school and earn degrees, we won?t have the workforce required to meet the needs of a 21st-century, technology-and knowledge-driven economy.

This weekend, I had the privilege to speak at commencement at my alma mater Husson University. More than 500 graduates received their degree. University of Maine and Maine Maritime Academy have also held commencement exercises for the class of 2011. Bates, Bowdoin and Colby Colleges will hold their graduations later this month.

This spring, thousands of graduates will have completed their education in Maine. The question is will they stay? One thing is certain. They won?t if they can?t find a job. I offer my congratulations to each and every graduate in our great State and I want to say that I want you to all stay.

Economic growth must be a priority for our state government. And I have made a pledge as Governor to help create more jobs, more jobs that will enable our young people to stay and call Maine home.

We won?t do it overnight, but we will work to get the job done.

I need to let you know we are making progress ? more progress than some would have you believe ? but we have lots more to do.

Right now, we are working to create jobs by making State government more business friendly.

This week a new business assistance hotline was set up within the Department of Environmental Protection. The hotline is part of the environmental department?s restructuring of its Office of Innovation and Assistance to better focus on establishing a stronger culture of cooperation between State government and job creators.

In order to become a more competitive State, I am also focused on lowering energy costs, reducing taxes and reforming health care. We have a quality of life that is second to none, but we must work on making Maine more business friendly.

We are working to create jobs and we are working to improve our economy. In short, we are working for prosperity. We are doing it for every young person who might view Maine as their life-long home.

We want our young people to find jobs here in Maine, we want them to find a future here in Maine, we want our future generation to see Maine as the job leader of tomorrow not as a State just focused on the past.

I wish every graduate of the Class of 2011 great success. You are the foundation of our future and Maine needs you to build a stronger, more successful State.

Thank you for listening and again congratulations to all our grads.

Radio Address: Creating Choice to Reduce Energy Bills

May 21, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Good Morning, This is Governor Paul LePage.

My vision for Maine is one where all of our citizens prosper now and into the future. So when I see money being picked from the pockets of hardworking folks I can?t just sit back and do nothing.

The government has been subsidizing renewable energy development at the cost of Maine ratepayers. As a result, energy prices have skyrocketed over the past decade and we can no longer expect Maine people to foot the rising bill. I have put forth a bill, ?An Act to Reduce Energy Prices for Maine Consumers,? for consideration. I hope we can focus on what is right and invest in resources that will lower electricity rates.

Mainers already pay the 12th highest electricity rates in the nation. We?re 42% higher than the national average.

Maine has the highest renewable energy mandate in the country and is one of only 24 states that impose it on, you the, ratepayer. According to the Maine Public Utility Commission, Maine ratepayers pay an extra 7 million dollars to subsidize renewable energy projects ? 7 million dollars that could be in the pockets of you, the residents of Maine.

Our Administration has a sensible solution. Rather than continue the automatic increases outlined in our State?s renewable energy mandate, we think Mainers should have the choice.

Currently, I have a bill before the Legislature that gives electric consumers a choice to buy a ?green power standard? offer as part of the Maine Utility Commission program.

Essentially, Mainers will have the option to select up to 100% from renewable energy choices rather than be subjected to a 1% year to year increase as mandated today.

Some will say we?re taking away our ?green? jobs. But in fact, the majority of these ?green jobs? are temporary. In reality, these mandates and subsidies will result in a net loss of jobs and increase your electricity costs. It simply is not feasible to create jobs in industries that depend on government welfare and it is not a sustainable way to stimulate the economy.

Mainers are paying over $300 million more per year when compared to the national average on renewable energy projects such as wind power development. There are other energy alternatives that will make Maine a more competitive State while lowering costs to those who pay the bills.

I firmly believe that consumer choice is the preferred means to achieve competitive energy costs rather than imposing mandates on Maine people. It?s time to stop robbing Peter to pay Paul.

During the upcoming week this will be an issue lawmakers will take a close look at. Weigh in and let them know you deserve the right to choose whose tab you?re picking up.

Thank you for listening. Anne and I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Pray for sun.

Radio Address: Lowering Health Insurance Costs for Mainers

May 29, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Soon Mainers will have a choice about health care insurance. More choice in the market will drive down consumer costs and it will make health care coverage more affordable to thousands of Mainers.

Good Morning, This is Governor Paul LePage.

The recently signed health care insurance bill also known as LD 1333 is a plan that is based on proven systems. More than 30 states have similar laws including New Hampshire and Idaho.

Critics are attempting to discredit this bill that will soon become law, but they fail to realize is that this is a healthy dose of what consumers have been asking for ? affordable health insurance.

High premiums are placing job-killing demands on all Maine people.

By lowering the cost of healthcare, employers are able to spend more money creating jobs while providing their employees with reasonably priced health insurance.

LD 1333 guarantees that it is illegal for insurance carriers to deny coverage to anyone.

LD 1333 prohibits insurance companies from charging more to individuals based on health conditions, and it will not increase premiums on older people. This law allows insurance carriers to offer less expensive products to our younger people.

It also ends the monopoly in Maine of a few insurance companies by allowing competition in the market. Mainer?s will be allowed to buy insurance across state lines.

LD 1333 will not increase premiums on people living in rural Maine, and force people to travel outside their local area to receive care. This law now gives everyone the same options enjoyed by the state employee insurance plan.

Dirigo has a $40 million a year assessment, which is being eliminated through the budget process. The $4 dollar per month assessment on this plan is a modest recapture of that and in turn will help cover the claims of individuals with high medical costs. We anticipate the $4 dollar assessment will be lowered during the next year or so as well.

Mainers pay more for health insurance than equivalent individuals in New Hampshire ? a lot more. For example, a 20 year old in Maine pays more than $350 dollars per month for an Anthem single plan. In New Hampshire that same 20 year old pays $136 dollars. A 50 year old Mainer pays about $475 dollars compared to a $340 dollar premium in New Hampshire.

The difference couldn?t be clearer. If we choose to stay on the same path health insurance in Maine would continue to be expensive for individuals and businesses that are struggling with these costs. We can no longer afford to force Mainers onto Medicaid.

Supporters made the right choice. A choice that will give our State the economic growth we need and provide affordable health insurance for everyone.

I appreciate you taking the time to listen. Thank you and enjoy the weekend.

Radio Address: The Reality about Tax Relief

June 4, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

As we head into the summer season Mainers plan to drive a lot less. That?s according to a recent poll that puts blame on high gas prices.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

It?s no surprise that Mainers are cutting back on spending. Prices at the pump aren?t the only thing going up. The tab at the grocery store is also inflating as a result of higher food prices. And in a short three months many Mainers will be filling up their oil tanks on a regular basis ? at a cost that, too, is on the rise.

That?s why it is crucial that tax reform is included in our two-year budget. Legislators have my proposal in front of them and the deadline is looming.

My tax relief package benefits approximately two-thirds of Maine taxpayers. It?s a tax break for Mainers in a time when they need it most.

A family of four will be able to earn as much as 35-thousand dollars a year before paying any state income tax. The current number is just over 21-thousand. To say that these are tax cuts for the rich is not the reality, in fact it is absurd.

This plan conforms personal exemptions and deductions to the federal standard. It eliminates the 2, 4.5 and 7% tax brackets, and lowers the top rate.

This combination of eliminating brackets, lowering the top rate, and conforming to federal standards means that 70-thousand low income families will no longer have to pay any income tax.

In addition, this proposal will help Maine farms and businesses. It does so by increasing the death tax exemption from 1 to 2 million. This is not a gimmick for the wealthy ? this is an effort to save struggling farms and small businesses. Talk to a farmer or a small business owner about how quickly their equipment and property can add up to one million dollars. Let?s give our farmers and business people the flexibility to keep Mainers working.

Maine is not out of the recession. In fact, less than 2% of the state population believes our economy is back on track according to a recent poll by Pan Atlantic SMS Group.

Another survey indicates that Mainers are most worried about their jobs. With so much on the line we need a budget that helps rather than hinders job growth. We need a budget that puts Maine back on the road to prosperity and money in the pockets of those who need it most.

As Governor I am committed to improving our quality of life, encouraging economic growth and protecting the future of our great State. I urge you to reach out to your Representative and Senator. Ask them to pass my budget.

There is no doubt there were tough decisions made about what is included and not included in this plan, but it is a responsible approach that has the tools to get Maine back on track toward a more prosperous future.

I thank you for listening to my perspective and hope you will contact your Representative and Senator.

Radio Address: The Budget that Begins a Transformation

June 11, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

It was a busy week at our Capitol as Maine?s fiscal debate continued on the 6 billion dollar budget. We should have a budget within days.

Hi, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The budget is a complex piece of legislation that affects all of us. There are tax cuts for job creators and working families, pension reform that will help us save the system and substantial change to welfare programs that will not only save the State money, but will encourage people to become self-sufficient.

Separately these are intricate pieces of a puzzle that promise savings and promote fiscal responsibility. Together these pieces will help produce jobs and drive Maine forward.

There is a culture shift in Augusta that is being reflected through the budget process. The transformation is also being made through legislation that has already passed through the House and Senate.

This week LD 1 came to my desk. A major signing ceremony will be held soon. This bill, like the budget, will help build our economy.

LD 1 cuts through red tape that has tangled up government for decades. Many great ideas from citizens and job creators have been included in this bill.

Some of the changes that were introduced at my red tape audit workshops can be found in LD 1 such as the Business Liaison Program ? in other words, one-stop shopping for people who need help navigating through the maze of government permitting.

This is a program that will enable job creators to expand their business. As an experienced businessman I can tell you this - when you give companies the tools they need to succeed they will be able to hire more Maine people. This is a win-win for our local economies and working families.

LD 1 also establishes an Environmental Audit Program. The voluntary program is a self review process intended to enhance protection of human health and the environment by encouraging businesses to voluntarily discover, disclose, correct and prevent violations of State and Federal environmental requirements.

It?s important that we have a balance that demonstrates a commitment to our environment and natural resources as well as to Maine people. There is still much to be done to improve Maine?s business climate, but we believe LD 1 takes the first substantial step in that direction.

Before I took the oath of office I made a promise to Maine people. That promise was to put you first. For too long the taxpayer has not been represented in Augusta. For too long, job creators have been overlooked. It?s time for bold change and that change is happening.

Politics will always be tossed around within the walls of the State House, but I won?t allow the people of Maine to be tossed out. You are the reason I am proud to be Governor and I thank you for this great opportunity.

I appreciate your time and hope you enjoy the weekend.

Radio Address: The Power of Choice can Help Our Children Succeed

June 18, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

More than 13-thousand Maine Seniors have graduated from High School this spring.

Hi, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Graduates are entering into a new chapter of their lives. And it?s an exciting time for our young people. Many of these students will continue their education at a public university or community college.

65 percent of Maine graduates enrolled last year in some form of post-secondary education.

What I?m most concerned about, however, is the fact that a quarter of those students who went on to a public university in Maine required a remedial course to catch them up to a level where they should have been when they graduated high school.

This is unacceptable. Maine can do better and this Administration is acknowledging the change that needs to happen.

Regardless of how hard we?ve tried and how much money we?ve spent, our public schools simply haven?t managed to equip many of our students with the skills they need to succeed in college.

The Department of Education cannot transform our system alone. We will need your help.

As part of a 100 day listening tour, Education Commissioner Steve Bowen has been reaching out to students, teachers and administrators to find solutions. In the coming weeks the Commissioner will take the feedback he?s received and use it to put together a strategic plan for education in Maine. Our students and parents need options. Maine is one of 10 states that don?t allow charter schools. Because every student learns differently, charter schools that concentrate on specific areas of learning will be an asset to our public education system.

Our students should also have the opportunity to enroll full-time in career and technical education courses at our vocational schools.

There?s no doubt our young people need to be motivated and must work hard to accomplish their goals. We can help improve their success rate by giving students and parents the power of choice.

We also need to focus on STEM education. Our economy, global and local, depends on the understanding of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics or STEM education. Innovation leads to new products and processes that sustain our industrial base. The foundation of innovation is based on a solid knowledge in math, science and engineering.

This week I signed a bill that creates a STEM Council. Their job will be to develop strategies for enhancing and promoting STEM education both in and out of school.

I?ve also given my signature to another important bill that requires teaching civics to our students. Our lessons in the classroom about history, economics, literature, and other subjects do enhance students' understanding of government and politics, however, they cannot replace sustained, systematic attention to civics education.

We should expect our young people to be engaged citizens and many are, but we can do a better job teaching our students how they can be actively involved in our communities and government. We must never underestimate the power of the people and remember politicians don?t hold all the power unless we let them.

As the first Franco-American Governor I?m proud that the Department of Education is working on a guide to Maine history to include Franco-American culture. It?s crucial our youth understand who paved the way before them and how the past is linked to the present and future.

Shaping Maine students into good stewards of the State will take a collaborative effort. It will take more than what we have been offering today in our public school system. We must give our educators the tools they need and set the bar high. It?s not only our children we are concerned about ? it is our future as a State and as a People.

Thank you for your time and I hope you enjoy the weekend.

Radio Address: Welfare Reform Remains a Priority

June 25, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

WEEKLY ADDRESS

$6.1 Billion Dollars.

It?s a figure that has been thrown around for the past six months as Legislators battled the budget in Augusta.

Hi, this is Governor Paul LePage.

When billions of your tax dollars are at stake I take my job very seriously.

You see I am a businessman ? I understand the bottom line. I also understand where the revenue comes from. Tax money is your hard earned money, not the politicians? in Augusta.

This budget is a good down payment, but it?s only part of the bill that needs to be paid in full.

In February, I handed a two-year plan to legislators that was very different from previous budgets with a focus on creating jobs, lowering taxes, reforming welfare and realigning spending to better reflect today?s realities.

Our challenge was to create a budget that did not include hundreds of millions of one-time federal stimulus dollars.

The budget I signed reflects a step toward fiscal responsibility and a change in the way we must operate ? but it is only the beginning.

The hole that has been dug was decades in the making and Maine people can no longer afford to go any deeper into debt. I will work hard to see that we reduce spending for the sake of the future of our State.

Some very good things survived the legislative process such as tax reform which provides $150 million in tax relief ? including a reduction in income tax rates high and low with the elimination of state income tax payments for 70,000 low-income working Mainers.

This is the largest tax cut in Maine history.

This budget will also help create jobs. $31 million has been set aside to aid economic growth by giving tax relief to new and existing job creators who invest in Maine.

We also conform to federal law which will give small businesses an incentive to invest in new or used equipment ? more steps to create jobs.

As this budget assists in recovering our economy it does not address out of control spending on welfare.

However, some progress has been made. It returns the welfare program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to its original intent - and aligns with federal rules by establishing a five-year limit on benefits.

I understand welfare and I want to give a hand up to Mainers that need help ? not a lifetime career.

There are harsher penalties for those who do not take the steps toward independence as outlined in the program rules, including the loss of all benefits after 90 days of non-compliance.

Our welfare programs must help people get back to work and on the road to self-sufficiency.

Maine was one of just a handful of states that chose to provide benefits to noncitizens contrary to the federal government?s position.

This budget includes some progress by ending access to these expensive benefits to new legal noncitizens with the exception of pregnant women and children ? again consistent with federal policy. It?s a good start, but more needs to be done.

Spending in Maine?s Medicaid program will continue to be problematic. We must challenge our legislators to address out of control entitlement spending.

The expansion over the last decade of services to people that the federal government does not require us to cover puts us in a very tough position.

Over the last 8 years, the state?s MaineCare program has experienced financial challenges year after year with spending outpacing the state?s ability to cover the costs.

Today, some of the state?s neediest, including people with developmental disabilities and Maine?s elderly, are on waiting lists for services because past decisions have spread state resources so thin that we are unable to focus on key priorities like meeting the needs of Maine?s most vulnerable.

I will continue to press for change and flexibility within the Medicaid program to fix this.

It is essential that we live within our means and make sound spending decisions within existing funding.

Welfare fraud is another culprit that is contributing to our State?s downward spiral ? Not only is it costing us money, but it?s a crime that the Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner and staff take seriously.

DHHS has a toll-free number to call if you suspect a situation involving welfare fraud. That number is 1-800-442-6003. I?ll repeat the number again in a moment.

According to our Director of welfare fraud investigations the number of citizens complaints has doubled from last year. It?s estimated that DHHS will receive more than 2000 complaints this year that will save an estimated 1 million dollars.

Once again the welfare fraud hotline is 1-800-442-6003.

I need your help to create the policy that will strengthen the economy, streamline government and save you money. Your voice counts and I thank you for listening to mine today.

Radio Address: Happy 235th Birthday America!

July 2, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Happy 235th Birthday America!

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Independence Day honors the birthday of the United States of America and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

This historical document drafted by Thomas Jefferson between June 11 and June 18, 1776 is at once the nation's most cherished symbol of liberty and our third President?s most enduring monument.

Written with unforgettable phrases, President Jefferson expressed the convictions in the minds and hearts of the American people.

The words inscribed which we are most familiar with:

?We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

are the most potent and consequential words in American history.

As we celebrate America?s 235th birthday with picnics, patriotic parades and a night of fireworks, let us not forget the foundation our great Nation was built upon.

On this special day let us remember the work of our founding fathers who took part in winning American independence and creating the United States of America. It is also a most appropriate time to thank our members of the armed forces.

In Maine, our history demonstrates we have always answered the call of duty to defend our State and Nation. But with this tremendous responsibility is sacrifice.

During the Civil War, the First Maine Heavy Artillery experienced the highest number of casualties in a single battle. It?s estimated that Maine soldiers suffered an 18.9% casualty rate, including deaths by disease, the highest percentage of loss for any Union state during the war.

At the present, we continue to have large numbers of military members serving and currently are engaged in the war in Afghanistan that has resulted in Maine experiencing the highest casualty rate by population of any state.

It is with great sorrow we recognize so many of our own have given the ultimate sacrifice. The loss of one life is too many.

19 brave souls from Maine have given all to the war in Afghanistan. These losses are a testament of the patriotism our fellow Mainers encompass and I am forever indebted to them.

I salute our soldiers for their dedication to the defense of our freedom. If it were not for our service members? commitment, from the past and present, we would not be the great Nation we are today or will be tomorrow.

So, this Monday wave the red, white and blue high with pride. Show you patriotism with a smile. Thank an active service member or veteran. Take a moment to remember those who are no longer with us.

I wish you a safe and most enjoyable experience honoring our Nation?s independence.

God bless our troops and the United States of America.

Radio Address: Governor LePage's Weekly Address: There's No Excuse for Domestic Violence

July 9, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Domestic violence is a sobering subject, but it?s one that needs to be talked about.

In early June, the news quickly spread about a husband who shot his wife in Winslow before leading police on a high speed chase to then only shoot himself. Two young orphaned children are the innocent victims left behind as a result of this senseless tragedy and a mother gone forever.

A week later, we heard about another shooting in the small town of Dexter. This time a husband shot his estranged wife and their two children. He then killed himself. These are despicable cases of domestic violence.

Domestic violence is a problem in our State and it?s this type of abuse that is ripping apart families, friends and entire communities. We can no longer stay silent. We must speak out and as Governor I pledge to do just that.

As many of you know, I left home at the age of 11 with nowhere to go. But being homeless was the better alternative of being abused. I understand how domestic abuse can tear a family apart and I am aware of the sensitivity of the issue. I have zero tolerance for domestic abuse. There is no reason to inflict this abuse on anyone ever.

Domestic abuse affects people in all races, religions, and social classes. It simply has no boundaries. However, while both men and women can be victims of domestic violence, according to federal statistics 84% of victims are women.

This year, Maine has lost 13 people to homicide. 7 of those people were killed by a spouse or loved one. These are not just numbers, these are our friends and neighbors. These are not only statistics, they are sons, daughters, mothers and fathers.

Each year between 50 and 60% of homicides in Maine are domestic violence related. This is not a trend we want to see continue. It needs to stop now.

Domestic violence awareness is crucial to eliminating the problem. But how do we end a problem that has plagued us for so long? We do it by making it socially unacceptable. We need a coordinated, community response to put an end to domestic violence now and for the generation. Everyone has to step up. Personally, I would like to see men step up to the plate on this pivotal issue.

The recent murders have again focused our attention on the tragic results of domestic violence. I take this issue very seriously as does my administration. My administration has already been involved in measures to end domestic violence and has identified additional initiatives that include possible legislation, policy and calls to action.
We need to strengthen our domestic violence related laws. We must hold abusers accountable for the violent actions they choose. Public Safety Commissioner John Morris and I are working on legislation that specifically addresses these issues. Lastly, we must provide services to help victims find safety.

This fall, the Maine Department of Labor and the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence will roll out a new campaign addressing abuse in the workplace. A variety of businesses are taking part including Bath Iron Works, Hammond Tractor and L.L. Bean. These are the type of initiatives I challenge communities and businesses to take part in. To make this behavior socially unacceptable we must demand it.

Finally, I would like to leave you with information that has saved lives. The most dangerous time for a victim is when they try to end an abusive relationship. The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence is committed to ensuring safety for victims.

If you are in or you know of someone in a harmful or potentially harmful situation, please, pick up the phone and call. The Coalition has resources to help.

The Statewide Domestic Violence Helpline is 1-866-83-4HELP. That?s 1-866-83-4HELP.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost a loved one to domestic violence.

Thank you for listening. Be safe and enjoy your weekend.

Radio Address: Stay Safe on Maine Waters this Summer

July 16, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

The soaring temperatures and tourists have reminded us that it?s summertime in Maine.

Hello, This is Governor Paul LePage.

We?re not nicknamed Vacationland for nothing. Every year thousands of visitors travel to our beautiful State to enjoy everything it has to offer ? from our mountains to our coastline. Maine is worth the visit and for many Maine is worth a lifetime.

If you?re vacationing here, we welcome you. As you take a tour of our great State you?ll find some of the most scenic views ? in fact, only 95 roads in the U.S. are designated National Scenic Byways or All-American Roads and Maine has four of them. They include the Acadian Byway that runs through Acadia National Park and the Old Canada Road National Scenic Byway that takes you through the woodlands to the Canadian border.

But there?s more to Maine than its Parks and Forests ? we are home to 32-thousand miles of rivers and streams, and nearly 5-thousand miles of coastline.

Fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking and white water rafting are some of the activities we enjoy. Whether you?re a Mainer or vacationer I hope you?ll stay safe on our waters this summer.

If you?re boating I would like to remind you

? when heading out either by yourself or with a group, always tell someone where you are going.

? Keep a close eye to the weather forecast to prepare for any unexpected changes such as thunderstorms, wind, and fog.

? Leave alcohol on shore - Each year, the Maine Warden Service takes part in Operation Dry Water, a nationwide effort to reduce the number of impaired boaters on our waterways.

And please, please

? Wear a life jacket

State law requires each person on board to have a properly-fitting life jacket in the boat. Kids under the age of 10 are required to wear one. The Maine Warden Service recommends that everyone wear a life jacket while on the water.

Unfortunately, five people have lost their lives on Maine waters this summer. My sincerest condolences go out to the families that have lost a loved one.

I want you to be safe and have fun on Maine?s waters this summer. Plan for a safe trip before you go out. To get information on how to be a safer boater, the Maine Warden Service and Maine Marine Patrol have published ?The Boater?s Guide to Maine?s Boating Laws and Responsibilities.? It is chock full of tips, checklists, boating basics and state boating laws. It can be found wherever you register your boat statewide or on the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife?s website.

Thank you for listening. Stay safe and get out and enjoy Maine.

Radio Address: Chevron settlement/DEP Accomplishments

July 23, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

From the moment I started campaigning for Governor, I?ve been unfairly accused by activists with an agenda of my not being supportive of protecting our state?s environment. Six months into my term as Governor of the State of Maine, I?ve proved that these allegations are not just unfair, but that they are downright untrue.

I was born, raised, educated, and have worked in Maine.

I share the appreciation and commitment to Maine?s pristine environment held by so many of us and I also share the values and vision held high by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection ? or Maine DEP ? that strong stewardship of our natural resources will ensure a sustainable economy for future generations.

Last week, I joined Maine DEP and the Attorney General?s Office to announce our securing of a $900,000 settlement from oil company Chevron for their decades of discharging a total of more than 100,000 gallons of oil into the ground in Hampden. More than half of that money will go directly to the town of Hampden to help them preserve a 12-acre riverside public park and boat launch. The remainder of the settlement will go to the Maine Inland and Coastal Surface Oil Clean-Up Fund, to cover costs at future surface water spills. Meanwhile, at the contaminated site, DEP and Chevron continue to collaborate on the largest oil terminal clean-up effort ever in the state of Maine.

This settlement shows that my administration is committed to enforcing environmental laws and will hold every business - big and small ? accountable when they break our laws.

This environmental improvement project is one of many we are taking on. Last month, DEP officials joined economic development and community officials from communities across Maine to accept nearly $3 million in money from the federal Environmental Protection Agency for revitalization of former industrial and commercial sites, known as Brownfields. These federal funds are hugely helpful to restoring environmental vitality and activating economic development in areas that have been in need of assistance for so long by reducing blight, putting long vacant properties back in use and on the tax rolls.

In Maine, the revitalization of these sites since the Brownfields program began in late 2003 has created more than 600 good-paying, permanent positions and hundreds of short term jobs for consultants, cleanup contractors and construction workers as these 1,200 revitalized acres have been readied for redevelopment.

Brownfields projects demonstrate that the right thing to do for our health and environment is also the right thing to do for our economy.

These high profile environmental success stories are among many my administration is proud to be a part of as we help make Maine?s future become stronger and more sustainable.

And though we were told that it couldn?t be done, we have found the common ground between environmental and economic interests. And Maine?s land is one which you have my promise ?and now my record- I will pledge to protect.

Thank you for listening. Anne and I hope you enjoy the weekend.

Radio Address: Governor's Prevention Team Aims to End Welfare Fraud and Abuse

July 30, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

I understand firsthand that life can be quite a journey.

For some along that journey, a helping hand is needed.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Welfare should be there when anyone hits a devastating bump in the road. But it is not, nor was it ever intended to be, the final destination. Sadly, that is becoming a reality for more Maine families.

My goal is to ensure that the transition does not become a final destination and that welfare becomes a brief stop toward a better life.

Unfortunately, right now there are some people who take advantage of the system.

Recently, the Fraud and Abuse Prevention Team was formed to analyze current systems and existing resources available within state government to deter fraud before it happens. The team will also assure that all illegal activities within Medicaid, Food Supplement, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and other programs are being properly investigated.

As soon as I made this announcement Representative Peggy Rotundo, of Lewiston, speaking on behalf of the loyal opposition came out swinging saying that this team is just an example of governing by anecdote as opposed to governing based on data and good research.

Here are the facts: welfare fraud complaints are skyrocketing. The DHHS fraud hotline has received more than eleven-hundred calls so far this year. Complaints are on track to double from 2010.

In addition, I have personally received dozens of letters from Mainers sharing their frustrations about people they know who allegedly are abusing State benefits.

There is no doubt that we have a problem. And we are on the road to fix it.

The Fraud and Abuse Prevention team consists of nine members from DHHS? Division of Audit and Office for Family Independence. Members from the Financial Crimes & Civil Rights Division of the Attorney General?s Office are also part of the group. Their focus is on both recipient fraud and MaineCare provider fraud.

Current initiatives include: ? strengthening the recipient fraud hotline in DHHS; ? improving the training for frontline staff to identify fraud; ? and reviewing federal and state laws that may make it difficult to remove recipients from benefit programs when they violate program rules.

From January 2010 to March of this year, prosecution of MaineCare provider fraud by the attorney general?s office resulted in six convictions, more than $4 million in restitution ordered and, in one case, 42 months of jail time for the perpetrator. During that time there were 15 civil fraud settlements with over $5 million in state dollars recovered.

This is not anecdotal information. These are cases where hard-earned tax dollars are being used inappropriately and it is wrong.

I urge people who suspect fraud to call the DHHS hotline at 1-800-442-6003. That?s 1-800-442-6003. You may remain anonymous. However, you must be willing to give the name of the person or provider alleged to have committed the fraudulent act. Again, that?s 1-800-442-6003.

Thank you for your time this week. Ann and I hope you enjoy the weekend.

Radio Address: Maine Taxpayers have a Right to a State Government they can Trust and Afford

August 6, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Maine taxpayers have a right to a state government they can trust and afford.

Hi. This is Governor Paul LePage.

When I was handed a $1 billion dollar deficit I promised the people of Maine I would close the budget gap with no new taxes or fee increases. This is a promise I kept because Maine families simply can?t afford more job-killing tax increases.

In an effort to create a more affordable government I have asked my commissioners to examine their departments and programs to set and meet goals designed to ensure tax dollars are spent wisely.

Spending reduction targets have been created for state agencies receiving taxpayer dollars. Commissioners are encouraged to look at all possible options for achieving savings, including the elimination of administrative red tape and other functions that are determined to be excessive, redundant and inefficient.

In order to take a close look at where your money is going state government must move toward a zero-based budgeting system. By starting from the bottom we will be able to track and locate what is working and what isn?t.

In June, I signed the budget which called for a task force to be formed. The 12-member group is named the, ?Streamline and Prioritize Core Government Services Task Force.? Simply put, their goal is to find at least $25 million in government savings, and quite frankly I expect it to be four times that amount.

The bipartisan team is made up of knowledgeable folks who are familiar with the task at hand. Sawin Millett, Commissioner of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services serves as committee chair and there is representation from each side of the aisle as well as an independent.

There is no doubt their work will be daunting, but each person is committed to the job.

In December, the task force is expected to have its recommendations complete. At that time they will be reported to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs.

For too long, Mainers have footed the bill for duplicated government programs and purchasing, questionable travel reimbursements and departments that have little to show for the millions in tax dollars they receive. It?s time to identify the waste and abuse of your tax dollars.

We will create a better Maine for our children and grandchildren and you have my word I am working to make that happen.

Family is my first priority and that?s why I would also like to remind you that Saturday is a Day of Prayer and Fasting for our Nation.

This is a time of reflection. A time to pray for our families, give thanks to our parents and hug our children.

It is a time to think about the values in which our great Nation was built upon and reflecting on the direction our Nation is headed in.

On August 6th, I encourage us also to all pray for our troops who tirelessly fight in the defense of our Country. Family and our Freedoms should never be taken for granted.

We are a Nation that has hit a troubling era and praying for the strength to do what is right for our people is the right thing to do.

Thank you for listening. Ann and I hope you enjoy the weekend and pause for a moment to pray for our Nation.

Radio Address: Governor Urges Mainers to Learn about the Dangers of "Bath Salts"

August 13, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

One year ago bath salts were largely unknown in Maine, but today this drug is wreaking havoc on our State and people. Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Bath salts have devastating consequences for those that abuse it and are likely to have contributed to, at least, one death in Maine, so far.

Law enforcement and hospital officials are reporting an influx of people becoming delusional and violent after injecting, snorting or smoking the synthetic drug.

Bangor and Portland appear to be hot spots for this drug. However, rural parts of Maine are seeing increased use as well. Police in Aroostook County are reporting abuse of bath salts which illustrate that rural areas have not been immune to this growing problem.

The Maine drug enforcement agency is working with local authorities to identify the sources of the drug which has a variety of street names including Monkey Dust, Vanilla Sky, Ivory Wave, Pure Ivory, Whack, Crush, Purple Rain, Salt, and Ocean Burst.

According to the Northern New England Poison Control Center, since the start of 2011, nearly 100 calls linked to bath salts were reported from Maine. The number is staggering when compared to the single call the Center took last year from Maine.

In July, Maine enacted emergency legislation to make it illegal to possess or sell any of the 21 different drugs or stimulants that are sold and marketed as bath salts.

Other states have passed similar bills and pending Federal legislation would ban at least two ?bath salts? chemicals.

When the Legislature convenes next month it is my hope that we are able to strengthen the law even more.

One of my major concerns is this dangerous drug will become available to our school children. I am very concerned that with schools opening soon these drugs have the potential of finding their way into the classrooms.

I have asked Education Commissioner Steve Bowen to make sure school administrators and nurses know the warning signs, as school reopens soon.

I urge parents to familiarize themselves with the dangers of bath salts. Also, if you suspect someone to be using this drug, please call 911 or contact your local authorities immediately.

The Maine Office of Substance Abuse has created a fact sheet that has been published for the public and is available on their website as well as ours. To get the latest information on the dangers of bath salts visit Maine.gov/governor (www.maine.gov/governor).

Thank you for listening to this important message this week. Take care and enjoy the weekend.

Radio Address: Hurricane Irene

August 27, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Our apologies, there is no audio for this week's address. We apologize for the inconvenience.

In Maine, hurricanes don't happen often, but they can be devastating when they do.

Hi. This is Governor Paul LePage.

As Hurricane Irene slides up the East Coast, it bears reminding that we must prepare ourselves in the case of an emergency.

The first and most important thing anyone should do when facing a hurricane threat is to use common sense.

Weather conditions change by the minute in Maine so I am asking you to stay informed.

Hurricanes especially are difficult to predict when they come this far north. Pay close attention to weather forecasts, and make your emergency preparations early, before the storm hits.

Storms from the past that had impact on Maine are: Carol and Edna in 1954, Donna in 1960, Gloria in 1985, and Bob in 1991. In 2009, three people were swept out to sea at Acadia National Park as a result of Hurricane Bill?s storm surge near Thunder Hole. Unfortunately, a 7 year old girl died.
As Irene approaches the hazards may come in a variety of forms, including storm surge, heavy rains, high winds and flooding.

Never drive through a flooded roadway and please cooperate with any local restrictions, like closed roads or closed access to beaches. Your local responders are concerned for your safety.

Take care of your family, and then think about neighbors and friends who may need help. Maine people help each other. When families and neighborhoods are able to take care of themselves, local responders can turn to those who need them the most.

Maine has thousands of recreational and working sea-going boats. If you?re a mariner, be safe and have a plan.

The Maine Emergency Management Agency or MEMA is a great resource for preparedness information. You can find safety tips at their website www.MainePrepares.com

MEMA officials deal with disasters that affect the lives and property of the people of Maine and getting the word out about preparedness is a major factor for MEMA staff.

They have been tracking Irene and will continue to do so. We hope you will keep an eye on the storm as well.

Again their website is www.MainePrepares.com

Thank you for listening this week. Enjoy the weekend, and please, stay safe.

Radio Address: In Order for Our Students to Succeed, Maine Must Give Teachers the Tools

September 3, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Educating our students to be the best they can be is a top priority for my administration.

Hello. This is your Governor, Paul LePage.

I want our teachers to prepare Maine students to be ready for the jobs of the 21st century. Upon graduating, I want those same students to stay in our state to live and work. We can accomplish these goals by focusing our efforts on providing the necessary training to our teachers.

As summer comes to a close and our schools open their doors, thousands of children depend on public education. The most important thing we can do to improve student achievement is to put an effective teacher in every classroom.

I?m pleased to announce that teachers at 18 schools in five Maine school districts are participating in professional development and developing new evaluation and performance-based pay systems this fall.

The initiative is a five-year pilot project of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education?s Teacher Incentive Fund.

Maine Department of Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen will work closely with these schools. The goal of this program: improve achievement for more than five-thousand students.

This fall, teachers will participate in Take One, a course of professional development offered through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards that moves teachers toward earning the National Board certification, an advanced and nationally recognized teaching credential. Also this year, teachers and administrators will set ?stretch goals? for improving student achievement.

When schools as a whole meet the goals, teachers and administrators receive bonuses. Teachers can receive up to $7,500 in incentives and stipends offered through the Schools for Excellence program.

In subsequent years, teachers and administrators will be eligible for incentives based on individual performance. The measures for these incentives will also be developed through a collaboration among all members of the school community, including teachers, the school board, parents, and administrators.

Commissioner Bowen and I are confident the schools and teachers in this program will provide a model for others to look to.

I wish participating teachers success because our future truly depends on it.

As our kids head back to school I would also like to remind you to be aware of children walking to and from school and buses picking up and dropping off students.

Never pass a school bus when its lights are on.

Let?s all be safe this school season.

Thank you for listening and enjoy your Labor Day weekend.

Radio Address: Governor LePage: Let us Remember and Reflect on the American Spirit

September 10, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Ten years ago we experienced one of the greatest tragedies ever to happen on American soil.

Hello. This is your Governor, Paul LePage.

On Sunday, we will mark the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. It is a time in our history that forever changed our people and our Nation.

We have gone to war with those responsible for these heinous crimes. We have sent a message to the world that the United States stands strong and we will not back down.

We will never forget those lost on 9/11 or the service men and women that have sacrificed their lives fighting for the defense of our freedom since.

Perhaps what is most profound which has risen from this solemn day is that we have not let them conquer our spirit. Americans have found strength from each other. And that is what we must also never let go of.

There are three ladies from Maine that carry that strength with them every Tuesday morning in sun, rain, sleet or snow. They are the well-known Freeport Flag Ladies, Elaine Greene, Carmen Footer and JoAnn Miller. The trio has sent a powerful message to millions of people by waving the American Flag, a simple gesture that has touched the hearts of many around our Nation, including me.

Their dedication to our Country and our troops is heartwarming. They?ll tell you though, it?s not about them, it?s about the American spirit.

I have been invited to stand with Elaine, Carmen and JoAnn this Sunday to wave the red, white and blue and I am honored to do so.

So, on this 10th anniversary, I will ask you, to take a moment to reflect on the American spirit.

Our Founding Fathers built this Nation on unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

We were struck by unimaginable grief on September 11, 2001. We were a Country in shock. Yet there was something else President Bush found within a Nation of distress ? and that was dedication.

It was dedication to those who died, the heroes that helped save lives, the volunteers who worked tirelessly, and the people who as a Nation came together as one.

I ask you to grab onto that American Spirit once again today.

We will never forget, but sometimes we must also remember why we are THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. God Bless.

Radio Address: Creating a Sound Business Climate

September 17, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

We are in an economic crisis we have not seen the likes of in nearly a century. We?ve heard the rhetoric and now we are in dire need of a resolution.

Hello. This is your Governor, Paul LePage.

Higher taxes, record spending, and bigger government has failed to create jobs or boost economic growth. The President has pitched his jobs bill, but, unfortunately, it?s a plan we know will not work, as evident by the reaction of the stock market just a day after the plan was unveiled.

Too many politicians have been blind to the fact that government cannot create jobs. What we can do in government is improve the environment by which jobs are created.

The President?s plan only creates more public-sector jobs. Instead, we should be empowering our job creators in the private-sector. We need to focus on giving the tools to the businesses that truly create prosperity through hiring people.

Small businesses are the bread and butter of the Maine economy. We have more than 41-thousand small businesses that employ 20 people or less. Maine?s economic recovery is driven by those small businesses and their vision for growth.

My Administration is focused on cutting through red tape government bureaucracy that is hurting job growth.

There are three factors we must consider for a business to be successful.

First, it must be able to operate in a sound, predictable business climate.

Second, job creators must have a cost structure that allows it to sell its product or service at a profit.

Third, and most importantly, any business is only as successful as its people.

Creating a sound, predictable business climate is what my administration has been focused on. Streamlining rules and regulations, including the permitting process in which our job creators must adhere by, is a step every department is taking seriously.

The Department of Economic and Community Development has established ?The Maine Business Answers? hotline which provides a one-stop shop for questions relating to starting or running a business in Maine. Staff is available to answer questions and, through the Business Assistance Liaisons in each Department throughout state government, offers a network of resources to answer any and all questions relating to permits, licensing and doing business in Maine.

The second factor relates to costs. The Legislature has already passed a health care law that will help lower costs to businesses, and my staff and I are now working on lowering energy costs.

To optimize economic growth we must decrease the total cost of energy. Currently, we are ranked 12th highest in the Nation for electricity costs.

We can lower our rates in a way that is environmentally responsible, in compliance with all applicable standards and regulations based on sound science, and promotes cost competitive indigenous energy sources and achieves direct and indirect private sector job growth.

I have spoken to companies that want to bring their jobs to Maine, but they have told me they can?t afford to move here because of our electricity costs. This is an unnecessary hurdle blocking job creation in our state.

Finally, our workforce is aging and our younger generation coming out of college is not equipped with the skills for the jobs we currently have.

Proximity to a skilled workforce is one of the primary deciding factors for businesses looking to expand or relocate to a particular area.

We can close the ?skill gap? and we are working toward that goal. Maine Department of Labor Commissioner Bob Winglass is working to address the skills shortage by gearing its workforce development initiatives, including retraining for laid off workers, to sectors where skills are most needed.

He is working with companies to help them improve their workforce skills through apprenticeship and on the job training.

The Department of Education is getting involved too.

Education Commissioner Steve Bowen is establishing a dialog with school administrators asking the question ? how do we make every effort to prepare all students for post-secondary education and 21st-century careers?

Our schools can do a better job of exposing students to potential careers. And they need to align the skills taught in the classroom with the skills in demand.

Today, we are faced with an economic challenge, but it is a challenge we can overcome. The way we do that is to reiterate common sense solutions and the truth. Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Education Reform and Teacher Effectiveness

September 24, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is your Governor, Paul LePage.

This last week I had the honor of congratulating Alana Margeson, a teacher at Caribou High School, on being named the 2012 Maine Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Margeson brings enthusiasm, energy and a natural positive outlook to her classroom. She engages her students in debate, inquiry, research and discussion. She encourages taking risks and thinking ?outside the comfort zone.? In short, she is helping her students succeed academically and in preparing for their futures.

The research is clear: more than class size or choice of textbooks or curriculum, having an effective teacher has the most profound effect on student success. If we are to do only one thing to improve our schools, it must be to ensure that every student in Maine has an Alana Margeson at the front of the classroom.

To make that happen, we are accelerating work that began in Maine and nationally in the past few years to support teachers and other educators in improving their professional skills and improving student learning. And we are doing it together - teachers and school administrators, the business community and teacher preparation programs, school boards and unions.

First, we need to attract our best and brightest into teaching.

In some of the highest-performing school systems in the world, the teaching profession is highly regarded, and well-paid. It?s highly competitive to become a teacher in those systems, and those teachers come with significant training both in their subject areas and in the best teaching practices.

We need to make sure there are opportunities for mid-career folks who are looking to make a difference, too. It is unfair to professionals seeking a career change, and harmful to students to throw artificial barriers in the way that keep promising educators of any age out of the classroom.

Some high performing school systems require that teachers have advanced degrees in the field they?ll be teaching ? we need to be sure our teachers have the content-area knowledge they?ll need to be effective.

They also need to spend a lot of time in actual classrooms, working with actual students under the guidance of a mentor teacher.

And once they are in the classroom, we need to provide meaningful evaluations of teachers, not the haphazard evaluations we currently have and, in some cases, no evaluations for years at a time.

Think about it: it is entirely unfair to ask our teachers to improve student performance but not give them clear expectations and measures, and evaluations based on those expectations.

We have recently begun work with 18 schools in 5 districts on piloting new evaluation systems. These are not imposed from the top. The teachers in these ?Maine Schools of Excellence? agreed to enter the process and are playing an active role in setting the expectations they will be measured by, and the results of those evaluations. Most important, they are engaged in significant professional development to constantly improve teaching practices.

When teachers are not meeting the expectations, just as with students, we need to work with them and help them get better. If, with additional training and support, student learning does not improve in their classrooms, we need to encourage that they find another line of work.

Making changes like these won?t be easy and it won?t be cheap. And in our current economic climate, we can?t afford to spend more, even to make our teachers better. So we?ll have to spend smarter. We need to ask ourselves if we are making the most out of every education dollar.

For example, we?ve consolidated some school districts in recent years, but isn?t there more we can do to consolidate and regionalize non-instructional services for schools? We can leave existing school districts and school boards in place and still find savings by sharing back office operations such as administration and payroll. Some districts are already leading the way in these efforts.

And today, each school district hires its own lawyers and negotiates its own teacher contracts. Is that something we can still afford? And does it improve learning? Maybe it is time for a single statewide teacher contract that would put common policies and practices in place for all teachers in Maine. The savings on all those contract negotiations would be huge and we could use those savings to pay teachers instead of paying lawyers.

This brings us back to Mrs. Margeson, and the thousands of devoted and effective teachers like her. Every student in Maine deserves an effective teacher in the classroom; every day in every class, every year.

Radio Address: MDOL is Cracking Down on Unemployment Fraud

October 1, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is your Governor, Paul LePage.

In Maine, the price tag of unemployment improper payments and fraud amounted to approximately $6.5 million last year. That price is passed onto employers, who fund unemployment benefits through taxes paid on a share of each workers? wages.

But the full cost is ultimately paid by all of us ? because when it is more expensive for businesses to add to their workforce, it stifles job creation and harms our economy as a whole.

Under the new leadership of Commissioner Robert Winglass, the Maine Department of Labor has stepped up efforts to prevent overpayments and fraud at the Department of Labor.

The agency has ramped up efforts to inform unemployment claimants about their responsibility under the law to be actively seeking work and willing and able to accept a job during the time that they are collecting benefits.

Claimants who aren?t doing the proper work search or who turn down suitable job offers can and will lose their unemployment benefits from this point forward. Additionally, they will likely have to return benefits already received.

The department is also working with other state and federal agencies to share relevant information about claimant eligibility to ensure erroneous payments are prevented and instances of fraud are caught as early as possible.

One of the most common types of benefits fraud involves people who continue to report that they are not working after starting a new job.

Existing cross-matches with the Social Security Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services new hire database are effective at catching this type of fraud ? More than 450 cases were detected last year alone. Those activities will be expanded to create automatic cross-matches with a federal database of new hires and a Department of Corrections database of people who are incarcerated and are therefore considered ineligible for unemployment benefits.

The Department of Labor is also collaborating with the state law enforcement officials in their efforts to identify and respond to illegal claim activity.

Depending on the amount of benefits obtained fraudulently, Unemployment fraud qualifies at minimum as a class D misdemeanor up to a class B felony for ?theft by deception? under the law and the financial penalties are mandatory and steep.

For first offenders, the claimant is required to pay back all of the benefits fraudulently collected, plus a 50 percent penalty, in addition to interest charges that begin immediately to accrue on the debt.

But these efforts alone are not enough to prevent employment fraud from occurring.

Employers can do their part in helping to detect and stop potential unemployment fraud by promptly reporting the hire of new employees to the Department of Health and Human Services new hire line. Although this is already required under state and federal law, many employers are simply unaware of the requirement to call in new hires to the system.

The new hire system was initially developed to identify people who owed back child support.

Today, it is also used to find people who may be collecting public benefits ? including unemployment ? and working at the same time. The reporting process is easy and involves just a quick call to their new hire line at 800-845-5808.

Businesses have up to seven days to report new hires, but the sooner the better. The earlier new hires are reported, the faster fraud in the unemployment system can be detected and benefit payments stopped.

Employers are also encouraged to report instances of unemployment claimants refusing offers to work by calling 621-5100.

Turning down a job that is considered suitable employment could make a claimant ineligible for unemployment benefits. I?ve talked to many employers who have complained about unemployment claimants who turn down jobs just so they can keep their unemployment ? but if they don?t report it when it happens there is little the Maine Department of Labor can do about it later.

Unemployment Insurance is an important safety net for people who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. During the recent recession, the program helped thousands of hard-working Mainers as they looked for work following a layoff and helped alleviate the economic difficulties experienced by Maine communities as a result of high unemployment.

These recent efforts by the Maine Department of Labor will help strengthen the integrity of the program, so that it will continue to be there for those legitimately qualified in the years to come.

Radio Address: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October 9, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. However, Domestic abuse isn?t an issue that we should pay attention to only one month during the year ? it?s a topic that can target victims any day of week, any hour of the day.

Hi. This is your Governor, Paul LePage.

Domestic violence transcends race, age, gender and economic groups and it is widespread affecting over 4 million Americans each year. It?s likely you know someone whose been in an abusive situation ? whether it be emotional or physical.

Although domestic abuse, often times, is a difficult subject to speak about, it is a necessary discussion we must have with each other.

Domestic violence awareness month provides a great opportunity for citizens to learn more about preventing domestic violence and to show support for the numerous organizations and individuals who provide critical advocacy, services and assistance to victims.

This last week I was able to join with the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence for their annual Awards Ceremony which was held at the Blaine House. Ten business leaders were recognized for their commitment to end abuse.

Those business leaders are from: ? Petrona Construction ? Brann and Isaacson ? Portland Mattress Makers ? Camden National Bank ? Gerard's Pizza ? Mayo Regional Hospital ? Miller Drug ? Darling's Auto Mall ? Caribou Empire Beauty School ? Dan Osgood Productions

I applaud each of these businesses and their employees for their dedication to this issue.

October, also, is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I have signed a proclamation for this very important cause too.

Significant strides in technological advances and education outreach relating to breast cancer has been made over the years.

In fact, for more than 25 years survivors, families, friends, doctors and researchers have raised awareness, educated, and empowered our Nation about this deadly cancer and how early detection can save lives.

I would like to see that same movement occur on behalf of domestic violence victims.

Knowledge is power. Educating our children is important. We must inform each other about the facts of domestic violence and educate ourselves and others on how to recognize domestic violence and what to do about it; on teen dating violence; on the impact of family violence on children; and on domestic violence against the disabled and the elderly.

Nearly every year, half of Maine?s homicides are connected to domestic violence. It?s a staggering statistic that is not just a number. It is people?s lives. And, maybe, just maybe, through education and awareness, if we can prevent a senseless murder it is worth the effort.

Our State has lost too many at the hands of violence. Families have been torn apart. The recent case in Dexter involving the Lake family is a horrific example of what can be lost.

But this tragedy and others like it show how strong of an advocate a community can be. On October first, more than 600 people came together during an annual walk and run held by womancare of Dover-Foxcroft. The group provides support and advocacy to those affected by domestic violence. It?s the good and hard work of organizations like womancare that make a difference.

So, I will ask you to proudly where purple and pink this month ? purple for domestic violence awareness and pink for breast cancer awareness. Show your support. Speak out. Send a message.

We, too, can save hundreds, if not thousands of lives by joining together to educate and eliminate domestic violence.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Let's Get Maine Working

October 15, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is your Governor, Paul LePage.

In 1981, our Nation faced an economic mess that we hadn?t seen the likes of since the Great Depression.

Prices were skyrocketing and unemployment was reaching intolerable levels. The culprit was a government that was too big and spent too much of your money.

To understand where government needs to go we must first understand our history; because we are repeating it.

On July 27, 1981 President Ronald Reagan addressed our Nation saying, ?This is not the time for political fun and games. This is the time for a new beginning.? I agree. It is time for change.

We have lost millions of jobs, and if there is anything we?ve learned during our own Great Recession, it?s that we cannot tax and spend our way to prosperity.

I have a plan to get Maine working again. Energy and education are key factors that will help drive our economy. The best way to get people working again is to remove uncertainties facing businesses.

Energy is a major concern for companies. When we reduce energy prices in Maine we will be able to attract and retain good jobs.

Unfortunately, today we are plagued with having the 12th highest energy rates in America. We are 42% higher than the national average.

High electricity rates cost Maine people and businesses millions of dollars per year more than other states and is an impediment to economic growth and attracting private sector investment.

I will be introducing common sense reform during the upcoming session that will address this critical issue.

Maine has great opportunities as well as challenges in reducing the price of electricity and total energy costs, but improvement can be realized if we consider all forms of energy and objectively assess the potential both in the short-term as well as long-term.

In order for us to rebuild our economy, we must start with a strong foundation and that begins with investing in education.

Our biennial budget adds $63 million in new money toward state education subsidy to local schools.

But money won?t solve all of our problems. We must also be innovative and acknowledge the direction our economy is heading. That?s why we have created a high-level council devoted to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math also known as STEM education. The council will coordinate statewide efforts to improve educational practices in the STEM fields.

The fact is, at least 8 million of the jobs available to college graduates in 2018 will be in the STEM professions. However, reports show, even though nearly all sectors where job growth is occurring require a variety of STEM skills, efforts to build a STEM-skilled workforce currently fall short.

Today, nearly half of all jobs are in ― middle-skill occupations, which require more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year college degree.

These jobs frequently pay well and are expected to remain in high demand across the U.S. labor market, but too few workers now have the skills to fill them.

These jobs include electricians, plumbers, dental hygienists, machinists and welders to name a few.

We must also take a hard look at our K through 12 education system. Today, 20% of students who move on to the Maine University system need remedial coursework. 54% enrolled in community college need to retake high school classes. We are failing as an educational system when we have to teach our children twice.

This year, Maine adopted the Common Core standards in mathematics and English language arts. This effort will ensure academic standards are more relevant to the demands of college and careers today.

It?s an exciting time for Maine and a change for the better to our education system.

During the past nine months, I?ve listened to business leaders who tell me education and energy issues must be addressed in order for our economy to rebound. This week, I will invite private sector job creators to my first ?Job Creation Workshop? in Portland. We?ll discuss the state of our economy and how we can turn it around.

It won?t be easy, but as President Reagan once said, ?the truth is, there are simple answers, they just are not easy ones.?

It?s time government become a true servant to the people of Maine, and as your Governor, I?m willing to find the answers and make the tough decisions; because a new beginning must start somewhere.

Radio Address: Maine's Prescription Drug Abuse Problem

October 29, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is your Governor, Paul LePage.

I?d like to take the time to talk about a silent epidemic that is having a profound effect on our State and people.

Prescription drug abuse is a problem for all Mainers, all Maine families and particularly for those who are afflicted with addiction.

While illicit drugs receive much attention, the non-medical use of diverted prescription drugs is a significant and growing threat to the public health and safety of Mainers.

Over the last decade, opiate drug use and abuse has been a rising problem in Maine schools, home and community at large.

24% of Maine?s high school seniors and 11% of 8th graders report having used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons.

These prescription drugs are fueling the increase in thefts, burglaries, robberies and murders.

We have the oldest population in the Nation and with a growing number of seniors legally being prescribed medication; more and more medicine cabinets are being raided so addictions can be fed.

Since 1998, Mainers have consistently sought treatment for addiction to non-heroin opiates at rates significantly higher than in other states or in the nation as a whole.

But the data is grim. Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that Schedule II prescription painkillers, like oxycodone, today cause more drug overdose deaths than cocaine and heroin combined.

In 2009, Maine experienced the highest number of deaths due to drug overdoses - 179. 94% were caused by at least one pharmaceutical drug.

We must get a handle on this problem. To accomplish this, it will take a collaborative effort from parents, school administrations, law enforcement, doctors, pharmacists, seniors and our court system.

This week, Maine Attorney General Bill Schneider hosted the ?Prescription Drug Misuse Summit? in Camden where nearly one hundred government officials, medical professionals and addiction experts came together to discuss a course of action for Maine. The group focused on current efforts, identifying ways to share resources and expand efforts and identify actions to be taken, including policy changes.

There are four areas of prevention strategy Attorney General Schneider will be working on which include informing and engaging adults to prevent misuse; informing and engaging youths, parents and schools to prevent misuse; safe disposal of unused and expired medications; and helping prescribers prevent diversion.

The medical community has to help by limiting the amount of painkillers prescribed.

We need to get these drugs out of the hands of the wrong people.

On Saturday, October 29 you can do your part to help. The Drug Enforcement Agency has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 29, 2011, from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. to provide a venue for persons who want to dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs.

To find a drop off location nearest to you, please, call 2-1-1.

There are more than 100 law enforcement agencies taking part in the Drug Take Back Program and I encourage you to spread the word.

In April, the State collected nearly 12-thousand pounds of unwanted and unused painkillers placing the state as #1 in the U.S. per capita for the nationwide collection.

It?s a step that has surely saved lives.

Again, to locate a drop off point nearest to you, please, call 2-1-1. There are more than 150 sites throughout our State.

Let?s keep up this good work.

Thank you for taking the time to listen and take care.

Radio Address: Remember to Get Out and Vote

November 5, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

It can take up to twenty days in either direction for mail to travel between Maine and Afghanistan.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

We are a week away from Veterans? Day and four days away from our elections. This seems fitting, since the only reason we are able to have elections is because of the men and women ? the veterans ? who have defended us at home and overseas.

That is why I encourage all Maine citizens to vote ?No? on Question One to help ensure we have secure elections.

I was speaking with a young veteran of Iraq recently about this issue. He told me that, if he wanted to exercise his right to vote, he had to make a conscious effort months in advance to ensure he was registered back home, apply for a ballot, receive it, fill it out, and send it back. He had to do all of that while carrying out his mission in defense of our country.

His biggest concern was with fraudulent votes, because just one person voting illegally could cancel out his voice from the front lines.

So what have we done to protect his voice? We have said that Mainers ? like ninety-three percent of the country ? should register to vote on a day other than election day. You can register to vote when you get your drivers? license, or when you pay your taxes, or get a license for your dog. If your time is really limited, you can register on the same day you pick up an absentee ballot.

As the Mayor of Waterville, I saw first-hand how busy election days can be for our clerks. The process of explaining ballots, matching voters with the voter rolls, and ensuring the line moves quickly is a huge task. Asking them to also review new registrations to ensure that the applicant is eligible to vote may be the straw that breaks the back of our election system. Allowing one improper vote to be cast is one too many.

We must remember that our right to vote and have our voices heard is very rare in human history. Wars have been fought by people all over the world for that right. And wars have been fought by men and women both yesterday and today to ensure that we still have that right.

Because of what others sacrificed to give us that right, we have a responsibility to educate ourselves on the candidates and questions. A democracy only works if we know what we are voting for and why we are making that decision. I encourage all Maine voters to spend this weekend looking hard at the facts behind each issue to make a fully-informed choice.

On question one, the facts are that you can register to vote on almost any day other than election day. A ?No? vote will help ensure that this great privilege called ?voting? that has been handed down to us is protected. It is not too much to ask. If it helps prevent just one improper vote, then we protect the voices of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines overseas.

Thank you for listening. Have a great weekend and please remember to vote on Tuesday.

Radio Address: Thank a Veteran this Veterans Day and Everyday

November 11, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Maine has one of the highest numbers of veterans per capita in the country.

Our history demonstrates Mainers have always answered the call of duty to defend our State and Nation.

Hello. This is your Governor, Paul LePage.

Google the term ?National Debt? and you?ll be kicked back more than 25 million websites. Most deal with the very serious issues of government overspending and the accumulation of more than two centuries of federal deficits. Yet very few bring up the biggest national debt of them all ? that which America owes to her veterans.

On this Veteran?s Day, I ask you to honor the more than one million American men and women who have given their lives for their country since our nation?s founding.

Our debt to these heroes can never be re-paid but our gratitude and respect must last forever. Maine?s First Lady is advocating for our veterans and families, making her cause the military and their loved ones.

Last week, Ann had the opportunity to meet the American Legion?s National Commander, Fang Wong, at the Blaine House. He recently told Congress that it is not in the nature of America?s warriors to complain. Warriors endure. Warriors make do with less. Warriors finish the job, no matter how hard, no matter what is asked.

Warriors need advocates and that is why the various veteran?s organizations exists which are here to serve veterans, their families and our communities.

Our Veterans deserve our support and that?s why Ann and I support all veteran organizations. There?s no greater satisfaction than meeting Maine military heroes and their families. Every month Ann and I invite service members, both past and present, to share dinner with us. It is our way of saying ?Thank you.?

You can show your support too simply by saying ?Thank you? to the next veteran you meet. You can show your support by hiring a veteran in your workplace, visiting a VA hospital or donating to a veterans program.

Companies should understand that it?s smart business to hire veterans, and when members of the Guard and Reserves deploy, it is America?s business to ensure that their civilian careers do not suffer.

To ensure our veteran?s have employment support, the Maine Department of Labor has Veteran Employment and Training staff.

We have 13 members on the team including 7 Disabled Veterans Outreach Program Specialists and 6 Local Veterans Employment Representatives.

This team provides direct assistance to veterans within 12 different CareerCenter offices and numerous community based sites across the state with a goal to outreach to virtually all areas across the state from Fort Kent in Aroostook County to Kittery and from Down East in Eastport across to Jackman in Western Maine.

This is an important program within DOL and if you are or know a veteran that would benefit, please contact the department.

Additionally, in January, I will propose dropping the income tax on military pensions. It is not only the right thing to do ? it will keep some of our most valuable citizens from leaving our State.

We must ask ourselves as a nation, are we serving veterans even half as well as they have served us?

I am indebted to the families and service members who have given so much for this great country in the name of freedom.

We must remember them. We must appreciate them. God bless our veterans and God bless America.

Radio Address: Community Colleges Offer More Than Meets the Eye

November 19, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Educating our students for the jobs of the 21st century is critical.

Hello. This is your Governor, Paul LePage.

This week, former Governor McKernan and I joined with the Foundation for Maine?s Community Colleges to announce $11.3 million dollars in private support for our state?s seven community colleges.

This incredible generosity from Maine?s business community, local and national philanthropies, and private individuals is commendable. And what many of these donors will tell you is that it is not a donation, rather it is an investment into the future of Maine.

I couldn?t agree more.

This $11.3 million dollar contribution is part of a campaign that supports efforts by the colleges to expand enrollment from 18,500 to 25,000 students by 2018.

Maine?s community colleges are a critical component to preparing our students for the jobs we have available in our State which will help revitalize our economy.

I would like to see, and we are working on it, our community college system better connected with the vocational and technical schools in our high schools.

Vocational schools offer a wide range of trade skills, including nursing, welding, plumbing, web design and automotive, all of which have a direct link to our community colleges. Unfortunately, community colleges are not attracting the students who attend vocational centers in high school. In fact, few high school students with vocational experience move on to a community college. Maine?s community colleges focus on practical trades and offer an alternative to paying for four years of college. It?s clear, that a formal education of some kind is necessary for real career success. Because of the flexibility of shorter programs, a career can be within reach much sooner with training from a community college. In addition to saving time, students will save money choosing a community college. Students experience much lower fees than a traditional college to the tune of $2,500 per year compared to $6,500 to $8,000 dollars in the University system.

As the State works toward getting our fiscal house in order we must ask ourselves to prioritize. Education is a high priority in this administration and it is important for, both, the community college and university system, to have support.

The previous administration, in 3 years, cut higher education funding by $7 million dollars. My budget stopped that decline.

This brings us back to the $11.3 million dollars.

Because the State doesn?t have unlimited resources, we must recognize the commitment from our business leaders and individuals who have offered financial support to our education system.

My agenda for the upcoming session consists of three things ? energy, education and the economy. For Maine to prosper we must address our energy and education issues.
Some say, that I?m only interested in keeping our older generation here, however, while I think it is important to keep our seniors in State, it is just as important for our younger people to want to call Maine home.

And as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches and families gather together, I hope you?ll take the opportunity to talk to your children about everything Maine has to offer.
Encourage them to seek out the various opportunities our education institutions provide.

We don?t want our kids to look elsewhere to live and work ? we need them here to help build our workforce and contribute, not only from an economic standpoint, but from a social one too.

I thank you for listening and Ann and I hope you have a most enjoyable holiday.

Radio Address: Our Economy, Business and the Role of Government

November 26, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is your Governor, Paul LePage.

When our Nation was reeling through one of the worst economic periods since the Great Depression, Democrats in Congress rammed through an $800 billion so-called "stimulus" bill that they said would create jobs and prevent unemployment rates from exceeding 8.5%. They were wrong, and Democrats have yet to learn from that lesson.

Today, we have a so-called jobs bill that is more of the same ? the same spending that failed us the first time. We have a Congress that can't settle on anything and as a result a deficit we are drowning in.

So, how do we successfully build our economy? First, we must give our small businesses the chance to succeed.

There was a familiar tone at all three of my job creation workshops ? the third of which was recently held at Central Maine Community College in Auburn.

During these sessions I heard from hundreds of business leaders from Mom and Pop shops to large companies. The reoccurring message was one of relief that business finally has a voice in Augusta.

For our economy to rebound, we, as policy makers, must help job creators. I'm being told that we must better prepare our students for the jobs of today, evaluate regulations that hinder job growth, and lower the costs of doing business in our State.

These are the things we must address for our economy to prosper.

In January, my administration will unveil an education plan that will point us in a new direction. It's a direction that focuses on our students AND teachers. We want the best for both, and Commissioner Bowen is working hard to see that our teachers have access to the tools they need to prepare our future generation to succeed.

I was told, by Verso Papers' Bill Cohen, that by 2017 45% of their workforce in Bucksport and Jay will be at retirement age. These are high paying jobs in upwards of 60-thousand a year, but the paper industry is not one that's highly valued or pushed as a career path. I hope to encourage our teachers and guidance counselors to explore what the pulp and paper industry has to offer our students because there is a lot of opportunity there.

My approach to regulation is that we must base it on sound science to achieve goals that are technically feasible. Following this simple guideline will protect against job-killing intrusions into small businesses. So, in the coming months, you will continue to see state agencies work to improve efficiency and streamline government.

During a recent visit to Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick, the GM shared with me that their hazardous waste is inspected by the State every single day. The State's regulations are stricter than the federal governments, even. And, to what cost? Hundreds of thousands of dollars are wasted because of the State's over-reaching law. By conforming to the national standard, which requires weekly inspections, it would allow Pratt & Whitney to save money that could be invested into job creation.

The third concern that was reiterated at the jobs conferences was about lowering the overall costs of doing business. One of the top expenditures, I'm told, is spent on energy. We are among the highest paying states in the Nation for electricity. And, if we continue on this same path, we will continue to stifle job creation.

The upcoming session will test the will of our policy makers. It will demonstrate who is willing to help get the economy back on its feet by lowering energy costs by means of looking at all of our options rather than limiting them. Government must allow businesses to be competitive. And, if we fail them our economy will not revive itself.

Economic freedom expands the prosperity pie; government can only divide it up. That is why I will advance an agenda that promotes education and advocates lower taxes, reasonable regulation, and smaller, smarter government.

Government can't do it alone, though. While businesses now have an advocate in me, I still need your help.

I urge the business community and the hard working families of Maine to write me. Tell me what I can do to help your business succeed. Your ideas will continue to be heard by me, my staff and my commissioners, and I will do my best to convince the Legislature to listen too.

Go to my website Maine.gov/Governor for our mailing address or a link to my email.

It was Calvin Coolidge who said, "The business of America is business."

It's time we allow the private sector to do what they do best, so I am asking you to work with me because together, we can turn Maine around.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The Structural Problem with Medicaid

December 2, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

The essence of management is making decisions.

Managers are constantly required to evaluate alternatives and make decisions regarding a wide range of matters. Just as there are different managerial styles, there are different decision-making styles.

Hi. This is Governor Paul LePage.

My decision-making is unlike my predecessors because of my business background.

For more than 30 years I brought businesses back from bankruptcy to solvency and I bring that experience to the people of Maine.

The State runs much like a business ? or at least it should.

If we were a private-sector company we would be filing for bankruptcy.

Every two years, the State has a fixed amount of budgeted resources which exceeds $6 billion.

In state fiscal year 2012, $2.4 billion will be used for Medicaid.

Of that, $662 million dollars is the state?s share and right now, Medicaid is running $120 million over budget.

For nearly a decade, the government-run program expanded out of control. Costs became unsustainable and it was the decision of the previous administration under Democratic leadership to continue paying for the program by robbing Peter to pay Paul. These gimmicks are only short-term fixes.

One-time, so-called, stimulus funds from the federal government have made it appear that the budget was balanced during the past three years.

Additionally, Maine?s hospitals were not being paid; Reimbursements to providers were cut. This has forced providers to drop Medicaid patients because Maine rationed healthcare funds.

All of these decisions allowed the department to sustain Medicaid expenditures, regardless of structural problems. The State Medicaid program is one of the most generous in the country.

We spend more on Medicaid per person than the national average. We have continually increased Medicaid eligibility at a higher rate than the national average.

Total spending state and federal on Medicaid has increased by over $1 billion in 10 years; a 45 percent increase, but it?s still not enough.

Maine?s population on Medicaid is 35% above the national average.

We must move in the opposite direction if we are going to prevent the system from becoming bankrupt.

In 2008, there were 303-thousand Medicaid recipients.

Today, we have 361-thousand Mainers receiving Medicaid.

In fiscal year 2012, Federal Medicaid reimbursement to Maine has been reduced by more than $210 million. These combined factors are causing our State to go bankrupt.

It is the State?s responsibility to provide a quality safety net to Maine people ? especially our elderly, disabled and children ? who need it most.

In 2002, Maine expanded the Medicaid program. In fact, policymakers had to get permission from the federal government to cover so-called non-categoricals.

It?s a decision that has proved to be extremely expensive.

People who fall into this category have no children in the home, are not pregnant and are not disabled. Maine is one of only 15 states that offer this benefit.

Basically, this is free healthcare for 19-thousand Mainers and in a two year period, they have cost taxpayers $39 and a half million in state dollars.

The fact is ? we can no longer afford it.

We must be prudent and pay our bills and it?s clear, cuts will be difficult. No administration wants to take away anything from anyone, but at the same time, as policymakers, we have to be held accountable for our spending and refrain from gimmicks to get us by.

Unless these structural problems are addressed we will continue to discover gaping holes in the budget.

Commissioner Mayhew is doing an incredible job leading nearly 3,600 employees and running the largest state agency. She and her staff are addressing the structural issues within the department and examining the services the State is required to provide.

Our safety net will continue to stay in place. However, it will be one that is within our financial means and offer quality care.

No question, tough decisions will have to be made. But then again, that?s why I signed up for the job.

Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoy the weekend.

Radio Address: A Quality Safety Net

December 12, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

When I released details this week about the DHHS supplemental budget I knew it was going to be difficult news to share with Mainers.

These were not easy decisions to make but they were necessary.

In the last decade, the Democrats solution to affordable health care insurance was to transition people to Medicaid. This solution was shortsighted, hurt people who need insurance coverage the most, forced all Mainers to pay for much costlier health insurance premiums, and increased taxes.

The original intent of Medicaid has been lost.

Medicaid is no longer a quality safety net for our most vulnerable ? seniors, disabled and children. During the past decade it has expanded to cover healthy young adults and others to the point that quality of access has declined.

Additionally, enrollment in the program has skyrocketed putting more strain than ever on the State budget.
Medicaid spending has increased by $1 billion in the last decade and the program now accounts for 32% of the state budget.

What I have proposed brings us closer to what the overwhelming majority of other states consider reasonable use of Medicaid dollars.

Other states have, on average, 20% of their population on Medicaid. Maine has 28% of our population ? more than 361,000 people on Medicaid. This proposal does not bring the number of enrollees to the national average. Instead, it keeps enrollment 15% above the national average, which is a reflection that we have an older population in Maine. Democrats have run state government for a very long time, they have known that the increased spending in Medicaid was unsustainable yet they failed to provide responsible solutions to rein in out of control Medicaid spending. Let me be clear. Any proposal that includes across the board cuts to our teachers, police officers, forest rangers, and plow truck drivers is irresponsible, nor will I support shifting the burden onto our hardworking taxpayers. Medicaid has expanded so much that other state agency budgets have been cannibalized. Across the board cuts will result in the elimination of hundreds of state programs that will affect all Mainers.

Elected officials are charged with making tough choices, and our actions to reform Medicaid are exactly that. I regret to have to make these decisions. But they are decisions that have to be made because of the economic circumstances we're faced with.

Unlike Washington, Maine is not able to kick the can down the road and ignore our fiscal obligations.

Federal funds have dried up. We are no longer receiving hundreds of millions of dollars of federal stimulus money to cover the expanded Medicaid program.

Even today, money marked for fourth quarter of this fiscal year is currently being spent on Maine?s Medicaid program. We have an immediate crisis on our hands and if the Legislature does not address this, DHHS will run out of money on April 1st and we will be unable to pay any Medicaid bills.

There is value in Maine?s Medicaid program ? as a quality safety net. But today, it?s become a standard for too many. I know first-hand the benefit of being given a helping hand in life, but I also have seen the damage that dependency on our welfare system has caused. Because policy makers have expanded government aid to so many there is a growing entitlement mentality among too many people when we should be encouraging them to strive toward self-sufficiency.

It?s not easy to say that Mainers will be affected by these changes, these are truly tough decisions. However, Medicaid isn?t a solution to provide affordable health care insurance for everyone. I want to protect and preserve services for Maine?s most vulnerable.

In an effort to find a real solution, Democrats and Republicans will have to come together, put the political bickering aside, stop worrying about winning the next election and do what?s best for the people of Maine. We must reshape Medicaid back to what it was meant to be ? a true quality safety net for our seniors, disabled and children.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Tough Questions Deserve Honest Answers

December 17, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

I met many hardworking people in Franklin County?s Salem Township last week during my monthly town hall meeting. Regular folks, who get up every morning, go to work, pay their bills and make the best with what they've got. They are honest, hardworking Mainers that want what's best for their families.

There are thousands of Mainers like them and I'm proud to say that some will be able to keep more of their hard-earned money very soon.

Democrats will argue I gave tax cuts to the rich. It's simply not true. Before my tax reforms, the top income tax rate of 8.5% in Maine kicked in if you had adjusted income of $19,950 for individuals and $39,950 for a married couple. I do not consider this wealthy.

In 2012, 70,000 low income Maine families are being removed from the tax rolls and will not pay state income taxes at all, once the full effect phases in. This is a hand up to Maine?s working poor to help them get back on their feet. So, is it fair to take away tax cuts to those who need it most to pay for a government-run health care program that has increased its spending by $1 billion dollars over the last 10 years?

How many hard working Mainers have received tax breaks from the State during the last decade? Instead of providing relief to Maine's working families government has taxed them ? sales tax, tobacco tax, meal and lodging tax, even taxes on meals in nursing homes.

Maine's problem with Medicaid isn't one that can be fixed by raising taxes or demanding other state agencies make up the $221 million dollar difference.

Today, we have more people on welfare than we have paying taxes.

In 2010, Maine had 445,074 income tax filers paying taxes. We had 453,194 individuals receiving State welfare. According to a report by the federal government, Medicare & Medicaid Research Review, Maine is one of 10 states with the highest levels of total personal health care spending per capita.

We've come to a crossroads because we are currently paying for Medicaid bills with borrowed money from the fourth quarter. DHHS will go broke by April if money isn't appropriated.

All I'm asking is for policy makers to have an honest discussion about what we can afford.

One-third of Maine's population receives Medicaid benefits and we've reached a point where the system is no longer sustainable.

There is no more 'stimulus' money that can keep this runaway train on the track.

The federal government is telling us that we must restructure Medicaid services and payments related to housing for people in private non-medical institutions or PNMIs. This alone costs Maine $60 million every year. I don't want to see people lose their homes, so what I propose is the ability for the executive branch to have some authority to work with the Maine State Housing Authority to address this very important issue.

The federal government is right. Medicaid dollars should be allocated for medical use not housing. The good news is there are solutions. I would like the opportunity to work with MaineHousing to find ways to provide more affordable housing to our seniors who need it most.

We are faced with a multi-million dollar deficit that will not go away unless we re-design Maine?s Medicaid program. We must move closer toward a program similar to what most states offer which will help to reduce eligibility and utilization. Most importantly, we must preserve a quality safety net for our most vulnerable.

I?m asking for cooperation from Democrats and Republicans during the next few weeks to help solve this problem. There are two choices ? we can kick the can down the road and steal money from other departments to pay for our Medicaid bills or we can take a hard look at the program, re-structure it so it?s a reliable safety net.

I don't take any pride in presenting this Medicaid proposal, because I know no matter what I do there are going to be winners and losers. There is no joy in taking away anything from anyone.

But there is one question I need to ask, why should people struggle in this economy to pay their state taxes while the State of Maine operates far outside the national average in welfare costs? It's a fair question. Maine people deserve an honest answer.

Thank you for listening. Ann and I wish you prosperous holiday season.

Radio Address: A Holiday Message from Governor LePage

December 24, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Celebration and family are at the heart of the holidays and I wish you and yours the very best as we head into the New Year.

It?s also a time to give to those less fortunate, remember our troops around the globe who are fighting to keep us safe, and reflect on the year gone by.

Recently, a father and his two teenagers came to see me in my office. The family is from Somerset County ? one of the impoverished areas in Maine. They live modestly, and believe in the importance of giving back to their community whenever they can.

So, with true holiday spirit, instead of buying presents for each other this Christmas the family is donating to others who need it most, money that would have gone toward gifts.

It?s one of many heartwarming stories from fellow Mainers which display our generosity.

Money, however, isn?t the only way to give. Your time is just as meaningful. And I can tell you from experience it?s even more satisfying than cutting a check.

Through the years, Ann, myself and the kids have served meals to the homeless during the holidays, but we didn?t do it to only hand out food. It was about getting to know people in our community.

Having served on the Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter board for many years, I saw the struggles people go through. The choices they had to make ? whether to use their money on food or rent or worse when they had no choice at all and no place to go but the shelter.

There is a saying, ?Tough times never last, but tough people do.?

And I have seen people who have been down and out get back on their feet to then be able to give back through volunteering. It really is a wonderful thing and I encourage you to give your time in 2012 because it really will make a difference in someone?s life.

Deserving our appreciation also are our military members at home and overseas. They?re the ones away from their families, giving all to protect the freedoms we share. I want to thank our troops for their service and sacrifice to keep our great Nation safe. I want to thank their families too for their patience and willingness to support their loved ones as they are away from home during the holidays.

As you look back on 2011, I hope you?re able to reflect on the good times more than the bad.

2012 is full of promise and as your Governor I will do my best to lead our State to a more prosperous future.

Ann and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Radio Address: Continuing Progress in 2012

December 31, 2011

(MP3 Audio)

2012 can be a year of promise that moves the Maine economy forward or it can be an election year full of political rhetoric and impasse. I prefer the former.

This is Governor Paul LePage.

In 2011, Republicans were able to achieve progress during the 125th first regular session to move Maine ahead.

In my first budget I addressed pension reform. On January 5, the State of Maine faced a $1.3 billion budget shortfall and a $4.1 billion shortfall in the state pension system. We eliminated $1.7 billion while protecting retirees? future pensions through sensible reform.

Health care reform was passed that will lead to more affordable insurance.

Red tape was removed from government and the overall attitude within agencies toward its customer, you the Maine citizen, has improved.

As promised throughout my campaign ? a 5-year cap on welfare benefits was implemented.

School funding was increased and charter school legislation was adopted.

Maine?s Transportation Department saved more than $100 million which allows more money to be used to improve our roads and bridges this year.

We also lowered the tax burden on Maine people with the largest tax cut in State history. The combination of eliminating brackets, lowering the top rate, and conforming to federal standards means that 70,000 Maine low income families will no longer have to pay any state income tax. Instead, they will be able to keep the money to care for their families.

Additionally, more than 450,000 Mainers will receive tax relief next year. The average tax cut will save taxpayers about one-hundred dollars. That?s twenty-eight gallons of heating oil, groceries for a week, or a couple tanks of gas ? things many Mainers could use.

Money isn?t tight only in Augusta. People across our State are pinching their pennies to make ends meet.

Policymakers must follow the lead from those who put them in Augusta and Mainers are demanding their money be spent wisely.

The efforts I?ve mentioned prove that progress has been made and I?m hopeful that legislators can work together to accomplish even more.

Today, the State of Maine is faced with fiscal challenges that the federal government can?t bail us out of. There are some major shortfalls that still must be addressed to get Maine back on the path to a healthy fiscal state.

As I mentioned earlier, my first budget addressed pension reform. But it also tackled overspending within the Medicaid program.

In February, I proposed ending free health care coverage for childless adults and attempted to implement structural change to the system. Ultimately, those ideas were rejected and today we are confronted with a $221 million shortfall. I?m not saying that what was proposed then would have fixed the entire problem now, but it would have put us in a more manageable position.

There is a reason the Department of Health and Human Services can?t pay the bills ? we are spending what we do not have. If policymakers don?t acknowledge we have been overspending for decades the same results will continue to plague us. Medicaid has grown far beyond its resources and we must prioritize to save the safety net.

Those in need of help, whether young or old deserve a welfare program that is predictable and offers quality access to healthcare.

2012 can be a year of progress or it can be one of impasse. My plan continues to move Maine forward. It outlines initiatives that will improve our education system and lower energy costs. Both of which will help kick start our economy again.

I have said it many times and it is still true. As Governor, I cannot create jobs. However, I can work for policies that will help create jobs. I will introduce policies during the next session aimed at building the economy and getting Maine back to work.

So, as the New Year approaches let us ask ourselves what we would like from Augusta ? real solutions or rhetoric? It?s up to Maine citizens. Demand more from your elected officials and insist they perform and keep your best interest in mind.

Thank you for listening and I hope you have a safe and Happy New Year.

Radio Address: Lowering Energy Prices Creates a Path to Economic Growth and More Jobs for Mainers

January 7, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

The State House halls are filled with policymakers, the bell is ringing and debates have begun.

Once again, Maine?s Legislators are in the State House, working for you. I stand by my promise to put people before politics and pledge to do what?s best for Maine people.

During the next few months, you will hear the word ?jobs? from both Democrats and Republicans.

In the first year of my administration Maine?s unemployment rate has gone down from 7.6 percent to 7 percent. However, there is more work to be done. Nearly 50,000 people are still out of work and many are worried about job security.

Democrats and Republicans alike have similar goals this session but, we have different ideas on how to achieve them.

I believe we can improve our economy and lower the unemployment rate by first addressing Maine?s high energy costs.

Mainers currently pay 42 percent above the national average for electricity. High energy costs are putting job killing demands on Maine?s private sector job creators.

I am going to work hard this session to lower energy costs for Maine?s ratepayers.

However, there is a proposal before the Maine people that will force ratepayers to pay higher electricity prices.

The Maine Citizen?s for Clean Energy Coalition is collecting signatures for a November ballot initiative that would tremendously increase costs on Maine?s ratepayers, while padding the pockets of a select few special interest groups in Augusta.

The question would ask voters if they want to require that at least 20 percent of Maine?s electricity come from new renewable energy sources by 2020.

The proposal would force ratepayers to use and pay for higher priced electricity. This will place an enormous burden on Maine people - adding approximately $50 million annually to people?s electricity costs.

Rather than let the free-market decide, the coalition?s proposal would mandate that certain sources of generation must be used regardless of the cost impact to ratepayers.

My approach is to allow ratepayers to have choices in energy sources rather than having a government imposed requirement. Ratepayers will have the choice, in the first quarter of this year, to select renewable energy through a new offering from the Maine Public Utilities Commission.

I support all forms of renewable energy sources that are cost-effective and sustainable. I do not support ratepayers being forced to buy certain types of alternative energy, against their own will ? especially if it?s more expensive.

I believe it is time for the Maine ratepayers and taxpayers to be represented in Augusta. They should no longer take a back seat to a select few special interests that benefit from government imposed mandates.

The coalition?s proposal would add hundreds of millions of dollars to consumers? electricity bills for the benefit of a few select developers and generators. These same developers and generators have come to realize that their technologies cannot compete in the free market and therefore must receive subsidies to survive.

While my Administration continues to work tirelessly to lower Maine people?s electricity and energy costs, it is disheartening to see that there are still groups that want to raise energy costs on already overburdened Maine ratepayers, for the benefit of their own special interests.

I do not support giving unelected bureaucrats a ?blank check? to tax, spend and reduce transparency similar to what happened with the Maine Turnpike Authority.

Maine?s elected officials need to focus on promoting job creation by reducing energy costs for Maine businesses and residents. We can no longer afford to miss out on economic opportunities here in Maine.

Maine people deserve the opportunity to be prosperous again. Maine people deserve more and better paying jobs.

This coordinated effort will be harmful to Maine people.

So, if you are asked to sign this petition, please, take the time to understand this important issue. After all, you?re the one paying the bill.

Thanks for listening this week. Ann and I hope you enjoy the weekend.

Radio Address: Leading Our Nation & State to a Better Tomorrow

January 14, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

In the 1800?s a Frenchman by the name of Alexis de Tocqueville said, ?The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.?

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

I share this quote with you with good reason. Today, we as a Nation are faced with many challenges. The biggest of all, a $15 trillion dollar debt Congress cannot seem to get a handle on.

Unlike, the federal government, Maine must balance its budget and be held accountable. As you know, Maine is dealing with a massive shortfall in the budget. This is nothing new to government as every year supplemental, or additional budgets are needed to be passed to reallocate money to pay the bills, in particular this has been a common occurrence for decades within the Department of Health and Human Services budget.

Mr. de Tocqueville was correct. We do have the ability to fix our problems. We are a democratic society that has the power to implement meaningful change. This is what our Administration is attempting to do.

The notion that the federal government controls the states is false. What the federal government has been successful at, however, is offering money in lieu of implementing programs they control. Medicaid, or the tax-payer funded government-run health care program, is a perfect example.

Another great quote from Alexis de Tocqueville is, ?The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.? Think about it.

For years, federal dollars have flowed into DHHS to help pay for a welfare program that provides health care to Maine?s most vulnerable. Maine people have become accustomed with this welfare program that Democrats believe should be universal, free health care. The problem with this ideology now is that those federal tax dollars are no longer being handed out and state tax-payers must make up the difference. There?s no disputing the need for a strong safety net, but through the years Democrats have expanded this program beyond its original design.

It?s in Maine?s best interest to introduce new ideas to the federal government that will give states more flexibility in running welfare programs. Supporters of ObamaCare will argue that reforming Maine?s welfare program is all for nothing. What they won?t tell you is that Maine tax-payers are going to have to foot the bill. This is one reason our Administration is trying to reform welfare to be closer in line with ObamaCare. The more we pay today ? the more we will be mandated to pay tomorrow.

There have been many great leaders of change in American history ?Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and also Martin Luther King. Jr., whom on Monday our Nation will honor the Dr?s work.

I truly believe we can lead our Nation to a better tomorrow.

What I also believe is that the work lies in the hands of the people. Jefferson, Lincoln, and King were ordinary men with extraordinary ideas. But furthermore, they had the will to put those ideas into motion which created change and today we are better for it.

On Monday, I will sign a proclamation proclaiming January 16, 2012 as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.

Mainers are known for taking care of each other ? neighbors helping neighbors ? and I encourage people to pay tribute to the life and work of Dr. King through participation in community service projects on this day and throughout the year.

Thank you for listening. Enjoy the holiday.

Radio Address: Mandates Won't Lower Maine's Energy Costs

January 21, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

By now, it?s likely you have heard about a coalition that is trying to increase your electricity bill.

This plan would mandate Maine?s electricity providers to buy quadruple the amount of expensive renewable energy.

The bottom line is it would force Maine consumers to subsidize special interest groups.

Those who would cash in on this plan make a lot of claims, but what they won?t tell you is that Maine is currently a renewable energy leader acquiring 35 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. In fact, Maine has already the highest renewable content in the nation by far.

Perhaps, what is the most disheartening aspect of their proposal is how much it will cost Mainers.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission has estimated that in order to comply with this group?s proposal, ratepayers would see increases in electricity costs by $44 to $88 million dollars per year.

What these special interest groups won?t tell you is that they will be the profiteers. In a time when Maine families are struggling to pay their bills this initiative would be padding the pockets of companies with hard earned taxpayer dollars.

Maine has the 12th highest electricity prices in the nation with rates 40% higher than the national average. In 1990, Maine?s electricity rates were 16% higher than the national average.

In the last two decades, Maine people and businesses have lost ground as compared to the rest of the nation.

High electricity prices are hurting the economy and job growth.

While it is true that a few developers and generators benefit from ratepayer subsidies and temporary jobs would be created, increasing electricity prices will have a far greater negative overall impact on job growth.

If these people get their way we're not going to be able to bring business to Maine. Businesses have expressed to me on a number of occasions that Maine must lower its energy costs so we?re competitive. This is not making us competitive. We've had this plan analyzed by the energy office and by the chair of the PUC. This is a job killer.

Rather than let the free market decide, the coalition?s proposal would by-pass the legislature and put in law that certain sources of energy must be used regardless of the cost impact to consumers.

My approach is to give ratepayers the choice when it comes to energy decisions, rather than government imposing mandates on Maine people.

This year, consumers will have the choice to select more renewable energy through a new offering from the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Why not let the consumers who are paying the bills decide if they want more renewable energy?

I support all energy technologies that are economically viable and sustainable. Today, we have options that are encouraging people to reduce fuel oil consumption and protect our environment.

In fact, because people have options, households are becoming more energy conscious. We are expanding economical alternatives like natural gas, biomass and wood pellets and geothermal. Solar hot water heaters and electronic thermal storage are also working to lower energy cost.

As the technology changes ? and it is rapidly ? we will continue to seek environmentally friendly alternatives which will lower peoples? and businesses? energy costs.

But forcing Mainers to pay more right now is not the responsible approach. This coalition is picking winners and losers ? they win, we lose. The reality is special interest groups will get rich while we pay higher rates.

Strengthening our economy and safeguarding our quality of life can be done, but we must not take away Mainers? ability to choose what?s best for them.

Thank you for listening to my perspective and I encourage you to learn more about how this costly plan would affect you.

Radio Address: A Vision for the State of Maine

January 28, 2012

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My vision for Maine is one that brings a more prosperous tomorrow to my fellow citizens. And by looking back at our past we can learn how to better shape our future.

Hi. This is Governor Paul LePage.

The fiscal well-being of our State is critically important to our road to recovery. Currently, members of the Appropriations Committee are working to solve a massive financial shortfall within the Department of Health and Human Services.

The $220 million dollar deficit is not a simple problem to solve, but I have provided a common sense approach that will redesign our welfare program to a state of sustainability.

As highlighted in my State of the State Address my administration did not create this problem nor did we invent it. Many of our legislators did not create this problem, nor did they invent it. But regardless of who is responsible, we must fix it.

Our plan is reasonable and responsible in that it allows the system to protect our most vulnerable.

Unfortunately, we no longer can be all things to all people. As the welfare program has grown our revenue has not, and the simple truth is we are spending money we don?t have. By eliminating services to 19 and 20 year olds and those who do not have disabilities or children we strengthen the safety net for our most needy.

By reducing eligibility to the federal standard for optional services we maintain an affordable safety net that will serve more than 280,000 Maine people.

But we must not delay in taking action. And I am cautiously optimistic Appropriations Committee members are working toward a solution by February 1.

As Democrats reflected on the State of the State speech bonding was brought up.

While it?s true we have a real need for transportation improvements and bonding would create short-term construction jobs, we must first get our fiscal house in order. Bridges and roads are essential to a healthy economy, but we can?t talk about borrowing more money until we have a plan to pay our current bills.

As I outlined Tuesday, energy and education will be the catalysts to job creation.

Mainers earn some of the lowest wages in the country and hard working families deserve more money in their pockets. We have great potential to increase the per capita income, but to do that our high energy costs must be addressed. Next month, you will hear about an energy proposal that will lower electricity rates for Maine residents and businesses. Not only does our high electricity cost have an effect on the economy and our job creators, but it also hurts Maine families.

In addition to our plan, you?ll hear more about the Administration?s support to encourage expanded investments in alternative sources of energy and efficiency. I also support all forms of renewable energy including hydropower. We must remove the 100 megawatt restriction on this renewable green energy.

We have the ability to accept a balanced approach that will benefit our environment and economy ? and we must ? as we look to our future.

Our youngest generation is our future and a strong education system will lead them on the path toward success. Education Commissioner Steve Bowen and I believe the best way to shape a student is to offer real choices ? choices that inspire our students and encourage them to succeed. For too long, we have quarantined our students in a system that doesn?t work for everybody. That?s not to say public education is not a valuable resource, because it is ? for some. By expanding learning options for students and making use of every educational resource we can better prepare our children for the 21st century.

It?s important our teachers have the tools they need to succeed as well. Therefore, it?s crucial they understand the expectations of effective educators. We must empower our teachers with ongoing support and meaningful feedback. Research proves that the school-based factor with the biggest impact on student learning is the effectiveness of a teacher. Commissioner Bowen is working on a set of standards of effective practice for our teacher and principal evaluation systems, and soon we will release all the details.

In closing, I will tell you this, if we choose to set politics aside for the greater good we will be able to work on sensible solutions for all Mainers.

As your Governor it is a privilege to lead our great State. It is a privilege to share a vision with you and I thank you for listening.

Ann and I hope you have a most enjoyable weekend. Take care.

Radio Address: Making the Case for Meaningful Change to Maine?s Welfare System

February 11, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is your Governor, Paul LePage.

The $221 million dollar debate at the State House has drawn splashy headlines in recent days.

Media reports play up that I have threatened to veto the budget and that there?s going to be a showdown in Augusta.

However, albeit these headlines grab peoples? attention, the real focus should be on the facts and the million dollar question is not what is best to win a re-election, but what is best for Maine people?

Two months ago my Administration warned Legislators that the State was fast approaching a massive deficit. My Administration, in particular Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew and her staff, has accommodated every request of the legislature being as transparent as possible throughout this process.

Unfortunately, many are losing focus as to why we are at a crossroads.

Since 2002, enrollment in Maine's welfare programs has risen 78 percent, but in that same time Maine's population has only risen 7 percent.

Welfare spending has dramatically increased by $1 billion dollars in the last decade, a 45 percent increase. The welfare program has grown out-of-control.

Maine has roughly twice as many people on welfare than students in public schools

Only 15 states cover individuals ages 19 and 20 just because of their age ? 35 states do not.

There are reasonable solutions to the fiscal crisis Maine faces.

We must restructure eligibility, re-design benefits and adopt payment reform which addresses those structural problems and will put Maine?s welfare programs on a path to financial sustainability.

If the necessary changes are not made, we will be back here in November or December looking for more money to pay the bills.

It is unfair that Maine people who earn some of the lowest wages in the country are forced to pay above the national average welfare costs. We can have a strong safety net for our most vulnerable, but we must be able to afford it. Maine taxpayers are footing the bill for this government-run health care coverage program and they deserve better.

What is now on the table as solutions are short-term fixes that ignore out-of-control welfare spending. I do not support a budget that is built upon one-time savings, exaggerated savings and tax increases and neither should Maine people.

This past week, members of the Appropriations Committee voted in favor of a tax. It is a tax on paid insurance claims that supports the state?s Dirigo Health insurance program. Last year, legislators agreed to lower the current rate of $1.87 to $1.64. That decrease saves Maine people nearly $5 million dollars. Instead of letting the rate drop, Mainers will now be forced to continue to pay the higher tax.

Committee members are even exaggerating the numbers to achieve savings. Commissioner Mayhew has said that there is a potential savings of approximately $7 million dollars from overpayments to providers due to errors in calculating the cost of care. Legislators have decided to book $11 million in savings, which is not accurate.

Additionally, there are millions of dollars in one-time savings being taken away from various departments. One-time savings only bring us a few months down the road. And when the bills start coming in again and we can?t pay them ? rest assured we?ll be back here again trying to find money to pay for Maine?s welfare program. No matter how you break it down these are not long-term solutions that benefit Mainers.

Maine people are smart and have caught on to the political games in Augusta. In November, they?ll be able to cast their votes and tell us if they want Maine to continue as a welfare state or if they want a state which is self-sufficient and encourages self-dependency.

At the end of the day, 1 plus 1 still equals 2 and the question remains who has the courage to do what?s right for Maine people?

Radio Address: Domestic Violence Awareness: Use Your Voice to End the Abuse

February 4, 2012

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Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Each year thousands of Mainers are affected by it. You could be a victim yourself or a friend, neighbor or co-worker could be.

The question is, will you stand up and speak out against it?

I?m talking about domestic violence. Not only is this type of abuse devastating to the victim, but it is traumatic for families and entire communities.

My Administration will join the Chief Justice Saufley, Attorney General Schneider, members of The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence, Democrats and Republicans, and many others to introduce a variety of domestic violence related bills.

These are bills that will close loopholes and improve our justice system.

I look forward to unveiling this legislation in mid-February with everyone involved.

Every day, I carry with me a fifty-cent piece. I received it from my father when I was 11.

Not for any good reason like doing my chores or homework, instead, that coin was given to me to stay silent about the abuse that was occurring in my family.

I knew it was wrong then. And it?s still wrong today. That is why I made a choice. I could have stayed and lived with the assaults or I could leave. I took that fifty-cent piece, chose the latter and haven?t looked back.

If there is a way to help someone who is in a similar situation that I was in I?ll do it. There is support within our communities. As neighbors, colleagues and friends and family we must be willing to become a voice for victims.

I believe it is through the power of a voice we can make a difference. Not just mine ? YOURS TOO.

Domestic violence is a crime that can include physical abuse, emotional abuse, economic and sexual abuse. It does not discriminate based on race, age or gender.

But the fact is more than 80 percent of domestic violence related homicides are committed by men.

It?s why I will continue to speak out and say we must shift this issue from a women?s issue to a men?s issue.

Men are major part of the problem and men must be a major part of the solution.

This week, my Administration unveiled a public service announcement highlighting domestic violence awareness and the need for men to speak up in a united effort to end the abuse.

My staff, commissioners, state employees, advocates and families and friends of domestic violence victims participated in this announcement.

I would like to thank all the families that allowed us to feature their loved ones in this announcement.

I would like to thank Maine Video on Demand for their in kind services to see this project get off the ground.

I would also like to thank one young man, in particular, for standing with me in the announcement. His name is Jarod Gay. Jarod was a classmate and good friend of Cody Lake of Dexter, Maine.

Through a horrific act of domestic violence Cody, his sister Monica and their mother Amy were murdered last year.

To honor Cody and his friendship, Jarod had the courage to stand with me and send a message ? a powerful one.

I hope you will have the chance to view this important message.

It will be given to every television station across our State and it is available to view on Mainevod.com. Again, that?s Mainevod.com.

If you are a victim or know someone who is, please do not remain silent. There are services across out State that can provide you with the help needed to leave an abusive relationship.

The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence is a strong state-wide advocacy group that is dedicated to supporting people affected by domestic abuse and that batterers are held accountable.

The state-wide Domestic Violence Helpline is 1-866-834-HELP. That number again is 1-866-834-HELP.

Please, use your voice to stop the violence.

Radio Address: Pursuing the American Dream Begins with Education

February 18, 2012

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Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness encompasses what the ?American Dream? is all about.

And it was our founding fathers that blazed the trail toward this dream. But what does this well-known adage truly mean today?

Hello. This is your Governor, Paul LePage.

All Mainers want what?s best for their families and to be afforded the opportunity to prosper. Parents want their children to succeed in life and when we tell them, the sky?s the limit we hope they reach for the stars. But no matter how many metaphors we share with our children we must be able to teach them how to achieve the impossible. It all begins with education.

This month, Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen and I shared a comprehensive plan that pledges to put our students first. We have introduced a series of bills that advance the work of designing an education system around student needs.

The legislation aims to provide students and families more power to choose the school setting that works best for each student. The proposals also take steps to ensure all students are taught by effective teachers and provide local school districts an incentive to save money by collaborating with other districts to provide essential services.

One of our proposals, garnering much support, is the effort to enhance career and technical education. By expanding education in this area we are focusing on opening up the possibilities to all the jobs available in today?s world. For far too long, technical schools have been stigmatized as a place for students with no future when in fact these schools are some of the most valuable assets to a students? success.

Today?s job market is demanding more attention from our career and technical education. We are being told by job creators that the skills these schools teach are the tools needed to land a good paying job. What we want to ensure is that credits from these schools are recognized by every high school and the Maine Community College System.

It?s not only about what skills are taught, but it?s about who is teaching our kids too. Teachers are significant role models to our youngest generation and new groundbreaking research from Harvard and Columbia suggests student achievement is highly predictive of the impact the teacher will have on a student?s direction in life.

The study also found that students who had teachers that were identified as effective were more likely to attend college and earn higher salaries. These teachers were clearly linked to better life outcomes and strong success in the student?s future educational and career endeavors.

I am a believer that we have outstanding teachers in our State, but I also believe we can do a better job providing training and on-going support to our educators. Leaders and policy makers around the country are considering the importance of meaningful teacher evaluations and Commissioner Bowen is committed to having an open discussion as to what that means for Maine. Teachers will not lose their voice at the table. Instead, they will be encouraged to help us through the process of implementing meaningful change that will benefit our students.

The power of choice is also an important factor to ensure successful outcomes from students.

Parents and students should be afforded the opportunity to learn without having the barriers of an address telling them where they can and can?t get an education. That is why we have presented a bill that will allow for school choice which is an essential part of providing multiple options for our kids.

Consistent with the expansion of school choice options, we are giving families the ability to choose the best fit for their children?s educational needs by removing one more obstacle. We propose to open public funding to all schools, including charter and religious schools, allowing families more choice.

We ask our children to dare to dream, but sometimes, we as, adults don?t dare to take the approach that offers our kids the most opportunities. It?s time we ask ourselves if we are doing absolutely everything we can to encourage better outcomes.

After all, pursuing the ?American Dream? should be every student?s destination.

Thank you for listening. Ann and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Radio Address: The Importance of Domestic Violence Related Legislation

February 24, 2012

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Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

It?s no surprise with 185 members of the Legislature and thousands of bills winding through the process each year that the law of unintended consequences plays a role. That is, the actions of people ? especially in government ? always have effects that are unanticipated or unintended.

However, there are a series of bills that have been introduced this session, some perhaps, if not passed, that could have a far more profound effect on our State.

This past week, I released my domestic abuse related legislation which includes two bills. Legislators have introduced seven bills relating to issues of domestic violence as well.

So while unintended consequences are factors when considering legislation, it is clear we must act. There are steps government can take to ensure safety among victims and discourage this despicable behavior from abusers.

First, the Maine bail code must be strengthened. Our current bail code law is too lenient. We must hold convicted offenders accountable for their actions.

My bill makes a number of changes to the bail code including requiring that bail must be determined by a judge, not a bail commissioner. This would apply to cases of crimes involving domestic violence in which an aggravated assault, a sexual assault, a violation of a protection order or the strangulation of another person has been charged by a law enforcement officer.

This bill also improves the law as it relates to violations of protection of abuse orders. If a protection order is violated there will be tougher consequences for offenders and jail time will be served.

The second bill I have put forth relates to the Maine Victims? Compensation Fund, which is administered by the Attorney General?s Office. The fund provides financial reimbursement for victims of violent crime and their families.

The bill ensures money for the Victims? Compensation Fund is collected. Currently, when an offender is sentenced or a fine is imposed, the court requires the offender pay a fee. However, in some cases, the fee is suspended by judges. The bill amends the law prohibiting the court under any circumstance to waive the charge.

Additionally, I have signed an executive order. It creates a task force that will explore ways to use technologies to track domestic violence offenders. I have also asked the group to learn more about electronic assistance services for victims which allow them to contact help in an emergency.

Every year we lose too many lives at the hands of domestic violence. We must find ways to protect those in harm?s way as best we can.

Our action today, and eventually the passage of this domestic violence legislation will have a profound impact on victims and help prevent tragedies.

I commend legislators who have focused on the importance of this issue because the consequences of not doing anything create a far greater threat to society. It?s time we break the silence and implement meaningful change which has the potential to save lives.

I would also like to acknowledge the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence and its efforts to raise awareness. For the past several months, the Coalition has partnered with the University of Maine Black Bears, specifically the ?Male Athletes Against Violence? group on the Orono campus. Athletes have been involved in creating a statewide public awareness campaign to end dating violence.

I want to thank all University of Maine male athletes who are stepping up to the plate because domestic abuse is not only a women?s issue. It?s one all men can help to eliminate with a unified message.

Maine Boys to Men is another great example of an organization that is reaching our younger generation through positive messaging and the Maine National Guard is a tremendous advocate as well.

Through communication, together, we can make domestic violence socially unacceptable.

I encourage you to speak out too because the power of your voice will make a difference.

Thank you for listening. My wife Ann and I hope you have a happy and safe weekend.

Radio Address: The issues all governors face: jobs, the economy, energy and health care costs

March 3, 2012

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In an effort to learn more about best practices involving jobs and the economy, energy and health care costs, this past week, I visited the National Governors Association in Washington, D.C. It was an opportunity to connect with other Governors and understand how they are tackling issues.

A major focus at NGA was the entrepreneur and how their success can drive the economy. What I found out is Maine is ahead of the curve.

Currently, Maine has business development experts available to work with businesses throughout the state. These Account Executives make sure hundreds of companies and economic development organizations take advantage of Maine's valuable business resources. The primary goal ? make it simple and easy to do business in Maine. Again, this type of thinking was a primary focus of growing state economies at this meeting and Maine is already leading the nation working alongside our job creators.

Experts said the biggest impediments for business are regulations. Our administration has streamlined regulations and removed unnecessary red tape to help our job creators.

We know the threat of higher taxes and regulatory uncertainty makes it hard for our businesses to expand new jobs. So we will continue to remove red tape and burdensome regulations.

Our entrepreneurial class is not getting any help from Washington, however. President Obama is expected to once again propose billions in new oil and gas taxes as part of his upcoming budget. Obama has already proposed over $90 billion in new oil and gas taxes, which could be passed along to consumers in the form of even higher gasoline prices.

Higher gas and heating oil prices will affect the economy here in Maine and across the nation. While I try to lower costs to the taxpayer and job creators I cannot do it alone. Unfortunately, President Obama?s latest budget proposal seeks $1.5 trillion in tax hikes, and his decision on the Keystone XL pipeline shows that job creation is not his top priority. The President?s opposition of the pipeline further demonstrates that he is not concerned with rising prices at the gas pump.

Can Maine families really afford to pay for $5 gas or heating oil? I don?t think so.

There is no current alternative to oil as a source of fuel for the vast majority of our automobiles. And while, the Obama administration can call for more solar and wind power, those technologies are not viable and plentiful sources of cost effective energy today. We must keep all of our options open for us to move the economy forward.

The Obama administration has also failed to adequately respond to the states requests for more flexibility and is raising costs for both states and businesses ? threatening jobs.

Unfunded mandates, maintenance of effort, healthcare exchanges, and denied waivers are hindering states ability to reduce costs.

Republican governors offered 31 solutions for reforming and saving Medicaid, but received no response from the White House.

True cost of Obama?s health care plan after the Democrats? budget gimmicks are removed is $2.5 trillion.

The truth is states cannot afford it, and the White House?s failure to work with the states creates more uncertainty for both state budgets, which in turns creates uncertainty for businesses who don?t know how states will pay for the provisions.

Our elected leaders have a responsibility to the American People. Decisions have consequences, and in November people will not forget they were forced to dig deeper into their pockets because of failed policies. We have a choice ? to remain a welfare state and country or we can revive the great American dream this nation was built upon.

In closing, I would like to praise the great work of United States Senator Olympia J. Snowe. Her retirement announcement was a surprise to many and her presence in Washington will be sorely missed. Senator Snowe?s long list of accomplishments is an example of her extraordinary work ethic and ability to get things done. I thank her for the service she has provided to our State and Nation during the past three decades. She is a phenomenal leader and a dear friend whom I wish the very best to.
Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Business Friendly Communities to be Recognized

March 10, 2012

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Hello. This is your Governor Paul LePage.

With more than 44-thousand businesses in our state employing hundreds of thousands of Mainers, businesses are the backbone of our economy.

This administration is dedicated to working with our job creators to see that they succeed and it?s why I have started a program that encourages communities to partner with businesses, both big and small.

The Certified Business Friendly Community Program advances development and growth in communities throughout Maine by encouraging town and city officials to work collaboratively with job creators and the state.

An important part of showing that Maine is open for business is to recognize communities that provide exceptional service and streamlined regulatory processes for business owners.

Time is money for job creators. What a business looks for is stability, reliability and consistency and that?s what we need to bring to the forefront.

It?s not that our regulations themselves are bad, but rather government has created a complicated maze. It?s the maze people face in having to go to the local community and get through that bureaucracy, come to the state and get through that bureaucracy, and then deal with the federal level and get through that bureaucracy. All we?re trying to do is get the community and the state working in the same direction.

In the coming months, towns and cities throughout our state will be designated as certified business friendly communities and I encourage all communities to take advantage of this opportunity.

All certified business friendly communities will receive an award of certification, recognition on the State of Maine Department of Economic and Community Development website, an official open for business sign and bonus points toward Community Development block grant programs which help communities prosper.

Maine has a 7 percent unemployment rate down from 7.5 percent one year ago and significantly lower than the U.S. unemployment rate of 8.5 percent. While we fare better than the national average, we still have work to do. We struggle with earning a livable wage. Mainers earn much less than people in other states ? in fact, only 82 percent of the national average.

Small businesses are the largest generator of new jobs and the tax burden placed on small businesses is stifling job growth. That?s why you will continue to see this administration remove barriers against business. We want to empower small business so they can hire more Mainers.

Taxes and regulations placed upon small business owners do prevent job growth. Unfortunately, small businesses have very little control over these burdens, but local and state governments have the ability to remove those obstacles.

The Certified Business Friendly Community is a program that encourages us all to look for opportunities to promote success.

I?m hopeful your community will express interest in the program and I look forward to working with you.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Education: Putting Students First

March 17, 2011

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Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Forty years ago America had the highest high school graduation rate, however, that?s no longer the case. Today, twenty-five percent of Americans that start high school do not graduate. In Maine, we have a slightly lower percentage of students that fail to receive their diplomas ? roughly twenty-one percent.

Despite the numbers, we can and have the responsibility do more to encourage our students to be successful. I would like all students to receive a well-rounded education that inspires them to reach their potential.

In order for our youngest generation to achieve success we must put our students first. We can build a strong foundation for learning by reworking our education system to expand options for parents and students and enhance support among teachers.

To ensure successful outcomes from students the power of choice is an important factor.

This past week, Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen explained to Legislators the benefits of several bills we have introduced.

We have proposed changes that enable school districts and private schools to receive public tuition funding. This will create a new open enrollment option for students, which allows them to attend schools that are not within their current districts. It?s unreasonable for a line on a town map to limit educational opportunities.

We also help expand access to our Career and Technical Education schools and ensure that students completing CTE coursework have greater access to national certifications and postsecondary opportunities.

It?s these sorts of policy ideas which give more choice for parents and children.

Consistent with the expansion of school choice options, we are giving families the ability to choose the best fit for their children?s educational needs by removing one more obstacle. We propose to open public funding to all state certified schools ? an option that all students had prior to 1981.

Finally, and perhaps the most important key to student success are effective teachers. Yet our school systems treat all teachers as interchangeable parts, not professionals. Often times, excellence goes unrecognized and poor performance goes unaddressed. We must do a better job supporting our teachers and providing ongoing support. Our plan ensures effective teaching by empowering teachers, because we know this important factor has a profound impact on the future of students.

Commissioner Bowen and I hope you will take the time to learn more about our education plan that moves Maine forward. For more information visit Maine dot Gov and go to the Department of Education link.

With the advancement of technology the world has become more interconnected and competitive. The success of our educational system will define our place in the global economy. The needs of our students change we must be willing to alter our approach to education to ensure the system works for everyone. It?s our responsibility to put students first. And once again make America the world leader in education achievement.

Thank you for listening. Ann and I hope you enjoy the weekend.

Radio Address: Easter Greetings

April 7, 2012

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For Christians around the world and here in Maine, Easter Sunday will be observed.

It is a time to join in celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as well as a time to offer hope for the future and the promise of new life.

Easter gives us pause to be humbled by and grateful for God's sacrifice and boundless love.

It also reminds us of family and life as we live it. It allows us to reflect on what is truly important to us. For me, family is first. I am blessed to have a wonderful and supportive family, which I will be sharing Easter with.

So, as families and friends gather to celebrate, let us not forgot the sacrifices given to us. Let us love our neighbors and help those in need.

For those who observe the holiday, our faith brings confidence that good will overcome evil.

My fellow Mainers, as the State of Maine 125th Legislative session draws to a close I?m reminded that our faith brings confidence that good will overcome evil.
Because when we all stop to observe what is truly meaningful in our lives and ask ourselves to become a better people ? it is only then we will become victorious.

Ann and I send you best wishes for a wonderful Easter.

Radio Address: The Truth about Bonds

April 27, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is your Governor Paul LePage.

There?s been a lot of talk lately at the State House about bonds. A bond is a fancy word for borrowing money the State doesn?t have.

This past week, a $100 million bond proposal was approved by Legislators. Democrats fought for a much higher level of borrowing.

But, before I can accept any bond proposal we must address the shortfall in the 2013 budget. Our welfare programs have become unaffordable and structural changes must be considered to reduce out of control spending. To achieve savings we must be willing to better align Maine with federal eligibility requirements.

Bonds are not grants; they need to be paid back, just like the hospital bills that the State must pay back.

Currently, Maine hospitals are owed nearly half a billion dollars ? a billion with a capital B. Last year, we were able to pay off about $250 million of that debt. And we must continue to reduce that debt before taking on more.

One popular claim Democrats are pushing is that bonds are a means of job creation.

During the Baldacci Administration, Legislators authorized $725 million in bonds.

In that same 8 year period the unemployment rate went from 4.8 percent in 2003 to 8 percent in 2011.

Department of Labor statistics show that only 54 net jobs were created during that time.

Today, the unemployment rate is at 7.2% and no bonds have been sent out to voters in the last year.

Bonds are not the answer to our problems.

The truth is the jobs created by bonds are only temporary. What we can do is save careers by paying our hospital bills.

Many also say we have to borrow money to fix our roads and bridges. I would very much like to do infrastructure work with capital improvement money, and we are. This summer and fall, construction crews throughout the state will be digging, paving and building, which has an immediate positive impact not only on our roads, but on Maine?s economy.

In total, nearly $1 billion will be expended by DOT in 2012 and 2013. Nearly $105 million dollars, from Department of Transportation savings alone, will pay for highway construction projects and bridge repair.

All of these major construction projects will, when completed, help Mainers commute safely and efficiently to work, school and vacation destinations.

Looking down the road, I want Maine families to be prosperous. I want Mainers to be able to enjoy everything our great State has to offer. So, if we are serious about stimulating job growth we can?t expect bonds will save the day.

If we want good paying careers we must invest in our job creators by reducing red tape, lowering taxes, and making structural changes to energy, education and welfare. These are the long-term solutions that can help revive the American Dream for Mainers.

There are more than 40?thousand small businesses that employ thousands of Mainers. These businesses are the bread and butter of our economic engine and we must listen to them.

I have turned many companies around and I am confident Maine can be turned around too. I encourage you to support the progress this Administration has been able to make. I also promise that we will continue to move forward, but we must be willing to work together.

Once again, I encourage Legislators to summon the courage to make the necessary changes to restore Maine?s fiscal health and do the right thing.

Thanks for listening this week. Ann and I hope you have a great weekend.

Radio Address: A Commitment to Education

May 5, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is your Governor Paul LePage.

For me, being a parent is one of the greatest joys of life. I have been blessed with five healthy children, all of whom are productive adults in society today.

Not all attended the same schools or expressed similar interests in careers, but what they did all have in common was a solid education that put them on a path toward success.

I want all Maine children to be equipped with a roadmap to success, and for that to happen we must do two things: put our children first and focus on improving our education system.

This past week, I attended the Governors Education Symposium in North Carolina with both Democrat and Republican colleagues. We talked about the challenges facing public education and how important it is to compete in the global market.

We all know that education and economy are two of the same ? there is little success of one without the other. And in today?s competitive world, it is not enough to be college ready. We must also be preparing our students to be career ready.

College is only one piece of the puzzle. According to Georgetown University Center, colleges and universities represent only 35 percent of the entire postsecondary education and training system. Experts say the rest consists of on-the-job training, formal employer-provided education programs, military training and apprenticeships.

Right now, governors from across the country are emphasizing the importance of Career and Technical Center education. In order for our economy to thrive, we must understand what jobs are available and explain to students that there are many trade skills that are highly sought after, which means, often times, these occupations pay more money.

Mainers earn only 82 percent of the New England average. In the private sector the numbers are even lower with Mainers making only 75 percent of what others earn across the nation. We must improve these numbers and we can start to do that by training students for today?s jobs ? jobs that require skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

While career readiness is a crucial element of our education system it does not replace the need for postsecondary education. Colleges and universities are an important gateway in our learning system. It?s proven that a college degree is the key to unlocking access to the middle class or better.

But success does not come without an effective teacher or professor to guide students along the way. This notion was a major point of discussion at the conference that both Democrat and Republican governors agreed on.

Maine has more than 16-thousand teachers. I have no doubt that each one wants to make a difference in the lives of young people. What I am not so sure about is whether our teachers are being provided the on-going training and support that is needed to keep up with the latest education demands.

In two years, national standards known as Common Core will be implemented in all but four states. The Common Core State Standards Initiative focuses on developing college-and career-ready standards and ensures these standards are evidence-and research-based and internationally benchmarked to top-performing countries.

Today, the U.S. ranks 12th in reading literacy, 17th in science and 25th in math. Finland, Korea, Japan and Canada are consistently in the top ranks.

According to a recent study by Michigan State University, of states that are implementing Common Core Standards, including Maine, only 70 percent of teachers have read the standards. Of 6th, 7th and 8th grade teachers around 60 percent feel well prepared to teach their topics. Tell me, if 40 percent of our teachers don?t feel prepared, how can we expect our students to be well prepared?

Last fall, I offered union leadership a challenge. I told them that for every dollar the union put up for on-going training and education teacher development that the State would match it. I still have not received an answer.

In the upcoming months, this administration will work to develop education policies that exemplify proven best practices, which will expand and enhance our learning system. We will ask for bold action and demand our students come first.

If we want our children to be the best of the best we can no longer settle for the status quo.

And, if you?re a parent like me, you want your children to be successful. Let?s help them all get to where they need to be.

Radio Address: The First 500 Days

May 19, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

A copy of the Governor's First 500 Days Accomplishments Booklet click here.

A lot can happen in 500 days.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

At my inauguration I said: if it is to be, it is up to us to move Maine forward.

When I took the oath on January 5, 2011, I had plans to make Maine prosperous. During the past 500 days those plans have been put into motion.

With hard work and determination this Administration is moving Maine back on a track to financial stability, streamlining government, and providing tax relief for thousands of Mainers.

We are also making Maine more business friendly.

Maine people deserve prosperity, and it is our responsibility to promote polices that will help reduce the burden on our job creators so they can invest, expand and provide good jobs for Mainers.

We have more than 40,000 businesses in Maine and it?s difficult to select just a few that stand out, but in an effort to recognize a handful of companies for their commitment to excellence, I highlighted a few this past week.

For 22 years it has been a tradition for the Governor to hand out awards for business excellence. These companies are honored for showing a high level of commitment to their community, employees and to manufacturing or service excellence.

Fair Point Communications has been a sponsor of the Governor?s Awards for the past five years now and we appreciate their support.

This year?s winner are: Allen Insurance and Financial of Camden; James D. Julia of Fairfield; Moose River Lumber Company of Moose River; Saddleback Maine of Rangeley; Tambrands, Incorporated of Auburn; and Volk Packaging of Biddeford.

Congratulations to all.

My primary goals are to continue to build this economy, increase our competitiveness and help businesses like these create good paying jobs.

We will do this by streamlining government, removing red tape, reforming welfare, lowering taxes, improving our education system and reducing energy costs.

During the last 500 days, we have provided $400 million in tax relief for Mainers, removing more than 70,000 Mainers from the income tax rolls.

We have also provided $31 million in immediate tax relief for investments made in Maine by job creators.

By investing in business we are investing in more jobs. And when you pay less taxes we are helping our economy because it?s likely you?ll spend that money right here in Maine.

This IS moving Maine in the right direction and I am determined to do more, not for me, but for every Mainer I represent.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: As We Remember and Honor this Memorial Day

May 25, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

September eleventh, now ingrained as nine-eleven in our minds, revealed an unthinkable tragedy and the beginning of modern day war.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

As we take time out of our busy schedules this Memorial Day weekend for barbecues and ball games, let us pause to pay tribute to those who have fought in the defense of our freedoms. Let us remember those who have sacrificed their all.

Mainers have fought in many battles since the Civil War ? the Spanish-American, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the two Gulf Wars, and Afghanistan, among others. Thousands of lives have been claimed to the perils of war ? 51 brave souls since nine-eleven alone.

They all served with honor, integrity and courage.

I ask you to take this moment of silence with me to remember every Maine Soldier, Sailor, Coast Guardsman, Airman and Marine who has died on the front line or otherwise.

{Moment of silence}

This Memorial Day weekend I extend my thanks to the families of our fallen military men and women. We are forever indebted to your loved ones? service and sacrifice. It is fitting, that this weekend, Mainers from across our State will remember and honor those who have passed with a powerful statement. Thousands of American flags will be placed by volunteers near each grave at Maine Veterans? Memorial Cemeteries.

The First Lady and I will visit the Maine Veterans? Memorial Cemetery in Augusta to commemorate our heroes with this unmistakable sea of red, white and blue. The sight is remarkable and will provide you with a sense of just how meaningful Memorial Day really is.

I encourage everyone to take the time to visit one our Veterans' Memorial Cemeteries. We have two in Augusta and one in Caribou and Springvale.

Speaking at the dedication of the Monument to the 20th Maine on October 3, 1889, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Joshua Chamberlain said, "In great deeds something abides. On great fields something stays. Forms change and pass; bodies disappear, but spirits linger, to consecrate ground for the vision-place of souls. And reverent men and women from afar, and generations that know us not and that we know not of, heart-drawn to see where and by whom great things were suffered and done for them, shall come to this deathless field to ponder and dream.?

It is because of these great sacrifices, we as Mainers, are able to live the American dream. It is because of these selfless sacrifices, we are afforded freedoms that enrich our lives and inspire us to become a better people.

On this Memorial Day, let us not forget the true meaning of freedom and everything our fallen heroes, from the past to present, have sacrificed for us.

God Bless the United States of America.

Radio Address: Building the Maine Economy

June 9, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

As the unofficial start to summer in Maine begins, hundreds of thousands of people will visit Vacationland.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Traffic into Maine during the Memorial Day weekend was up from last year ? an indicator that more people are visiting our State.

Maine's campgrounds are reporting positive numbers, as well. Officials say reservations for the summer season are up by 10 percent or more at campgrounds throughout the state.

As tourists flock to Maine it means money is being spent at restaurants, stores and local attractions.

The Maine economy is growing stronger.

It?s clear, our unemployment rate is declining and more jobs are being created. From January 2011 to March of this year, Maine?s private sector grew by 4,100 jobs, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The state?s unemployment rate has also declined since January 2011, from nearly 8 percent to 7.2 percent.

While tourism is a large factor to the success of the Maine economy, we are not bound by it. Building a sustainable future requires Mainers to be innovative and willing to build new industries. We must also be globally competitive.

Recently, the national jobs report showed only 69,000 jobs created last month. Economists agree that we must produce about 200,000 jobs per month to be prosperous.

Economic growth must be fueled by collaborative work between government and the private sector.

However, stimulus packages that promise jobs are not the answer to our economic woes. These plans have proven to fail which only pumps false hope into our economy.

Temporary jobs are not the solution. We need long-term employment with better paying wages.

Government officials need to start listening to the people who are creating our jobs. They have answers.

Starting this week, I?m hosting another round of job workshops that are geared toward specific industries. I want to know what is working for business and what isn?t. I am asking CEO?s to come to the table to tell me what policies are enabling them to expand and hire more Mainers and which ones stifle growth.

On Wednesday, June 13, the first of three workshops will be held in Brunswick. The focus is on the tourism and marine resources industries. Future sessions will address industries in forestry, farming, IT and manufacturing.

I have said before, government does not create jobs. But what we can do in Augusta is change the environment by which jobs are created in the private sector. We have been working diligently on this, and have made some progress, but I firmly believe there is more to do.

If you are a business owner and would like to attend one of the upcoming jobs workshops please visit my website Maine.gov slash Governor (www.Maine.gov/Governor) for details.

We will continue to strengthen Maine?s economy and get Maine working again by sharing ideas with each other. I welcome your thoughts as we move forward together.

Thank you for listening. Ann and I hope you have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Challenging Maine's Education

June 2, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

In the next couple of weeks, thousands of students will be graduating from high schools across Maine. Let me be among the first to congratulate these students and wish them success in whatever their future plans may be.

While this graduation season is a season for celebrating, it is also a time to remember that too many of our young people drop out of high school before graduating. Only 82 percent of Maine high schoolers graduate from high school on time, a number that is unacceptably low.

We also know that too many of the students that will graduate in coming weeks are not ready for college and careers. The Maine Community College System has reported to us that 54 percent of the students they enroll right out of high school need to take remedial courses in math or language arts. The remediation rate for the University of Maine system is 25 percent. Both of these numbers are unacceptably high.

Another number that is unacceptably high is our education spending. Maine?s per-pupil spending is 5-thousand dollars above the national average and states that spend less than we do are outperforming us. We need to do better while spending less.

It is important to note that our K-12 education system serves some students well, and many of those graduating from our high schools will go on to even greater success in life. But the system is simply not doing well enough. It is simply failing for too many of our kids.

That is why I have made education a top priority for my administration.

I want Maine to be an educational leader. Therefore, we must learn more about how and why other states and countries are leading the world in teacher quality and educational achievement.

From the day this administration came into office, we have focused on making our schools better. We passed a charter school bill to provide students with more learning options and we signed legislation creating more ways for schools and school districts to innovate. Career and Technical education is now getting the focus and attention it deserves and more early college opportunities for students have been created.

We also toughened our diploma standards, and we passed a bill focused on improving the effectiveness of our teachers and school administrators.

All of this, though, is not enough.

The status quo is what dominates our schools.

Changing our schools is going to require outside-the-box thinking and a commitment on the part of everyone to move beyond the status quo.

Moving beyond the status quo is why I have challenged the teachers union to do more to help our teachers get better. They have refused to meet this challenge and instead are focusing on advancing political agendas and trying to line their own pockets by using the courts to block legislation that could save school districts millions of dollars in health insurance costs.

Research is clear; an effective teacher has a profound effect on student learning. That is why I continue to challenge the teachers union to step up to the plate and work with me to improve teacher quality.

Additionally, too many of our education dollars are spent outside our classrooms. Maine spends 60 million dollars a year on school district administration alone ? money better spent on our children.

We have work to do here in Augusta as well. I have asked the state Department of Education to work with superintendents to identify costly state mandates that we can do without. Like all other state departments, the Education Department will be using a zero-based budget process to review all of its programs to make sure that everything we do in Augusta supports student learning.

We are also working with the University system and the Community College system to address the issue of the transfer of course credits, and my challenge to them is to make sure that students pursuing a post-secondary education can have their credits fully transfer from one institution to the next.

The high schoolers graduating in the next couple of weeks should be proud of their accomplishment. It comes as a result of hard work and dedication.

If we are to move Maine?s education system beyond a status quo that is failing too many of our kids, we need to be dedicated to the hard work of making real change happen in our schools.

That is my challenge to Maine?s education system, and I stand ready to work with them to meet this challenge.

Radio Address: Growing the Maine Economy

June 25, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Summing up the Maine economy cannot be done in a sound bite or with simple statistics. Rather we can gain a better perspective of our economy by understanding where we?ve been and where we want to be. What I would like to offer is what I see from Augusta, some of the challenges we face, and how we are addressing them.

Mark Twain made famous the saying, ?There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.? Using a statistic to justify a political position or policy is easy. Solving our problems is much harder.

Economics is essentially an analysis of data, so talk about the economy can turn into a battle of statistics. When I talk with economists, they emphasize not one statistic but the trends over time. Our problems were not created in a month or even a year. They go back decades. The repairs will take time; to make these repairs we must challenge the status quo.

Last week it was reported that Maine was one of just six states last year to experience a decline in the size of its economy?measured by Gross Domestic Product, or GDP. Maine was the only state in New England with a decline in 2011.

Taken in isolation, that statistic sounds like we have not been working on solutions. Indeed, politicians and liberal bloggers have used it to advocate against my administration?s policies. They have also tried to say that borrowing more money will bring back our economy. However, Washington tried stimulus; it failed to produce results and has increased the massive debt the federal government is leaving for our grandchildren.

When citing Maine?s GDP figures, our critics avoid the fact that the final closure of the Brunswick Naval Air Station?which took more than 7,000 people out of the state along with their dollars?was a major factor in our lack of growth. This is a prime example of why Maine cannot depend on money from the federal government to create jobs. Now that the money is gone so are the jobs.

Maine is also the oldest state in the nation with a slowly growing population. This situation, decades in development, hinders our economic and job growth. We cannot grow without workers or consumers.

In the next several years, as baby boomers age and birth rates continue to fall, we will have a loss in population.

Population loss damages communities. Businesses struggle to find workers. Home values drop. Additionally, we have too many retirees taking their wealth elsewhere to places like Florida, Arizona and Nevada. We must acknowledge the fact that our seniors contribute greatly to our local businesses, but only if they stay in Maine. Attempting to stimulate the economy by borrowing will not fix this critical situation. Maine must challenge the status quo and develop new policies that will attract people to live, work and make Maine their life-long home.

Our beautiful state draws tens of thousands of visitors each year. Note, however, that few of them move here, even as communication and transportation systems make it easier for people to work almost anywhere. We must consider why this is and target economic policies to address the fundamental, structural issues that limit our growth.

This problem lies at the heart of what my administration is trying to do: to create an environment in Maine that will attract people. Not just tourists, although we need them, too. But people to stay in Maine and to invest in Maine. That will grow our economy and bring down our unemployment rate.

We have already begun this work. We lowered taxes. We reformed the pension system. We?ve sent a message that Maine will no longer be a welfare state. We modernized and clarified our worker?s compensation and labor laws. We reduced fraud and are making it easier for businesses to comply with the law, but we did not weaken our worker safety net.

Improvements will be gradual. We are shrinking the size of government. Our private sector is growing?but not rapidly enough. We must do more.

This fall, one new initiative will create an identifiable Maine brand. Combined with our other regulatory and legislative efforts, a strong and recognizable image will help attract new businesses and expand existing businesses.

As the campaign season shifts into high gear, the blame game will be in full effect, and as Governor I am tired of the rhetoric. Our state will not move forward if we do not start working as one government. Sitting around supporting the status quo is irresponsible and an approach that has failed our state for the past 40 years. I am committed to making changes that make improves Maine?s future growth.

With that said, I encourage you to make the most of another Maine summer and show our visitors the opportunities available to them if they make their vacation permanent.

Radio Address: Remember Our Troops on the Fourth of July

June 29, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello, this is First Lady Ann LePage.

Independence Day honors the birthday of the United States of America and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It is a time to celebrate the values that we as Americans hold dear.

Our forefathers believed that each and every one of us have certain unalienable rights, which among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Throughout our nation?s history, we have carried these values with us in everything we do. In times of peace and in times of war, these principles have guided us. These principles have resulted in the greatest nation history has ever known, the United States of America.

We are all Americans first. This bond can never be broken, and is held through our love of country, and sense of duty for the United States. We feel proud every time we pledge allegiance to our flag, or sing the Star Spangled Banner.

Independence Day is also a day of reflection. It is a time to reflect on what these freedoms mean to us, and how we are able to experience all that our nation has to offer.

It is because of our troops that we are able to salute our flag. It is because of our troops that we are able to appreciate Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. And it is because of our troops that we are able to experience and talk about the American Dream.

As Maine?s First Lady, my top priority has been serving our military service members in uniform, and their families.

I am proud to say that Maine has a very rich military heritage. We realize that supporting our troops is more than shoveling a walkway or bringing over a warm meal. We don?t do it because it is ?nice? or makes us ?feel good.? We do it because we recognize that these men and women have put their lives on the line to protect us here at home.

Karen and Morrill Worcester have it right: their message is simple but so powerful; remember the fallen, honor those that serve and their families, and teach our children the value of freedom. We must remember that by helping one veteran, we are paying tribute to all of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

The Governor and I are forever indebted to these courageous individuals, and we thank you for your service.

So whatever your Fourth of July consists of ? please take a moment to reflect on all the things that make this State, and this Nation, the wonderful place that it is.

God Bless America, and have a safe and happy fourth!

Radio Address: Obamacare is on Hold in Maine

July 7, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

As millions of Americans celebrated America?s birthday this week, we reflected on our individual liberties and our independence as a Nation. Indeed, it?s always uplifting to remember and honor what our Country is founded upon.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

For 236 years our constitution has tried to uphold our Founding Fathers intent ? to protect Americans rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But what our Founding Fathers, I?m sure, did not have in mind is for our rights to be stripped away by our Federal Government. What our Founding Fathers did not see coming is unfair taxation that burdens the American people.

Obamacare is bad policy and bad law. It raises taxes, cuts Medicare for the elderly, gets between patients and their doctors, costs trillions of taxpayer dollars, and kills jobs.

Nonetheless, the Supreme Court has spoken and its decision carries the law of the land. We have an opinion as to what is constitutional and what isn?t. However, what the Court did not tell us is what states should do next.

I have been asked if Maine will move forward with Medicaid expansion. However, Maine is already a welfare expansion state because of the generous benefits offered. Our welfare costs are among the highest in the Nation as a result of some of the lowest eligibility requirements.

Maine has increased its spending by more than a billion dollars during the last decade because of expanded welfare programs. We cannot afford our current programs, so to require Maine to expand coverage even more is fiscally irresponsible. Before we think about taking on any more debt, we must pay our current bills ? nearly $500 million is owed to Maine hospitals.

Furthermore, there are still too many uncertainties for Maine to implement Obamacare. We do not know how federal matches would be paid for and how newly eligible is defined. Meanwhile, the President has proposed $800 million to finance exchanges, money that has not been approved by Congress. With these looming uncertainties circling around this issue, Maine cannot move forward right now with Obamacare.

Perhaps what is most disturbing about this ruling, though, is that the federal mandate is considered a TAX. This tax will add to the $500 billion in tax increases that are already in Obamacare. Now that Congress can use the taxation power of the federal government to compel behavior or lack thereof, what?s next? More taxes if we don?t drive Toyota Priuses or if we eat too much junk food or maybe even pea soup?

This decision has made America less free. We the people have been told there is no choice. You must buy health insurance or pay the new Gestapo ? the I.R.S.

Even more disheartening is that reviving the American dream just became nearly impossible to do. We are now a nation in which supports dependency rather than independence. Instead of encouraging self-reliance we are encouraging people to rely on the government.

Demanding freebies in life and living freely are two very different things. There used to be a time when we were proud to get people off government programs. Today, we are promoting entitlement programs that are breaking the bank. Success should not be measured by what we can get for free, but rather what we do and give back to society when we are independent and productive citizens. Government-run health care is not what the American dream is about.

Democrats are attacking Republicans saying that we are turning down free health care. I have always said it doesn?t matter if the money is taken from the left or right pocket, it?s still my pocket. Make no mistake about it, taxpayers will pay for this.

The debt ceiling has been hiked again ? now to $16.4 trillion. How much more can we take? Because right now it?s not only our children and grandchildren who will be paying for it, it will be our unborn great grandchildren who support our lack of responsibility and accountability for this mistake.

America wasn?t born on these sorts of principles and it?s time we get back on track - not only for our future generations, but for the future of our Nation.

Radio Address: Governor LePage's Apology to the Maine People

July 13, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

The recent ruling from the Supreme Court has created a lack of clarity, confusion, and many governors are now contesting Obamacare.

What happened last week, as a result of my radio address, was intended to shed more light on the tenuous situation Maine is facing. Instead, one word halted the conversation and spurred a flurry of unintended consequences.

The acts of the Holocaust were nothing short of horrific. Millions of innocent people were murdered and I apologize for my insensitivity to the word and the offense some took to my comparison of the IRS and the Gestapo. However, I want to make this very clear; it was never my intent to insult or to be hurtful to anyone, but rather express what can happen by overreaching government. I fear we have a federal government that is moving toward a socialistic state and we must not forget history because if we do we are bound to repeat it.

This week, I met with Emily Chaleff, among others, to talk about my true intent of using the word. Emily is the Director of the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine. We are looking forward to closure on the issue and recognize that through a healthy dialogue we can learn from this.

What we must focus on now is the health care crisis. Republican governors are not the only people expressing major concerns about Obamacare. This week, it was reported that at least seven Democrat governors are also uneasy with expanding their Medicaid programs.

Democratic Governor Brian Schweitzer said, ?Unlike the federal government, Montana can?t just print money.? Arkansas? Governor has said he is worried that there needs to be ?state flexibility? in the future.

The real questions have yet to be answered by the Administration. In fact, on Wednesday Republican governors sent a letter to the President with 17 questions concerning how exchanges will be implemented. The National Governor?s Association has sent a similar letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

In a letter to governors, Secretary Sebelius offered no answers. Rather she responded by saying a series of meetings will be held in cities across the country this summer. The federal government has had adequate time to come up with answers; the problem is there are none ? at least none that will make the Administration look good or lower the high cost of health care.

The Obama administration wants to give states all the responsibility for running the exchanges without providing states any real authority for how to establish or administer them.

Our country is designed for states to be more than just an extension of the federal government, and states need more flexibility.

Expanding Medicaid at this time puts at risk the true safety net. Millions of seniors who rely on Medicaid for nursing care, millions of persons with intellectual and physical disabilities and millions of people with serious mental illness will be pit against childless adults with no barriers to work who decide to opt for taxpayer funded health care.

Seniors are facing $500 billion ? yes, billion ? in cuts already through Medicare thanks to Obamacare. Now states will have to pay providers even less since there is not enough money to care for everyone. It?s a scary reality that we are moving toward a system that leads to rationed health care. Experts say, by increasing the number of Medicaid enrollees, Obamacare will worsen the cost squeeze on primary care doctors. We have seen it in Maine where physicians are trying to keep a certain ratio of Medicaid/Medicare patients to those covered by private insurance. A lot of doctors have limited or turned away the number of people on government-run health care because they aren?t getting paid. Maine?s dilemma is that we can?t afford our welfare programs now. We already offer some of the most generous benefits in the country. To broaden the scope of benefits even more will not only break the bank, but it will hurt our economy. Someone is going to have to pay for this monster of government-run health care and it will be the taxpayer ? our hard-working Mainers and business owners. We can?t afford it and our economy can?t either.

Americans should not be forced into something they don?t want to do. These are not the sort of principles in which our nation was founded upon. If Obamacare is implemented no longer will we be known as the country where one is afforded the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Instead, that pursuit turns into a search for entitlements.

Radio Address: Let's Get Maine Working

July 21, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

It?s the number one debate on the national front, and no I?m not talking about Obamacare. While we must find a solution to our health care crisis, what Americans and Mainers are most concerned with is the uncertainty of our economy ? in short, jobs or lack thereof. But is there really a shortage of jobs?

Forbes recently noted that while hiring remains slow, nearly 40 percent of businesses are trying to grow. Our economy is slow to recovery due to the fact that these companies can?t find the right people for the job.

For the past few weeks, I?ve hosted workshops in Brunswick, Springvale, and Presque Isle with our leaders in the business community. I have been listening and what they are telling me is that they have jobs, but need skilled workers.

This is not only a problem here in Maine, but nationally too. The demand for the right skills sought by employers is high while the supply of those workers is low. It?s simply a case of supply/demand which isn?t in sync right now and as a result our economy is struggling.

The road to recovering our economy will require change in attitude and policies. I have just released a business survey asking Maine?s job creators to tell us what government can do to help. So far, nearly 400 companies have requested the survey and more than 250 responses have been submitted. This week, I glanced at some of the results. Three of the top challenges for companies include health care costs, managing energy costs and access to trained workers.

My administration has challenged the status quo from day one saying that we must reset Maine?s educational system and reduce energy costs in order for us to be competitive and prosperous. I look forward to receiving more input from our job creators and introducing legislation that will improve education and lower energy prices. We must have the political will to do what is right for all Mainers.

Just this week, we learned that the United States is failing to close the gap in education achievement. A Harvard study shows that the U.S. now ranks 25th out of 49 countries. This data confirms that we are losing ground to the leaders of the industrialized world, which will ultimately kill our economy.

The same report indicates that Maine is next to last in student achievement compared to 40 other states. This further reiterates why my administration is standing up against the status quo of union bosses, superintendents and Principals' Association. The status quo is not putting our students or our teachers first and only a commitment to change will improve results. It is critical Maine offers more opportunities in the form of school choice and teacher development and training.

For far too long there has been a significant push for students to attend a 4-year college. While post-secondary education does lead to higher wages we are missing the mark when it comes to promoting the jobs of the 21st century. Maine is consistently lower than the national average in unemployment, but we can get more Mainers working if we better understand where the openings are. I recently spent a day with leaders from the Manufacturing sector and it?s clear: the jobs are available. This industry is central to the identity of our state and rebuilding our economy.

The Department of Economic and Community Development is working on a campaign to promote manufacturing jobs. Manufacturing isn?t a dirty word and it?s our goal to clean up its image because good-paying jobs are on the line.

We have about 51 thousand manufacturing jobs in Maine that paid $2.5 billion in wages last year. These aren?t the mill jobs of the past. Instead these are positions being driven by new technology. These companies are seeking people with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, better known as STEM, skills. They want innovators and critical thinkers to provide solutions for their companies. And the average pay is around $50 thousand.

The industries image can be revitalized through educating the public and our students about what these jobs are all about. There?s an array of opportunity out there from designing of drumsticks and I pod cases to pellet production and the making of medical devices. Manufacturing isn?t dead it just needs a makeover.

We can talk about jobs until we?re blue in the face, but what we need from our elected leaders is reform that will set us in a new direction. Lowering health care and energy costs are necessary and we must demand more out of our education system. These are priorities that will lead to a prosperous Maine and my administration has the plan to make good on these promises.

Thanks for listening this week. Ann and I hope you have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Putting Students First is the Priority

July 28, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Maine?s educational system has been put on notice. A recent study points to the fact that Maine is falling behind and failing our students.

Education Commissioner Bowen and I have tried to sound the alarms nearly two years. Now, is the time to act.

This week, we shared a plan with the Maine people that will move us in the right direction.

The report, Harvard University?s Program on Education Policy and Governance is a clear indication that Maine must implement education reform.

I want to be very clear: my Administration will continue to put students first when making policy decisions

Teachers are also an important part of reforming our system. My Administration supports both the student and teacher

So, what has this study told us? Two things: First, test scores in Maine are stagnant while other states are making progress. In fact, while Maine spends $4,000 more per student per year ? well above the average for the states ? student achievement gains were the second worst in the country.

In the 4th grade, Maine had the smallest gains of any state in overall annual rate of growth in reading and math scores combined.

Secondly, Maine?s scores are still above average. But Maine has made no substantial progress in over a decade on those scores, and other states are catching up and passing Maine.

What this tells us is that we were doing great 20 years ago, but those standards aren?t doing us any good today ? just ask employers.

We are on par to be average and I am not a fan of average because it means we?re just as close to the bottom as we are to the top. We can and must do better.

We must improve and in order to improve we must adapt to the needs of today?s students and today?s economy.

STEM skills are vital to successful outcomes for our students. STEM skills are crucial to our employers. Problem solvers and critical thinkers are in high demand so our education system must be able to provide those skills to our students so they are better prepared for the jobs of the 21st century.

So, what do we need to do to improve? How do we provide our students and teachers the tools they need to be successful?

We get there by way of meaningful policy changes. Expanding access to our CTE?s, establishing charter schools and expanding digital learning opportunities are initiatives we have worked on already. But more needs to be done.

We?re going to ask for more change because for too long we?ve been stuck on the status quo which is failing our students and the entire system.

I have challenged superintendents, union bosses, and principals to be bold, to not settle for the status quo, and to work with the Administration moving forward.

Let?s work toward solutions rather than opposing change that has been proven to work in other states.

For far too long superintend dents, union bosses and principals have missed the mark when it comes to improving our education system ? They have not shared a plan with my Administration.

Our plan is easy to remember ? ABC. It stands for Accountability, Best practices, and Choice.

Accountability means creating a system that measures school performance and providing assistance to those that are struggling; best practices means looking at other educational systems that have yielded proven results; and choice means giving students more learning options, such as open-enrollment for schools.

It?s a plan we will continue to work on and share with you details in the upcoming months.

All our children have potential and the ability to succeed ? we just have to help them get there. It?s time to put students first.

Radio Address: New England Governors Agree: Energy Reform Needed

August 4, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Benjamin Franklin said there were only two things certain in life: death and taxes.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

There are two constituents that for far too long have not been represented in Augusta. They are the taxpayer and the ratepayer. It?s no secret I?m no fan of excessive taxes. I don?t believe burdening Maine people with more taxes is going to make our state prosperous. I also don?t support energy policy that shifts costs onto you, the ratepayer. Special interests groups should not come first ? Maine people do.

The electricity rates we?re paying right now are starting to climb again after a couple of years of improvement so we must continue to work on ways that will lower our energy costs. Additionally, we must address the extra charges on electricity bills that subsidize services such as the winterization of homes and welfare programs. These extra charges are a tax on your bill.

This week, Maine was represented at the New England Governors and Canadian Premiers Conference in Burlington, Vermont. Discussions involved the future of the region?s energy policy. One thing is obvious: the status quo of continuing to benefit a select few developers at the cost of energy generators and you, the ratepayer, must end. And it is clear that we need to introduce reforms to our energy policy in order to improve Maine?s economy. The only way we fix this is to encourage legislators to learn more about it and demand they fix the problem.

This is not a partisan issue: Rhode Island Governor Chafee, an independent, said he intends to remove the 100-megawatt cap on hydro in his state, and Connecticut democratic Governor Malloy acknowledged that high electricity costs in New England are hurting economic development. These are things I have been saying since day one. We need to stand up to the special interests that are preventing Maine and New England from receiving less expensive, reliable energy.

In the coming years, there is going to be an increased demand for energy in New England. This puts Maine in a prime position to be a key energy exporter and transporter for the region. We currently lead New England in renewable energy generation, and are positioned to become a key route to deliver more cost effective Canadian energy to the rest of the region. This would bring significant sums of money into the state and directly benefit Maine ratepayers, but we can?t do it without a Legislature determined to represent the interest of the ratepayer.

In the past, Maine has tried subsidizing certain types of energy, and tried forcing energy providers to purchase electricity from specific sources, with no regard of its cost to Mainers. This simply lined the pockets of a select few powerful people, while hurting taxpayers and businesses.

Democrats and Republicans across New England agree that we need to change the way we do energy. We need to increase access to less expensive renewable resources such as hydro and more cost effective North American clean sources such as natural gas, foster partnerships with our Canadian neighbors, and break the stranglehold of special interests.

Your vote counts this November. If you want to lower energy costs we must demand that our elected officials commit to this important reform.

Thanks for listening. Ann and I hope you have a great weekend.

Radio Address: Adding Value to Maine Lobster

August 10, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Maine Lobster is known to be the best of the best throughout our country and the world.

But what?s happening right now with our lobster industry is having a major impact on Maine fishermen, and it?s not doing them or our economy any good.

The price of the crustacean has plummeted because of a highly unusual season that has fishermen catching record numbers of lobster. The highest average price in 2005 was $4.63 per pound and this year we?ve hit rock bottom prices as low as $1.30-1.50.

This brings us to why Canadians are protesting. It?s all about money. See, Maine delivers 70 percent of our catch across the border and we are dependent on Canadian processors to take our product. Processors are paying only a fraction of the true cost due to the abundance of lobster and lack of processing capacity here in Maine.

There are 40 lobster processing plants in Canada. Maine has only three which cannot process the volume being harvested by Maine fishermen.

So, why don?t we have more processors? It?s a question my administration has explored and we?ve known the answer for quite some time; high costs of doing business in Maine.

Canadian government has a strong relationship with the fishing industry. Their plants are subsidized and their energy prices are much lower than here in Maine.

Getting our lobsters delivered and processed in Canada helps in the short-term, but Maine needs a permanent solution. We need more processing capacity. After all, the Maine lobster is world renown. We must be in a position to add value to our product instead of Canada gaining all the added value.

My administration has urged the Legislature to help us make Maine more business-friendly. We have been working hard in Maine to create an atmosphere and culture that encourages economic growth, but still we are losing opportunities.

Maine?s energy prices are 12th highest in the Nation.

Recently, New England Governors met in Vermont to discuss the need to lower electricity prices for our region.

Vermont has passed a law that declares that large-scale hydro power is a ?renewable? resource. Other states are likely to follow suit. Independent Governor Chafee, of Rhode Island, said he intends to remove the 100-megawatt cap on hydro in his state. Here in Maine, I tried to remove the 100-megawatt cap on hydro and it was blocked by legislators. Connecticut democratic Governor Malloy says that high electricity costs in New England are hurting economic development. He?s right. The message can?t be any clearer: we must find ways to reduce energy prices.

My administration wants to create a business environment that is both conducive to economic growth and development and consistent with our strong Maine values and traditions.

We need a well-educated workforce, infrastructure that can support commerce and recreation, a further reduction in bureaucratic red-tape, and incentives that are balanced in a way that will attract business and benefit Mainers.

We need jobs, but we can?t create them without smart policies that encourage investment. As I have said many times, our abundant natural resources here in Maine are the backbone of our Maine heritage and the foundation upon which we must grow our economy. Lobster processing plants are one example of the kind of business that can add value to our product and provide more jobs.

Mainers are hard-working and have Yankee ingenuity that?s second to none. You deserve to have a government that?s working for you. Demand more from your elected officials and urge them to get the job done.

Thank you for listening. Enjoy your weekend and go buy some lobster!

Radio Address: Let's Work Together to End Domestic Violence

August 17, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

This week, Maine State Police arrested a Waldoboro woman and charged her with murder in connection with the shooting death of her former boyfriend last month. She then turned the gun on herself, but her injury was not fatal.

In late July, another tragedy involving a murder suicide took the lives of two people in Hampden. Both of these instances are linked to domestic violence.

Unfortunately, domestic violence cases that escalate to homicide are all too familiar to our law enforcement, district attorneys, judges, and communities. In 2011, 28 Mainers were killed. Thirteen of those murders were domestic violence-related. This year we?ve had 13 homicides and 5 of them were at the hands of someone the victim knew closely.

Any murder is difficult for family, friends and loved ones to deal with. But one startling statistic that has surfaced in recent years is the number of murder suicides occurring in our state. This year?s Domestic Violence Report reveals a record number of perpetrators committing suicide following homicides. The report indicates that 70 percent of offenders showed past or current suicidal ideation, attempts, or threats. In two-thirds of those cases, perpetrators killed one or more of their family members before committing suicide.

We are also finding that suicidal thoughts or attempts may be an indicator of the risk of future violence toward victims, and that the link between suicide among batterers and increased risk of homicide continues to be minimized or unrecognized by many clinicians and the general public.

The Panel of experts that compiled this report has several recommendations. Among these include when an individual makes suicidal statements to another person, the Panel says the other person should take the statement seriously and either encourage the individual to seek assessment and treatment, or seek a professional?s help in communicating that message to the individual.

The Panel further recommends that a discussion occur with the person threatening suicide by an appropriate party, such as law enforcement or a health professional, about the possession of or access to, firearms for the safety of that person, the person?s family and the community.

My administration will strive to end domestic abuse and introduce laws aimed at protecting victims. We?re working with the people that wrote this report and others like the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence to develop policy.

Because domestic violence can turn deadly in the blink of an eye it?s vital that victims know they are not alone. There are resources available.

The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence is a group that is dedicated to preventing domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. The Coalition provides a range programs that offer the support and services as well as the encouragement and hope that victims need. Additionally, the Coalition provides training and education for the public, employers and educators.

I?ve had the opportunity to work closely with the Coalition and I am grateful for the good and hard work they are committed to. If you or someone you know is being abused please reach out to the Coalition. You can find information on their website at mcedv.org.

The only way we can eliminate this violence is to let our voices be heard. And what needs to be said is that this abuse is socially unacceptable. I am asking every Mainer to stand and speak out with me on this issue. Together, we can make Maine safer while we dedicate our message to those that have been taken from us too soon.

Radio Address: Putting Students First

September 7, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

It is truly amazing to me as I see in situation after situation that when it comes to education, we are debating the needs of adults and administrators over the needs of students.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The new school year is just beginning across Maine and we continue to work here in Augusta to advance an education agenda that puts students first.

Our students-first agenda, though, is under attack.

Just this past weekend, two newspaper articles addressed two different, but related, education issues ? both about our efforts to give families and students the best possible options in education. The first issue was superintendent transfers, in which two superintendents can agree on letting a student from one school district go to school in another. The other was about the state?s digital learning efforts ? a plan for making sure that our students have access to online and virtual learning opportunities to support their education.

In both cases, our education policy was taken to task because of a perception that what we are doing somehow hurts school boards, superintendents or taxpayers. And yet nobody was talking about our core goal: what is best for the students.

I would like to talk about one of those articles and the real facts.

Digital learning is one form of choice that can benefit students. For some reason, Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen has been taken to task for seeking the advice of national experts in this area. The newspaper charged that we let that group write our state policy. There?s only one problem: we don?t have a state policy on digital learning yet.

In fact, a stakeholder group was assigned by the Legislature to take up this task, and the group held its first meeting last week. We are a long way from having a digital learning plan for this state. And we badly need one. We are a rural state, and a lot of times smaller school districts can?t offer certain courses, so they turn to online options for their students.

School districts around the state have been asking for guidance on this issue because they have hundreds of students who take online courses now. We have worked with a national advocacy group on some key guidelines, things that just make common sense. Such as: All students should have access to online learning options. Online learning providers should be of high quality, and their courses should be aligned to Maine?s learning standards.

We have to work out details, such as whether we?ll require every teacher, no matter where they teach from, to have Maine certification, or if we?ll arrange for reciprocity with other states, and on what terms. These are far from determined, and are just the kind of thing that the group will be discussing. When they are done, either they or our Department of Education, or the Education Committee itself, will propose legislation that will be discussed in public. Instead of worrying about who wrote the language for not-yet-existent proposals, critics should be worrying about whether those ideas are good for our students. That should be the only litmus test.

Furthermore, the newspaper lied saying that my campaign was paid by an out of state company to push virtual learning. This is a bold face lie.

Despite the misinformation being circulated, we are hard at work building a system of education that is focused on what is best for the student, which is why I am extremely disappointed that a newspaper would use its space to fabricate an issue where none exists; and, more importantly, to stand up in support of the needs and wants of administrators over the best interests of students. It?s time we put more focus on students? needs first, and less on the wine and cheese elitists who are okay with SOME students having access to expanded educational opportunities like digital learning, but not ALL students. I believe ALL students and ALL families should have access to great learning opportunities, not simply the rich.

I wish our students and teachers a great school year and urge all Mainers to drive carefully now that school is back in session.

*Important Note: Late this week, Maine Today Media (Portland Press Herald) issued a correction for its inaccuracy in its ?Special Report: The profit motive behind virtual schools in Maine? as it related to accusing the LePage Election Campaign of taking money from an out-of-state company through RGA Maine.

Radio Address: Education is the Foundation to Success

September 28, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

My administration has one primary principle that governs education policy, and it is a simple one: What is best for the student? That is the number one question that we ask ourselves when we develop education policy.

Education is the foundation to success. I know, for me, education was the catalyst that got me off the streets.

But the fact is education in Maine has become a partisan issue when it ought not to be.

I had the opportunity earlier this year to take part in the Governor?s Education Symposium hosted by the Hunt Institute and the Foundation for Excellence in Education. Former governors Jim Hunt and Jeb Bush brought together Republican and Democrat governors to talk about best practices and ways to improve our education system.

The two governors brought to the conference U.S. Education Secretary, Arne Duncan. He was a guest speaker, and believe-it-or-not, he and I agree on a lot when it comes to education.

Currently, Maine is in the process of requesting more flexibility under the No Child Left Behind Act. We?re working with Secretary Duncan to ensure we have a way to measure schools that is more realistic and more meaningful, and that we will have new, more effective tools to make our schools better.

Every state needs change agents and they have to be willing to fight for the student. In Maine, we have superintendents fighting for appropriations, principals fighting for pretty schools, and union leadership fighting for more dues. Who?s fighting for the student? The teacher. Our elected officials, you and me, need to fight for the quality teachers and a plan that shifts away from the status quo.

Our administration is focusing on reform efforts in a handful of core areas, based on work that was done in high performing states.

This brings us to Maine?s ABC Plan. ABC stands for accountability, best practices and choice.

The ?C? in our plan is about Choice and I would like to share with you why this part of the plan is paramount. Another word for choice is option. If we are striving for more successful outcomes for our students we must offer multiple options. The one-size fits all approach does not work.

When we talk about options what do we mean? Well, public education works for some students, but not all of them. So, how can we reach the students who are slipping through the cracks? We do it by offering customized education through options. By way of charter schools, private, and homeschooling career and technical education, and digital learning, both online and virtual opportunities.

For the past 20 months our administration has highlighted the benefits of career and technical education. In fact, Secretary Duncan has applauded Maine?s efforts to expand access to career and technical education.

I will continue to stand up for vocational education because we know the skills that are taught at career and technical centers are what our job creators are requiring from their workers. Good-paying jobs are on the line.

Digital learning is another option our administration is focusing on. However, there is a difference between online learning and virtual learning.

Online learning doesn?t require a teacher while virtual learning does. The key to successful virtual learning is the teacher that interacts with students. If there is an effective teacher that can engage with his or her students through technology, hundreds of children can be educated successfully. With that said, it?s very important to have assistant teachers in the classroom to support the students, but a quality teacher is the critical component to making virtual education work.

Online learning is another option to provide learning opportunities to students in a way that works best for them because they can go at their own pace, set their own schedules and choose from a greater variety of courses.

Right now, we?re working on a digital learning plan that we hope will mean wider access to high quality digital learning options for all Maine students.

There are many options for students, Maine just needs to offer these options to all students not the select few who can afford it.

For me, education was a way out. It was a way out of poverty and a start to a new life. But, believe me; I had plenty of mentors along the way.

Today?s students need role models that will guide them. They need great teachers and great school leaders.

There?s nothing partisan about education when we ask ourselves what is best for our students?

Radio Address: Energy for Mainers

October 6, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

This week heating oil increased by about 10 cents compared to this time last month. At nearly 3 dollars and seventy cents per gallon, many Mainers will experience another tough winter season trying to make ends meet.

As your Governor, I do not want to see anyone left out in the cold. The price of energy is on the rise and it is time elected officials be willing to address the issue both in Augusta and Washington, D.C. Politics should not play a role in heating your home, but it does.

Reducing Maine?s dependency on foreign oil is part of the solution. Every year we use 1.6 billion gallons of petroleum fuels which include oil, propane, diesel, gasoline and kerosene.

While energy efficiency is an important means of reducing energy costs, the greater utilization of more cost effective non-foreign oil sources will be essential to achieve our goal.

Through modest energy reforms, our Administration recognizes clean energy producers like biomass, thermal, and hydro as viable renewable sources. We can ensure all clean energy sources are treated fairly in the market so that costs go down, businesses can flourish, and Mainers have more money in their pockets.

The challenge is, however, that for years, the status quo has been that special interests here in Maine and Capitol Hill dictate which energy sources Mainers pay for and which ones are discriminated against ? with no regard to the ratepayer.

Unfortunately, Maine?s renewable energy mandate will raise electricity prices by $145 million and cost Mainers nearly 1000 jobs. It is because Maine?s Renewable Portfolio Standard, often referred to as RPS, requires that some of the state?s electricity be generated by expensive ?renewable? sources, like wind power and solar. The problem I have with this methodology is other green energy sources like hydropower are left out of the mix. Hydropower is clean and readily available in Maine. More importantly, it is inexpensive and can save Mainers a lot of money.

A recent report from the Maine Heritage Policy Center and Beacon Hill Institute affirms that Maine?s RPS will raise electricity prices by 8 percent in the next five years. This mandate is an economic barrier that we simply cannot afford; it is hurting Maine families and businesses.

Homeowners will pay $85 more per year on their electricity bill and business will pay more than $600 annually, according to the study. Industrial users will suffer the most taking on more than $14 thousand per year because of the mandate. We are losing business opportunities because of our high energy costs.

So how did this come to fruition? Maine?s first RPS law was established in 1999 under the King Administration. It?s unfortunate that some politicians after leaving office benefitted financially from those policies. Working the system to pad your pockets does not represent Maine values.

President Obama has supported this government welfare by spending $90 billion on programs and policies to green energy projects and failed companies. As Governor Mitt Romney pointed out during this week?s debate, this is billions of dollars that the president should have spent on other reliable energy sources or to support our teachers.

At the height of the presidential election campaign and with critical congressional and state legislative seats up for grab, Mainers must demand honesty and learn more about the people vying for votes.

The media is not looking out for your best interest, so it is up to each individual to do their homework on the issues. Do not be afraid to ask candidate?s tough questions when they knock at your door. And when they assume office, we must hold our elected officials accountable for their actions.

Too many failed policies have affected where we are today, and we cannot afford to continue on this path with so much on the line.

Thank you.

Radio Address: State of the Economy

October 13, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Millions of Americans were jobless and business bankruptcies reached their highest level since the Great Depression; incomes dropped and unemployment benefits were exhausted. Fifty years ago our economy was in trouble and President John F. Kennedy was candid with his words. He said the ?state of our economy is disturbing.?

This look back to 1961 mirrors the hardships Americans face today. Our recovery has been anemic and incomplete, millions of Americans are without jobs, and the U.S. has out-of-control debt which is creating uncertainty for the future state of our economy.

There is a glimmer of hope, however, coming from the states. Like Congress, governors face challenges, but instead of ignoring problems states are taking action. Reform-minded governors have championed tax reforms, reined in spending and downsized government. At the same time, governors are supporting policies that attract business investment and cut through government red tape.

Tax reform is one way to get us on the road to real recovery. The Tax Foundation released recently its 2013 State Business Tax Climate Index comparing tax rates and policies across states. Maine saw the greatest improvement in its tax ranking this year, moving from 37th to 30th.

This is a positive move for the people of Maine. Last year, my Administration repealed our individual alternative minimum tax and we eliminated net operating losses for businesses. Those measures alone will save $15 million annually.

In 2013 additional changes to Maine?s tax structure, including lower brackets for individual income taxes will take effect. This reform was not considered in this year?s report and will likely result in even further improvements in Maine?s ranking. Estimates indicate approximately 440,000 Maine resident returns will have an average reduction in their individual income tax liability of $340 in tax year 2013, an average decrease of 11 percent. A family of four, according to Maine Revenue Service, with $50,000 of Maine Adjusted Gross Income will have a reduction of $300 or a 25 percent cut. Furthermore, approximately 70,000 working Maine people at the lowest income levels will have their state income taxes eliminated completely. Yet another sign of hope.

Taxes are a job-killer. When businesses are squeezed by taxes Mainers lose. We lose opportunities to attract new jobs and earn better wages. This is why many governors are focusing on tax reform. The Cato Institute recently ranked all governors based on their fiscal policy. Four states, including Maine, received an A. Governors who cut taxes and spending received the highest grades while lower marks went to states which expanded government with tax-and-spend policies.

If there is one lesson we have learned during the past four years it is that we cannot tax and spend our way out of economic troubles. No amount of stimulus money will dig us out of this hole. The only way we can get ahead again is to understand our fiscal limitations and prioritize our needs from wants. What we may want is not necessarily what we need or can afford.

While some rely on hope to evoke change, change does not come without hard work. This brings me back to one of my favorite quotes from President Kennedy: ?And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you ? ask what you can do for your country.?

It?s time we revive the American Dream and rebuild our way of life. I believe that we were once truly the Land of the free and with hard work we can find that freedom again.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: American Patriots

October 27, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Those who know me know I enjoy reading history ? presidential biographies are my favorites. Recently, I spent a few evenings with Bill O?Reilly?s book ?Killing Lincoln.? I have read many books on President Abraham Lincoln?s assassination; however, O?Reilly captures this American tragedy, as no other author has. It really is a thrilling read and I recommend the book.

I think there is a lot to be learned from history and I like to think the mistakes and mishaps of the past will not be repeated. But I am not sure this is the case.

For 236 years our constitution has tried to uphold our Founding Fathers intent ? to protect Americans rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. What I am sure our Founding Fathers did not have in mind is the type of dishonest campaign that those who wish to lead our country and state ? both incumbents and challengers ? are undertaking.

It?s been called by some, ?the mean season.? Don?t get me wrong, our past doesn?t demonstrate that we all have been nice during election season. During the 1864 race, General George McClellan mocked President Lincoln as a ?baboon.? The president was also called ?two-faced? to which he replied, ?If I had two faces, would I be wearing this one?? Humor aside that was in the middle of the Civil War. Now, we are in the midst of a different kind of war. Words are the arsenal and they have a potentially devastating consequence to a campaign.

A recent attack ad against State Senate president Kevin Raye who is running against U.S. Representative Mike Michaud falsely claims that Raye spent $20-thousand dollars on a new kitchen at the State House. Even the Portland Press Herald came out in its so-called ?truth test? report saying this was a ?whopper? of a lie.

There is a difference between calling people names and lying.

The fact is this; we cannot rely on the media to tell us how to vote. While negative ads appear effective I think candidates and PACs are at fault for, at best being deceptive, at worst outright lying, which is not good for Maine or the country.

We have two basic political philosophies ? liberal and conservative ? but regardless of our views, we must learn to debate the issues with civility and integrity. As Americans, we all want our nation to be strong. And strength is found within its people.

Right now, I?m reading ?The American Patriot?s Almanac.? The book shares notable moments and people in our history.

In 1917, Martin Treptow enlisted in the Army to fight in World War I. In his diary he wrote, ?The crisis we are facing today?requires our best effort, and our willingness to believe in ourselves and to believe in our capacity to perform great deeds; to believe that together, with God?s help, we can and will resolve the problems which now confront us. And, after all, why shouldn?t we believe that? We are Americans.?

Treptow was killed on the battlefield.

Pat Tillman was a pro football player. In 2000, he set a team record for number of tackles. But after 9/11 he traded his $3 million dollar salary to serve his country. Unfortunately, he was killed in Afghanistan in 2004. As one of Tillman?s coaches said, ?The spirit of Pat Tillman is the heart of this country.?

These brave men remind us during this campaign season that we are one nation, and one people. Honesty, integrity and civility are their due for the ultimate sacrifice they and so many other Americans have made. We must never forget, before we are Democrats or Republicans, we are Americans.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The Heart of Maine

November 17, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

When Mainers say grace at the Thanksgiving table Thursday, we will offer thanks to the family, friends and community who surround and support us.

Maine people have a tradition of caring for their neighbors as they care for themselves and their own families.

I?ve seen that spirit of goodwill during the recent recession as many Mainers kindly stepped-up to help those less fortunate.

This fall, the First Lady and I had the honor to open our own doors for three donation days as part of our second annual Blaine House Food Drive. Our friends at the Good Shepherd Food Bank will help distribute that food to those who need it most. We were humbled by the hundreds of Mainers who came from across the state to give thousands of pounds of non-perishable foods.

A group of Girl Scouts traveled all the way from Washington County on a Saturday, simply because they wanted to help others. They learned ? as so many Mainers have ? that when we give, we also receive.

It was important for Ann and me to instill in our children the gift of service to others. It has been a tradition for our family to help the less fortunate in our community. I know how difficult it can be to swallow your pride and ask for help. But it was a privilege for our family to give grace and the dignity deserved to those who had fallen on tough times.

I know first-hand they can get back up.

As I reflect on what I am most appreciative of this Thanksgiving, it is not a government policy or program, but the great and generous spirit of the people of Maine.

As someone who has been without, I know it is not government hand-outs but the commitment and love of Maine people and community organizations that improves lives and strengthens our State.

I sincerely believe more in the heart of people, than in the soul of government.

Government certainly should and must safeguard our most vulnerable, but government cannot provide what we need most.

The care and compassion in each of us ? shared with others especially this time of year ? will make the most difference in people?s lives. We are all in this together.

In that spirit, I want to recognize that many of our own neighbors to the south are spending Thanksgiving away from homes and towns that were devastated by Hurricane Sandy. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. And our thanks go to those ? including the many Mainers ? assisting with the recovery and rebuilding efforts.

Thank you for listening. Ann and I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.

Radio Address: A Maine Tradition with Worcestor Wreath

December 7, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is your Governor, Paul LePage.

Several weeks ago, I used my radio address to talk about the compassion of Maine people and their great generosity.

The heart of Maine beats especially strong this time of year, as many drop a dollar in a red Salvation Army kettles or a holiday ham at a local food pantry. Others ?including those who have little profit to part with? donate slightly worn coats or give of their time to serve meals at a shelter or shovel snow for a senior.

But perhaps our country?s most humbling show of heart at the holidays starts right here in Maine.

For the past 20 years, a caravan of volunteers makes its way from Washington County to Washington D.C. to lay thousands of wreaths on the graves of America?s heroes at Arlington National Cemetery. They are led by Morrill and Karen Worcester who own Worcester Wreath in Harrington.

It has become an annual pilgrimage for dozens of Maine people, Gold Star families, the Patriot Guard Riders and the Maine State Police. In each state along the way, stops are made for wreath-laying ceremonies at memorials, visits at veteran?s homes and education programs at schools.

Aboard one of the eight tractor trailers heading south today is a woman who has become a leading voice in raising awareness and appreciation of our military and veterans. She?s known by me and those on the road as Ann (Annabanana). And she?s your First Lady.

Ann, I am so proud that you?ve pledged to continue participating each year that I am Governor. Those of you who make this journey show our nation what it means to be from Maine. And I look forward to joining you at Arlington National Cemetery next week for the wreath laying.

Thank you, Paul.

Last year?s Wreaths Across America was a trip of a lifetime.

I was touched by the schoolchildren who stood in the driving cold rain to greet us with cheers of U-S-A, U-S-A. The handshakes that turned to hugs from veterans. And I will never forget Candy, a Gold Star mother, who was also on the trip to Arlington. After our wreath ceremony in the chapel at WestPoint, a small group of us accompanied her to a row of graves. There she pointed to one of the gravestones and introduced us to her son Thomas. We held hands and said a prayer and then I asked her how she?d made the difficult decision to leave her son at West Point, when she lived in Texas.

?Ann, it was very easy,? she told me. ?He?s with all his buddies, and he died doing what he loved to do.?

Our veterans, military members and their families are what make me most proud to be an American. This Maine-led commemorative convoy, now known as the world?s largest veteran?s parade, makes me proud to call the state home.

This year alone, Paul, myself, our two children and more than 15,000 other volunteers will lay more than 100-thousand wreaths at Arlington. And across this great country, more headstones and the heroes they honor will be remembered this holiday season with wreaths placed through this program.

The message of our mission is a meaningful one. REMEMBER the fallen. HONOR those that serve and their families and TEACH our children the value of freedom.

As we celebrate the holiday, please remember the true spirit of the season, which shines in Wreaths Across America and those it pays tribute to. It is not just giving a gift, but giving of ourselves.

Happy holidays from our family to yours. And God bless our troops, God bless the great State of Maine, and God bless the United States of America.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Stand up and Speak up to End Domestic Violence

December 14, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

With the holidays upon us, it is a time to celebrate with family, be with friends, and help our neighbors. But even with the excitement of the holidays, there is a dark reality this time of year, and it relates to the rise in domestic violence crimes in Maine.

Recently, the murder of Kasandra Perkins has grabbed national headlines and yet again draws attention to domestic violence.

Kasandra?s boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs football player, Jovan Belcher who was also a University of Maine graduate shot Kasandra nine times before killing himself. Three days before Thanksgiving, in Alton, another domestic violence tragedy occurred. Thirty-nine year old Danielle Reed was killed in an apparent murder suicide which involved her estranged husband and his friend. These deaths are a brutal reminder of the devastating eff ects of domestic violence.

These three deaths in Alton bring the number of homicides in Maine this year to 19, with nine of those deemed domestic violence-related deaths.

I cannot stress enough that these are not just numbers; these are our family, friends, and members of our communities.

Each year between 50 and 60% of homicides in Maine are domestic violence related. This is not a trend we want to see continue.

In 2011, Maine law enforcement received more than five-thousand calls related to domestic violence assaults. These crimes are on the rise in Maine and it is troubling. As a society, we can stand up and say this is unacceptable. Domestic violence awareness is crucial to eliminating the problem. We need a coordinated, community response to put an end to domestic violence now and for the next generation. Everyone has to step up. Personally, I would like to see men step up to the plate on this pivotal issue and they have.

We have many groups started by men including UMaine?s Male Athletes Against Domestic Violence, Boys to Men, and Guys and Pies are just a few that are proactive with young men and raising awareness about domestic violence and abuse. But we all know that it will take more than men to eliminate this heinous crime. It will take families and communities coming together to say enough is enough.

I encourage you to talk with your family members about domestic violence. It?s likely that you or someone you know has been affected by this abuse. As a survivor, I know how difficult it is to speak up, especially when you?ve experience the abuse yourself. This is a sobering subject, but we must all stand up and speak up together ? we must do it in their memory and to help those who are affecting by abuse right now.

Finally, I would like to leave you with information that has saved lives. The most dangerous time for a victim is when they try to end an abusive relationship. The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence is committed to ensuring safety for victims.

If you are in or you know of someone in a harmful or potentially harmful situation, please, pick up the phone and call. The Coalition has resources to help. The Statewide Domestic Violence Helpline is 1-866-83-4HELP. That?s 1-866-834-4357.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost a loved one to domestic violence.

Thank you for listening. Be safe and enjoy your weekend.

Radio Address: Holiday Message from Governor LePage

December 21, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Celebration and family are at the heart of the holidays. It is a time of giving to those less fortunate, remembering our troops around the world who are fighting to keep us safe, and reflecting on the year gone by.

Ann and I recently had the opportunity to visit one of the most sacred grounds of our nation, Arlington National Cemetery. As the final resting place for more than 400,000 military war casualties and their families, dating back to the Civil War, I, again, was reminded about the true value of freedom. Freedom is not free ? it is a privilege bestowed upon us thanks to the bravery and dedicated service of our military members.

It is a humbling experience to walk the rolling hills laying wreaths on the gravestones of America?s heroes. A national shrine, the cemetery is a living history of American freedom.

The names engraved in stone served our nation with dignity and honor. We are forever grateful and treat their families with respect and compassion.

I would like to share a story of one veteran we visited. Before my wife and I left, Ann received a note from a Navy veteran, Gair MacKenzie, from Bridgton, who wrote about the life of Commander Robert Schlegel, of the United States Navy, a shipmate and friend.

Commander Schlegel was born in Gray and was the first Mainer killed as a result of the terrorist act on the Pentagon September 11, 2001. He was 38 years old.

Commander Schlegel?s gravestone is located at Arlington and paid our respects. Ann and I laid a wreath and our family said a prayer. It was a humbling moment we will never forget.

Our Nation lost a great many people, yet our spirit is not broken. We continue to fight in the name of freedom because it is the foundation which our land symbolizes.

On Friday, I spoke by video phone with the 488th Military Police Company from Waterville and Houlton. One hundred Soldiers from the unit are in Afghanistan. They deployed in July and we anticipate their safe return in about six months.

I also spoke with members of Charley Company First of the 126th Aviation from Bangor. The unit, with 79 Soldiers, is in Kuwait. They deployed in May and will return in January.

Additionally, four members of the 121st Public Affairs Detachment are in Kosovo. And one of those members was able to join us.

As you and I are fortunate to celebrate with family and friends, the holidays are especially difficult for families with deployed loved ones. It was an honor to thank them for their service and let them know they are in our thoughts and prayers.

We prayed for many fellow Americans throughout the year and especially in recent days. Let us be thankful as Christmas nears for our family, children, friends and community. In times of tragedy we band together as Americans. 9-11 proved America?s resolve and Sandy Hook is doing the same. We move forward, but we never forget.

God Bless America and I wish you and yours the very best as we head into the New Year.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all.

Radio Address: New Year Message on Safety from Governor LePage

December 28, 2012

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

The number of motor vehicle crashes, deaths, and related injuries occurring on our roadways continue to have a devastating toll on our citizens and visitors to our great State.

As of this past week, 163 people have died on Maine roads during 2012 and that is too many deaths, too many relatives, too many friends and too many Maine citizens. The safest driving occurs when drivers direct full attention to the road and their surroundings.

Most alarming is the number of young drivers killed as a result of distracted driving. Sadly, 14 teens have died on Maine roads during the past year. Twenty-seven fatalities involved 20 to 24 year olds.

Unfortunately, too high of a percentage of all crashes are due to driver error. Last year, roughly 10 percent of vehicle fatalities were a result of distracted driving.

Law enforcement is serious about cracking down on distracted driving and texting while behind the wheel.

While no state bans cell phone use for all drivers, many prohibit use by young drivers. Thirty-two states, including Maine, ban cell phone use by novice drivers and texting while driving is illegal for all motorists in Maine.

I would also like to take a moment to talk about the importance of buckling up. Seatbelts save lives.

Each year, approximately 42,000 Americans die in traffic crashes and another three million are injured. Many of these deaths and injuries are preventable if the victims had been wearing safety belts.

Fifty percent of young drivers in Maine who die in motor vehicle crashes did not buckle up.

It is important to protect our citizens. That is why I support the effort of the Maine State Police in stepping up enforcement of seatbelt violations, especially for young drivers.

In addition to this effort, law enforcement across our State will be looking to prevent drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel.

Federal money is helping pay for the ?Drive Sober Maine!? campaign that started in December and will continue into the New Year.

Fifty-two Maine highway agencies, from Fort Fairfield to Kittery will work overtime to patrol at places and times where drunk driving is most common.

Alcohol related traffic deaths doubled in the first six months of 2012 with 32 OUI deaths compared to 15 deaths during the same period in 2011.

Whether it is drinking and driving or distracted driving ? the consequences of either are too great. Lives are on the line and no life is worth losing.

As we head into 2013, it is my sincere wish that all Mainers enjoy the journey ahead of them.

Do not drink and drive and think twice about texting when behind the wheel. A safe driver is a responsible driver.

Ann and I would like to wish everyone a very safe and prosperous New Year.

Radio Address: Hardworking Mainers Pay Their Bills Government Should Too

January 7, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

This week, newly elected officials across our country and state started what is supposed to be the work of ?the people.? Budget talk has dominated discussions for months and the ?so called? fiscal cliff is starting to hit home for many Mainers.

Maine?s average household income is about $48-thousand, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and the federal payroll tax change will affect thousands of working families leaving them with less money.

An average family will lose about one-thousand dollars from their paycheck in 2013 because of the payroll tax change ? a decrease that will likely make it difficult for Mainers to pay their own bills.

I am proud to share with Mainers that the tax cuts passed by the Maine Legislature in the last biennium will save a family of four with an income of $48,000 a little more than $300 annually.

Unfortunately, there doesn?t appear to be much light at the end of the tunnel on the national stage. A new Congress took office this week and those lawmakers will soon be confronted with mounting debt to the tune of $16-trillion. It remains unclear as to whether or not lawmakers will increase the debt ceiling. Credit rating agencies have repeatedly warned that the United States could face another downgrade by 2014, or sooner, if Congress doesn't come up with a plan to reduce the national debt.

Unlike Washington, Maine does not have the luxury of printing money or increasing any sort of debt ceiling. We must balance a budget and we must pay our bills.

Currently, Maine owes hospitals nearly $500-million. These overdue bills are from welfare reimbursements that go back as far as 2009. Two years ago, I led the effort to ensure Maine hospitals would get their money and about $250 million was paid. But we have to settle up now for a couple of reasons. First, it is putting good careers on the line. Positions are unfilled, layoffs have occurred, and pay cuts have been taken by workers to fill the void.

Second, if we neglect to pay now, Maine taxpayers will pay more later. Right now, the State owes $484 million with the State share totaling $186 million at the moment. You see, since 2010, the federal government has provided less reimbursement money for welfare programs.

The Obama Administration which is saving the federal government money is reducing match rates, but it is making states dig deeper into their budgets to offset the difference.

In 2010, for every dollar Maine spent on welfare, the federal government gave us three dollars. Today, Maine receives only about one dollar and seventy cents for every dollar the State pays.

The future is not getting any brighter in Washington so the State can expect the match rate to continue to go down. And let?s not forget its Maine taxpayers who are paying the bill.

This is serious. Maine families have budgets and have to live within their means and I don?t think the government should be treated any different. Hard working Mainers pay their bills and the government should too ? after all, it is the people?s money the government has.

Paying Maine hospitals will help to fuel a sluggish economy. Five-hundred million dollars pumped into an industry that employs 30-thousand Mainers will enable the struggling economy to stabilize. And in order to balance budgets, the State needs a robust economy.

Ignoring this problem is simply irresponsible. It puts both the economy and good paying healthcare careers in jeopardy. To remain solvent, Maine people pay their bills, and balance their checkbook. It is simply time that Maine State Government do the same.

We need to let lawmakers know that it?s time to pay the bills.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Governor LePage's Budget Message

January 11, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

These are challenging and difficult times. Our State is facing a fiscal crisis and we need to examine our spending practices, evaluate the delivery of services and gain control of our welfare system. Maine?s economic security and future is at stake and we must make hard choices so we do not leave our children with unmanageable debt.

My challenge as Governor ? and our challenge as a State ? is to find ways to help Maine families prosper, improve the business climate, foster better educational opportunities while still protecting the most vulnerable.

Maine, like many States, is facing additional hardship because of the sluggish national economy and the burden felt from deep cuts from the federal government. Maine already has one of the highest tax burdens, so it is imperative, as we go through the budget process, that we resist the option of raising taxes on hardworking Mainers.

The federal government established many of the welfare programs that Maine people are enrolled in. States were enticed to participate by high federal match rates that subsidize the cost. But now with the feds debt load above $16 trillion, matching funds for programs like Medicaid are being reduced placing an added weight on the backs of Maine taxpayers.
For all the talk of stimulus from the federal government, the fact is that they are putting Maine in deeper debt. Maine must find its own path through this crisis. We must bring our spending in line with our revenues.

My budget proposal before lawmakers includes necessary reforms and achieves a budget that meets the needs of people while protecting our financial and economic security. This budget minimizes impact to education. It is an opportunity to redesign programs and right-size government. It also allows us to gain control of how we spend money and make necessary systemic changes.

This problem did not develop overnight and cannot be fixed overnight. The process to overhaul and review our welfare programs to something we can afford is an enormous and unpleasant task. However, getting our fiscal house in order is a necessary step in creating a better business climate with good paying jobs with higher wages. Because we are faced with a severe budget situation and rising welfare costs, we need to work together to do what is in the best interest of the Maine people.

Nearly eighty-percent of taxpayer money is allocated to two departments: health and human services and education and skyrocketing costs in these two areas affect other agencies and valuable programs.

For example, in the past decade, the state share of welfare spending has grown from nearly $500 million in 2002 to $1 billion in 2012. That is unsustainable.

Two years ago, this administration made it a priority to invest an additional $63 million into education. This year ? though general purpose aid to schools is still higher than when I took office, we have had to make cuts.

While the federal government has not had a real budget in years, as Governor I am responsible for ensuring Maine has a balanced budget. This has meant State government has had to tighten its belt significantly. Local municipalities must do the same. Towns and cities will feel the effects of this budget through a temporary loss of revenue sharing. I commit to you here that we will restore revenue share as soon as this economy improves.

The State has made considerable efforts over the past two years to help municipalities stay afloat during the most challenging fiscal time since the Great Depression. However, the loss in revenue sharing in this proposed budget is a reflection of growth in welfare in Maine.

We made difficult choices to balance this budget. Some worthwhile programs are not funded - some have seen major reductions ? and we?ve prioritized your tax dollars on maintaining a safety net for the most vulnerable.

In our continued effort to right-size state government, this proposal eliminates about two-hundred state jobs and seeks to achieve an additional $30 million in savings by eliminating the lowest-value programs.

We?ve modified tax exemption programs like Circuit Breaker and the Homestead tax exemption to focus on the elderly and on veterans who serve our country.

There is no doubt about it - while there are a few bright spots in this budget, these were not easy decisions to make. But in the long-run, these choices are necessary to protect the future of our children and grandchildren, and create a plan for spending your tax dollars that is fiscally responsible and will set us on the path to recovery.

Radio Address: Paying It Back, Moving Maine Forward

January 18, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Maine people work hard to pay their bills, and government should too.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

This week, I submitted emergency legislation that when enacted, will lower Maine?s debt by nearly half of a billion dollars. Maine owes its hospitals $484 million in unpaid medical bills which go back as far as four years ago.

Many Mainers know what it is like to juggle their bills until pay day arrives. Imagine waiting for up to four years to be paid for your work.

The State has used its hospitals to bankroll its expansion of welfare.

Paying our bills is critical for Maine?s economy, ensuring hospitals are paid the money owed to them, protecting good paying jobs, and adding more opportunities for new jobs.

It?s time we pay it back and erase this debt so Maine can move forward.

For Maine to receive the best return on investment, we must act now.

The federal governments matching rate for Medicaid provides Maine with one dollar and seventy cents for every State dollar. The matching rate drops every year. To settle this bill, Maine will spend $186 million while the federal government pays nearly $300 million.

All 39 hospitals in Maine will finally be paid for services rendered under my plan.

Here are the facts. My plan pays our hospitals with revenues from liquor sales. It restructures the management of the liquor business, estimating in upwards of 40 million annually will be generated from the liquor sales. It also provides consumers and retailers a better deal than today.

As part of this plan, the State will retain operational control over liquor sales starting in the summer of 2014 when the current 10-year private contract expires. That contract has cost Maine hundreds of millions, and my plan will return these revenues to the State.

We will contract out many services, among those logistics and warehousing.

I believe under State management, we can actually grow this business by lowering prices on spirits so Maine can better compete with New Hampshire. It will also give a better value to the customer.

The fact is, with this plan, the State will see a much greater return on investment.

These actions make right two very costly mistakes of my predecessor: the bargain basement, shortsighted 10-year sell-off in 2004 of one of the State?s most reliable revenue streams ? our liquor business ? and the decision to stop settling-up our hospital bills in an attempt to pay for welfare.

And, because we are settling up on the old debt, it will be financially prudent to issue the more than $100 million in outstanding, authorized bonds to boost Maine?s economy.

Between paying off the hospitals and selling the bonds, nearly $600 million of investment will kick-start the Maine economy this spring and summer.

This is the right thing to do and it will have a dramatic effect in creating jobs and investment and improving Maine?s job opportunities across the State.

It is my intention to ask the House and Senate to enact this legislation quickly.

With the full support of the Legislature ? which I hope will put politics aside and Maine people first ? hospitals could receive their payments in a matter of months.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Finding Solutions Together to Balance Budgets

January 25, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Maine is in the middle of a cold spell. With rising prices for heating oil, Mainers are spending more to fill their tanks to keep warm this winter. Gas, groceries, and the basic necessities are increasing forcing Maine families to manage tight budgets.

Furthermore, the federal government takes more from your paycheck. The average family is paying 1000 dollars more in payroll taxes.

I believe Mainers should be able to keep more of their hard-earned money. That?s why I have lowered taxes for the majority of Mainers. 70,000 low income Mainers will not pay income tax this year, and families making an average income of 48-thousand dollars will have about 300 dollars more for their budget.

We simply cannot tax our way to recovery. We cannot continue to increase taxes to fix our welfare problem. And we cannot spend money we do not have.

So-called stimulus dollars from the federal government, or what I consider federal welfare, are gone. Matching funds are being cut. Maine stands to lose $40 million in federal funding for Medicaid in the next two years.

However, we must find a way to pay our bills. We must protect the most vulnerable. The bottom line is we must be frugal with tax dollars and get the best value from the limited resources.

Over the past few weeks, you?ve heard much from the loyal opposition about what they don?t like about my budget proposal, but let me be clear ? you haven?t heard any solutions from them.

One of the more challenging pieces to balance the budget is the temporary elimination of revenue sharing to communities.

Unfortunately, information distributed by the Maine Municipal Association is not accurate and completely self-serving. MMA claims that municipalities will lose 284 million over the next two years. What they don?t tell you is in previous years revenue sharing has never been fully funded dating back to my predecessor. While I would like to share more money with towns and cities, we simply do not have it.

In an effort to provide Mainers with an accurate picture of the impact to community budgets we?ve done an analysis. For example, the City of Portland?s budget last year was 291 million dollars. Reducing all of its revenue sharing funding based on past practices amounts to 6 million dollars. This equals 2 percent of the overall city budget.

Last year, Bangor?s budget was about 144 million dollars. The State provided three and a half million ? or 3 percent of its budget.

Waterville?s share of State revenue is about 4 percent of its total budget of nearly 41 million dollars. As Mayor of Waterville for 8 years, I was able to balance budgets, while reducing property taxes. Working together with a Democratic City Council, I was able to reduce spending and lower taxes. A temporary loss in revenue sharing does not mean that property taxes will automatically go up. That is a local choice. It is not impossible for local government to save money, consolidate services and identify priorities.

If revenue sharing makes up as little as 2 to 4 percent of community budgets, it is reasonable to request local officials to find alternatives. These are difficult times, we must work together to move Maine forward.

There are many towns and cities across our State that can consolidate services and save money. For instance, Fairfield, Oakland, Waterville and Winslow all are within a 5 mile radius. Each has their own fire and police, schools, public works personnel along with many other duplicative services. Combined these communities are approximately the size of Lewiston. There are ways for communities to work together. However, home rule or choosing to go at it alone is an expensive choice.

Unfortunately, I do not have many popular options when it comes to balancing a budget. The recent downgrade from Fitch was based primarily on Maine?s growing welfare costs and not paying its bills. The federal government compounds our financial challenges with little flexibility and less funding every year.

Whether it?s the state or federal budget, it?s obvious ? times are tough and hard choices need to be made.

Until the Legislature makes long-term fixes to welfare in our State our financial problems will continue.

My proposal isn?t perfect, but I am confident it will get us through this crisis.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Reducing Energy & Electricity Prices for the People of Maine

February 2, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

It is no secret that the federal government is deep in debt. Yet politicians in Washington continue to recklessly borrow more and more money for new government programs.

For example, the U.S. Department of Energy proudly touts that since 2009, $90 billion dollars has been spent on ?government investments and tax incentives? for clean energy projects. The return on those investments has not been overly successful in developing new technologies; Solyndra comes to mind.

And Maine families who purchase heating oil or gasoline know all too well that these technologies have not lowered the price of energy. The end result of this $90 billion spending spree was that large multinational corporations came out ahead.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the hard working American taxpayers. If it was critical to spend this money why not devote resources to find ways to lower energy bills for the American people, and help our small businesses and job creators.

While our country faces huge energy challenges, it is even more critical that we address energy costs in Maine. Maine families pay more than 24% above the national average for energy. Our businesses and job creators pay 14% more.

It is simply wrong to ask Maine people to foot the bill for high priced energy.

Let me be clear, I am not for or against any particular renewable energy source. What I support are sources of energy that reduce prices to consumers. Renewable energy is a growing part of today?s energy supply, and has powered Maine for generations.

Hydropower dams, for example, continue to supply reliable and cost effective energy. In fact, according to studies, hydropower makes up more than 80% of global renewable power.

There are a variety of renewable energy resources on the market, but some are much more expensive than others. Studies have shown that offshore wind is extremely expensive and relies overwhelmingly on government subsidies.

These subsidies are exactly why Statoil, a multinational energy corporation, came to Maine. The Maine Public Utilities Commission approved Statoil?s plan to build their Ocean wind farm off the coast of Maine.

The PUC?s decision will ultimately lead to increased electricity rates on Maine people by $200 million over 20 years. Eight hundred thousand Maine households will be forced to fund this project while Statoil offers no guarantee it will invest in Maine.

Without assurances of investments in jobs such as turbine and maintenance facilities, we could be missing out on millions more.

The fact is simple: it would be a far better investment to use that money to lower our energy bills. Helping Mainers with converting to modern technology or simply reducing our energy costs would help grow our economy and lead to more ? better ? jobs for Mainers.

Part of the problem, is that State government mandates what types of energy it buys ? no matter the cost. It is bad policy made by the previous administration because it allows for corporate greed over the best interest of Maine people.

Lower energy prices will help stimulate Maine?s economy. When people and businesses, save money, more disposable income can be spent in other ways. Lower energy prices reduce production costs for nearly all goods and services making them more affordable.

I will continue to find solutions that reduce energy costs for Mainers.

Maine people want a lower cost of living, more opportunities, and the ability to build a life in Maine. Government should focus on giving the Maine people what they deserve.

With the right approach and policy decisions our economy will recover, and Mainers will prosper.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Mainers Deserve an Open Government

February 8, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

It was an honor to speak with Maine families during my State of the State address and reflect honestly on the progress made during the past two years and the challenges we face as a State.

I believe you and your family can prosper as long as government is efficient and effective.

You deserve a government you can trust and afford. Government should be transparent to the public. You deserve to know how government spends taxpayer dollars.

During my campaign for Governor, I promised that I would help create an online tool to show how the state spends your money. I?m pleased to announce that the website is now available. Open Checkbook gives Mainers information about how their hard-earned taxpayer dollars are used by government by taking budget data out of government filing cabinets and making it available to you for the first time in an easy-to-access way.

The website is opencheckbook.maine.gov.

It enables you to search details of state spending, including vendor payments and employee compensation. We plan to expand the site even more in the coming months to include revenue data and other details related to budget expenses.

Future enhancements will include expanded graphs and budget reports. Details on vendor payments will be uploaded to the website every month and employee compensation, including salary and benefits, will be updated on an annual basis.

This site was funded by saving money in other programs. No additional taxpayer dollars were used to create this new service.

I would also like to take a moment to praise Maine Public Broadcasting Network for their commitment to a transparent and open government.

This week, it launched Maine Capitol Connection, a free, over-the-air television channel dedicated to live, day-to-day coverage of the Maine State Legislature.

Viewers will have access to daily work sessions of the Maine Senate and House of Representatives. Important committee hearings, special events, and selected press conferences will be broadcast each session.

I?ve had the opportunity over the past two years to work with Mal Leary, who is now leading a team of staff as the Managing Editor and Director of the station. I congratulate Mal for his work to get this project up and running.

Mainers deserve a government that is open. Both Open Checkbook and Maine Capitol Connection provide you with the knowledge and power to engage and participate in the democratic process. I encourage you to continue to be an active and informed citizen. Your participation will help make Maine a better place.

Radio Address: A Greater Focus for Mainers on Mental Health Care

February 24, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

An estimated 60 million Americans suffer from some form of mental health issue in a given year.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

In 1998, Christine Berry started a new program ? the first of its kind in Maine ? that supported people with mental illness. That year, the High Hopes Clubhouse opened in Waterville. At the time, I was managing Marden?s and was the first person to offer a Clubhouse member employment.

With more than 300 clubhouses around the world, the clubhouse model is a collaborative community where members work side by side with staff to recover from mental illness and be placed in meaningful employment. This is achieved through education and social programs, as well as participation in running Clubhouse operations. In all Clubhouse placements, the member is an employee of the company, earns a competitive wage and receives a paycheck directly from the company.

I was proud to have clubhouse members work at Marden?s because they inspired all of us to work to our full potential. Maine now has four clubhouses, and my Administration will continue to support this worthy program.

Unfortunately, despite Maine?s efforts, society has been silent on the issue of mental illness for too long. Folks afflicted with mental disorders are stigmatized, and that stereotype leads to misinformation, which helps no one.

We must correct the immediate assumption that mental illness equals violence; it does not. Recent tragedies in Aurora, Colorado and Newtown, Connecticut are horrific and the loss of life unconscionable. Increasingly, experts are discovering mental health problems are an issue for those committing these violent acts.

The next step is to change the national conversation. A national dialogue is critical to changing the conversation surrounding mental health, improving understanding and removing the stigma.

This is why I have called on the Obama Administration and Maine?s Congressional Delegation to place a greater focus on mental health issues. In any given year, one in four adults experiences a mental health issue.

Recently, the National Alliance on Mental Illness gave Maine a B for its delivery of mental health care. The report cited that Maine increased its state mental health budget by 15 percent from 2009 to 2012 and created an award-winning re-entry program for young people who are afflicted by mental illness. However, the Alliance, which found problems in every state, gave the United States an overall grade of D for its delivery of mental health care.

In a time when budgets are constricted and federal funding is decreasing, states must have the flexibility to manage their own health care programs. It is imperative that states have the ability to determine how to best use their limited resources and protect our most vulnerable.

I maintain that our most vulnerable include those with mental illness. Recovery is real, and there are effective, evidenced-based and promising practices for prevention, intervention and treatments of mental illness. The clubhouses in Augusta, Bangor, Lewiston and Waterville are shining examples of how a communities can be strengthened though education and thoughtful decision-making.

Today, the State of Maine faces significant financial challenges, and policymaking is ongoing at the Capitol. In fact, during the upcoming weeks and months, legislators will debate and the public will add to the discussion regarding the biennial budget. Funding for mental health services is certain to be part of the conversation.

I have proposed 2 million dollars to fund services for mental health care throughout Maine. While we face difficulties to achieve a balanced budget, I commit to doing what I can to support mental illness initiatives that foster healthier individuals and communities.

To those who dedicate themselves to working with people suffering from mental illness, I commend you. For those needing mental health services, please call 2-1-1 to find out what programs are available in your area. There is a road to recovery, and we want to be there to help.

Radio Address: Accountability, Flexibility, and Transparency are all Good for Government

March 1, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Back in early August, my administration sought a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that would give us the flexibility to require Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card users to show photo identification. They denied our request, saying that the use of photo ID would be ineffective in reducing fraud and abuse.

This is a shocking statement.

Having spent my life in the private sector, I know businesses do not take security lightly. If a business?s security is breached, they will lose customers. Many commercial credit and debit cards now include a customer?s photograph on the card as an enhanced security measure, and retailers nearly always ask for ID before accepting checks.

Adding a security feature that is common in the private sector is a reasonable step to ensure that food supplement benefits paid with public dollars are spent wisely.

In fact, this is why the Food and Nutrition Act specifically allows for identification to be placed on EBT cards, as New York State currently does. There is no functional difference between placing a photograph directly on the EBT card and requiring a separate photo ID to be shown. The same goal is achieved either way. That?s why the denial is so disturbing.

Also disturbing is the way in which our state received news of the denial.

Last week, before we had even received notification of the denial, the press asked for our comment on the rejection of our request.

We reached out to USDA staff to find out what was going on. They told us their staff had neglected to forward the rejection letter to Maine?s DHHS office, but that Representatives Chellie Pingree and Mike Michaud ? and the press ? had already received the denial letter.

This is on the heels of a very similar scenario with the U.S. Department of Labor in which a letter was sent to Maine?s congressional offices ? and promptly released to the media - before it was released to us.

Once could be an accident, twice may be a coincidence, but three times is a pattern. That?s why I have written to the Obama Administration asking if Washington would be kind enough to send us these letters before sharing them with everyone else.

Let me be clear: we are not disturbed that the press received these letters, but rather that we had not received them first. The federal government must be held accountable for these serious mistakes in protocol and common courtesy.

Accountability is essential in state government, as well. The State of Maine employs 13-thousand people, and their public service is of vital importance to Maine people. In two years, we have lowered taxes, reduced red tape, improved permitting processes, increased education funding, and strengthened domestic violence laws.

Among the good work done every day in state agencies, there is a lot of interaction between the state and federal government. We?re doing our part in good faith, but we need the same in return.

Transparency is another element necessary in government ? both at state and federal levels. This is why I have directed the departments in my administration to share every transaction involving taxpayer dollars with our Maine Open Checkbook website. Today, I am proud to announce that the new site has received more than 85,000 hits. I encourage you to use this website as a tool to find out how your hard-earned tax dollars are spent.

The goal of efficient and effective government requires accountability, flexibility and transparency. It is only when we truly work together and share these principles that we can earn the trust of our hard-working taxpayers.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The Time to Play is Over; The Time to Pay is Now

March 15, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

My fellow Mainers, you?ve been hearing a lot about different plans to pay the hospitals, and you might be confused. Well, let me set the record straight.

I?ve been a businessman for my entire professional career, and I?ve negotiated dozens of contracts for successful companies. If you don?t understand finance and economics, these contracts can be confusing.

That?s why my plan to pay the hospitals is so simple. But the Democrats? plan is difficult to understand. It?s full of legal jargon, budget gimmicks and empty promises. It?s nothing more than political posturing.

To create my plan, we spent six months digging into the state?s budget, meeting with hospital administrators and consulting almost daily with officials at DHHS.

We audited the current liquor contract, and we relied on the expertise of our staff at the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations.

The Democrats relied on career politicians to rush out their plan 30 minutes before I was scheduled to testify on my bill. Their last-minute plan consists of three talking points, and it ties together complex issues that have nothing to do with paying the hospitals.

Their plan even includes Medicaid expansion. But we haven?t paid our hospitals the half-a-billion-dollars we owe them from our last expansion of welfare. How can we possibly expand Medicaid when we haven?t paid our bills?

My plan is very simple. We will use a revenue bond of $186 million and federal matching funds of $298 million to pay off the $484 million we owe our 39 hospitals. My new liquor contract will keep millions of dollars a year in Maine, instead of sending the money out of state.

This new revenue from the liquor contract will be used to make the bond payments. There will be enough revenue left over each year to pay for clean water and transportation projects, along with setting aside money for our state?s depleted rainy day fund. If you understand finance and economics, then you know that a healthy rainy day fund is essential for a good credit rating. Even better, my plan releases $105 million in bonds to immediately fund projects across Maine. My comprehensive plan would inject nearly $700 million into our economy. And we could pay the hospitals by June 1.

My plan has no risk to the taxpayer. It will create jobs, pay the hospitals, lower liquor prices for consumers and increase profit margins for Maine retailers. Better still, it will return millions of dollars a year to state coffers. I simply do not understand what the Democrats are trying to do. Their numbers don?t add up. Instead of using lawyers to devise their scheme, the Democrats should have asked a fifth-grade student to check their math.

They expect bidders to shell out 200 million dollars upfront. Folks, that is a lot of money for any company to come up with. And folks, money ain?t free.

Remember I said you need to understand finance and economics when making these contracts? Well, clearly, the Democrats do not understand the cost of money.

A private company would borrow 200 million dollars at much higher interest rates than we would with our revenue bond. This could cost up to 70 million dollars, depending on the interest rate.

How will the liquor contractor pay for this kind of loan-shark deal? And how will the contractor make a profit?

By taking money out of the liquor business. We will lose tens of millions of dollars that rightfully belongs to Maine.

In our plan, up to 500 million dollars will stay in Maine. That pays for many state projects, and it provides a lot of value to consumers, retailers and you, the Maine citizen.

No matter what you think of me, you know I understand business. So ask yourself, who do you trust? Democratic lawyers and career politicians with a last-minute plan, or a successful businessman who understands finance and economics?

Folks, I know a good deal when I see it. And I know a bad deal when I see it. The Democrats? deal is bad for the hospitals, bad for the liquor business and bad for you. So, please, don?t be fooled by their tactics.

Let?s pay the hospitals, let?s get a better deal on the liquor contract, and let?s put Mainers back to work. Let?s get it done.

Radio Address: Mainers Need Affordable Electricity Now

March 30, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

My fellow Mainers, I do not like being the bearer of disturbing news. But someone has to have the courage to tell the truth. Mainers are paying considerably more than you should for electricity.

Maine?s energy costs are 10th highest in the nation, and our electric bills are 34 percent higher than the national average. But it does not have to be this way. Affordable energy is available right here in Maine and just across our northern border.

I traveled recently to Canada to meet with officials from Hydro Quebec, which has plenty of hydro power to sell at very affordable prices. They told me that selling power to Maine is not worth it. And it?s all because Maine has a limit on how much renewable energy we can use, including hydropower.

Under Governors King and Baldacci, legislators enacted RPS ? the Renewable Portfolio Standard ? which restricts us to using only 100 megawatts of hydropower. Hydro Quebec has 41,000 megawatts of energy to sell, but they sell it in 1,000 megawatts increments. They wouldn?t even consider selling as little as 100 megawatts.

Here in Maine, we have over 700 megawatts of installed capacity for hydropower. It is clean, it is renewable and it is affordable. So why would we limit hydropower? The answer is simple: Wind.

The RPS law limits the amount of energy we can use from renewable sources, such as hydropower, solar, tidal, biomass and geothermal. But in 2009 legislators lifted the cap for wind power, which is expensive to build and produces a minimal amount of our electricity.

In 2011, we got only 4.5 percent of our electricity from wind. While it produces only a fraction of energy, it is some of the most expensive electricity we buy.

This arbitrary cap gives wind an unfair advantage. It prevents us from using more affordable forms of renewable energy, and it drives up the cost of your electricity. Yes, my fellow Mainers, you are paying higher rates for electricity to subsidize wind power. That is wrong.

Because of RPS, the average residential consumer will pay $365 more in electricity over the next five years. But that?s only part of the story. RPS will cost the average industrial user more than $63,000 in the next five years. And folks, that is a jobs killer.

Too many companies have told me that Maine?s high energy costs prevent them from doing business here. For example, I made a generous offer to attract a world-class company to come to the former Brunswick Naval Air Station. The company told me it would not come to Maine for two reasons: we are not a right-to-work state, and our energy costs are too high.

In another example, one of Maine?s major paper companies shut down for 3 days because it cost less for them to close than to pay their high electricity costs. Good employees are paying the price for these irrational energy laws.

These high energy costs are robbing you every month. They are killing jobs, forcing layoffs and discouraging major companies from even looking to Maine.

Folks, it doesn?t have to be this way. That?s why I have introduced a bill to remove the 100-megawatt limit on renewable sources of energy, including hydropower.

I agree that we should explore all of our energy options, including solar, tidal, biomass and geothermal power. But the market should decide which of these options should succeed, not burdensome laws that benefit wealthy owners of wind companies.

So join me in supporting this common-sense bill to get the most cost-effective energy we can provide. Tell your legislators you want affordable electricity, and you want it now.

Radio Address: Putting Students First is the Right Thing To Do

March 23, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Our first education conference was a great success, and I would like to thank everyone who participated. One of those participants was Mohamed Nur. He is a sophomore at Deering High School in Portland. He is a high honors student, a Maine Seeds of Peace leader, and he is very enthusiastic about his future.

But Mohamed noticed that not all students were as eager as he is to learn. So, he asked his peers why. The answer surprised him. He was told that they were uninterested in class because they didn?t like how or what they were being taught.

That answer led to a dialogue between Mohamed and his classmates. And that conversation is one every superintendent, principal, teacher, and parent should engage in, too. How do we motivate our students to learn?

A quality education is critical to any child?s well-being and future success. The status quo no longer works. Accountability, best practices and multiple options will help Maine students excel.

First, we must create a system with accountability. By measuring school performance and providing assistance to struggling schools, we can improve achievement.

High-performing states like Florida put accountability and improvement systems in place to identify schools needing support and then provide them with the tools and resources to succeed. In this legislative session, we?re proposing similar reform in Maine.

Options must be available to students and parents. In other words, they need choice. Giving students more learning options and the ability to determine what school is best suited for them will enhance every student?s public education.

Further, we must look at best practices. Many states and countries? educational systems have yielded proven results, and we should learn from these lessons.

Maryland, Massachusetts and Florida are consistently top performers in education. Just last year, Florida ranked first in the nation for teacher quality. At our conference, we investigated the Florida model and why it works.

Over the past few months, Education Commissioner Steve Bowen and I have worked on a number of education proposals, which we believe will get Maine?s schools headed in the right direction. An emphasis on higher skill sets for teachers is a common feature of reforms around the globe.

Currently, there are winners and losers in Maine?s education system. Union bosses and administrators enjoy many benefits and protections, while teachers and students have been displaced. There is a too much money going to unions and administration when the money should be put into the classroom.

That is why I have made targeted investments in education. While cuts to many state agency budgets have occurred, Maine?s schools will receive $84 million in additional funding over the first four years of my Administration.

Over the next two years, we will spend $2.5 million each year to help districts implement teacher and principal evaluation systems. We will spend $2 million to facilitate the transition to proficiency-based high school diplomas, ensuring that students graduate with a diploma that truly prepares them for life?s experience.

And we will spend $1.5 million to assist Career and Technical Education centers and regions in attaining national industry certification. This will enable students to receive college credit more easily and increase their chances at successful college completion.

Education should not be a partisan issue. Our children are not Democrats or Republicans; they are our future. Education gave me a future, and it is giving my children a future, too.

When our son Devon first came to Maine, his English was not very good. He was one of those students who would have told Mohamed he wasn?t interested in the lessons being taught.

One day, a friend told me, ?Paul, throw away all those dead white men books and get Devon something he enjoys.? So, we did. We bought him every golfing magazine we could find. His reading and writing skills soared, and we learned a valuable lesson: effective teachers not only motivate students, they find out what inspires them.

Let?s reward those teachers, and let?s inspire our students. Let?s give Mohamed and others the opportunities they deserve for a brighter future.

Radio Address: Refocusing Efficiency Maine Funds to Reduce Heating Costs for Mainers

April 6, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

My fellow Mainers, I told you about some disturbing news last week. You are paying considerably more than you should for electricity. This week, I have more bad news.

Supporters of more expensive energy are planning to double the fee that is added to your electric bill every month. This increase will fund Efficiency Maine, a program that offers cash and rebates to buy new light bulbs, weatherize homes and replace old appliances with energy-efficient models.

Efficiency Maine has been funded by federal stimulus money, a regional cap and trade program, and the System Benefits Charge, which is a fee added to your electric bill. This fee on your electric bill totals $13 million a year. Now that the stimulus money is gone, the new plan increases the System Benefits Charge to $30 million over three years. Average homeowners will pay $8 to $20 more a year to more to fund Efficiency Maine. Some say that this increase doesn?t amount to much. But electric bills for industrial businesses will jump by more than $50,000 over the next three years. That?s another slap in the face to our industrial companies, who are some of Maine?s biggest employers.

Maine?s energy costs are already the 10th highest in the nation, and are 34 percent higher than the national average. Our high energy costs already discourage new businesses from coming to Maine. Some companies have cited these costs as a major factor in their decision to move to other states with more affordable energy. This is a major reason the southeast is prospering.

Folks, in this economy, increasing electricity costs by even one penny is not prudent. The attitude in Augusta that raising taxes, increasing fees and spending more will solve our problems must stop. As long as I am your governor, I will fight any attempt to increase electricity costs on my fellow Mainers.

My administration has proposed a plan to target the biggest energy expense you have: heating your home. This week was the official conclusion of the heating season, and heating oil was the most expensive in our state?s history. Instead of raising rates to buy light bulbs and new refrigerators, we must overhaul the mission of Efficiency Maine to reduce heating costs for Mainers. The national average for heating costs is $2,000, but Mainers spend well over $3,000 a year just to stay warm.

Rather than investing in curly-cue light bulbs, we want Efficiency Maine to provide $600 for any Mainer who wants to convert their heating sources to more cost-effective systems. These systems include heat pumps, wood pellet furnaces and natural gas systems and highly efficient oil burners.

In addition to helping Mainers reduce their heating costs, my plan would reduce electricity costs for businesses. Our businesses pay the 12th highest rates for electricity in the country. This makes it difficult to attract business and jobs to Maine, and it prevents existing businesses from investing and hiring more Maine people.

By eliminating the Systems Benefit Charge for industrial users we could cut costs by about $2 million for Maine?s employers. This savings would allow businesses to expand and hire more Maine people.

In addition, we should redirect funding that we get from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, away from light bulbs. This funding should go toward helping Mainers convert to more affordable energy solutions and lower the cost of electricity for everyone.

Finally, we could also increase production of timber harvesting on state lands and use the added revenue to invest in affordable energy options like wood pellet systems.

My fellow Mainers, some of us want more affordable energy and lower heating costs. Let?s invest your money where it will help you the most: your bottom line. In the dead of winter, which would you rather have: new light bulbs or a more efficient heating system? Think about it. As your Governor, you know what my answer is.

Radio Address: It's Time to Hear the Democrats Budget Plan

April 13, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

My fellow Mainers, you are hearing a lot of sound and fury from Augusta these days. But on one issue?the most important issue facing our state?s future?all we hear are crickets.

Hello, this is Governor LePage. I submitted a balanced budget proposal three months ago that sets priorities and lays out a fiscally responsible plan to right-size our government. The Democrats have been attacking my proposal every day. Even a former governor is on the attack. But these critics have yet to submit their own budget proposal.

Folks, it has been three months. Beyond the sound of their petty criticism, all we hear is crickets. If they don?t like my common-sense approach to managing our finances and our future, that?s fine. But where are their budget proposals? Where are their solutions?

My agenda focuses on long-term fiscal responsibility; paying our hospitals; putting students first; reforming our welfare system; and lowering energy costs for all Mainers. My proposal creates jobs; pays off old welfare debt; invests in infrastructure; and confronts the high cost of local control. This is not an easy budget proposal to make, and I take no pleasure in it.

But, my fellow Mainers, we are in challenging and difficult times. Our state?and our nation?is facing an economic crisis. We must examine our all of our spending. We must scrutinize how we deliver services, and we must reform our overly generous welfare system. We must reduce the tax burden on Maine families, and we must pay our bills.

These are difficult problems that demand tough choices, but we cannot keep ducking them. As a mayor, I faced these kinds of tough decisions. But I was still able to reduce taxes and to right-size local government without the loss of services to our citizens. It is very difficult, and it takes courage. But it can be done.

Unfortunately, the majority of Democrats don?t want to make these tough decisions. They want to continue business as usual. It is much easier to say ?yes? to everyone than ?no? to someone.

They want to raise your taxes to keep growing government, and they want to believe empty promises from Washington, D.C. to keep expanding welfare. They want to take money out of the classroom to benefit the adults in our educational system. Even worse, they want to keep stacking debt on your children?s shoulders to pay for this government expansion.

Instead of making the tough decisions over the past three months, the Democrats told parents that their teens can?t get a tan. They attacked education reform, and they worked to allow drinking on a Sunday morning. They conspired to steal my pension, and they tried to sell the historic Blaine House. They want to repeal your tax cuts and raise your health-insurance costs. They want to deny Mainers right-to-work protections, and they want to force job-killing wage increases on our struggling businesses.

It?s been three months, folks. I?m still waiting for their budget proposals. I?m still waiting to hear their solutions. It?s easy to criticize, and they are very good at it. But when it comes to their budget solutions, all I hear is crickets.

My balanced budget proposal tackles the long-standing problems facing our state. We are one of the highest-taxed states, and our welfare system is too big and too expensive. Our energy costs are some of the highest in the nation, and we pay significantly more for education than the national average.

Our local property taxes have increased 123% since 1992, while state government spending has increased by 89% since then. Mainers like home rule, but it is expensive. The state cannot continue to subsidize the costly duplication and redundancy of services in our largest communities.

Democrats don?t like my proposed revenue sharing cuts, and that?s okay with me. But it is not okay for them to stonewall the Maine people. They hope to spring their budget on Mainers at the last minute without any public discussion, and they will demand an enormous tax increase to pay for it.

If they have proposals, they should share them with me and with Mainers. We all want to know how they will pay for more government expansion. But where will the money come from?

I hear crickets again.

Radio Address: School Grades: The Real Story is about Transparency, Parent Involvement, and Learning

April 19, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

In the coming weeks, you will read and hear about my Administration?s initiative to grade schools. I announced this plan in February during my State of the State Address, and since then the Department of Education has been working on it.

Thirteen states and New York City have adopted the A through F grading system since Florida introduced it in 1999.

When you hear about A through F grading, you understand immediately what the letters mean. We chose A through F grades because we all know what they mean.

We also know that no one score or grade tells the whole story of a school. That?s why our grading system is based on several factors, including student achievement in reading and math, growth in achievement, and the performance and growth of the bottom 25 percent of students (for elementary schools) and the graduation rate (for high schools).

DOE staff is working with school administrators to educate them about how we scored their school. We would like this to be a transparent process for everyone including teachers, students and parents. We would like these grades to encourage parents to become more involved if they are not already. And we would like this to start a real conversation on how we can work together to improve learning experiences for our children. We must put our students first.

Unfortunately, some legislators and union leaders have already attacked this approach, saying this ?sends the wrong signal to our schools, teachers, students, parents and community.? Democrats have even gone so far to say that providing a letter grade equates to brandishing schools with a ?scarlet letter.?

They are the ones who are attaching shame to the letter grades, not us. If they would listen and pay attention as we roll out this grading system, they will see it is about transparency, and about supporting those low performing schools so they can improve and create better outcomes for students.

You will also hear union leaders say that these grades are unfair and that it will hurt students. Both arguments are political rhetoric. If grading our schools harms students, then why do we grade our students? Grades are earned, and just as our children have the ability to improve their grades schools do as well. The goal here is to help every school earn an A.

We know, however, that there are under-performing schools. So, if a school scores low, the state will offer resources to help raise their grade. Part of our grading plan includes $3 million for an Office of Improvement. The Office would establish a division in the education department to help struggling schools by providing state-level guidance and clear objectives to administrators.

It?s actually very similar to the federal School Improvement Grant program that offers funding to low-performing schools to help foster achievement.

Folks, we cannot become a world leader in education until we become a national leader in education.

I?ll end with a short story of a professor who told his class one day to take a quarter of the points earned by the top half of the class and pass them on to the students in the lower half of the class. The students all agreed that this was a stupid idea. Redistributing points earned by hard work and merit, simply so that students who didn?t study could get a higher grade, would be unfair.

America is a society of opportunity, and that is the moral to this story. Individuals earn success through hard work and motivation. While some may see the State grading system as ?unfair?, it is actually full of opportunity. Opportunities to become more transparent to parents, create a focus on learning in schools, and provide resources to districts that need it most.

I am passionate about education because I would not be here today if not for the education I received. Horace Mann once said, "Education, then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men?the balance-wheel of the social machinery."

Our children and grandchildren are the future of Maine, and it is our responsibility to ensure they have access to a quality education.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Raising the Minimum Wage is the Wrong Way to Go

April 27, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

My fellow Mainers, I have proposed common-sense reforms to reduce taxes, pay our bills, create jobs and lower home-heating costs for Mainers. But legislators on the other side of the aisle don?t want to make the tough choices. They just want to raise taxes so they can keep expanding welfare and growing government.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

My agenda makes difficult choices and sets priorities that will put Maine on the right track toward prosperity. My goal is to improve our business climate, provide better educational opportunities for Maine students and right-size government.

The other side has only one priority, and it is simple: raise taxes. Democrats believe that raising taxes or taking more money from the private sector is the path to prosperity. That?s why they want to hike the minimum wage to 9 d ollars by 2016 and then automatically adjust it for inflation each year after that.

But their plan has hit a snag: they have to find the money to pay for this job-killing bill. If cost-of-living adjustments increase the minimum wage beyond the hourly rate for state employees, then the state must find the money to pay for these increases. And folks, when the state needs money, where does it come from? It comes from you.

Even worse, if the minimum wage increases automatically each year, employee unions can use those increases to bargain for higher wages. Where will this money come from? Yes, it will come from you.

Supporters say raising the minimum wage would provide more money to low-income people, who would then spend this money and stimulate the economy. They claim that hiking the minimum wage would create 166 million dollars in new income and new spending each year. But folks, that money would not fall from trees; it has to come from somewhere.

To pay for higher wages in the public-sector, that money would come from higher taxes. In other words, it would come from you. In the private sector, that money would come from the businesses that must pay the higher wages.

To absorb the cost of those higher wages, businesses will hire fewer workers and increase prices on their products and services. Who will pay that cost? You know the answer.

Raising the minimum wage will take away jobs from students trying to save money for college or senior citizens on fixed incomes. It won?t make us more business friendly, and it won?t increase anyone?s standard of living. It will actually hurt low-income Mainers who will find fewer jobs available to them and higher prices on the shelves.

Once again, Democrats have misplaced their priorities. They want to take more money from you and from businesses so they can say they are increasing the livable wage for Mainers. This is a politically motivated illusion that has never worked and will not work this time.

Mainers working full-time, minimum-wage jobs now earn $300 a week ($15,600 a year). If the minimum wage increases to 9 dollars an hour, they would make $360 a week ($18,720 a year). Folks, that is not a livable wage. And that is exactly why raising the minimum wage is the wrong thing to do.

We don?t need to increase our minimum wage, which is already higher than the federal minimum wage. We need to increase our median wage. The U.S. average wage is $916 a week. In Massachusetts, the average wage is over $1,100 dollars a week. In New Hampshire, it is over $900 a week. But Maine?s average weekly wage is only $734.

I come from the streets, and I know how hard it is to live on low wages. That?s why I passed the largest tax cut in our state?s history to eliminate the income tax for 70,000 of Maine?s lowest wage earners. This is the kind of policy change that makes a real difference by putting money back into the hands of Mainers.

Mainers are proud people, and it?s not a hand out they want. Let?s give them a hand up that will lead them to their own earned success.

Radio Address: The Time to Pay Maine Hospitals is Now

May 3, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Folks, I am a Franco American, and I come from poverty. Like many of the immigrants who made this country great, Franco Americans lived by a simple code: you work hard; you take care of your family; and you pay your bills. Franco Americans are very frugal, and they don?t spend money they don?t have. They know that if you don?t pay your bills, you will face serious consequences. I learned that the hard way very early in life.

But some of the liberal elitists in Augusta don?t live by that same code. They believe that government will always provide enough money to pay for whatever programs they want, no matter how expensive they are or how much they burden Mainers.

Most legislators in Augusta agree we should pay one of our biggest bills: the $500 million in welfare debt that we owe to Maine?s 39 hospitals. We have been talking about this for months. My plan to pay the hospitals has broad support of Maine citizens, and it has bipartisan support from Republicans and Democrats. So what?s the hold up?

It?s really quite simple. The hold-up comes from just two people: Senate President Justin Alfond and Speaker of the House Mark Eves. They are the Democratic leadership, and they are doing everything they can to prevent paying the hospitals.

Even though members of their own party want to pay the hospitals, Alfond and Eves have moved the goal posts once again. Now they won?t pay the hospitals unless Maine agrees to another expensive expansion of Medicaid.

Folks, let?s call it what it is. Medicaid expansion is welfare expansion. That is a completely separate issue than paying the hospitals the half-a-billion dollars we owe them.

Eves said in February that tying different issues together in the same legislation is ?Washington-style politics.? Now he is doing exactly that: he is tying the hospital debt to welfare expansion.

To make matters worse, the Maine People?s Alliance, a liberal activist organization that controls the Democratic agenda is spreading misinformation about welfare expansion. The Maine People?s Alliance activists would have you believe that the expansion of welfare covers children, the disabled, and the elderly, but these people are already covered by our existing welfare system. The expansion would cover able-bodied childless adults.

As soon as my plan is approved, the hospitals will get paid, we will release bonds for infrastructure projects and we will inject $700 million into Maine?s economy. This would jumpstart projects that are on hold and create jobs for Maine people. But Democratic leadership would rather rush into welfare expansion ? which caused this mess in the first place ? than put Mainers to work today.

The federal government claims it will fund welfare expansion for three years. After that, there are no guarantees. Maine could face over $100 million in additional welfare spending in each budget after those three years. Despite those looming costs, the Democratic leadership is eager to expand now and ask questions later.

I don?t operate that way. I won?t spend money we don?t have, whether it is today or three years down the road. I am negotiating with the feds for 100 percent coverage for 10 years before I would even consider expanding Medicaid. My cautious approach would amount to hundreds of millions of dollars in savings for Maine people.

Again, I go back to my Franco American roots. Maine cannot spend money it does not have, and we must pay the bills. We must not include welfare expansion with the plan to pay the hospitals. These issues have nothing to do with each other.

So let?s pay the hospitals and put Mainers back to work. I?m calling on Democratic Leadership to let legislators take a simple up or down vote on my plan. Call Senator Alfond at 287-1515. Call Representative Eves at 287-1300.

Tell them to do the right thing. Tell them to pay the hospitals today.

Radio Address: Counting on Leadership to do the Right Thing

May 11, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Timing is everything. For some people, however, the right time will never come to do the right thing.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

More than one hundred fifteen days have passed since I put a plan on the table to pay the hospitals. Nearly four months later, the hospitals are still waiting for the $484 million the state owes them. By paying the State?s bills, we strengthen our economy and the hospitals that care for and employ Maine people. Hospitals will be able to pay new and existing employees and local vendors, and they will be able to pursue capital improvements that will lead to even more jobs.
Once the hospitals are paid, I?ve promised to issue voter-authorized bonds that will grow our economy, including the 2014 transportation infrastructure improvements and $53.5 million for conservation, clean water upgrades, and construction and energy-efficiency projects at post-secondary educational institutions. At the beginning of this session, there were more than 1000 bills. About 150 bills so far have come to my desk. Now, with only five weeks left, legislators are scrambling to pass as much legislation as possible.

Don?t get me wrong, I don?t think every bill should be passed. Quantity certainly doesn?t equal quality. In fact, I believe stopping bad legislation is better than passing good legislation. As your Governor here in Augusta, I?ve learned one thing. Even if my proposals have merit?even if they are good for Maine people?it is nearly impossible to get them passed by a Democratic-led Legislature.

President Alfond and Speaker Eves are preventing a vote on the hospital bill, knowing that what they are doing is wrong for Maine. But we?re starting to good judgment coming from some democrats. Some are now speaking up, including Senator John Tuttle, Chair of the Committee that first reviewed my hospital bill. Senator Tuttle is a respected senator who is serving his 14th term in state government. This week Senator Tuttle put Maine people before politics when he said he disagrees with Democratic leadership?s decision to tie the hospital bill to Medicaid.

Republicans and I have been very clear that the hospital bill and welfare expansion are two separate issues.

Furthermore, under ObamaCare, low-income Mainers will qualify for federal tax subsidies to buy private insurance. Let me repeat that: low-income Mainers will qualify for money from the federal government to buy health insurance.

The Supreme Court ruled that Medicaid expansion is optional. The court also revealed that if states expanded Medicaid to cover the uninsured, those same people will qualify to get tax subsidies to buy health insurance. The authors of the Affordable Care Act underscore this point. I?ve put a link on my website at www.Maine.gov/governor so you can see the article yourself. http://www.governing.com/blogs/fedwatch/gov-obamacare-mistake.html

If more Mainers in 2014 will get tax subsidies to become insured, why is Democratic leadership holding up the hospital bill? It?s simple. They do not want to pay the hospitals. That?s the difference between me and career politicians. I just want to get the job done.

Winston Churchill once said, ?You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else.?

Well, these two have tried everything else and Mainers are frustrated. It?s time to vote on the hospital bill.

Radio Address: A Memorial Day Message from Governor Paul R. LePage and First Lady Ann M. LePage

May 24, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello, I?m Governor Paul LePage.

And I?m First Lady Ann LePage.

Governor: As Memorial Day approaches we would like to take this moment to remember and honor our fallen heroes. These brave men and women selflessly gave themselves to defend our great Nation and freedoms we hold dear.

Since becoming your Governor, I have written too many letters of condolence to the families of the fallen. It is, by far, the most difficult part of my job. What I do hope families take from these words, however, is how deeply appreciative I am for their sacrifice.

Maine has a profound heritage of dedication and service to our Country and we take great pride in our Troops. Sadly, this tradition accompanies the fact that no state has lost more service members in Afghanistan, per person, than Maine. They have fought for us and died for us, and there is no way to repay them for what they have given, but on this Memorial Day, we can show that we are grateful for ALL of our fallen heroes.

First Lady: It was with a heavy heart on Friday, the State of Maine added four names to the Battlefield Cross Memorial in the Hall of Flags at the State House. Private First Class Tyler Springmann of Hartland, Captain John Brainard III of Dover-Foxcroft, Staff Sergeant Jessica Wing of Glenburn and Sergeant First Class Aaron Henderson of Houlton will not be forgotten. To date, 54 identification tags are draped on the memorial, a solemn reminder to us all that freedom is not free.

As your First Lady, it has been a pleasure to honor and pay tribute to our Troops. The countless acts of love, kindness and respect I have witnessed at Silver Star ceremonies, memorial services, farewells and homecomings are awe-inspiring. It is truly incredible the amount of reverence and honor people have for our troops and our veterans.

I can safely say that from all I have seen across this state and this country, Americans deeply respect the sacrifices our service members make to protect the things and the people they love. It is a respect that is removed from age, gender or politics and unites us as a nation.

Governor: On Saturday, Ann and I will pause and pay tribute to Maine?s fallen during the American Legion?s annual graveside flag ceremony here in Augusta. We invite you to share the morning with us as we place flags on nearly 15-thousand graves.

We were honored to be the first Governor and First Lady to participate in this ceremony last year and we have found it to be a special way for us to say thank you to the families of these fallen heroes.

At 9 a.m., hundreds of volunteers will help place flags on the graves creating a sea of red, white, and blue that is truly a breath-taking sight.

The American Legion under Donald Simoneau?s leadership started the program in 2007, and the turnout in volunteers has steadily increased every year since.

First Lady: This year?s ceremony will be on Saturday starting at 9 a.m. at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, on Civic Center Drive.

Together we can remember and honor our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen on not only Memorial Day but every day.

We wish you a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend.

Radio Address: Once again, it?s time to pay the hospitals

May 31, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Folks, it?s deja vu all over again. Nearly five months after I submitted a plan to pay Maine?s hospitals, they still haven?t been paid. We?re back to square one.

Hello, this is Governor LePage.

Back in January, I submitted my plan to pay off the half-a-billion-dollar debt to Maine?s 39 hospitals. After 139 days, lots of delays and some last-minute political maneuvering, the hospitals are still not paid.

Democrats and Republicans agree my plan to use revenue from a new liquor contract to pay off the hospital debt is the best deal for Maine. With all of the public support for paying our bills, Senate President Justin Alfond and Speaker of the House Mark Eves know they can?t leave the State House without paying the hospitals. So what?s the hold up?

Democratic leadership pulled every trick in the book to avoid passing my plan. First, they held off hearing the bill for as long as they could. Then they claimed it was unconstitutional. Then they came up with a new deal for the liquor contract, which was pretty much the same as the old bad deal.

Then they replaced my bill with a committee bill that had all the elements of my plan, just to save face. Their final strategy was to tie the hospital payment to a huge expansion of welfare. They knew welfare expansion wouldn?t pass on its own merits, so they used Washington-style politics to force it through without bipartisan support.

Public support for my plan has been strong since day one. The Maine people want to pay the hospitals. In fact, they demand it.

This campaign by Democratic leadership to avoid paying the hospitals has serious consequences. Their political shenanigans have caused layoffs and prevented shovel-ready construction projects from getting started. Their refusal to pay the hospital debt is causing Maine?s credit rating to suffer.

Folks, I was not subtle. I said many times I would veto the bill if it was tied to expansion. And that?s exactly what I did. Seventy percent of Mainers believe the hospital bill should not be tied to welfare expansion.

Democratic leadership ignored the will of the Maine people, and they wasted valuable time on a bill they knew would get vetoed. They did this to appease their masters in Washington, D.C. and to please their special-interest groups at home. Democrats showed they care more about the Maine Peoples Alliance than the Maine people.

My plan will put many of those Mainers to work right away. It would pay 484-million-dollars to 39 hospitals, which provide some of the state?s best-paying jobs to Mainers. It would release about $100 million in voter-approved bonds and instantly create jobs in the construction industry. It would authorize a $100 million bond for transportation projects to fix our roads, bridges and other infrastructure.

My plan for a new liquor contract would return millions of dollars a year to Maine, rather than sending all that money to an out-of-state company. The new contract would benefit consumers, agency stores and the workers they employee. My plan was a good deal for Mainers five months ago, and it is a good deal today. Once again, I ask: What?s the hold up?

It?s time for Democrats to stop their deceitful gamesmanship. It?s time to pay the hospitals.

Radio Address: A Budget for more taxing, more spending

June 7, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Here we go again. The Appropriations Committee has finally announced their plan for the budget: raise taxes. Where have you heard that before?

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Folks, I am a fiscal conservative. I believe that smaller government, lower taxes, limited regulation and free enterprise will put our state on the path to prosperity and success. These are not just words to me.

These are the principles that I live by. In my personal life and in my business career, I made tough choices and difficult decisions based on these principles and my integrity. I followed these principles as mayor of Waterville and now, as Governor, these same principles guide my decisions.

It is very hard to make the right decision. It is much easier to go with the flow or make decisions that don?t disturb the status quo.

But I don?t operate that way. Past governors avoided tough decisions because they were more concerned with the next election, rather than the next generation of Mainers. That?s how we ended up with a state government that spends more money than it takes in.

Maine does not have a revenue problem; Maine has a spending problem. We spend more on government than we have money to pay for it. We are victimizing the taxpayer to pay for government greed, and we are ignoring our most needy, our disabled and our elderly.

Five months ago I submitted a balanced budget. Senate President Justin Alfond and Speaker of the House Mark Eves have blasted my proposal, but they have offered no solutions. Now time is running out. So they are going to do what they always do. They are going to raise taxes to avoid making tough decisions.

They don?t want to eliminate fraud and abuse in welfare, and they don?t want to right-size government. So we must find other areas to cut spending or reduce the size of government. That?s why I proposed eliminating revenue sharing.

Revenue sharing accounts for only 2 to 4 percent of the budgets in Maine?s largest municipalities. Many Mainers have trimmed their household budgets far more than that over the past few years.

But property taxes have doubled in the last couple of decades. Cities and towns are part of the problem. If they want to hold the line on property taxes, then they must make the tough decisions, too.

The growth of government must stop. Maine taxpayers are maxed out. We must look at the bigger picture. If we do not stop raising taxes and growing government now, we may never get the chance again. We cannot increase the burden we are leaving our children and grandchildren.

That?s why I will veto any budget that raises your tax rates. I don?t see it as politics. I see it as good public policy, and good public policy is good politics. I am not worried about the next election. I?m worried about the next generation.

I made the tough choices when I submitted a budget that is balanced. It was not a pleasant process, but it had to be done. We cannot keep taxing and spending, year after year. Mainers just can?t afford it.

Folks, let me be clear. I do not want to shut down government. A shut-down is an act of failure. It is a failure to do the right thing for hard-working Maine families. But it is not up to me. It is up to Senate President Alfond and Speaker of the House Eves.

I proposed a budget based on the principles that I believe in. It is a budget that allows the state to live within its means. It is a budget that puts Maine people before politics.

Radio Address: A Special Father?s Day Message from First Lady Ann LePage

June 15, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

This weekend across our great Nation, we will celebrate the contributions of fathers.

Hello, this is First Lady Ann LePage.

June 16 is a special day for dads, and it is with warmest greetings that I extend wishes to all fathers around the world.

Fathers are important figures in any family. They are mentors and build character of the household through their example.

I recall my own father. He was a modest man who devoted his life to family. I was blessed with a dad who was faithful to my mom for 50 years before his passing in 2007.

Despite a hard day?s work putting in 10-12 hours at the mill, I remember my dad would come home and always make time for us. He was big on holidays and birthdays, always wanting to celebrate with family. When I was younger, every Sunday, without fail, we had a family dinner including my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. He always loved a big party!

As dedicated as my dad was to us, he worked just as hard. His work ethic was much like my husband?s, but when my father first met Paul he said that he was white collar guy.

My dad said, ?Ann, for god?s sake, he?s a white collar. He doesn?t know how to work.? He was the first one to later tell Paul how wrong he was. Whenever my Dad had a problem or needed advice, Paul was always the first one he came to.

My dad ? the hardworking union man ? had more in common with Paul than he initially thought. Paul looked up to my father and both men were proud of each other.

I am fortunate to be married to a most loving and generous man who has been a wonderful father to our children. Paul is a man of his word and he leads by example. I want to thank him for being such an exemplary father and a wonderful husband of 28 years. In our household, it is always family first!

We also must remember our fathers who are serving far from home. Our military dads are away from loved ones to defend our Nation and freedoms we share. We thank you for your service and dedication to your family and our Country.

On this special day, find time to reflect on the gift of fatherhood and to acknowledge that to be a father is a great honor. Our Country needs the example of good fathers who play an important role in building secure and strong families.

I give my heartfelt thanks to all the fathers of Maine who have been wonderful dads and husbands.

I wish you a very Happy Father?s Day!

Radio Address: It's Time to Hold the Line on Taxes

June 21, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

The Legislature has been in session for five months, but politicians waited until the 11th hour to tackle some of state?s biggest challenges. After fighting insignificant skirmishes for months, legislators suddenly found themselves in the most important battle of the war: whether to hold the line on taxes.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Politicians who try to reduce taxes always face resistance, but this year the opposition was fierce. Surrounded by outrage from municipal officials, school administrators, special interests and unions, the politicians did what they always do. They surrendered.

Unfortunately, one group didn?t even stand a chance in this fight: Maine taxpayers. As lobbyists and legislators scurried back and forth under the dome, Maine taxpayers stood on the sidelines, hoping someone would summon up the courage to protect their interests. As usual, it didn?t happen.

Folks, someone has to hold the line. Someone has to speak for the Maine taxpayer. Someone has to prevent us from heaping burden after burden on our children and our grandchildren. This isn?t just about this year?s budget, or even the next budget cycle. This is about the next generation.

Every year, politicians say they have to raise taxes just a little bit to pay for government. If cities and towns increase taxes only two to three percent every year, it doesn?t sound like much. But over 10 years, that?s a 20 to 30 percent tax hike. This has been going on for years at all levels of government.

That?s why the federal government is 17-trillion-dollars in debt. That?s why state government has outgrown our ability to pay for it, and that?s why property taxes have skyrocketed over the past 20 years.

As these taxes have gone up and up, Mainers have not seen better services from government. Even with spending on school administration, overall student performance has not improved. Our roads and bridges are in disrepair. Our business climate is ranked last in the nation. Folks, higher taxes have not improved the lives of Mainers.

That?s why I stand on the principle of not raising taxes. Raising taxes is not the only way to pay for government. It is possible to reduce the cost of government in a fiscally responsible manner without losing services and without raising the overall tax burden on residents, particularly those on fixed incomes.

If you allow politicians to raise your taxes?even just a little bit?they will take your money and spend it on their misplaced priorities. They will increase welfare, they will expand government and they will give more money to schools to spend on administrators, not the teachers, not the students.

Politicians from both major parties have misplaced their priorities to feed their addiction to spending. They are expanding government at a rate that cannot be sustained by our children and our grandchildren. They want to give welfare to able-bodied people, but they won?t provide care for our disabled, our elderly and our children at risk.

For months, politicians refused to pay the hospitals, and they still refuse to find savings by fixing the fraud and abuse in our welfare system. They vote to increase the budget every year, but they can?t find money for programs to prevent elder abuse or domestic violence. These politicians have shown time and again that they are not good stewards of the public?s money.

Folks, as your Governor, I have just one priority. It?s my job to make sure your money is managed in a fiscally responsible and business-like manner. My number-one priority is to protect the Maine taxpayer, not just for the next budget cycle, but also for the next generation of Mainers.

Until the politicians in Augusta can get their priorities straight, I will continue to fight against tax increases?even the little ones.

Radio Address: Protecting the Next Generation

June 29, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

My fellow Mainers, as many of you may know, I grew up on the streets, and I?m a blue-collar Governor. I?m not a politician, and I tell it like it is.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Some say my language is colorful and refreshing. Others say it is rough and offensive. If I have offended anyone, I apologize. But folks, it is time to wake up. Sometimes the only way I can get your attention is to use straight talk.

Over the years, I?ve been criticized for my comments about the President and the dangers of the federal government growing too large and too powerful.

Since then, we have seen an administration embroiled in scandals over the IRS, Benghazi, drones, spying on the press and gun-running. Talk about offensive! And that doesn?t even include the 17 trillion dollars in national debt or a health insurance mandate that will crush the life out of the economy.

Some of my comments about politics in Augusta have also caused outrage. If the Maine people saw what really happens under the dome, they would be outraged too.

Politicians, lobbyists, unions and special interests ignore what is best for Mainers and fight to maintain the status quo. They work overtime to expand welfare and to grow government, and they will gladly increase your taxes to pay for it.

They would rather enact a bad budget that harms Mainers than make the hard choices and face the consequences at the next election. I find that obscene.

I proposed legislation that would reduce electricity costs for everyone, decrease taxes, reform welfare, create jobs and improve education. These proposals would benefit all Mainers.

But politicians work around the clock to kill common-sense legislation, just because I proposed it. They would rather ignore the best interests of Maine people than see the Governor get good legislation passed. That is truly offensive.

Being hateful toward me is one thing. But punishing Mainers just to see me lose is absolutely disgraceful. One Democratic leader told the media that it doesn?t matter what the Governor does because they have the votes to override the budget veto. This kind of obstructionist has no place doing the people?s business. They come to Augusta to keep score for political losses and wins, not to do what?s right for the Maine people.

You won?t see these stories in the media. When the politicians step in front of the cameras, they say they are seeking bipartisan solutions to improve the lives of Mainers. Sounds good. Then they turn around, ignore the Maine people and get back to their score sheets.

Folks, if you believe the status quo is working, then you are sadly mistaken. I might have to use some street talk to wake you up.

Politicians strive to be politically correct and end up doing the wrong things. I?m not politically correct, but we strive to present good public policy.

I worked in the private sector as a successful turn-around consultant for failing businesses. I see our state as a failing organization in need of a turn-around. It will take tough decisions and bold moves to eject Maine from its status as one of the nation?s highest-taxed states and the 50th worse place to do business.

It?s not a job for the weak or faint-hearted. But Augusta is full of politicians who refuse to reduce the size of government. They refuse to improve education, and they absolutely refuse to reform welfare. They won?t consider resources that would reduce the cost of electricity for everyone. They won?t even attempt to lower your taxes.

Yes, folks, this makes me mad. And it should make you mad, too.

I came to Augusta to make a difference in the lives of Mainers, not to count votes and compromise my principles. I?ve told my Cabinet that if we are in Augusta only to get re-elected, we are in the wrong business.

We are not here to get through the next election; we are here to protect the next generation.

Radio Address: A Special Fourth of July Message from Governor Paul LePage and First Lady Ann LePage

July 3, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

GOVERNOR: The Fourth of July is one of my favorite days of the year. This year marks 237 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed and America was born.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

FIRST LADY: And this is First Lady Ann LePage. For many Americans, the Fourth of July is a time for fireworks and parades or for heading to beach and having family barbeques. But we must never forget what the day truly represents.

GOVERNOR: On the Fourth of July in 1776, our Founding Fathers declared our independence from an oppressive government. They dared to rise up against the mighty British Empire, and their commitment and sacrifice forged the society of freedom and democracy that we still enjoy today.

Three of our Presidents died on the Fourth of July: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. Another President, Calvin Coolidge, is the only President born on this historic day.

FIRST LADY: Brave men and women from Maine continue to answer the call to defend our freedom, and we thank them for their service and sacrifice. Their commitment and their dedication protect our nation and the American ideals our Founding Fathers envisioned.

GOVERNOR: This year?s Fourth of July week marks another important event in American history. It is the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. The 20th Maine Voluntary Infantry Regiment led by General Joshua Chamberlain played a decisive role during the three-day battle, which turned the tide during our Civil War. Their heroic actions in holding the line prevented the Confederate army from flanking and possibly defeating the Union force.

The 20th Maine was exhausted and low on ammunition after fighting off repeated attacks from an Alabama regiment. In a final act of desperation, the 20th Maine fixed bayonets and charged at the Southern soldiers. It worked, and the boys from Maine saved the day.

Had the 20th Maine failed, it is possible that the Confederate Army could have invaded Washington, D.C. and ended the war. Our country would have been broken in two, and the ideals our Founding Fathers envisioned on July Fourth, 1776 may have been lost forever.

FIRST LADY: Okay, Bub, enough with the history lesson.

GOVERNOR: Okay. But I want to mention that I will be speaking at Gettysburg later this month as part of the ceremonies marking the 150th anniversary of the battle. History may seem like old dates and dry facts in some text book, but the results of our Revolution and our Civil War endure today.

The vision of freedom and democracy that make us Americans are under constant attack, and it is our duty to remember and honor the people throughout our history who sacrificed so much to give us our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.

FIRST LADY: I?m not a history buff like you, but I do appreciate the actions of the courageous men and women who came before us and made it possible for us to live the American Dream. No matter how difficult politics can be, and no matter how much we disagree, we are all Americans first.

GOVERNOR: That?s right. No matter what, we are all proud to be Americans.

And I want to thank you, Ann, for your work with Maine?s military men and women and their families. You have dedicated much of your time to recognize and honor our troops.

FIRST LADY: Well, if it were not for our brave men and women who protect the freedoms we all share, we would not have a reason to celebrate America?s birthday. We owe our heartfelt gratitude to our military and veterans.

Happy Fourth of July, everyone.

GOVERNOR: Please be safe this weekend and have a great holiday.

Radio Address: Playing Politics is easy, Governing Effectively is Hard

July 12, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Maine?s first 126th Legislative session was plagued by misguided priorities and political games.

Democratic leadership chose their strategy, which was to attack and delay.

Hello. This is Governor Paul R. LePage.

Playing politics is easy; governing effectively is hard. As Chief Executive, I take my responsibilities on behalf of the people of Maine seriously.

Our Administration has worked hard to change the attitude within government and has brought more transparency to government than any recent administration. We work with citizens and businesses to solve problems. We strive to be efficient and responsible with taxpayer dollars. And we only introduce public policy that benefits Mainers and our state.

There are nearly 500 new bills that will become law in October or earlier as a result of this session.

In one of the most appalling moves of the session, however, some Democrats took a stand against the Administration at the expense of our military men and women. A Governor?s bill was submitted supporting Maine?s uniformed military members having access to public schools.

Military recruiters told our Administration several schools in southern Maine only allow minimal access of recruiters. Those high schools brought to our attention were Oak Hill, Noble, Wells, York, Kennebunk, Gorham and Yarmouth. We also were informed that two additional high schools, Portland and Yarmouth, refused uniformed recruiters from stepping on campus.

Democrats have claimed there is no problem, but in the same breath some Democrats have said uniformed military service members may intimidate high school students. So, the father or mother who arrives in uniform to pick up their child from school is threatening? The thought is preposterous.

One Democrat even said he?s ?more inclined to believe our local superintendents than a military recruiter.? I?d bet my life on the word of a recruiter over a superintendent any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

As I prepare to go to Gettysburg, I am disgusted by these behaviors. The Democrats blatant rejection of this bill sends a message to all military service members ? past and present ? that they are not welcome in Maine?s public school system. The disdain is evident and it is a sad day for Maine when we cannot come together in agreement to support our troops.

Maine has a proud and long-standing tradition of service to our state and country. We have the largest number of veterans per capita in the nation and we owe our heartfelt gratitude to our troops who defend our freedom and sacrifice time with their family, friends and communities to serve.

Military service is not for everyone and this bill did nothing to force students into serving. It simply forbade school administrators from refusing recruiters in uniform to visit with students interested in exploring life?s options.

I encourage Mainers to find out where politicians stand on this important common sense bill before they cast their next vote. I assure you that this will not be the last time this bill is introduced.

I do not form opinions about policy based on party lines. Our Administration identifies the problem, reviews the options, and develops a plan. I stand by my principles and I don?t know any other way than to fight for what I believe in.

Maine has challenging issues that must be addressed. While we have the lowest unemployment rate in years, we need to become more competitive.

Electricity prices must be lowered and government spending must be curbed. I want Maine businesses to have the opportunity to thrive and create new jobs, and I want you to keep your hard-earned money not give it to government.

Furthermore, the taxes the Legislature just raised on you were completely unnecessary.

I don?t know what Mainers will remember most about this first session. Perhaps it?s the recruiter bill or maybe that the hospital welfare debt was finally paid. Quite frankly, the tax increases disturb me the most.

And the way I look at it: the 126th isn?t over yet. So, in January we will have a plan. A plan that repeals the tax increases and is designed to move Maine forward.

The question is will Democrats choose to fight against me again or work for the Maine people.

Radio Address: Mainers Should Not be Forced to Pay More on Their Electricity Bill

July 20, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

My fellow Mainers, I have two simple questions for you.

Would you like to pay more or less for electricity? Would you like to pay more or less to heat your homes?

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The Legislature and the media celebrated the passage of the omnibus energy bill, and there are some good aspects to it. I am pleased that some of the state?s efforts will now focus on helping Mainers reduce their biggest and most important cost: heating their homes.

It?s about time, since our heating bills are some of the highest in the country.

But the new law fails to address the cost of electricity and expands natural gas at the expense of Mainers. Ultimately, your electricity bill will go up because of this new law.

That will make it harder for Mainers who are already struggling to pay the bills, and will make it more difficult to attract companies and jobs to Maine.

Energy policy can be very complicated. But it all boils down to how much you pay to heat your home and keep the lights on. Whether you own a home or a business, you are paying some of the highest rates in the country for electricity and the highest cost for basic heat.

For hard-working Maine families, this adds to their financial burden every month. For business owners, it could determine whether they decide to leave Maine.

Manufacturing drove our economy for over a century. But the high cost of doing business in Maine has driven too many companies out of the state.

The problem is quite simple.

Manufacturing requires very large and very expensive machinery. That machinery runs on electricity?a lot of electricity. When a company in Maine plugs a machine into the wall, it pays much more for electricity than it would in other parts of the country.

That makes Maine less competitive and less attractive. When companies leave Maine and go where costs are lower, they take jobs with them. Those good-paying jobs go to workers in other states.

The resources to reduce our electricity costs are easily available, and they are close by. But legislators have developed policies that signal we are not interested. We are handcuffed by Maine laws that favor wind projects. This makes no sense. Wind power is very expensive, and it doesn?t generate enough capacity to reduce rates.

Maine law prevents us from using more hydropower, which is plentiful, renewable and clean.

We should be adding hydropower to the renewable power mix, because it is substantially less expensive than wind and solar power and emits no greenhouse gases.

Using this affordable power from sources such as Hydro Quebec would drive down our electricity rates.

For example, the average household in Montreal pays about $34 per month on electricity compared to Mainers paying $84 per month.

Hydropower would lower your electricity rates, but it is considered a loser under Maine?s renewable energy laws. Wind projects raise your electricity prices, but they are considered winners. That is just wrong.

Other states recognize the benefits of hydropower. While Maine legislators were passing an energy bill that raises fees, Connecticut and Massachusetts were working to expand large-scale hydroelectric power.

So the next time you plug an air conditioner or a microwave into the wall, ask yourself a question: Are wind projects reducing my electricity bill?

I support all energy technologies that are economically viable and sustainable. Today, we have options that are encouraging people to reduce fuel oil consumption and protect our environment.

We are expanding economical alternatives like natural gas, biomass and wood pellets and geothermal. Solar hot water heaters and heat pumps are also working to lower energy cost.

Unfortunately, the Legislature is expanding natural gas at the expense of Mainers. While I support the expansion of natural gas into Maine I do not support a surcharge on your electricity bill to pay for it.

Some natural gas companies say the bill could increase annual fees from $32 a year to $126. Instead of making natural gas more affordable, this bill will most likely increase costs for hard-working Mainers.

Politicians and the media say compromise is good. By compromising on the energy bill, the Legislature just raised your rates.

How good is that compromise?

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Supporting our Northern Neighbors, a Line Dividing Countries Does Not Divide its People

July 25, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

C?est le c?ur lourd et bris? que je me rendrai, cette fin de semaine, ? Lac-M?gantic afin de rendre hommage et d?honorer la m?moire de tous ceux qui ont p?ri ? cause du funeste d?raillement de train survenu le 6 juillet au centre-ville de Lac-M?gantic et des mortelles explosions qui s?ensuivirent.

Translation: With a heavy heart, I will visit Lac-Megantic, Quebec this weekend to pay tribute to those who perished as a result of the recent devastating train derailment and subsequent fires.

While a line divides our countries, it does not divide its people.

Less than one hundred miles apart, Lac-Megantic is the sister city to our very own Farmington. Last week a Maine Delegation from Franklin County, including Danny Deveau from our office, travelled to Quebec to assess our neighbors? needs.

For years these two communities have forged relationships to share culture and economic growth. And in difficult times like this those bonds extend even farther.

Recovery work remains and I have pledged to the people of Lac-Megantic and the region our support.

We were told many donations of canned goods and clothing are helping those affected. And we now know the Canadian government is offering monetary relief to victims, their families and businesses in the area.

Meanwhile, Quebec?s environment ministry released a new estimate of the amount of crude oil that spilled after the July 6 derailment.

The ministry confirmed that 5.7 million litres of oil spilled into the air, water and ground in Lac-Megantic, which is 20 times more than the earlier estimates. To assist in clean up and recovery, Premier Pauline Marois released $60 million to help rebuild Lac-Megantic. The Canadian government promises $120 million.

Fortunately, there are no harmful effects to Maine?s air, land, or water quality from the train derailment and fires.

However, if this disaster could happen in Lac-Megantic it could happen anywhere. In the event of a similar disaster in Maine, the Department of Environmental Protection would immediately respond to minimize the impacts to our natural resources and environment.

DEP has 25 responders who are on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. These responders are trained to react to oil and hazardous materials spills of all sizes. Mainers rest assured that DEP is proactive about protecting our significant natural resources.

Furthermore, as a result of the increase in barrels of crude oil shipped by rail in Maine, Commissioner Pattie Aho and her staff created a rail response coordination team to develop comprehensive spill response maps, strategies and plans to be prepared in the event of an oil spill.

Immediately following the derailment, I signed an executive order directing the Maine Department of Transportation to review the safety of freight railroads in Maine. That work is currently underway. Commissioner Dave Bernhardt went one step further in requesting all five Maine rail companies work with DOT staff to gather and review best practices regarding the securing of parked freight trains.

We also have opened up a direct line of communication with the Quebec Ministry of Transportation?s Rail office to discuss safety concerns and improvements, as well as operational concerns of moving rail traffic in the State and in Quebec with the Maine, Montreal and Atlantic line out of service in Lac-Megantic.

Our Administration is working diligently to ensure the safety of Maine citizens and protect the environment and those efforts will not end on my watch.

The tragedy in Lac-Megantic, which claimed too many lives, brings grief and sorrow. Despite its devastation, it reminds us how resilient we are.

La messe comm?morative de samedi constitue une opportunit? d?offrir nos plus sinc?res sympathies collectives aux familles si lourdement ?prouv?es et ? toutes les personnes touch?es par cette terrible trag?die. Ce sera ?galement le moment de rappeler ? nos voisins du nord, les gens de la r?gion de M?gantic et les Qu?b?cois, qu?aucune fronti?re ne saurait contraindre ou limiter notre compassion ainsi que notre support durant ces moments particuli?rement difficiles.

Translation: The ceremony mass on Saturday is an opportunity to offer a collective tribute to the victims and remind our northern neighbors that there is no boundary separating our compassion and support during these difficult times.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: We Can Only Move Maine Forward If We Work Together

August 3, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

While the media was sensationalizing the number of bills I vetoed, I was busy signing 341 bills into law, as well as 28 resolves. I allowed another 177 bills to go into law unsigned. There are many new laws on the books. And, more importantly, there are fixes to many bad laws.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Although I signed hundreds of bills, we need to keep working to lower taxes, reduce heating costs, decrease electricity rates and reform welfare. And there are a couple of issues I need to explain in more detail.

For instance, you may have heard of the so-called ?Internet sales tax.? This is not a new tax. In fact, few Mainers realize that you are legally required to pay this tax every year on your annual tax return.

That?s right. Under the current law, you are supposed to add up all of your online purchases, report it and pay the tax. This system hurts the local Maine businesses that employ your neighbors and provide you with the goods and services you need.

When you shop online, you don?t see this cost in the purchase price. However, you do see it when you go to the local store. That is unfair.

It creates an advantage for big, out-of-state companies that hurt local businesses and local jobs. Complying with this tax is basically a clerical issue. It will level the playing field between online giants and local retailers. I do not favor new taxes, and I did not support a new tax. Then there are two bills that I vetoed for technical purposes. But I am not done working on them.

The first is the so-called ?drone? bill. I am 100 percent in favor of protecting our privacy and keeping our freedoms. In fact, this is a hallmark of our administration. However, the bill went too far and would create unnecessary litigation.

That?s why I will sign an Executive Order to establish guidelines that regulate the use of drones.

I am committed to protecting Mainers from unlawful searches and protecting our freedoms. I will be talking with experts this summer to make this bill as good as it can be. Finally, there is the so-called ?raw milk? bill. I do believe Mainers should be able to sell and buy food products that they choose to consume. However, there was a minor problem with this bill.

Specifically, I believe that the consumer should have the freedom to examine a farm before the milk is purchased. By selling it at the farm, a consumer can see the operation and make an informed choice. Nothing is hidden.

Therefore, I am going to introduce a new ?raw milk? bill in January to do just that. I believe Mainers should have the right to buy this milk within full view of the farm where it was produced. Arming a consumer with information is power.

There were other large issues this session. The Democrats delayed and tried to stop my efforts to pay back the hospitals. But they came back to the table and agreed with my plan to pay this half-a-billion-dollar welfare debt I inherited.

After all the debate, it was a breakthrough for bipartisanship in the Capitol. I appreciate their willingness to support common-sense governance.

My signing and allowing 518 bills to become law, as well as the Democrats joining me in my effort to pay our hospitals back, is an indication we can work?and need to work?together in the future. We can only move Maine forward if we work together.

Radio Address: Micro-businesses are vital to Maine?s economy

August 9, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Small businesses are the backbone of our Nation and Maine?s economy, and it is import ant to have these businesses prosper.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

There are more than 40-thousand small businesses in Maine. They provide a very large percentage of jobs in our state. But even more Mainers are employed by micro-enterprises.

Micro-enterprises are businesses that employ fewer than 5 employees, and they certainly have the potential to grow into larger companies.

We have about 130-thousand microbusinesses in Maine that employ 170-thousand people. If they each add one more job, that would have a major impact on Maine?s economy.

This week I had the opportunity to meet with several micro-entrepreneurs. We talked about the opportunities and challenges facing small business in Maine.

Any business owner knows how hard it is to start, manage, market and grow a business. We want to help make it a little easier.

The State of Maine has a variety of helpful resources, including the Business Answers Hotline within the Department of Economic and Community Development, as well as the Maine Small Business Development Centers, which provides business management advice and education.

Our Administration will continue to work on issues such as access to capital and the availability of broadband internet in rural areas. We?re now working with the Finance Authority of Maine to improve access to start-up funding for micro-business owners, and we have collaborated with the Connect ME Authority to expand the internet in rural parts of the State.

Although more than 90 percent of Maine has connectivity, we are still deficient in many rural areas. And those areas have aspiring entrepreneurs.

Nicole Snow is an amazing young woman who is a shining example of a micro-entrepreneur. She lives in the small town of Sebec, and in 2008 Nicole decided to create her own business. The result is ?Darn Good Yarn,? a yarn and fiber importer, wholesaler, and retailer. And let me tell you, this is becoming a booming million dollar business today, thanks to the internet.

Government cannot create private sector jobs, what it can create is good policy that supports our growing businesses. Higher taxes won?t help new start-up or growing microbusinesses in Maine. We need a business-friendly environment in which businesses small and large can thrive and create more good jobs.

Micro-businesses may be small, but they can have a big impact on families and our economy. As your Governor, I want you, your children and grandchildren to call Maine home and become prosperous.

Micro-businesses can help you achieve that prosperity and success. We encourage Maine?s tradition of small entrepreneurs to continue to grow and prosper, and we are here to help.

For more information, call our Business Answers Hotline at 1-800-872-3838.

Radio Address: Providing Economic Growth by Lowering Taxes, Reducing Electricity Costs & Right-sizing Government

August 16, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Job creation and economic growth are top priorities in our Administration, and Democrats claim that it is their number-one issue. But there is a stark difference in how we would support businesses and strengthen the economy.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Democratic policies over the past three decades have hindered economic stability in Maine. Bad public policies are the direct result of why many businesses are struggling to expand and why it is challenging to attract new business.

We are watching our young people move out of state to find good-paying jobs, and Maine has an aging population that is leaving the workforce.

Bad policies have created a climate that is adverse to business and drives Mainers out of state. But don?t take my word for it.

I received a letter in June from Michael Leslie of Belfast, who just moved to Tennessee. By living in that low-tax state, he will be saving enough money to pay for 85 percent of his daughter?s college education.

In Tennessee, he will pay no income tax, and he will pay 50 percent less in property taxes. He will pay a lot less to register each car, and he will pay much less for gallon of gas than in Maine.

Tennessee is a pro-business, right-to-work state with lower electricity costs than Maine. Tennessee?s economy grew 3.3 percent in 2012, while Maine?s economy grew by half a percent.

By enacting low-tax, pro-business policies, Tennessee has made itself competitive in terms of attracting jobs and residents.

Our plan to make Maine more competitive and more prosperous includes some of the very same initiatives that have made Tennessee and other states successful.

My vision for Maine is to create a state that has a lower overall tax burden for residents and businesses; a smaller, more efficient government that we can afford; and a manageable welfare system that is a safety net for the truly needy ? not a free for all.

Many Mainers and the business community are aligned with us on these kinds of initiatives.

Unfortunately, Democratic leadership keeps pushing the same failed tax-and-spend policies that continue to grow government, increase taxes, expand welfare and drive business out of Maine.

Maine will succeed only if we can attract and retain more businesses and make the state more affordable for businesses and residents alike.

Instead of doubling down on the same failed policies of the past three decades, let?s try something different.

Let?s try the same good policies that have succeeded in other states. We must enact these policies to keep Mainers like Michael from moving away.

Let?s lower taxes, reduce energy costs, right-size government and create an affordable welfare system.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Legislature Must Act Swiftly to Protect Patients and Staff at Riverview

August 23, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Some of Maine?s most vulnerable residents are in danger, and we need to act quickly before someone gets hurt. Our administration proposed a solution to this situation back in May, and we cannot delay any longer .

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The Riverview Psychiatric Center in Augusta may lose its certification and federal funding because the management of patients who exhibit criminal behaviors must be more consistent with the process used in a correctional setting. But that is not allowed by federal hospital certification standards.

These patients come to Riverview through the corrections system, and they can pose a serious risk for physically harming themselves or others because of their mental illness.

Riverview is not authorized to implement the security measures or to employ the trained correctional personnel that are necessary to prevent serious physical harm by these patients. This spring, a staff member was seriously injured in an attack by one of the patients. Federal regulations for Riverview are not designed for managing this population of patients.

That?s why our Administration sounded the alarm about this situation. Back in May, we submitted a bill to create a facility within the Department of Corrections that has the trained staff and capacity to handle these patients.

The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee recognized the urgency of this matter and unanimously endorsed the bill. In fact, it was their top priority. But the Appropriations Committee failed to allocate 3-million-dollars for the facility. Instead, they chose to increase welfare to Maine communities.

We all say we want to care for our most vulnerable citizens, but actions speak louder than words. Quite simply, the time to address this unsafe situation is now.

Our first concern is for the safety of the patients and our staff. We want to assure these patients, their families and Riverview employees that our Administration is working toward a resolution, and we request the Legislature to act swiftly.

We must create a mental health unit that will provide care for those in our jails who need mental health treatment. This will create a safer environment at Riverview, and it will allow the staff to serve the patients that the hospital is authorized to help.

This is a dangerous situation that needs to be resolved immediately. Protecting our patients and our staff should not a partisan issue. It is the right thing to do.

Radio Address: There is Good Economic News in Maine Worth Talking About

August 30, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

In three years, Maine has experienced a declining unemployment rate, and our Administration is working nationally and within Maine to promote job creation.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Hundreds of new jobs have been announced during the last month, and last week we attended the U.S. Manufacturing Summit in Florida, where my administration met with companies who are interested in expanding and we invited them to Maine.

At the Manufacturing Summit hosted by Walmart and the National Retail Federation, we met with manufacturers, suppliers and retailers, and are confident that the connections we made will bring more companies and jobs to our state.

A beauty products company from China and rug manufacturer from Canada expressed interest in locating to Maine. Another company that is already in our state providing products to Walmart would like to increase their production to the retailer. And the list goes on. These are real businesses interested in creating real jobs in Maine, and it?s important that they know the state wants to partner with them.

Although we work all year to help Maine businesses to create or retain jobs, our efforts in August highlight some of the strides we are making. Here is a sample of jobs that we announced just this month:

Barclaycard announced this week that it will create a total of 200 customer-service jobs in Wilton.

Irving Forest Products will create 60 new jobs at a 30-million-dollar modern sawmill it will build at Nashville Plantation.

Maine Wood Concepts of New Vineyard was honored for adding more than 30 jobs in the past six months.

The Ameridial facility in Fort Kent will add 90 new jobs in the tele-services field.

A global company that makes surgical dressings will spend $7 million on its second recent expansion in Maine, adding 10 to 30 jobs in Wiscasset.

Still, there is more news. Allagash International of South Portland sent its first shipment of valve products to Puerto Rico using the new Eimskip container service. Eimskip plans to expand its operations to ship products from Maine internationally.

Additionally, we sent products last week to all 49 governors, promoting Maine?s world-famous lobster fishery and gaining national attention for the industry.

Most of these announcements I mentioned received not so much as a byline. But it?s not because our Administration isn?t sharing this information with reporters. It?s simply because the media has the power to pick and choose what is news. It?s a fast-moving digital age in which reporters would rather tweet than write an investigative report and where doom and gloom headlines are sensationalized.

However, we know these success stories are worthwhile because they are stories that affect real families ? these are the Mainers who truly matter to us and why we work so hard to serve them.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Welfare Reform: A Road to Economic Independence

September 6, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

I believe in giving back, and that is one of the reasons I was compelled to become Governor.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

If people are provided with opportunity, they can lift themselves from poverty.

This is the attitude our administration has embraced ? a path that empowers people to take control of their lives.

Our goal is to help Mainers successfully and sustainably transition off welfare assistance.

While we have a generous spirit in Maine, we do not have an unlimited ability to pay for welfare.

Recent data shows that the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program caseload has decreased from about 15,000 cases in January 2011 to about 9,000 cases in June of this year. This reflects a decrease in caseload of 41 percent.

We are experiencing a drop in welfare assistance by promoting job preparation and work. Public assistance is no longer a lifetime benefit but an opportunity to become independent after a financial crisis.

The departments of Health and Human Services, Education and Labor have teamed up to strengthen efforts to move people off public assistance and into the workforce by creating a comprehensive strategic redesign of Maine?s welfare system.

For those receiving assistance, we are identifying both strengths and barriers to employment and using those comprehensive assessments to arrange for appropriate supports to enable employment.

I believe Mainers can reach economic independence because I?ve done it myself and I?ve seen others do the same.

In 2011, Jennifer Cloukey, who had been married for 15 years, found herself raising four children alone, working toward a nursing degree and on multiple welfare programs, including the one I just mentioned.

When I met Jennifer she told me even though she had a low income and four children she decided she wanted more. She said she felt trapped, but she made a choice to overcome her circumstances.

Today, Jennifer is transitioning successfully off welfare and earning a living in a career she enjoys. Jennifer is an example of what it means to live the American Dream.

Maine?s safety net should provide a helping hand not a permanent hand out and when used correctly it does give Mainers opportunities toward economic independence as Jennifer has shown.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Prosecution of Welfare Fraud is Increasing

September 13, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Last week, we announced that Temporary Assistance for Needy Families has dropped by over 40 percent since 2011.

This week, we are pleased to report that the number of welfare fraud cases being prosecuted has increased dramatically. Our welfare reforms are working.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

When I took office in January 2011, there were more than 39,000 individuals on TANF (39,171). Today, there are almost 16,000 fewer people on the program (23,498).

In addition, the number of prosecutions for welfare fraud and abuse is on the rise. The Fraud Investigation and Recovery Unit investigated 711 complaints of fraud through January 2013.

Including criminal cases and other investigations, the unit was pursuing almost 1,100 complaints as of January (1,092).

To further reduce fraud and abuse, our administration hired eight more investigators in May.

Only 10 cases of fraud were referred to the unit in 2010 under the previous administration. Under our administration, that number tripled to 32 in 2011 and then jumped to 45 in 2012.

Seventy-one percent of the referrals came from our new public reporting system, which consists of a form on the DHHS website and a new fraud hotline. Our administration established the hotline in 2011, and our efforts are paying off.

We did this to protect Maine taxpayers and to care for our most needy. While some disabled Mainers sat on waiting lists for services, others who were capable of working collected benefits through fraud. That is wrong.

We need to help struggling Mainers to earn success, not to learn dependency.

And we must be careful of politicians who encourage more welfare by promising free health care. The last time they promised free health care, we ended up with 750-million-dollars of welfare debt to Maine?s hospitals. Under a plan proposed by our administration, we are finally paying our hospitals next week.

No matter what the politicians tell you, all forms of welfare must be paid for by hard-working taxpayers who are trying to feed their own families, provide their kids with necessities for school and pay for heating in the winter. That?s why we must make sure every single tax dollar is spent appropriately.

We are pleased with the results of our efforts to reduce welfare and prosecute fraud. But we know there is much more work to be done. That is why we will continue to push for more welfare reforms in the next legislative session.

  • If you suspect anyone of abusing welfare assistance, please call the Fraud Hotline at 866-348-1129 or the Office of the Governor at 287-3531.

Radio Address: Long Overdue Welfare Debt: Paying Maine Hospitals was the Right thing to do

September 21, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Many Mainers know what it?s like to juggle their bills until pay day arrives, but imagine having to wait four years. That?s what Maine?s 39 community hospitals did: they waited four years to get paid a half-a-billion dollars for Medicaid services they provided dating back to 2009.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

This week, our administration made good on a promise we made in 2010: we paid the hospitals.

In total, the State owed its hospitals nearly $490 million.

This debt was bad for business ? not just for our hospitals, but also for our state.

As the welfare bills went unpaid, many hospitals had to lay off employees and reduce benefits, borrow against lines of credit to meet payroll and other obligations, dip into savings and forgo interest delay payments to local vendors and eliminate services. Capital improvements, such as building additions and renovations, as well as the purchase of new equipment, were put on hold.

As a candidate in 2010, I stood outside of Central Maine Medical Center and said that if I became Governor, I would make paying these bills a priority. During my first budget, we pushed to address the significant welfare debt by paying money owed for years 2004 to 2008. We also worked to see that a new system for payment was funded?a system that now pays hospitals in real time.

In January of this year, we took the next step in making good on my promise: we proposed a plan to pay the remainder of the hospital debt that I inherited when I took office.

After lengthy debates and a near impasse at the objection from Democrats to pay these bills, they finally relented. Honestly, it?s not about who gets credit for paying the hospitals, but rather we honor our commitment to pay our bills.

Hospitals do more than heal. They are economic drivers, not just in their communities where they are often the largest employer, but also in our state, where they hire, build, educate and care for our loved ones.

For years, we listened to rhetoric from politicians promising to pay the hospitals?even as they kept fighting to expand Medicaid and accumulate more welfare debt. But actions speak louder than words. This week, we finally did it.

It was, quite simply, the right thing to do.

Radio Address: Welfare Expansion is not Free

September 25, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Last week, we finally paid the hospitals the half-a-billion dollars in welfare debt the state has owed them for years. Before they could even cash their checks, liberal politicians were asking to expand welfare again. And now they claim that welfare expansion is free.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The hospital debt was a result of expanding welfare in 2001. This led to broken budgets, unpaid hospital debt, and an unreliable welfare system.

Liberal politicians now want to expand welfare again and add 70,000 people to the MaineCare program. They keep telling Mainers that this expansion would be free because the federal government would pay for it.

But folks, as I keep saying, there is no free lunch. This expansion would cost Mainers hundreds of millions in local tax dollars. Expanding welfare would require more staff and more administrative costs at Maine?s Department of Health and Human Services.

DHHS estimates that this so-called ?free? expansion of welfare would cost millions of local Maine taxpayer dollars in the short-term. Then it will cost $150 million in each state budget after that. No matter what the liberal politicians tell you, that money has to come from hard-working Mainers.

What liberals will not admit is half of the 70,000 Mainers they want to put on MaineCare rolls would already be eligible to purchase private health insurance at reduced rates in 2014. Why would we put people on government healthcare when they could buy private health insurance at a very low rate?

We must focus on the 3,100 elderly and disabled Mainers who are on waiting lists for critical services. We must prioritize our tax dollars to care for them today.

The federal government will not pay Maine?s welfare bill for the long-term. The federal government is 17-trillion-dollars in debt and continues to cut funding to states.

They are cutting food stamp benefits to Mainers. They have also drastically reduced money for MaineCare reimbursement to hospitals in recent years.

All Mainers should have affordable health care, but waving MaineCare expansion like a magic wand will not solve the problems in our welfare system.

We need to better manage our programs, provide care for our neediest residents and keep cracking down on fraud and abuse before adding one more dollar or one more person to the system.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Maine Cannot Rely on Federal Money to Fund our Government

October 9, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

The government shutdown sent the National Guard home without pay. Federal officials are reducing food-stamp benefits, and they just yanked funding for our psychiatric hospital. But liberals still think they can rely on federal funds to pay for the expansion of welfare in Maine.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The failure of leadership in Washington, D.C. resulted in the government shutdown, and we don?t expect to see better leadership any time soon. The federal government is now $17 trillion in debt, and it is cutting food-stamp benefits on November 1.

With gridlock in Washington, the massive debt and the end of stimulus funds, we cannot rely on the federal government to pay for existing programs, let alone new programs. The feds pulled $20 million for Riverview Psychiatric Center, even though the center is now in compliance with federal law.

Congressman Michaud and Congresswoman Pingree even voted against paying veterans benefits if the shutdown continues. The federal government laid off our friends and neighbors in the National Guard; it is cutting food stamps for our neediest residents; and it has revoked funding for the mentally disabled. It won?t even pay for veterans benefits. But still, liberals in Maine believe the federal government will pay for a massive expansion of welfare. They don?t live in reality.

That is why I am pushing so hard to make long-term structural reforms to Maine?s budget. We cannot count on empty promises from Washington to pay for programs and services for Mainers. We have the third most expensive welfare system in the country, and our educational costs are higher than the national average.

With future reductions of federal funds, we would have to make drastic cuts to the programs that our families and children need and deserve. That is why we have to make the tough decisions now to enact fiscally responsible budgets. We must provide financial stability that offers an affordable and appropriate level of services to Mainers.

Quite simply, we must learn to live within our means. As we have seen over the past couple of weeks, relying on the federal government is a recipe for failure.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Governing through a Federal Shutdown to Minimize the Impact on Maine

October 16, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Three weeks ago, I would have said that a federal government shutdown was a long shot. However, the antics coming from Washington have surprised even me.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Let?s face the facts. The federal shutdown is hurting Maine. Federal contracts are going unpaid, and federal programs are at risk of running out of money. This has a direct and indirect impact to Mainers, our businesses and our economy.

Now two weeks into the shutdown, the gridlock in Washington has forced layoffs of state employees and closed Maine?s federal parks. The longer this shutdown drags on, the more harm will be done to Maine?s economy.

I?ve said it before, and I?ll keep saying it. We cannot count on the federal government to solve our problems.

Even before the shutdown, the federal government halted revenue to care for our mentally disabled patients at Riverview. The federal government is reducing money for food stamps on November 1, and a power failure prevented the use of EBT cards over the weekend.

Last week, I issued a civil emergency. Previous Maine governors have declared civil emergencies for much lesser reasons, and it is an authority exercised in times when the Governor needs flexibility to manage an emergency. What makes this emergency unlike others is the uncertainty surrounding the federal shutdown. We don?t know when it will end.

Many liberal politicians claim my action was a ?power grab?. The only power I am interested in is protecting state employees who are laid off or are facing a lay off and minimizing disruption to state services.

As a businessman, when I knew incoming revenues were not going to be enough to pay the bills, I had to take action to compensate for the loss in revenue. My approach to this situation is similar. The federal government is not paying their bills to the states during the shutdown.

Many believe that the federal government will reimburse Maine for any costs we incur to pay for federally funded state employees. I hope this is the case. However, my office has received no guarantees from the federal government or Congress that we will be reimbursed.

The Governor does not have the authority to move money from one part of the budget to another. Only the Legislature can do that.

Maine is caught in a difficult situation because of our reliance on the federal government. As challenging as these times are right now, we must seriously question how beneficial it is to depend on the federal government for so much.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Lessons from the Federal Shutdown

October 23, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Like most Americans, I hoped politicians in Washington, D.C. would have avoided a federal shutdown. But they failed us. They won?t fool us again.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

During the shutdown, my staff spent many hours preparing for what could have resulted in thousands of layoffs of federally funded state employees, as well as the disruption of services to many state programs.

Commissioners of state agencies took inventory of how many employees would be affected, what services would be impacted and how the state could manage this unprecedented crisis. We immediately contacted the state employees? labor union to keep them informed as the shutdown progressed.

Our main concern was to make sure that any state employees who were laid off would be taken care of to the best of the state?s ability, whether it be providing them financial assistance or guaranteeing they would get their jobs back once the shutdown was over.

The civil emergency allowed me to lift the work search requirement for employees who had been laid off and who would have to seek unemployment benefits.

I declared a civil emergency to give the administration the flexibility to respond quickly to this crisis, and it was dissolved as soon as the federal government guaranteed us that funding for employees and programs was restored.

Sadly, the politicians in Washington, D.C. accomplished absolutely nothing during the 16-day shutdown. They have set th e stage for another shutdown, but we will be ready for it.

With another shutdown looming, we will not waste time listening to political rhetoric. We are taking steps to ensure our employees are protected, and we will be prepared to minimize the impact on state programs and services. Actions, not words, will see us through the next shutdown.

Finally, I will say it again: With a national debt of 17 trillion dollars and permanent gridlock in Washington, D.C., we cannot depend on federal money to pay for Maine government. We must learn to live within our means.

As unfortunate as the shutdown was, we learned a lot from it. Government is not too big to fail its people. The next time the politicians fail us, we will be ready.

Radio Address: Giving Doesn?t Take Much, But Time and Goodwill

October 30, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello, this is First Lady Ann LePage.

The crisp fall air reminds me old man winter is on his way, and I admit winter is not my favorite season. However, it is a time when most people think not only about themselves, but also about how to help others less fortunate. The generosity of Mainers is something that will always warm my heart, especially during the holidays.

Paul and I taught all of our children about the importance of giving ? whether it?s time at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter or ringing a kettle bell for a few hours. Giving doesn?t take but a little time and goodwill, which goes a long way for everyone involved.

I want to thank everyone who took the time to donate food to the third annual Blaine House Food Drive this year. In October, we extended an invitation for you to help, and you answered the call. Hundreds of people stopped by with bags and boxes of food, and they were eager to tour the Mansion. Many were quite surprised when Paul took them on a personal tour. He loves sharing the history of the House with Mainers.

The Good Shepherd Food Bank worked with us again this year, and they are still determining how many hundreds, likely thousands, of pounds of food was collected. We will share that total with you very soon.

We also have a challenge out to every Chamber of Commerce in Maine, encouraging businesses to donate to their local food pantries. A simple act of kindness has the power to make a difference, and together we can make a huge impact for those who need it most.

We know that many Mainers struggle to pay their bills, heat their homes, and put food on the table. But we also know that the spirit of Maine will help us through difficult times.

Winston Churchill once said, ?We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.? His simple statement still rings true today.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Promoting Responsible Government, Actions Speak Louder than Words

November 5, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Promoting responsible government requires transparency and focusing on common sense reforms that make better use of your tax dollars.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As Governor, I have worked hard to instill fiscal responsibility by reducing Maine?s pension debt, paying welfare debt owed to hospitals, and advocating for budgets without gimmicks that are truly balanced. It?s a record of accomplishment I am proud of, but it is only the beginning. The LePage Administration has set clear priorities that focus on creating a more prosperous place for Mainers in the State we call home. These initiatives include job creation, lowering taxes and welfare reform. Each of these areas is important, and it all starts with the Maine economy. My background in business provides me the knowledge needed to attract new investment and keep it here. It?s why I continue to push for lower energy prices, reducing the regulatory burden and becoming a more business-friendly state. The right policies can help Maine attract companies and grow jobs.

Lowering taxes is another critical component in making Maine prosperous. Restructuring the State's tax system puts more money into hard-working Mainers' pockets, allowing them to prosper and leading to a more stable economy. Liberals would rather grow government and increase taxes to pay for programs that increase government dependency. I want to right-size government and let you keep more of your hard-earned money.

Millions of your tax dollars go to welfare. While some liberal politicians want to keep spending more of your money on a broken system, our administration has a pragmatic approach to helping those who are truly needy. By reforming welfare, we empower Mainers toward economic independence and relieve pressure on the budget.

Today, one in three Mainers is enrolled in Medicaid, a program that has grown by $1 billion since 2000. We want to improve the system by helping individuals reach economic stability through programs that support job preparedness and provide an adequate safety net for our most vulnerable citizens. We simply cannot afford to keep adding people to the welfare rolls and throwing money at the problem.

I take my responsibility as Governor seriously, and it?s important for Mainers to know where I stand. Often times, political rhetoric hinders progress because the goals are not clear. Now and in the future, we will continue to increase job opportunities with good public policy that strengthens economic development, reduces taxes, and reforms welfare. These are actions that will speak louder than words.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Drug-Dependent Newborns, a Disturbing Trend

November 13, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Recently, I read an article about the spike in drug-dependent newborns in the State of Tennessee. The article focuses on a 3 ? week-old boy born hooked on drugs. He is part of a trend that predicts some 800 drug-dependent babi es in Tennessee this year.

What I find most troubling: Maine is about to beat that record.

So far this year, Maine has about 770 drug-dependent or drug-affected newborns. And we are projecting more than 800 by the end of this year.

Babies born with symptoms of withdrawal from drugs is a condition known as neonatal abstinence syndrome, or NAS. The syndrome occurs most commonly with opiate use ? from prescription painkillers to illegal drugs like heroin during pregnancy.

We know that in Maine about half of the children born affected by drug use had a mother who used opioids during pregnancy.

According to a 2012 study from the University of Michigan and the University of Pittsburgh, about one baby is born every hour addicted to opiate drugs in the United States. In Maine, about one in every 12 babies is born drug-affected and we know that both in our State and in the nation, these numbers are under-reported.

The study also points to how costly the problem is. The national average hospital charge for NAS births in 2009 was about $53,000 with state welfare programs covering nearly 80 percent of those charges. In contrast, according to the United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, in 2009, a regular, uncomplicated birth at a Maine hospital costs an average of $5,900.

However, I want to be clear: more important than cost are the effects to these children. I am deeply concerned about the suffering and long-term consequences these newborns are subjected to.

In order to restore good health to these babies, many go through drug withdrawals, as adults do. I have heard about babies clawing at their faces, having tremors, having trouble eating and becoming dehydrated. The acute withdrawal period can take up to a week.

This is no way to start life.

I am working with Commissioner Mary Mayhew of the Department of Health and Human Services to address this growing problem. The University of Maine and Eastern Maine Medical Center are conducting research and we are looking at how the State of Tennessee is addressing drug-dependent newborns.

This is an issue we ought to all be concerned about and be willing to work together on to find solutions. It is my hope we can reverse this troubling trend, because our children?s future depends on it.

Radio Address: A Thanksgiving Message from Governor Paul R. LePage

November 27, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

The holiday season has a way of bringing out the best in people, and through the years I have found Mainers to be very generous people.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

For nearly 30 years, I have been an active Rotarian in my community and have seen how Mainers working together improve their communities with simple acts of kindness.

As we gather around the table this Thanksgiving, let us reflect on how we can make a difference. Donate food to a local pantry, spend time with a disabled adult or visit a senior at a local nursing home.

To learn more about volunteering in your area, call 2-1-1. There are many opportunities to better the lives of others, if only we take the time.

Recently, I joined the Salvation Army to kick off its Annual Kettle Campaign. This year?s goal is to raise 800,000 dollars, all of which goes to provide services and programs to men, women and children during the holidays and throughout the year.

So, the next time you hear the sound of a ringing bell and see the red kettle, consider making a donation. You?ll be giving back to your community and perhaps even a neighbor in need.

While a donation can go a long way, your time can too. I have rung countless kettle bells on cold winter afternoons and served hot meals to seniors who are homebound. Volunteering your time is as valuable as a dollar, and for me it is often more rewarding.

Let us also be reminded that Mainers hit hard times no matter the season. So, as the holiday spirit starts to fade, we should not forget the spirit of giving back is needed year round.

Thank you for listening, and I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Radio Address: Our Accomplishments are ?Moving Maine Forward?

November 20, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Our administration has been working non-stop since we took office to reform government and improve the lives of Mainers. We often get bogged down in the daily battles over politics or the intensity of getting our work done. So it?s nice to stop, step back and take stock of what we?ve done.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I?m the first to admit that I am a hard-charging person who likes to tackle tough problems head-on. But once I?ve fixed the problem, I?m on to the next.

Sometimes it?s easy to forget just how much our administration has accomplished in such a short time. When I saw that one governor passes out a card with his major accomplishments on it, I suggested we do the same.

That four-by-six card has since turned into a 28-page book. Entitled ?Moving Maine Forward,? the book lists our administration?s accomplishments since we took office.

Some of these accomplishments are well known. We paid the hospitals 750 million dollars of welfare debt owed to them. We passed the largest tax cut in Maine?s history, and we reduced welfare cases by 41 percent.

In most administrations, that would be enough. But we have done so much more.

We have improved the state?s fiscal standing, eliminating almost two-billion-dollars of pension liability, right-sizing state government and bringing accountability to the Maine Turnpike Authority and Maine State Housing Authority.

Most importantly, we are changing the culture of state government to make it more business friendly. We have cut red tape and streamlined regulations, which have allowed companies to do what they do best: create jobs. We believe government should work with job creators, not against them.

Our efforts are paying off. At least 8,000 jobs have been created since we took office. Because of this job growth, fewer Mainers are unemployed. The unemployment rate in Maine has been lower than the national average since I have been in office.

Because more Mainers are working, the Unemployment Insurance Tax rate will drop in 2014 to its lowest rate since 2009. That will save businesses 30-million-dollars in 2014 ? that is 30-million that can be reinvested in Maine?s economy.

Our book lists major achievements by all state agencies. These range from protecting our environment to improving our schools to repairing roads and bridges. We have helped our veterans, we have improved public safety, and we have brought awareness to domestic violence.

We cannot list all of our accomplishments in this short time. Please look for our book, ?Moving Maine Forward,? which is available on Maine.Gov/Governor (www.Maine.gov/governor)

Thank you.

Radio Address: Unemployment rate drops, but we must keep working to create jobs

December 4, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Declining unemployment rates indicate our economic policies are putting more Mainers back to work.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

We have been working hard for three years to improve the business climate so Maine companies can do what they do best: create jobs.

We reduced taxes, cut red tape, streamlined regulations and made fiscally responsible decisions to right-size government. These factors make Maine more competitive in attracting and retaining jobs.

3,800 more Mainers were employed in October 2013 than in October 2012. The unemployment rate fell to 6.9% in September, and then dropped to 6.7% in October.

In fact, Maine?s unemployment rate in October fell to its lowest since 2008. Meanwhile, the national unemployment rate is still at 7.3%.

The nation?s unemployment rate remains high because of the broken system in Washington, D.C., which has resulted in $17 trillion of debt, unbalanced budgets, high taxes and uncertainty in the marketplace.

These job-killing efforts are the exact opposite of what a government should be doing to increase employment.

Career politicians don?t know how to create jobs. I spent my entire career in business, and I understand what companies need to succeed. When businesses succeed, Maine families benefit from the good-paying jobs they provide.

Our administration has transformed state government from an adversary into a partner with a ?can do? attitude that moves at the speed of business. Our pro-growth policies have made it easier for them to create more jobs for Mainers.

Because more Mainers are employed, the Department of Labor will drop the 2014 Unemployment Insurance Tax rates to the lowest since 2009. This will save companies $30 million in 2014, allowing them to expand, invest and hire more workers.

And there is more good news, a recent report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia shows that Maine is one of 11 states in the nation that has a growing economy.

We cannot continue with the status quo, and we cannot return to the failed policies of the past.

We must keep working to improve our economy so all Maine families can prosper and that?s exactly what we are doing.

Radio Address: Welfare Fraud is Real, and We Will Keep Working to Find it

December 11, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Liberal politicians have been saying for years that there is no fraud in Maine?s welfare system. They say allegations of fraud are just anecdotal. Well folks, the facts are proving them wrong.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

In just the past couple of weeks, several Mainers have been charged with welfare fraud. A Berwick couple was indicted for falsely reporting their incomes and claiming they were unemployed when they actually had jobs.

A Lewiston couple is now on trial for stealing thousands of dollars in housing assistance. They claimed they had no assets, but they owned a profitable business and paid cash to buy buildings.

A woman in Lewiston has been charged with fraudulently taking about $10,000 worth of welfare benefits, including food stamps, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, also known as TANF, and housing assistance.

These are not anecdotes. These are real cases involving the theft of taxpayers? money that should be going to Mainers who are truly needy.

It is easy to say there is no fraud when you don?t look for it. Our administration is looking to eliminate fraud. This will allow us to help more of the truly needy. In addition, our welfare reforms have already reduced TANF cases by 41 percent. But we know there is much more to be done.

That is why we will continue to look for fraud, especially with EBT cards. These cards come with generous cash benefits, but too often that cash is not going to feed children or provide the basic necessities for families.

Cash from EBT cards is used to buy illegal drugs, to bail people out of jail, to purchase alcohol and to buy lottery tickets. This is not the purpose of welfare.

Maine?s taxpayers should not be working hard every day to provide financial assistance to criminals or others who are abusing the system.

Welfare should go to our neediest citizens, our elderly and our disabled. It should be available for those who need a hand up during a difficult time, not those trying to game the system.

That?s why our administration will continue to crack down on welfare fraud. If you suspect someone of abusing welfare, please call the fraud hotline: 207-287-2409.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Weekly Message: Mainers demand accountability from their government, and that should apply to our welfare system too.

December 17, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

Progressives and liberals think the status quo in our welfare system is just fine. They refuse to support any reforms, but Mainers know they?re out of touch. Mainers know the system is broken.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Current leadership rejected proposed legislation that requires applicants to look for work before signing up for welfare. This is common sense legislation, and 19 other states already have these work-search requirements.

We will submit legislation that would require those asking for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to show that they applied for three jobs before seeking TANF welfare benefits. This requirement is for able-bodied applicants who have no extenuating circumstances, such as disabilities, that prevent them from being able to work immediately.

TANF already requires that recipients participate in ASPIRE and search for work or get job training while receiving benefits. This bill simply says that those who are able to work must look for work before they can get TANF benefits. We believe that people who are able to work should try to find work before they ask taxpayers for help.

We will also submit legislation that eliminates or amends exceptions to the requirement that TANF recipients must participate in ASPIRE work-search programs. A variety of exceptions now allow TANF recipients to skip participation in ASPIRE. When able-bodied people receive welfare from the taxpayers, they must be looking for work.

We believe in a welfare-to-work system that transitions people off government benefits and puts them on the road to independence.

Mainers are good people who are always willing to lend a helping hand. But now they feel like they?re being taken advantage of. These bills make sure that those who are receiving welfare benefits are working just as hard as the Maine taxpayers who are providing them.

Finally, we will submit legislation that will crack down on the widespread abuse of EBT cards. These are debit cards that are loaded each month with cash and benefits for those on welfare. This cash is supposed to provide assistance to the children of needy families.

Unfortunately, too many people use their EBT cards to purchase illegal drugs, alcohol, lottery tickets and cigarettes. They also use them at casinos and other places that have nothing to do with providing the basic necessities to children and families.

Children do not need alcohol or cigarettes or lottery tickets. Our bill will make it illegal to purchase these items with EBT cards.

We have found some EBT cards issued in Maine are being used in places such as Las Vegas and Florida, as well as other states. Our bill will limit use of the cards to a certain geographic area. Hard-working Mainers do not provide these cash benefits so people can have fun in other states.

The reforms in these bills won?t harm those who are truly needy or who need a hand up during tough times. If they really need assistance and agree to play by the rules, Mainers are more than happy to provide them with benefits.

But we can no longer tolerate an unchecked welfare system that has no accountability. Mainers demand accountability from their government, and that should apply to our welfare system too.

Radio Address: A Special Christmas Message from Governor Paul R. LePage

December 23, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

As we gather with friends and family this week to celebrate Christmas, I am reminded how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As Governor, it is as important for me to help provide opportunities for my family to stay in Maine as it is for your children and grandchildren to live, work and play in our great State.

This holiday season, I hope you are encouraged at the direction Maine is moving.

Last week, we learned the unemployment rate fell for the third month in a row, putting it at its lowest rate since 2008. More Mainers are working, and that means more Mainers are providing for themselves and their families this holiday season.

Still, there are Mainers struggling, and I don?t want those families to lose faith. As your Governor, I have walked in your shoes and know how difficult it is to fall on hard times. However, where there is a will, there is a way.

Our Administration continues to work for you, and we will continue to make Maine a better place for ALL of our sons and daughters to find work, to start businesses and to stay here to raise families of their own.

As we come together for the holidays, we have an opportunity to share goodwill and gratitude and reflect on blessings we have received year round.

I have reason to be proud of our great State largely because of the fortitude of Mainers, and I am looking forward to another year of building opportunities for you and your family.

And while many families are together this Christmas, I would also like to recognize many families are apart.

I share my deep appreciation for our military service members who are serving away from their loved ones this Christmas. The First Lady and I thank you for your dedication and courage as you defend our nation and the freedoms we hold dear. We look forward to your safe return.

Also, I wish to thank our military families for all their sacrifices while your loved ones are away.

I wish you and your families, near and far, a safe and Merry Christmas.

Radio Address: Weathering the Ice Storm: Not like ?98, but it Left its Mark

December 31, 2013

(MP3 Audio)

It wasn?t like 1998, but it was a storm to remember.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

It?s been more than a week since the ice storm hit, and power and tree crews have been working non-stop to repair and restore power to hundreds of thousands of Mainers. Among areas hardest hit was Hancock County, where officials expect to have power back on New Year?s Day.

I want to thank Emera Maine (formerly Bangor Hydroelectric), Central Maine Power and Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative for their hard work and dedication in restoring power. Our Maine line and tree crews, as well as crews from at least 6 states and 2 Canadian provinces, left their families at home at Christmas time to work long hours in the cold to support Maine people. That is a gift we are all grateful for.

Also, volunteers, State agency representatives and county and local officials who have been working throughout the storm response have done tremendous work. We don?t get through these emergencies without hundreds of volunteers.

We?re thankful for Maine?s Red Cross volunteers, volunteer firefighters, community response teams and community members who are stepping up. And our state agencies, including the Maine Emergency Management Agency, have done whatever was needed to make sure communities were supported.

As ice storm recovery efforts continue, The Maine Disaster Relief Fund, administered by the United Way of Kennebec Valley, will distribute funds collected to the various nonprofit agencies who are involved in the relief effort. All donations to the Relief Fund are tax-deductible.

I encourage you to consider donating to the Relief Fund.

Cash donations are best in any disaster, because they allow relief agencies to purchase the supplies they need, when they need them. They also purchase supplies as near as possible to the disaster area, which supports the local economy.

You can donate online at www.volunteermaine.org/disaster and follow the link to Maine Disaster Relief Fund.

Mainers are used to weathering storms. And while this one was not as destructive as the ice storm of ?98, it was a storm that left its mark in 2013.

As we head into the New Year, I wish you and yours the very best. Happy New Year!

Radio Address: Fixing Maine?s Welfare System and Creating a Path to Economic Independence

January 10, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Maine?s safety net should help our most needy citizens. Among those most vulnerable are our elderly, disabled and mentally ill.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Maine?s safety net, however, should not pay for things like alcohol and cigarettes.

Unfortunately, we now know that welfare abuse is more widespread than we thought. This week, we shared with Mainers some shocking news about how some people are spending their welfare benefits ? specifically money from Electronic Benefit Transfer cards.

EBT Cards issued in Maine have been used in all 50 states.

Since 2012, more than 3,000 transactions were made at more than 20 ?smoke shops? in Maine, which sell mostly cigarettes and other tobacco products. There are several examples of individuals using their EBT cards to spend hundreds of dollars at a time at liquor stores too. One liquor store in New Hampshire had more than a thousand transactions totaling nearly $8,000.

There are nearly 650 transactions at retail establishments that sell primarily alcohol, such as bars and sports pubs. The data also shows that EBT cards were used at strip clubs in Maine.

It makes sense that these sorts of transactions would be illegal. And they are now.

In the next few weeks, I will give lawmakers a bill that aims to reduce this kind of illegal activity. It?s imperative that fraud is eliminated from the welfare system because it takes away from those who need it most. Our Administration is committed to helping those who are truly in need, but we cannot support those cheating the system.

This session, I will also be introducing a bill to repeal a state law that prevents Maine from complying with federal requirements in one of Maine?s welfare programs ? Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or TANF.

The Clinton Administration enacted welfare reforms in 1996, requiring beneficiaries of TANF to either work or train for a job. However, a year later the Maine Legislature updated state law to include a wide variety of exemptions that allow people to get around the federal work requirements. This puts us out of line with federal standards, and we now face $13 million in fines from the Obama Administration.

Under federal requirements, half of all families who receive TANF benefits and at least 90 percent of two-parent households must engage in work or education programs. Single parents must work 30 hours a week.

We just want to align state law with the federal standards so Maine taxpayers are not forced to pay millions of dollars in penalties. It?s common-sense legislation.

As Ronald Reagan used to joke, ?The Democrats fought a war on poverty and poverty won.? A good job is the best way out of poverty. That?s why we are focusing on welfare-to-work programs to lift Mainers from poverty to the middle-class. I understand, it?s not an easy road.

By conforming to federal standards and eliminating welfare abuse, we can provide a safety net for our most vulnerable, and we can use our resources to provide Mainers a path to economic independence.

Radio Address: Maine has an Obligation to Help Our Most Vulnerable and Pay its Bills

January 15, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Welfare expansion will cost Maine more than $800 million dollars over the first 10 years. That's worth saying again. Over the next decade, if Maine expanded welfare, it will cost taxpayers more than $800 million dollars.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

While liberals are busy blasting me and the Administration about hiring a consultant to analyze whether we should expand Maine's Medicaid program, the reality is the report provides a road map to save taxpayers money and improve services for the truly needy.

This week our Administration provided Mainers and lawmakers The Feasibility of Medicaid Expansion under the Affordable Care Act. If Maine opts to expand Medicaid as it did 10 years ago, the report estimates it will cost the state more than $800 million?and that?s without additional risk factors. It does not include the hundreds of millions of dollars that will be shifted onto the middle class who buy their insurance. This will cause private insurance premiums toskyrocket.

When risks like the poverty rate and costs of care are taken into consideration, Maine could pay up to $3.2 billion over 10 years.

History does repeat itself, as you well know, we just paid off the hospital debt from the 2002 expansion.

Maine already has the third-highest spending on Medicaid in the nation. Expanding is not affordable.

The report also predicts between 31 and 36 percent of all Mainers will be receiving taxpayer-funded health care by 2023. In other words, for every three Mainers, one will be on Medicaid at the taxpayer?s expense.

Today, Maine?s welfare program is not financially solvent. Last week, I alerted legislative leadership of a major shortfall in the budget. The culprit? The Medicaid program. There is a multimillion-dollar shortfall for several reasons, including a rise in the use of services and increasing health care costs. Like everything else, prices are going up and health care is no exception.

I do not want to see Maine falling behind in paying its bills again. It was a battle with liberals for three years to get them to do the right thing and finally pay 750 million dollars to Maine?s hospitals. The state had an obligation to pay its welfare bills. And we have an obligation to continue to pay them.

I talk frequently about fiscal responsibility, but as important is the quality of care provided by our welfare programs.

Medicaid is supposed to help our most vulnerable citizens ? the children, elderly, disabled and mentally ill. However, there are thousands of Mainers on waitlists who need health care services.

We have nursing homes on the brink of closing due to below cost reimbursement rates.

We also know of many vulnerable people who would like home and community-based health care services, but they are denied because funding is not available. If this care was available to them, it would cost the state less than current services.

Our Administration wants a welfare system that works for Maine people. Mainers deserve a safety net that provides quality and accessible care. That?s why we are striving to gain greater flexibility from the federal government to improve services for those who need it most.

The funny thing is that the guy who wrote the report has been very successful in getting the federal government to work with states on improving its Medicaid program. So, why aren?t liberals listening to what he has to say?

Radio Address: Protecting Mainers from the Effects of Welfare Expansion

January 22, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

?Welfare? is defined as a government program for poor or unemployed people that helps pay for their food, housing, medical costs, etc.

Liberal politicians say expanding welfare is the compassionate thing to do. But they have not shown compassion for truly needy Mainers who are still on waiting lists for services.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Thousands of elderly Mainers and those who are mentally and physically disabled have been waiting for services for years. Expanding welfare will not help these folks. Instead, it would give free health care to adults who are capable of working and have no children.

Hard-working Mainers will have to foot the bill for expanding this welfare program. Welfare expansion will cost $800 million over the next decade, and Maine taxpayers would have to start paying millions immediately.

To make up for the cost of providing welfare at reduced rates, hospitals and insurance companies will have to shift hundreds of millions of dollars onto middle-class Mainers who buy their own insurance. That shift will cause their premiums to skyrocket.

Let?s be clear. Maine does not get 100 percent federal funding for welfare expansion. Since Maine has already expanded welfare coverage to parents and childless adults, the federal government would give us less money than other states for expansion. Quite simply, expanding welfare is a bad deal for Maine.

Liberals are addicted to federal money and big government, but there is no guarantee that federal funding will always be available. With government shutdowns, sequestration and 17-trillion-dollars in national debt, it would be reckless to bank our children?s future on federal money.

Even without expansion, the cost of our welfare program is already crowding out spending on education, roads, law enforcement and natural resources. Welfare spending in Maine has surged by 80 percent in 10 years. It now consumes 25 percent of the state budget, causing in excess of a $100 million shortfall. Liberals want to expand welfare, but Maine can?t pay for the program it has now. That?s not compassion.

We must reform our welfare program before we could ever consider adding anyone. Expanding welfare to younger adults with no children and no disabilities makes no sense when our system cannot take care of Mainers who need services the most. Adding tens of thousands to welfare is unaffordable and fiscally irresponsible.

Liberals hope to win votes by pushing to expand our welfare programs. But I must show compassion for all 1.3 million Mainers. I must protect our hard-working families from the higher insurance costs and higher taxes that would result from expansion.

It?s not about votes or the next election. It?s about doing what?s right for all Mainers?not just for now, but for the next generation.

Radio Address: Welfare Expansion: It Didn?t Work Then, Won?t Work Now

January 29, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

In 2001, the Maine Legislature had a debate about Medicaid expansion. Democrats touted its benefits. One liberal said ?savings were to be realized.? Others argued that welfare expansion would ?address rising health care costs.?

Another said, ?Most importantly, it provides access to health care.?

Fast forward to today. Liberal politicians are saying we should expand welfare for the very same reasons they gave more than a decade ago. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

Welfare expansion did not increase access to health care. It did not lower costs. People on welfare still use the emergency room at alarming rates, and Maine?s uninsured did not decrease. In 2013, Maine had 110,000 uninsured ? the same as in 2001.

Costs did not decrease with welfare expansion. Just the opposite. Medicaid spending has doubled as a share of our state budget in the past 15 years. We are now getting less money from the federal government. This has led to cost shifting onto Maine taxpayers. To deal with those rising costs, the State refused to pay its hospitals $750 million.

Liberals want to convince you that expansion will benefit everyone. I wish they were right, but they are not. Welfare expansion has weakened Maine?s safety net for our most needy people ? the elderly, disabled and mentally ill.

Our elderly and disabled Mainers continue on waiting lists hoping to receive needed services. You may even know someone who is on Medicaid today, but is unable to get services they need. Liberals call this compassionate.

It is wrong to expand health care services to 35-year-old adults who are capable of working, while neglecting to take care of our most vulnerable.

I cannot support welfare expansion for two reasons. First, it has already deteriorated our health care system by crowding out services for the truly needy. Second, expansion would cover those who can get health care for only a few dollars a week.

Welfare expansion was bad deal back then, and it is a bad deal today. We cannot let history repeat itself.

Radio Address: The War on Drug Dealers: Why Getting Tough on Crime is Part of the Plan to Recovery

February 13, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Drug addiction affects the lives of too many Mainers. The problem tears at the social fabric of our communities and costs our State millions of dollars.

There were 163 drug-induced deaths in Maine in 2012.

The use of heroin is increasing. Four times as many people died from a heroin overdose in 2012 than in 2011.

Even more troubling is the fact there were more than 900 drug-addicted babies born in our State last year.

Those children deserve better.

Democratic Senator Ann Haskell last week said that we have already lost the war on drugs. She made it sound like there is nothing we can do to address the problem. I disagree. To be successful fighting Maine?s drug problem, we must have a plan.

Some have criticized me for proposing a plan to fund more agents at the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. But if we want the drugs off the streets, we must be willing to fight the root of the problem: drug dealers.

Just last week, MDEA charged eight people from Oxford County for running a methamphetamine lab. Last year, a record 20 meth labs were uncovered in Maine.

It is time we send a message that we will not tolerate this behavior.

During my Drug Crimes Summits with police chiefs from across Maine, I was told local law enforcement officials need more resources to fight the rising drug problem in our State.

Since local agencies do not have the manpower or resources they need, we need to add up to 14 MDEA agent positions.

We must hunt down meth and heroin dealers and get them off the streets. We must protect our citizens from drug-related crimes and violence. Criminals resort to robbing pharmacies and medicine cabinets to get their fix.

My proposal adds four new special drug prosecutors and four new judges to sit in enhanced drug courts in Presque Isle, Bangor, Lewiston and Portland.

We must get tough on crime. But we cannot ignore the importance of treatment and recovery for those addicted to drugs.

The Department of Health and Human Services provides nearly a dozen treatment programs, including those serving pregnant and parenting women to reduce the number of drug-affected babies and babies born with fetal alcohol disorder.

I?ve also had the chance to see how places like Open Door Recovery Center in Ellsworth are making a difference. The substance abuse recovery center has helped hundreds of Mainers struggling with substance and alcohol abuse. That?s why I made it a priority to give the center 50-thousand dollars last year.

We cannot wait until Mainers are addicted to illegal drugs, then provide them with prescription drugs to try to beat their addiction. We need real solutions.

If you are or abusing drugs or know someone who is, there is help available. Dial 2-1-1 to find resources in your area.

With a plan to fight the crime, address addiction and identify a road to recovery, we can reduce drug use in our State.

The war on drug dealers is not over unless we give up. And giving up is never an option.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Real Solutions that Work for All Mainers

February 5, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

This week liberal politicians called on me to offer real solutions to Maine?s problems.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

It was an honor and privilege to speak before Mainers Tuesday evening and share my vision for our great State.

Anybody who knows me, or who has ever heard me speak, knows I do not claim to be a politician, nor do I intend to ever be politically correct. However, one thing is certain: actions speak louder than words.

As your Governor, I have always been committed to following through on my promises to the people of Maine. I came to Augusta with a vision to lower taxes, pay the hospitals and fix welfare. I am happy to say, I have kept those promises.

Today, more Mainers are working. Our unemployment rate is at its lowest in five years.

Taxes have been reduced for Maine?s lowest income earners, which created the largest tax cut in state history.

Charter schools and early college high school programs have expanded educational opportunities for our students, despite massive liberal opposition. But we are not finished.

As we reflect on the accomplishments we have achieved in just three years, there is much work to do to keep moving our State forward.

Last year, Maine finally paid its $750 million welfare debt to its hospitals. I will not incur that kind of debt on my watch. Hardworking Mainers pay their bills and the State should, too. Paying the hospitals was the right thing to do, but we must do much more to fix our health care system.

Liberals are pushing for more welfare expansion. They falsely claim it is free. The reality is Maine taxpayers will pay more than $800 million during the next decade if welfare is expanded.

What liberals refuse to say is that Maine already expanded welfare in 2002. It did nothing to improve access, lower health care costs or improve the quality of care. Instead, it created $750 million of debt.

It did not help Mainers who did not have health insurance. Ten years ago, there were about 110,000 uninsured. It?s the same today.

We simply cannot keep throwing money at an inadequate welfare program. The State is not meeting the health care needs of elderly and disabled Mainers. Adding more able-bodied people to the welfare rolls will only compound the problem. This causes the delay or denial of services to those who truly need it.

We must also recognize that welfare expansion threatens to reduce or eliminate State programs, positions and services. We are taking money away from mental health services, nursing homes, job training, education, roads, natural resources, law enforcement and our war on drugs.

Expanding welfare hurts our most vulnerable Mainers and affects programs and services many Mainers rely on.

We do not need policies of the past that have proven to fail.

Our Administration is focused on increased access and improved quality of care so Mainers can live happier, healthier lives. These are real solutions that not only show compassion, but work for all Mainers.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Medicaid Spending is Consuming the General Fund

February 19, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Medicaid spending from Maine?s last expansion of welfare is already crowding out revenue for all other state agencies. Now liberals want to expand welfare again. This will be disastrous for state government.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Liberals say that expanding Medicaid is free. They say the federal government will foot the bill. They don?t tell you it would cost Maine taxpayers millions of dollars. On top of that, DHHS would have to hire 90 to 100 new employees to administer the 100,000 people that will join Maine?s welfare rolls.

Folks, nothing is free. The federal government will not pay for all these new state employees. It will not pay for all other administrative costs. This will impact every agency in state government.

We?ve been down this road before. Maine already expanded welfare. Medicaid enrollment more than doubled. Its cost has grown by 1.3 billion dollars. It racked up a welfare debt of 750 million dollars to our hospitals.

Reduced federal money has forced Maine to spend an additional 210 million dollars between 2010 and 2014.

Medicaid now consumes 25 percent of all General Fund revenue. If liberals succeed in expanding welfare again, Medicaid will devour 45 percent of the General Fund.

State government has already eliminated or reduced funding for education, law enforcement, economic development and protection of our natural resources. Quite simply, Medicaid is cannibalizing revenue from all other state agencies.

That means the state cannot fully pay its 55 percent share of local education costs. It cannot hire more Maine State Troopers or repair National Guard facilities. The state cannot adequately promote fishing and hunting programs or conduct scientific marine research on Maine?s fisheries.

The state cannot expand job-training opportunities or properly fund programs for environmental emergencies. Everything the State of Maine does is adversely impacted by Medicaid spending. Now liberals want to expand welfare again.

Expanding welfare a decade did not increase access or improve the quality of care. It did not help uninsured Mainers. Thousands of elderly and disabled are still on waiting lists.

We must help Maine families prosper, improve the business climate and protect our most vulnerable Mainers. We cannot do that while Medicaid is eating up our limited financial resources.

I ask you: ?What is different this time around??

Radio Address: Most Vulnerable Will Keep Paying the Price for Medicaid Expansion

February 25, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Difficult decisions must be made in Augusta. Tough choices are needed to ensure that state government can live within its means and that we can support and care for those who need us most. Hello, this is Maine Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew. Currently the Legislature is debating whether to add another 100,000 people to MaineCare, the state?s tax-payer funded healthcare program, at a cost of more than $800 million over the next ten years. At the same time, there are thousands of elderly and disabled on waitlists for services to help support them in their homes and in their communities.
Most of us know someone in this situation. It?s an 80 year old mother who is struggling to care for her 50 year old son with Down syndrome. She needs help today and is worried who will care for her son when she is no longer around.
It?s the parents of an autistic child who should be celebrating the accomplishment of their child graduating high school. But instead, they are panicked because their child is being placed on an adult waitlist for critical support services. Their child cannot be home alone.
Maine is one of the oldest states in the country and the demands for services will only be increasing in the years to come. Everyone is worried about how best to care for an elderly parent, grandmother, aunt, or uncle.
These are real people ? the elderly and developmentally disabled ? and far too many of them are waiting for services. The state needs more than $45 million to cover the services for these individuals.
There are tough decisions that must be made in Augusta. We just finished paying off a $750 million debt owed to Maine hospitals because of the unbudgeted costs of the last expansion. We cannot repeat history and expect a different outcome.
Democrats say that adding 100,000 people to Medicaid is somehow free, but we all know better. Medicaid has grown by more than $1 billion over the last ten years because of previous expansions and the reality of healthcare cost increases. It is nonsensical to believe that after years of financial crisis in Medicaid that the answer today is to add another 100,000 people to the program. Don?t be fooled by efforts to combine expansion with a fancy legislative proposal to manage care in Medicaid. The miraculous savings being advertised are not real and are only thinly veiled efforts to get support for a massive expansion of Medicaid. We do not live in a world of unlimited resources. If the state expands Medicaid our elderly and disabled will wait longer for services. That is a price we cannot afford to pay. Efforts to contain spending in the Medicaid program should be focused on meeting the needs of our most vulnerable and addressing other critical needs in state government like pay for state employees whose salaries have been frozen for years, investments in career centers to help people find jobs, or really funding education or helping to preserve important industries in Maine like lobstering, natural resources, farming.
Government cannot be all things to all people and we must put our most vulnerable citizens? needs first and ensure that state government is effectively prioritizing our limited resources in the best interests of the future of this state. Thank you

Radio Address: Raiding the State?s Rainy Day Fund has Serious Consequences

March 4, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

During my career as a businessman, I would never empty a company?s savings account to pay one month?s bills. As Governor, I find the Legislature?s proposal to raid the budget stabilization fund to fill a one-time budget hole both fiscally irresponsible and just plain incompetent. The repercussions will cost Mainers tens of millions of dollars in added interest costs.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I never imagined Democrats would be so short-sighted and fiscally irresponsible that they would raid the budget stabilization fund and endanger the state?s fiscal status.

This fund is commonly called the rainy day fund. It is a financial reserve that is set aside for emergencies, such unexpected revenue shortfalls or interruptions in normal state operations.

It is not a slush fund for politicians to use when they don?t want to make tough decisions on the budget.

Credit agencies want our state to have a rainy day fund at a minimum of 3 percent of our budget. That would be roughly $180 million. These agencies recommend we have 15 days of cash flow in reserve.

Over the past three years, we have struggled to build it to $60 million. That?s only enough cash to run state operations for 5 days.

Now Democrats have cut our financial reserves by 40 percent and take $21 million from the fund. That would leave 3 days of cash flow to run the state in an emergency.

I have repeatedly warned Democrats that taking $21 million from the rainy day fund would harm our state?s credit rating and increase the costs of borrowing. A downgrade in our credit rating would result in higher interest rates, which could cost tens of millions of dollars. Maine?s taxpayers would have to foot the bill.

For Democrats to put this burden on hard-working Mainers is unconscionable.

That?s why we cannot go the bond market until Democrats replenish the budget stabilization fund to its previous level of $60 million. The decision to sell bonds rests squarely on the actions of Democrats in the Legislature. We have worked for three-and-a-half years to build up our cash reserves, and we just paid off $490 million in hospital debt. This has greatly improved our state?s financial position. Depleting our already limited financial reserves by robbing the rainy day fund is a big step backwards.

Just as a credit score is of vital importance to the average Mainer, the ratings from credit agencies have very real and very serious consequences for our state.

Democrats do not seem to care about fiscal accountability. They just want to spend every dollar in sight so they can focus on buying votes for the election. Then they can dump their responsibility for balancing the budget on the next Legislature.

Playing politics is one thing. But I cannot stand by and watch as Democrats destroy our state?s credit rating and cash reserves. They may not care if being fiscally irresponsible will have a disastrous effect on our state. I do.

That?s why I will submit a proposal to replenish the state?s budget stabilization fund before we talk about going to the bond market. It?s the right thing to do.

Radio Address: Open for Business Zones will make Maine More Competitive, Create More Jobs

March 11, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Since we took office, we have made Maine more competitive. Maine?s unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest rate since 2008, and almost 13,000 new private-sector jobs have been created since we took office.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

We are making strides, but we still have work to do. We must make the Maine a leader in attracting investment, growing jobs and delivering prosperity.

That?s why my administration has proposed legislation to create ?Open for Business Zones,? which are enhancements to Pine Tree Zones. The zones would offer incentives to businesses that invest at least $50 million and create 1,500 jobs. These zones will make Maine more competitive with other states.

?Open for Business Zones? will offer 3 major incentives: tax relief and reduced energy rates; recruiting and training assistance for companies; and paycheck protection for employees.

We will offer companies relief on taxes and reduced energy costs. Taxation and electricity costs are the two biggest factors companies consider when deciding whether to move to a state.

Our administration has been trying to lower energy costs for three years, but our efforts have been thwarted by liberals in the legislature. As Maine?s electricity rates soared to the highest in nation last week, legislators were discussing how to promote solar energy rebates.

There is a major disconnect among liberal politicians when it comes to the cost of electricity. If we want to attract companies that offer careers, we must be competitive.

We will offer assistance to help recruit and train workers for companies that locate in ?Open for Business Zones.? We have been working on Maine?s skills gap for three years, and we will build on those efforts to train workers in the high-tech skills that these companies require.

Most importantly, employees in these zones will not be required to join labor unions. Large employers have told us they prefer locations in which employees are not forced to join labor unions. They want people to have a choice. ?Open for Business Zones? will provide such locations for these employers.

As a businessman, one of the most frustrating parts of running a company was the time it took to deal with government. As a governor, it is vital to create a business friendly attitude in our state that gives the private sector the best opportunity to thrive and succeed.

Our goal is to make state government a partner with the private sector, not an adversary.

I?ve said it before, and I?ll say it again: ?Investment capital goes where it is welcome and stays where it is appreciated.?

This is not about politics. It?s not about the minimum wage. It?s about a career wage. It is about economics. It?s about moving Maine forward.

It?s time we make Maine a leader in attracting investment, growing jobs and delivering economic prosperity to all Maine families.

Radio Address: Maine Cannot Afford to Say ?NO? to Jobs

March 18, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

More Mainers are finding jobs today than they were three years ago. We found out this week, our State?s unemployment rate has dropped to nearly 6 percent. This is good news for Mainers.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As much as I would like to take credit for the drop in unemployment, I cannot. Politicians cannot create jobs. However, what my Administration has been able to do is improve the business climate by becoming an advocate to business s rather than an adversary.

The Department of Economic and Community Development works every day to help attract companies to our State. Today, Maine has nearly 15,000 more private sector jobs than there were three years ago.

We have had success working with many businesses ? big and small ?

? Tempus Jets in Brunswick;
? Barclaycards in Wilton;
? Riverview Homes in Fort Kent;
? Front Street Shipyard in Belfast; and
? Eimskip in Portland

Companies like these are providing thousands of good paying careers for Mainers.

My Administration has a ?Can Do? attitude and illustrates that Maine is open for business.

However, there are some people working against us. They would rather see Mainers struggling to make ends meet than provide them an opportunity to find a good job.

Senate President Justin Alfond has made a shocking statement. If my Administration can help attract companies to Maine that do not force its employees to join a union, President Alfond says he does not want those jobs. President Alfond?s statement is unconceivable. I had to hear it for myself: (PLAY CLIP) Ric Tyler: "Wouldn't it be better to have Right to Work jobs than to have no jobs at all?" Sen. Alfond: ?No, it wouldn't."

Did he really just say that?

Senator Alfond argues that these careers offer lower wages. Simply not true.

After adjusting for the huge differences in cost of living among states, workers in Right to Work states actually earn 4.1 percent more than those in states with forced unions. Even the federal government tells us private sector payrolls in Right to Work states grew three times faster than those of forced unionism states from 1990 to 2010.

I have given Democrats an opportunity to work with me to strengthen Maine?s economy. My ?Open for Business Zones? bill creates zones in Maine that offer tax relief, regulatory reform, energy incentives, AND Right to Work in order to encourage job creation and economic development.
It?s clear that Maine is not ready for Right to Work Across the board so I have offered a compromise. It is a compromise that will allow us to discover how giving companies and employees the choice can benefit Maine.

Let?s give companies the incentive to move to Maine and create more opportunities for Mainers.

I encourage you to call President Alfond and tell him Maine cannot afford to say ?NO? to jobs.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Fiscally Responsible Decision-making about Maine?s Pension Funds

April 4, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Three years ago, Republicans eliminated 41 percent of the existing shortfall in Maine?s pension system. When we did that, it protected retirees? future benefits while using common-sense reforms.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage. Overall, the pension reform saved nearly $2 billion. It was a fiscally responsible decision, which will save Maine taxpayers and protect the pension system as a whole from going bankrupt. Just last week, the Legislature and special-interests groups sparked another pension debate. This time it was a bill to allow teachers to retire, but keep teaching for up to 10 years while drawing a pension and full salary for five of those years. When teachers become eligible for their retirement funds, they deserve it. However, we cannot allow people to retire, draw a pension and return to work receiving 100 percent of their salary. This kind of double-dipping will hurt the fiscal integrity of the teachers? pension system in the long run, as well as the teaching industry as a whole. It forces young teachers to leave our great State for lack of teaching opportunities. It is important that this retirement fund is available well into the future. Teachers who are not ready to retire should simply continue teaching, not add to the financial burden on the pension system and take jobs away from younger qualified teachers looking for work. In typical fashion, the Maine Education Association claimed victory when this bill passed and accused me of making inaccurate statements to the people of Maine. The MEA president said the fact that legislators chose to override the governor?s veto of this bill shows they are willing to see through the governor?s false claims.
I have no stake in this bill, other than help our youth stay in Maine and get good career jobs. As the Chief Executive of the State, fiscal responsibility and keeping our young professionals here are major priorities. Keeping our retirement fund solvent is important to all State employees and educators who will eventually benefit from it. MEA has said the only way this program could create a cost to a retirement plan is if the practice of retiring and then continuing to work were to become widespread.

Well, today there are hundreds of teachers who are drawing a pension and still receiving 100 percent of their salary. Now that this bill has passed, it?s not inconceivable to think more teachers will take advantage of the law. In fact, I know of teachers already talking about it.

Instead of recognizing the strain on the system this change will cause, MEA refuses to acknowledge the problem. MEA said that until such experience consistently develops, we do not believe the cost impact of LD 39 would be significant.

The reality is no one knows at this time how many teachers may take advantage of the additional five years. So, let?s do it until it becomes a problem. Wow! What logic.

I chose the fiscally conservative approach that protects the pension fund, and provides our young Maine teaching professionals with more opportunities.

This is the reason I vetoed the bill. I stand for a fiscally sound pension fund and want to provide career level teaching opportunities for all young people.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: It?s Time for Real Welfare Reform

March 25, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

It?s time somebody looks out for the hardworking Mainers who pay for welfare programs. Simply put, it?s time for real welfare reform.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage

Welfare benefits are supposed to help families, children and our most vulnerable Mainers. When liberal politicians refuse to do anything about wasteful spending on welfare, they are taking advantage of Maine taxpayers.

When we go after welfare waste and abuse, liberals claim we are conducting a ?war on the poor.? This is outrageous. Until they have walked in my shoes, they have not earned the right to accuse me of waging war on poor people.

I was born into poverty, and I don?t want anyone to have to live that way. But I will not tolerate one dollar of waste and abuse in our welfare system. Every dollar that goes to liquor, cigarettes or lottery tickets is a dollar that is not going to a needy child.

Our Administration has released information showing thousands of transactions abusing taxpayer-funded welfare benefits on EBT cards. These are not anecdotal. That?s why we have submitted four bills to crack down on welfare fraud.

If someone wants to buy alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets or pay for bail, that's their business. But if you pay for them with an EBT card funded by taxpayers, that's our business.

One bill would prohibit the use of EBT benefits for buying alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets or paying for bail.

Some people move out of state for months at a time, but keep using Maine EBT cards. Another bill would restrict the use of Maine EBT cards to Maine.

A third welfare reform bill is necessary to make Maine law comply with the federal government. Maine allows far too many exemptions that excuse welfare recipients from work. Even the federal government has found Maine too lenient. Now we are facing fines for violating federal rules. Our bill will repeal those exemptions.

Our fourth bill emphasizes the importance of looking for work before asking the taxpayers for welfare benefits. This common-sense bill originally came from House Republican Ken Fredette, but legislative leadership rejected it.

It?s also a federal requirement, and Maine is being fined for not adhering to the rules.

This bill sends a clear message. The quicker welfare applicants find work, the quicker they can become self-reliant and move out of poverty.

Our goal is to transition Mainers from welfare to work so they can succeed and prosper. I know it works because many of us have done it.

I want to be clear: I am not opposed to providing welfare benefits to those who are truly needy. Some people are incapable of working. Some have physical or intellectual disabilities, and some are elderly. Some families fall on hard times and need assistance.

There are many good reasons why some Mainers need a hand up. But there is no reason welfare should be a way of life.

If you suspect some of abusing the system, please call the welfare fraud hotline at 1-866-348-1129.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Rejecting common-sense legislation hurts Mainers

April 22, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

You?ve often heard me say that some liberal politicians would rather hurt Mainers than do what?s best for hard-working families and the taxpayers. A quick look at some of the bills they killed demonstrates what I mean.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Our administration submitted bills that would have attracted businesses to our state. These bills would have created good-paying jobs for Mainers, and they would have reformed welfare to make the system fair and efficient.

Liberal poli ticians rejected these bills. They chose to encourage waste and abuse in our welfare system. They chased job opportunities and careers from our state. They even prevented teenagers from getting jobs in movie theaters and bowling alleys.

We proposed Open for Business Zones that would have provided incentives to attract major employers and the high-paying careers they offer. Not only did liberals reject these zones, the Senate President said no jobs were better than non-union jobs.

This was just the latest attack by job-killing liberal politicians on our efforts to improve the state?s business climate and create careers for Mainers.

We have been making progress. Since we took office, more than 17,000 private-sector jobs have been created. The unemployment rate is the lowest since 2008. There are almost 8,000 jobs available on the Maine Job Bank.

But the liberals are determined to block our progress, even if it hurts Mainers. They have pursued their anti-business agenda with a vengeance this session. They tried to penalize call centers, which provide good-paying jobs to Mainers across the state. They blocked efforts to help Mainers lower their heating costs.

We just went through a bitter cold winter. Mainers need affordable heating options so they can stay warm in their homes. But liberals preferred to offer solar rebates to a few wealthy Mainers.

Our welfare system has major problems with waste, fraud and abuse. We proposed common-sense welfare reforms, but liberals fought to keep the status quo. Maine taxpayers work hard every day to provide welfare benefits. They expect accountability.

They don?t expect to see welfare recipients using their benefits to take trips to Florida or Las Vegas. They don?t expect to see EBT cash being used to buy alcohol, cigarettes and lottery tickets.

Wasting taxpayer money on welfare fraud and abuse takes money away from needy children, elderly and disabled Mainers and those who need a helping hand. It hurts the Mainers who truly need our help.

You might ask why liberals would want to hurt Mainers. The answer is simple: politics. They would rather defeat our proposals than do what is right for Mainers. It?s shameful.

But I don?t work for them. I ran for Governor because I want to help the people of Maine to prosper and succeed. So let the politicians play their games. I will focus on what?s really important ? prosperous jobs, welfare reform and honesty to Maine people.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The Difference between Wants and Needs; Doing What is Right for Maine People

April 15, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

There is a new EBT card in Maine.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

It?s amazing how a photo can help prevent misuse and abuse of our welfare system. Not everybody receiving public assistance is abusing the system. However, a new card with a photo will help ensure the integrity of our public assistance programs.

Our Administration is ready and willing to assist the truly needy, and we are. But we know there is abuse within the system. This Administration is committed to stopping it.

Last week liberal politicians killed my bills supporting welfare reform. This week they?re killing jobs by rejecting my Open for Business Zone proposal.

Liberal politicians are working against middle-class, hardworking Mainers. They are too busy trashing common-sense bills that would fix problems in the welfare system and strengthen our economy.

One of my welfare bills simply banned EBT recipients from using their card to buy alcohol, cigarettes, lottery tickets and prohibited them from using it for bail and at strip clubs. Pretty straight forward, so I thought. These things should not be bought on the taxpayer?s dime.

Instead, liberals think we should do a study on how often EBT cards are used to pay for these things. It?s an insult to Mainers who want action now to ensure their tax dollars are being used appropriately.

There is a difference between wanting and needing something. EBT benefits are supposed to pay for the basic necessities. They are a temporary hand up. Alcohol, tobacco, bail and adult entertainment are not necessities. So, again I will submit another bill to address this issue.

I firmly believe Mainers want welfare reform. Liberal politicians should listen to the people who put them in Augusta in the first place. At the very least, they should not deceive Mainers by saying the welfare system works fine as is.

But welfare reform isn?t the only issue liberals are refusing to address. Now, they have killed a jobs bill.

Remember when Senate President Alfond said this? Ric Tyler: "Wouldn't it be better to have Right to Work jobs than to have no jobs at all?" Sen. Alfond: ?No, it wouldn't."

This is the wrong attitude in Augusta. We need to encourage business to create and expand career jobs in Maine. My bill offered 3 major incentives: tax relief and reduced energy rates; recruiting and training assistance for companies; and paycheck protection for employees.

Companies need relief on taxes and reduced energy costs. Taxation and electricity costs are the two biggest factors making Maine non-competitive when trying to attract investors to Maine.

If we want to attract companies that offer good-paying career jobs, we must offer competitive energy rates. Providing solar rebates to wealthy Mainers is the wrong way to go.

Most importantly, employees in Open for Business zones would not be required to join labor unions. Large employers have told us they prefer locations in which employees are not forced to join labor unions.

But President Alfond and liberal politicians still said no to this common-sense bill. They are saying no to career jobs.

Despite their opposition, our Administration has made Maine more competitive. Maine?s unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest rate since 2008. Almost 16,000 new private-sector jobs have been created. It?s progress. Just think what we could do if liberals were onboard.

As your Governor, I will continue to push for policies my Administration believes are right for the people of Maine. It?s not about what I want. It?s about what Mainers need and deserve from their elected officials.

Radio Address: Job-killing liberals are blocking Maine?s progress

May 6, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

My administration worked hard this year to reform Maine?s welfare system, but liberals rejected our efforts. They said we should concentrate on job creation. But they rejected those efforts, too.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Since we took office, we have made significant progress in creating jobs. More than 17,000 private-sector jobs have been created in Maine. The unemployment rate is the lowest since 2008.

Further, there are almost 8,000 jobs available on the Maine Job Bank.

These are not just minimum-wage jobs at fast-food joints. Job openings range from part-time work to full-time professional occupations. It?s a good start, but we need to do more. We need to attract industries with high-paying careers that can lift Maine?s hard-working families into the upper middle class.

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. But we must also work to attract the large companies with the kind of good salaries and benefits that will increase the quality of life for Mainers.

Big business is good for small business. Jeffrey Immelt, CEO of GE, said that for every one job GE creates, 8 more are created in the supply chain. Those 8 jobs come from small and medium businesses.

But global competition is fierce. Immelt said GE will do more business in North Africa next year than the United States. GE will sell Algeria $2.7 billion worth of turbines for power plants.

Immelt said the biggest demand in his industry is for engineers and welders. He said states must make sure their schools are focusing on STEM education. We see that kind of need right here in Maine.

Bath Iron Works just announced it will hire 600 more workers to build six Navy destroyers. BIW is creating an onsite training facility to teach new employees the unique skills the shipyard needs. Nearly 6,000 workers in highly skilled occupations will be employed at the shipyard. We need more BIW?s in Maine.

That?s why my administration proposed Open for Business Zones, which would have provided incentives for big businesses to come to Maine and provided a large amount of work for sub-contractors within the supply chain.

When I traveled to North Africa a couple of weeks ago, I saw the success of Morocco?s Free Trade Zones. Morocco has attracted major foreign investment with a simplified tax structure and an aggressive plan to trade with Europe, the U.S. and China.

Within a five-year period, they have attracted 500 companies and thousands of jobs. They now have a world-class port at the mouth of the Mediterranean.

We know what we must do to attract big companies and high-paying careers to our state. Maine will be left behind in the global economy if we do not become more competitive. Job-killing liberals are blocking our progress. They want to grow welfare. We want to grow the economy. That?s why we will keep working to attract investment and business.

Mainers deserve the good-paying careers they will bring?not just for the next election, but for the next generation.

Radio Address: Blocking EBT cards from ATMs helps prevent abuse of welfare benefits

May 14, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

This week our Administration announced it is blocking the use of EBT cards at ATMs in prohibited locations. Once again, Democrats objected to this common-sense measure to protect the taxpayers? money.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

In 2012, we made it illegal to use Maine EBT cards in bars, liquor stores, gambling facilities and places that offer adult entertainment, like strip clubs. As soon as they heard that we are now blocking ATMs, Democrats scrambled to find a reason to object to it. They claimed it took us two years to enforce the law. They are wrong.

The law made it illegal to use EBT cards at these places, but did not require us to mechanically prevent it. Blocking EBT cards at these ATMs is an extra step to prevent the inappropriate and illegal use of state and federal welfare benefits.

Welfare recipients are informed of the law when they are issued their EBT cards. We are now issuing new EBT cards with photos on them. The law is printed on the back of these new cards. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse to use EBT cards illegally. We want to make sure it isn?t even an option.

The Department of Health and Human Services has already blocked EBT cards from 44 ATMs around the state. More than 200 locations will be blocked by August.

If someone uses an EBT card at a prohibited location, they will lose benefits for one year. A second violation results in a two-year suspension. If there is a third violation, that person will lose the benefit permanently.

We must make sure that each public dollar spent on welfare is used appropriately. These tax dollars are designated for daily necessities like diapers and healthy meals that vulnerable families and children need to survive. Spending these dollars on liquor or adult entertainment is incomprehensible, and this administration will not tolerate it.

Democrats have said that welfare fraud is a ?victimless crime,? and they rejected all of my bills to enact common-sense welfare reform. It is inexcusable that Democrats and my opponents ignored these reforms that so many Mainers demand.

Democrats in liberal states California and Massachusetts have already blocked the illegal use of EBT cards at prohibited locations. But the liberals in Maine are still saying welfare fraud doesn?t exist. In fact, they want to expand welfare in our state.

Democrats don?t care about wasting your money on welfare fraud, but I do. That?s why I will continue to enact policies and procedures that prevent the misuse and abuse of taxpayer-funded welfare benefits.

It?s the right thing to do.

Radio Address: The Character of a Nation Demands Action from its People

May 28, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

The character of a Nation is within its people.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Our men and women in uniform have courageously defended our country for more than 250 years and continue to do so to this day. Along with our Nation?s history of patriotism and honor comes an expectation of commitment and care to our veterans long after they leave the battlefield.

This is where America?s character shines through.

The Veterans Affairs scandal is disappointing, to say the least. I have urged the federal government to fix these systemic problems. We need leadership in Washington that is helping our veterans, not hindering their support services.

America takes care of the men and women who have so bravely fought and sacrificed to defend the freedoms we share. As a people, it is our duty to demand our federal government follow through on its promises.

In Maine, we have the distinct honor of having one of the highest numbers of veterans by population among all states. We have nearly 128,000 veterans, each one deserving more than empty promises of accessible, quality health care.

Our Administration has worked hard to fight for veterans. We have enacted laws to ensure our veterans are given full credit for their military training and experience when they apply for an occupational license from the state.

We continue to provide workforce training to veterans through Maine?s CareerCenters. This week in Bangor, we?re inviting veterans to meet one-on-one with our staff to help them find a job. Career counselors will be on hand to help veterans apply for jobs in the trades and transfer military skills into civilian careers.

Our Administration thanks veterans for their service with more than words. We provide these services to show our appreciation and commitment for them.

I am also proud to say that when I took office in 2011, we reduced taxes on military pensions. We did so by increasing the income deduction to 10-thousand-dollars. We tried to further reduce taxes on military pensions during this past session, but my bill was killed along party lines.

We cannot give up on our veterans. They deserve better.

As President Ronald Reagan said, ?Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.?

Our veterans fought to protect our freedoms. Now we must fight to protect the benefits and services they deserve. They have certainly earned it.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Overall, Crime Down in Maine, But Drugs and Addiction Remain a Problem

June 18, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

I?m pleased to tell you that crime in Maine has decreased in 2013 by nearly 10 percent. It?s the largest drop in 20 years.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Maine continues to be one of the safest states in the country. We can all be proud of that.

All but one crime category ? aggravated assaults ? showed decreases.

Protecting the public?s safety is one of the greatest responsibilities of government.

Police officers make a promise to protect and serve, and they put themselves in harm?s way every day. They also take a proactive approach to preventing crime. Police officers partner with people and organizations in their communities to educate the public and provide resources to help prevent crime. Local and state law enforcement officers deserve to be recognized for their work, and I thank you.

Of all crime categories, arson and robbery showed the largest decreases. Arson declined by 38 percent. The number of robberies went down by 20 percent.

I?m also pleased to announce that domestic violence assaults dropped by almost 2 percent. More people are talking about this abuse, and it is starting to become socially unacceptable behavior.

I credit greater coordination between law enforcement, the courts, prosecutors and victims? advocates for the decrease in domestic violence assaults.

However, along with this good news, we still have some issues to address. There are some disturbing trends we cannot ignore. The first five months of this year show a significant increase in drug activity. We are seeing an influx of out-of-state drug traffickers setting up shop here in Maine. These drug crimes are perpetrated by ruthless street gangs with lengthy criminal histories linked to drugs and sex trafficking.

This month, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency broke up two meth labs. On June 5, MDEA investigators dismantled a meth lab in Ellsworth. The agency also broke up a meth lab in Newfield on June 3. This brings the number of meth labs raided this year to 14, compared to 20 for all of 2013.

This spike in drug crime highlights the importance of my drug bill, which liberal lawmakers rejected. Liberal politicians minimize the impact drug dealers have on society. But even their Democratic Attorney General had to admit Maine?s drug addiction and drug trafficking problem is a ?public health crisis.?

For those addicted, my administration is focusing on effective and efficient treatment and recovery programs. In 2013, the State spent $9 million dollars on substance abuse prevention and treatment, compared to just $7 million in 2010.

We cannot eliminate addiction or crime completely. But we can provide resources to prevent abuse and to fight the war on drugs. These much-needed resources will help our law enforcement officers hunt down drug dealers on our streets and make our communities safer.

Ask your legislators to take action now. Tell them to come back and pass my bill. Communities and families are depending on us to make your safety our priority.

Thank you.

Radio Address: Illegal Aliens Should Not Get General Assistance

June 24, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

I have always said Maine?s safety net should help our most needy citizens. These vulnerable Mainers include the elderly, children, disabled and mentally ill.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Illegal aliens who choose to live in Maine are not our most vulnerable citizens. We need to take care of Mainers first. I think most Mainers would agree.

During my first few days in office in 2011, I issued an Executive Order to repeal Maine?s status as a sanctuary state. In 2004 Democratic leadership banned state officials from asking people about their legal status when they requested benefits. My order rescinded that policy.

Also in 2011, the State eliminated state welfare benefits for illegal immigrants.

Last week, we took the next step. We told Maine towns and cities they will no longer get state funding to give to illegal aliens.

Federal law prohibits states from providing General Assistance to illegal immigrants. This law was enacted in 1996, when President Clinton and the Republican Congress approved sweeping welfare reforms.

Attorney General Janet Mills was appointed by the Democratic-led Legislature, and she works for them.

Mills has been working aggressively to keep giving General Assistance to illegal aliens.

What about ?illegal? doesn?t she understand?

I find it inexplicable that the state?s top law enforcement official would encourage municipalities to violate federal law.

It?s really quite simple. Federal law prohibits state reimbursement for illegal immigrants. We are just enforcing the federal law.

Local taxpayers must speak for themselves. I urge all Mainers to tell your city councilors and selectmen to stop handing out your money to illegals.

By following federal law and eliminating welfare abuse, we can provide a safety net for our most vulnerable. We will be able to use our resources more effectively and efficiently to better provide Mainers a path to economic independence.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The Legislature Must Take Action to Protect Our Elderly

July 16, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Last week I met a woman in her 80s whose husband has dementia. She has lunch with him every single day at the nursing home that cares for him. If the nursing home had to close, she would be forced to drive hours to see him in another facility.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The Legislature must take action on our nursing homes.

Many Mainers have loved ones in nursing homes. But some of them in rural areas are in danger of closing. Two have already announced they will shut their doors in July. Not only is this sad for our elderly and their families, it is also avoidable. I worked with Republican leadership just a few short months ago to find more than $5 million that could be used to care for our elderly in Maine?s nursing homes.

But the liberal legislative leadership rejected this source of funding, which would have spurred about $8 million in federal dollars.

The $5 million is still sitting there. The Legislature can take action on my proposal to fund nursing homes before another facility is forced to close. Our elderly should not have to live in fear. They should not have to worry if they will have a place to call home tomorrow.

On behalf of all Mainers who are concerned about our elderly, I have sent a letter to Senate President Justin Alfond and Speaker of the House Mark Eves to call back the Legislature to vote on funding the nursing homes.

Senator Alfond represents an urban area with plenty of nursing facilities, and Representative Eves represents people who have easy access to urban areas. They may favor large corporations that buy up nursing homes and consolidate them in urban areas.

But that doesn?t help Mainers in rural parts of our state. They simply do not understand how difficult it is for Mainers in the rest of the state to find nursing homes that are close to home.

Maine families should not have to drive hours to see their loved ones. We must do everything we can to support all of our nursing homes, but especially those in the rural areas. All members of the Legislature should have the opportunity to show Mainers whether they support our elderly by taking a straight up-or-down vote on my proposal.

The Senate is already coming back into session on July 31 to vote on judicial nominations. That would be a good day to convene the entire Legislature. Our elderly cannot wait any longer.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Handing Out Money Won?t Guide Mainers to Economic Success

July 23, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

I don?t believe that handing a money to someone will lift them out of poverty. I do believe in giving them the tools and the knowledge to help them succeed at their job.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

There are two ways to fight poverty. We can try to buy our way out of it, which makes liberals feel good. But doing that has grown our welfare system so much that we can no longer provide the appropriate level of care for Maine?s most vulnerable people.

Or we can provide education and training to help guide a person toward a life of economic independence.

If you hand someone money who hasn?t worked for it, 9 times out of 10, it?s going to be spent unwisely. But if you offer support and guidance to help someone get employed, the check they get from their hard work is apt to be spent more wisely.

Our Administration has transformed welfare, turning the focus from welfare to work. We have intensified efforts to ensure people have the ability and access to learn job skills.

During the last six months, a partnership between DHHS and DOL has led to an increased effort to help Mainers who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits. Vocational assessments, connection to the Maine Career Centers and job banks and continued case management have led to a significant increase in the employment of TANF recipients. The Departments will take a similar approach to help Food Supplement recipients meet the work requirement by providing job-search training and support that focuses heavily on attaining employment.

Effective October 1, the State will no longer seek a waiver from the federal government to eliminate the work requirement for Food Supplement benefits, more commonly known as food stamps. Instead, DHHS will abide by federal law that requires most able-bodied recipients work, provide volunteer services or be involved in a specialized work training program in order to receive food stamps. We expect this change will affect about 11,000 Mainers.

However, this is not about cutting people off a program. Instead, this is common-sense reform that will put Mainers on a path to economic independence. The State has the resources, and it?s our job to let Mainers know that the help is available for them.

Ultimately, we must prioritize our welfare system so we can protect our most needy. My administration has been focused on our children, elderly, disabled and mentally ill. These people are a priority, and we will continue to see that they are at the top of the list.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The NFL has an Opportunity to Push Back Against Domestic Violence

August 13, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Domestic Violence does not discriminate. This crime affects thousands of people, no matter their age, race or economic background.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

Most domestic violence victims are women, but this is not just a women?s issue. Men must be part of the solution to end the pattern of abuse.

Recently, the National Football League has taken heat for how it sanctions players who commit a domestic violence crime.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell gave a mere two-week suspension to Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice. This man knocked his fianc?e unconscious, then dragged her out of an elevator. Rice pled not guilty, but the video doesn?t lie. Sadly, his fianc?e is now his wife.

If a two-week suspension is the ?punishment? for knocking a woman unconscious, then there is something very wrong with the NFL culture.

This week in a letter to Goodell, I told him I?m appalled that he promotes permissive disciplinary procedures that could ultimately result in the death of innocent people.

NFL quarterback Michael Vick served 2 years in prison for running a dog-fighting ring, but an NFL player who commits a violent crime against a woman gets a two-week suspension. The NFL mandates harsher penalties for players who violate the league?s personal-conduct policy or abuse drugs than those who commit domestic violence. This defies common sense.

Taking thugs and wife beaters off the field may be bad for business, but the NFL is playing games with people?s lives.

I don?t know if Commissioner Goodell is familiar with domestic violence or if it has affected his family personally. However, I can tell you firsthand that domestic violence is about a perpetrator having power and control over another individual. Too many times, it leads to murder.

I have a zero-tolerance position on domestic violence. There is no excuse for this type of behavior in our society. Until all of us make an effort to end this abuse, the cycle will continue.

NFL players are role models for young men, and many of them excel at that. But if some players are allowed to act violently toward women, then young men will think that behavior is acceptable. It tarnishes all players and gives the NFL a bad name.

This is not about winning or losing. This is about life or death. The NFL has an opportunity to change the rules. We urge Goodell to do the right thing.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Lowering Energy Costs is a Win for All Mainers

August 27, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Lowering Energy Costs is a Win for All Mainers During the bitter cold winter season, New England governors spoke with a sense of urgency about lowering energy costs. Now, just two months away from an election, that urgency is gone.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

My administration has made many achievements in the past three years. We paid nearly a billion dollars in welfare debt to Maine hospitals, lowered taxes and helped to attract businesses that are providing good-paying careers for Mainers.

Businesses come to Maine for various reasons. Our hard-working people are a tremendous asset, and our surroundings are beautiful. But that is often not enough for companies to come to Maine. Business owners must think about the bottom line, too.

Taxes and government regulations are major factors. My administration has worked to ensure permitting rules are clear and consistent. We have removed bureaucratic red tape, and our Governor?s Account Executives help businesses navigate government quickly and efficiently.

We?ve passed tax cuts to assist companies expand and hire more Mainers. Companies like C and L Aerospace of Bangor and Auburn?s Pioneer Plastics have done just that.

For 40 years, I helped businesses. Incentives are important. But just as important is a state?s infrastructure and the cost of making products. Energy is one of the largest expenditures in making a product yet New England and Maine have failed to realize that our energy costs are simply not competitive. In 2001, our energy costs were 48 percent higher than the national average yet we have not made any progress as a region. Last year, New England?s retail electricity prices were nearly 15 cents while the average cost in the United States was just over 10 cents. That is not the progress we need to attract investment.

Last year, my Administration led an effort to move New England forward and the region?s governors agreed that something must be done to lower prices.

The plan was simple ? expand infrastructure to bring competitively priced natural gas and hydroelectricity into the region. It would bring both clean energy and stable natural gas supplies into the region.

Every New England governor was on board, until recently. Governor Deval Patrick has backed out and has indicated that Massachusetts needs to study the issue further to see if we actually need to add natural gas capacity to New England.

Studying the issue now is the equivalent of dithering over what type of shovel to buy right before a massive Nor?easter. At some point, the time for checking the weather is over ? it is past time that New England get to the store and add natural gas pipeline capacity.

My point is simply this: New England?s electricity costs are not competitive and that has huge costs for our region. High energy prices drain family budgets. They are a significant barrier to attracting business investment, especially in energy-intensive industries such as manufacturing and they are costing our region jobs.

Maine and New England are now geographically positioned to take advantage of competitively priced natural gas and hydropower resources. But we must invest with other states in key infrastructure to get that low-cost energy here. No one state can do it alone, we must work together.

This infrastructure initiative can bring world-class resources to power New England industry and start saving money for all New England families.

The region?s power generation is becoming increasingly reliant on natural gas. We need infrastructure investments that will ensure the supply of competitively priced gas and clean energy from diverse sources, while lowering the cost of electricity for residents and businesses.

This is not rocket science, folks. Bad public policy and politics are blocking progress. I will continue to work with every partner willing to bring down the cost of energy. Just last month I signed an agreement with New Brunswick to address our regional energy challenges, but I will not accept inaction when our region continues to lose out to the rest of the country. The status quo of high energy costs has plagued our region for far too long. It is time for it to end. It is time to make living and opening up a business in New England affordable.

Radio Address: Maine?s Economy Moving in the Right Direction

September 3, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Headlines continue to belittle the progress made in Maine's economy under my administration. They ignore decades of progressive tax-and-spend policies that have hindered our state's recovery.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

We inherited a state with a struggling economy and significant obstacles to economic growth: high taxes, high welfare dependency, high energy costs, overly complex regulations and unpaid debt to our hospitals.

Ensuring more young people stay and work in Maine will fuel economic growth. As the oldest state in the nation, we need to adequately train our youth for the careers of today in order to make significant changes to strengthen our economy.

We also need to attract new companies and be willing to lower energy costs.

My administration has led the effort to position the state for long-term economic growth. In 2011, we worked with Summit Natural Gas to invest in the State of Maine. They have already invested over $300 million in a main artery system for natural gas infrastructure. This provides employers like Sappi?s Somerset mill access to long-term, competitively priced fuel to power Maine manufacturing.
The liberal-led 126th Legislature tried to increase spending and implement massive welfare expansion, but I used the veto to hold state government in check. This is giving the reforms of the 125th Legislature time to take effect, including the largest income tax cut in Maine history.

We proposed bills that would make Maine companies more competitive, but Democrats refused to pass any pro-jobs legislation. They chose to ignore our economic and demographic realities.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and economies don't fall overnight. Maine is the oldest state in the nation. We are facing a decrease in our working-age population because of a declining birth rate over several decades.

Our economists have long known this would be a challenging period for growth, regardless of who was governor. When faced with these challenges, Democrats delayed making the tough choices to diversify our economy. Instead, they expanded government. Mainers have had to pay a high price for their lack of vision.

What really matters is how well we?re doing getting our people re-employed, and that is a very positive story.

Maine is among the leaders in the nation in the share of p opulation that is employed.

We are now seeing the positive benefits of reform: about 20,000 have been created in the private sector since I took office. Employers are hiring and wages are rising. We are seeing lower unemployment, and our welfare-to-work programs are getting people back into jobs.

Democrats and liberal think-tanks want to make Mainers disbelieve the positive economic news.

Let?s stay positive and learn more about the facts. We are paying the bills, fixing our welfare system and providing Mainers more opportunities.

Maine IS better off today than it was four years ago and our actions can back it up.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: We are changing ?Welfare for Life? to ?Welfare to Work?

September 17, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Welfare reform isn?t just about reducing waste and fraud. It?s about getting people off the system and helping them become productive members of society.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Our administration has been working hard to improve the welfare system by preventing the misuse of welfare benefits. At the same time, we have been building relationships that help people return to work.

To help people become financially independent, jobs must be available. More than 8,000 jobs are now listed on the Maine Job Bank alone?and that doesn?t include postings on other job sites.

With so many jobs available, we must make sure Mainers have the skills to get a successful career. This is where the state can help.

The Departments of Labor, Education and Health and Human Services have been collaborating to build the bridge from welfare to work. Each agency is doing what it does best to identify what is preventing people who receive welfare benefits from getting back into the workforce.

We provide them the training and support they need to get ready to work, then find a place where they can get real work experience. This way, they are set up to succeed when they get a job, rather than failing and ending up back on the system.

We aren?t just throwing money at the problem. Money alone does not remove the shackles of poverty, and it won?t give people the training and guidance they need to get back to a productive life. Instead, we are rolling up our sleeves and teaching Mainers the skills needed to get and keep a job successfully.

Having agencies combine their expertise to help Maine families is not a revolutionary idea to those of us who have worked in the private sector. But let me tell you, folks, in state government, this is a revolution. But it is proving to be a successful one.

Those who are on TANF, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, have benefited from this the most during the last six months. We are now helping more than 1,000 Mainers to find full-time careers by assessing their skills and matching them with jobs that work for them.

So far, 817 TANF recipients have been referred to the worksite program; 204 have been placed in work experiences; and another 121 people are now working. We are pleased that more than 600 Maine employers have agreed to participate in this program.

Unfortunately, 180 people who were on TANF chose not to take part in the work participation program. As a result, they are no longer receiving TANF benefits. We must reserve our limited resources for the truly needy and those who are willing to do what it takes to get themselves off welfare and into a successful future.

We are changing the focus from ?Welfare for Life? to ?Welfare to Work.? In less than four years, my administration has reduced the number of TANF cases by 50 percent. The majority of TANF recipients are now working toward self-sufficiency.

We are making progress, but we have much more to do. I believe the role of state government is to help Mainers succeed, not hold them back. When it comes to giving people a hand up so they can provide a better life for themselves and their children, I?m all in.

Radio Address: Welfare Reform Works and is Proving Successful for Mainers

September 24, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

For many years the State of Maine welfare system has gone unchecked, but that has changed under my administration.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Reform is not difficult when you?re doing it for the right reasons. Since 2011, we have made significant strides to improve our welfare system, which serves our most needy and vulnerable Mainers.

Our welfare system is designed to help our children and the elderly, our disabled and the mentally ill, as well as Mainers who need a temporary hand up. We must prioritize our limited resources to ensure they are assisting those in need and empowering Mainers to become self-sufficient.

In the last year, we have added more accountability to the system in a number of ways. We put photos on EBT cards; we eliminated the unauthorized out-of-state use of EBT cards; and we put more resources in our welfare to work programs.

We implemented drug testing for convicted felons who are on welfare; we are leading the country in enforcing federal work requirements for people on food stamps; and we are making sure that our local tax dollars are being used to assist Mainers, not illegal aliens.

In April, the State began putting photos on EBT cards. Today, we have put more than 14,000 photos on EBT cards. That is more than 14,000 Mainers who have voluntarily signed on to the new policy. Mainers understand the value and protection of having a picture on their card, and many EBT card holders have praised the administration for taking this step.

Earlier this year, we reported there were 365,000 out-of-state EBT transactions in 2013, totaling $13.9 million. Since April, we have identified about 150 intentional program violations within the TANF program. We have also shut off nearly 50 EBT cards for unauthorized, out-of-state use.

Fraud and misuse of welfare benefits continues to be a top priority for our administration. Holding offenders accountable is an important part of the process and deters people from defrauding the system. In 2009, only two cases of welfare fraud were referred to the Attorney General by the Baldacci administration. In 2010, there were only 12.

So far this year, we have referred 61 cases to the AG?s Office for criminal prosecution. Eight have been prosecuted.

During the great recession, the federal work requirements for people receiving food stamps were waived. This year, Maine is one of 17 states now reinstating the federal requirement. Able-bodied people between the ages of 18 and 50 who have no children now must volunteer or be involved in a work training program in order to receive food stamps. We are helping to provide the skills and training to those who want it. In six months, more than 800 TANF recipients have been referred to our worksite program; more than 200 have been placed in work experiences; and another 121 people are now working. We are pleased that more than 600 Maine employers have agreed to participate in this program.

People who are in need deserve a hand up, but we should not be giving able-bodied individuals a handout. We must protect our limited resources for those who are truly in need and who are doing all they can to be self-sufficient. The goal is to end generational poverty and get people back to work. We are making progress. Welfare reform does work when it is based on good public policy, not political rhetoric. More importantly, it helps our fellow Mainers get the skills and self-esteem they need to lead productive and satisfying lives.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: This is an Important Week for Welfare Reform

October 1, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Beginning this week, those receiving food stamps must follow federal work requirements if they want to keep getting SNAP benefits. In coming weeks, convicted drug felons will be tested to make sure they are not using drugs while getting welfare.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Real welfare reform, not political rhetoric, is important. We must make sure our limited resources go to our truly needy citizens, and we must make sure our welfare system is affordable and effective for Maine taxpayers. But we must also make sure our system helps Mainers get on their feet and learn to lead productive lives.

Even the Obama Administration agrees with me. The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture testified recently that, ?We want to provide a safety net so that those who are in tough economic circumstances are able to put food on the table; at the same time, we also want to help people move towards self-sufficiency the right way ? by helping them to secure and maintain jobs that pay well.?

We couldn?t agree more. Allowing able-bodied people to continue receiving food stamps without requiring them to work will not teach them self-sufficiency. Despite what liberals say, there is no reason for these 12,000 Mainers to lose access to food. They are simply being asked to follow existing federal law and look for a job, enroll in an educational program or perform volunteer work.

Maine Department of Labor has already partnered with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to assist able-bodied food stamp recipients. Participants will get help with work searches and skills assessments. They will learn how to apply for jobs that are a good match for them.

These individuals will be working closely with a CareerCenter consultant. They may be referred to other programs and training opportunities that will help them access the workforce, including apprenticeship, self-employment, education and other resources.

The state-run Maine Job Bank has 8,000 job openings. Employers all across Maine tell me they are looking for help. Hundreds of nonprofits and other organizations are in need of volunteers. There are plenty of work, training and volunteer opportunities for these able-bodied people to fulfill the federal work requirements.

When it comes to testing drug felons on welfare, we must ensure that our tax dollars do not enable drug addiction. TANF is a short-term benefit that assists families and children with the basic necessities.

If someone tests positive for drugs, they are clearly putting their addiction ahead of their family?s needs. Being drug-free is a critical aspect of moving away from poverty and toward self-sufficiency.

Obama?s Agriculture Secretary also stated in his testimony: ?I believe we would all agree that working can make a huge difference to people?meaningful work with meaningful pay has a positive impact on individuals, their families, their communities.?

We fully agree with the Secretary.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Who really reaches across the aisle in Augusta?

October 9, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

?Dirigo.? It?s our State motto, and it means ?I lead.?

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Being your Governor is a privilege and honor. As the CEO of our great State I have led, but only with the help of a great team.

We get things done, like paying Maine?s hospitals and lowering your taxes. We have cracked down on welfare fraud, and we are fixing the broken system by implementing real welfare reform. We improved the State?s credit rating, added millions to the Rainy Day Fund and cut government waste.

Perhaps the most important action we have taken is helping our seniors by finding money for our nursing homes. When Democrat leadership failed to recognize this funding crisis, I took action.

Being your Governor means I put Mainers needs first. It means tough decisions must be made in order to move forward.

Many liberals claim I do not work with Democrats to get things done in Augusta. However, this is a distortion of the facts. The numbers tell a different story.

Unfortunately, when liberals talk about how uncooperative I am, they don?t mention the more than 1,600 bills that went into law during these four years. Instead, they focus on the negative. The truth is, I do let common-sense laws go into effect, and I do work with our legislature to get things done.

In 2012 when the Democrats took over the Legislature, more than 700 bills were passed and went into law. It was 724 total and Democrats sponsored sixty-seven percent of those bills. On the other hand, I submitted 50 governor?s bills. The legislature killed 27 of them, and one was modified so much by the time it reached my desk, I vetoed it.

The Democratic-led legislature killed more than 50 percent of my bills, but I only vetoed about 10 percent of the legislature?s bills. That?s fifty percent to my ten percent, and they say working with me is hard.

When I veto a bill, there is good reason and there are what I like to call three veto buckets:

1) Unfunded mandates. This is the Legislature?s way of not paying for something and forcing Maine taxpayers to pick up the tab; 2) Tax increases. Taxes are never an option until wasteful government spending is gone. We aren?t there yet; and 3) Resolves, code name for ?I don?t want to make a tough decision so let?s study it?. This is the kind of bill lawmakers put up when they don?t want to make tough decisions. Philosopher William James once said, ?When you have to make a choice and you don't make it, that itself is a choice.?

Sometimes making a decision isn?t easy, but it doesn?t mean it is wrong. We all must be able to work together, but someone also has to be willing to lead and make difficult decisions. Together, our administration will continue to lead the way ? one decision at a time to move Maine in the right direction.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: High energy costs hurt Maine families, businesses

October 15, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

When you plug in a space heater, you?re using electricity. That?s energy. When you turn up your thermostat, you?re using wood pellets, heating oil or natural gas to fire up your furnace. That?s energy.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

It?s good to conserve, but at some point the house has to be heated and the car has to get you to work.

Unfortunately, energy costs too much in our state, and for four consecutive years my concerns about high energy have fallen on deaf ears in the Legislature. It?s time we do something about it.

Think of your monthly electric bill, and think how much it costs to heat your home or small business. Electricity bills average $80 a month per household, and our heating costs are over $3,000 a winter. My administration is trying to reduce these costs, especially as we head into cold weather.

When businesses turn on their machinery, they use an enormous amount of energy. Think about how much electricity a paper mill uses every single day or how much energy it takes Bath Iron Works to build a ship. Now imagine what their monthly bills are.

When your bills get too high, you adjust your household budget to make up for those costs. You may cut back on going out to eat or hold off buying new coats and boots for the kids.

You might pile on the blankets and turn the heat down. Unfortunately, some families will fall behind on their bills?or even their mortgage?so they can keep the lights on and the house warm.

Just like families do, businesses also cut back to make up for energy costs. Some mills shut down for two or three months in the winter. Other companies have only one place to cut. They reduce hours for some workers, and others are laid off permanently and close like we?ve seen in Millinocket, Old Town and potentially Bucksport.

I hear from employers all over the state who are struggling with the high cost of energy. Last week, Woodland Pulp in Baileyville and Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor told us their energy costs are holding back future business growth.

But liberals think everything is fine. They say the cost of energy in Maine is lower than the rest of New England. They fail to mention that Maine?s costs are 12th highest in the nation.

We are not competing for investment and jobs only in New England. This is a global economy. Competitive energy costs will attract employers from around the world that can provide career jobs to Mainers.

Now, with winter bearing down on us, businesses are about to experience a catastrophic increase in electric bills.

Unfortunately, there is little hope for relief. That?s because Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick halted efforts to lower energy costs for New England.

He bowed to the liberals who want higher energy costs, and he backed out of an agreement that would expand natural gas infrastructure, expand access to hydropower and lower energy costs.

What?s even worse, is that Maine?s own Congresswoman Pingree and Congressman Michaud voted against expediting natural gas into Maine.

Without this infrastructure in Massachusetts, there?s no way for a big enough pipeline to reach Maine and northern New England.

Governor Patrick, Congresswoman Pingree and Congressman Michaud may stoop to special interest groups, but it?s my job to do what?s best for Maine families and businesses. That?s why we asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to step in and address rising energy prices.

This is a real crisis, and we need action now. Hard decisions are being made in households across our state, and it?s time New England wakes up and works to lower our costs for energy.

We asked FERC to fast track approval for expanding infrastructure and to allow natural gas storage, which will prepare Maine for when Massachusetts finally joins New England?s effort.

So when you hear us talk about energy, please realize that we are talking about families, businesses and jobs. High energy costs drive away businesses, kill jobs and hurt Maine families. It?s bad for the economy.

That?s why I will keep fighting to lower these costs for Mainers?even if out-of-state liberals try to stop me.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Making the Successful Transition from Welfare to Work

October 22, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

In the past few weeks, several businesses opened or expanded creating hundreds of new jobs. While government isn?t creating those jobs, the state has helped create a more business-friendly environment.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As a businessman, I understand economics and what it takes to run a successful business. In the past four years, I have brought that experience to State government and today we are seeing changes for the better.

More Mainers are working as we have seen a steady decline in the unemployment rate.

More than 8,500 jobs are listed on Maine?s Job Bank now and other websites offer even more.

Those without work have turned to welfare to help and our administration is committed to transitioning a welfare recipient to a career. And that commitment takes dedicated resources, time and effort of both the person receiving benefits and those providing support.

We have been working hard for four years to make much-needed reforms to Maine?s welfare system. These reforms are necessary to insure that Maine?s limited taxpayer dollars are being used properly, not abused or wasted.

We must make sure that our welfare resources provide services to Maine?s truly needy. A safety net is essential to protect our most vulnerable Mainers?the elderly, disabled and mentally ill.

We must also make sure that welfare provides a hand up for Mainers who have fallen on hard times. It can happen to any of us. But we must not provide a hand out to those who are able to work and earn a living without the taxpayers? assistance.

That?s why we have worked to implement common-sense welfare reforms. Many of these reforms have been adopted in other states, including states like Massachusetts and New York.

We have put photos on EBT cards to discourage unauthorized use of the cards, and we have blocked the use of EBT cards at strip clubs, liquor stores and casinos. We now require able-bodied welfare recipients to work, and we have improved Maine?s welfare fraud unit.

In addition to those reforms, we are waiting on decisions on two of my top priorities for welfare reform. We want to require drug testing of welfare recipients who have been convicted of drug crimes in the past. Taxpayer money should go to those who are truly needy, not to feed drug addictions.

We are also working to enforce a federal law that prohibits illegal immigrants from receiving handouts. Again, our welfare dollars must be spent on truly needy Mainers, not those who are here illegally.

Our administration will not tolerate anyone who takes advantage of the system. For those of you who need a temporary hand up, we are happy to help you learn how to come off the system, get out of poverty and become a positive contributor to society.

Of course, the best solution to welfare is a good job. We know there are jobs waiting out there. There are 8,500 job postings on the Maine Job Bank, and there are ?Help Wanted? signs all around the state.

We must continue to match up Mainers with those jobs on the job bank and our CareerCenters throughout the State are working on it.

We are reforming welfare by focusing on what people can do, not what they can?t.

We also find out what they want to do. Our welfare to work program, administered by the Departments of Education, Health and Human services and Labor, has helped more than 1,200 Mainers on welfare find full-time careers by assessing their skills and matching them with jobs that work for them.

Their collaboration is paying off for Maine?s people. This year, the state?s vocational rehabilitation program helped more than one-thousand people train for a new career, get a job and successfully remain employed. The program had their highest rehabilitation ever and met federal standards for the first time in at least 20 years.

If you or someone you know is on welfare, struggling finding a job, or has a physical or intellectual disability and wants to work, the Departments of Labor and DHHS can help.

Our administration is improving the lives of Mainers and we are going to continue on with that good work.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Keeping Mainers Safe is Our Number-One Priority

October 30, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

The media frenzy about Ebola has dominated the news this week, but our responsibility to keep Mainers safe goes far beyond headlines and sound bites.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

My administration is committed to protecting the public health and safety of all Mainers, as well as any visitors to our great state. It is my highest priority.

We commend all healthcare workers for their humanitarian work in West Africa and other regions of the world, and we are proud that Americans are always ready to help others. However, we must ensure that upon their return, we use an abundance of caution to make sure they and all of us remain safe. When healthcare workers return home, we will follow established protocols for medical workers who have been in contact with Ebola patients.

In addition, we have established protocols for the monitoring of any individual who returns to Maine after traveling from regions that have been impacted by Ebola. The challenge is that symptoms can occur up to 21 days after a person?s exposure to the virus. That?s why our protocols include monitoring the individual for 21 days after the last possible exposure to Ebola.

We don?t want our returning healthcare workers to have direct contact with other Mainers until this period has passed. An in-home quarantine is the most prudent way to ensure safety and reduce fear. During this period, we will work with these healthcare workers to make sure they have everything they need to be as comfortable as possible.

We certainly understand that our healthcare workers are eager to get home after doing such good work abroad. But we will be vigilant in our duty to protect the health and safety of all Mainers. Since we are a border state, we must also consider the fact that a person who has been exposed to Ebola could cross into Canada.

As Governor, I have to weigh the inconvenience of an in-home quarantine for one individual against the public health and safety for 1.3 million Mainers.

With lack of national leadership on how to keep returning health care workers safe, the states must decide for themselves the best possible course of action to protect their citizens.

We hope that all healthcare workers who were brave enough to care for Ebola patients would voluntarily comply with these common-sense protocols. Unfortunately, one of these health care workers stated publicly that she would not follow our protocols.

We are very concerned about her safety, as well as the health and safety of the community. In fact, we asked the State Police to put a trooper outside her house to protect her in case anyone tries to take the matter into their own hands.

No matter what the potential threat is to the public health, I will explore all of our options to ensure the safety and well-being of our communities and our state. It may not be popular with everyone, but it?s the right thing to do.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Thank you for the opportunity to lead Maine

November 6, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

I would like to thank the people of Maine for electing me to serve as your Governor for another four years. I am truly honored you have chosen me to lead our great state.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I also want to thank the Maine people for seeing through the barrage of negative advertising that saturated our state over the past few months. Liberals spent almost 10-million-dollars to defeat me, and they did much more than stretch the truth.

Politicians often distort their positions and embellish their records. They certainly have the right to free speech and to voice their opinions. However, they do not have the right to alter facts and to deliberately spread falsehoods about their opponents.

I?m proud you saw through the misleading and deceitful attacks, and I?m pleased you validated the progress we have made.

This administration has been under siege from career politicians and the media for four years. But we have persevered, and we have accomplished an incredible amount of good for the Maine people.

No matter how tough it got, no matter how much they threw at us, we kept doing what we knew was right for the Maine people. That?s what we do. We get it done.

You want to keep creating jobs. You want to keep reforming welfare. You want to keep reducing taxes.

With your help, that?s what we will do. We will keep moving Maine forward.

As a homeless kid on the streets of Lewiston, I never thought I would become Governor of our great state. I am so grateful you gave me that chance.

I have lived the American Dream. Maine gave that opportunity to me. Now it?s my turn to give back.

I want every man, woman and child in Maine to have the chance to live the American Dream, too. Together, we can make it happen.

Once again, thank you so much for your support. Most of all, thank you to my family and to Ann.

She is a wonderful wife and mother, and she is an even better First Lady. She is absolutely devoted to our state, and I am so proud of her.

We look forward to serving you, the people of Maine, for the next four years.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Honoring Our Veterans Today and Every Day

November 10, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

A special message from First Lady Ann LePage:

Hello, this is First Lady Ann LePage.

This and every Veteran?s Day, Paul and I enjoy taking time to honor the exceptional men and women of the United States military who have served and protected this country.

Maine is home to more than 140-thousand veterans who have selflessly served our nation and deserve our gratitude not only today but every day.

I spent this past weekend traveling around the state to pay tribute to some truly amazing people, families, and communities. On Saturday, I was proud to be asked to kick-off the first ever POW/MIA Symposium held in Maine, down in Yarmouth. Several Veteran Service Organizations joined together to dedicate themselves to the continued search for thousands of this Country?s heroes who still remain unaccounted for.

That evening, I was honored to meet Vietnam Veteran Jimmy Schools in his hometown of Houlton and present him with some well-deserved medals and a decades long overdue ?welcome home?.

In Auburn on Sunday evening, veterans from all of this Nation?s wars were honored at the second annual Tribute to the Troops held at the Androscoggin Colesee.

On Monday morning, hundreds of students from Millinocket joined Senator Collins and I along with Paul House, from House in the Woods, and representatives from Wreaths Across America and the Quilts of Valor program to pay tribute to their hometown heroes at a school assembly.

I?m forever touched and humbled by how Mainer?s come together to pay tribute to our men and women in uniform ? both past and present.

Among the over 140-thousand veterans in Maine about 85 000 are over the age of 55 and about 60,000 are over 65. Some of whom reside right here in Augusta at the Maine Veteran?s Home. Paul and I, for the past four years on Veteran?s Day, have visited hundreds of veterans there in an effort to honor them and thank them from the bottom of our hearts for all they sacrificed for us as Americans.

And we want to encourage you to thank our heroes, whose service has protected our families, our opportunities and our freedoms. While we can never fully repay our veterans for their sacrifice, we must take every possible opportunity to honor and support them.

And to all veterans and their families, our simple thank you will never be enough. You maintain and strengthen the presence of freedom in our nation for generations to come.

We want to extend our most sincere appreciation to each and every one of you for your courage and dedication.

Thank you and God Bless you All.

Radio Address: Getting Energy and Electricity Prices Under Control

November 19, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Nearly every household in Maine pays the electric bill, which is roughly $80 per month. And that expense has a big impact on our low-income and middle-income households, as well as our elderly who are struggling to make it in this economy.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The same is true with our heating and our gasoline bills. Oil prices have fallen more than 30 percent since the summer, and that means more than $1,000 stays in the pockets of Mainers this year. This is good news.

The decrease in oil prices will help those who are choosing between food, medicine and education with each paycheck ? those who are working hard to make ends meet in our state.

But electricity prices are going in the wrong direction. This will affect our low-income households, as well as our employers who are providing jobs in our state. We must address our energy costs to attract more capital investment into modern factories and businesses.

I have said repeatedly, I support any source of energy that achieves that objective. The costs of renewable energy have come down, and I am hopeful that these costs will continue to fall so these technologies will be a part of making Maine more competitive.

However, right now, the easiest way to move forward with lower electric bills is to take advantage of our domestic natural gas resources to our west, as well as clean hydroelectricity to our north.

Other regions of our country are using competitively priced natural gas to attract businesses and keep electric bills low for families. We should do the same.

This week I will be meeting with the new Governor of Massachusetts, and I am hopeful he will join me in an effort to make our region more competitive.

If you don?t believe me, talk to your local small business about their electric bill. The electric bill for a small grocery store is going to increase from about $1,000 to $2,000 per month this winter. This is a hardship for our Maine employers and turns away investment in our state, as well as costs Mainers more for food.

We need a new direction on our energy policy in Maine and New England. We need a policy that lowers costs for our hardworking households, our elderly and our businesses. All of them are trying to get ahead in this economy, and these high costs are holding them back.

Energy costs can overwhelm household budgets and kill businesses. We are facing a crisis. The time for political rhetoric is over. I hope the legislature is ready to take action and get these energy costs under control.

Radio Address: The Generosity and Spirit of Mainers Teaches an Important Lesson

November 25, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

This fall, the First Lady and I opened the Blaine House doors for our annual food drive, and we raised more than a ton of food for the people of Maine.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The generosity of Mainers grows each year as people travel from all parts of our State to donate food to someone whom they have never met.

Our friends at the Good Shepherd Food Bank are helping distribute that food again this year to those who need it most.

We were humbled by the hundreds of Mainers who came from across the state to give thousands of pounds of non-perishable foods. With your help, we collected 2,154 pounds of food.

As I reflect on this Thanksgiving season, I am thankful for my family and for the generous spirit of the people of Maine.

Instilling the gift of service to others was always ? and still is ? important to Ann and me. Our children were raised to understand that while receiving something is nice, giving to others is even more rewarding.

At this year?s food drive, I was pleased to see a group of about 10 boy scouts who traveled from southern Maine. They learned that giving back to your community is an important part of being a good citizen and a good neighbor.

As someone who has been in need, I know it is not government handouts, but the commitment and love of Maine people and community organizations, that improves lives and strengthens our State.

Government certainly should safeguard our most vulnerable, but government cannot provide everything. Government policies and programs do not change lives; people do.

Maine people have a tradition of caring for their neighbors as they care for themselves and their own families. And when you extend your goodwill, it has a way of encouraging others to do the same.

So, as we approach the hectic holiday season, let?s take a moment to pause and reflect on what it is we are thankful for, and how we can contribute to our communities and the future of Maine.

Thank you for listening. Ann and I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Radio Address: LePage Administration Committed to Distributing Free Smoke Detectors to Keep People Safe

December 2, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Sixty percent of residential fire deaths result from fires in homes without working smoke alarms.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As we head into the heating season, I would like to take a moment to talk fire safety and what our Administration is doing to keep people safe.

As you have likely heard, we have had too many fire deaths in Maine in the past few weeks. Eleven lives have been lost in three separate fires in Portland, St. Francis and Caribou. My heart goes out to the families who are affected.

Our Administration is helping to increase awareness in your community through a partnership between the State Fire Marshal?s Office and the American Red Cross. As part of their national disaster preparedness program, the Red Cross is adding smoke detectors as part of their effort to save lives.

I?m pleased to announce, the State Fire Marshal?s Office, the Maine Chapters of the Red Cross, and local fire departments are working to provide smoke detectors to those who do not have them in their home. The focus is to get smoke detectors into every home.

As your Governor, a father and a husband, I do not want to see another life lost as a result of a fire.

More than one-third (37 percent) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present.

The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms.

The State Fire Marshal Joe Thomas has been able to get 1000 smoke detectors at no cost, to get the program started.

Ongoing donations of smoke detector supplies are being worked out with the American Red Cross and Kidde smoke detector manufacturer.

We are also training Red Cross volunteers who will be going door to door with local fire department personnel. We will also install the detectors where needed.

The goal is to ensure Mainers have the protection of smoke detectors in their homes. And I would be remised if I did not emphasize the importance of making sure your alarms always have working batteries.

Don?t take them out and if you do so for any reason, replace them immediately.

Smoke alarms truly save lives and that is why our Administration is committed to the full five year strategy of the American Red Cross to this effort.

If you are interested in learning more about this program or donating to cover the costs of the detectors, please call the Fire Marshal?s Office at 626-3870 or the Portland Chapter of the Red Cross at 874-1192. Those nu mbers again are for the Fire Marshal, 626-3870 or the Portland Chapter of the Red Cross at 874-1192.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Mainers have Spoken, and we have Listened

December 10, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

During my first two years, we made good progress in moving Maine forward. In the past two years, we made very modest gains. But we could have?and should have?done much, much more.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The people of Maine had a clear choice of which direction they want the state to go. They told us in November they want to keep reforming state government and to continue creating jobs.

They want to see more action and less rhetoric from their elected officials. They don?t want legislators playing backroom politics. They want us to get the job done.

That?s why we will continue to focus on four main priorities: welfare reform; spending reform; lowering energy costs; and reducing the size of government.

We are making significant progress in welfare reform, even though liberals from Washington, D.C. to Augusta, Maine are trying to derail our efforts.

We won?t stop implementing common-sense welfare reforms. The people of Maine told us they want welfare reform, and we will do what is right for them.

We will also do what is right for job creation. We need an economy that offers career jobs with higher pay and good benefits to Mainers.

Tax reforms, such as lowering the state income taxes, will attract companies and put money back in your pockets.

Lower energy costs are vital to attracting major employers, such as manufacturers and high-tech industries. It?s not a coincidence that states with the biggest growth are those with the lowest tax burdens and lowest energy costs.

When it comes to jobs, it?s the bottom line that keeps businesses in business. The costs of doing business in Maine must be competitive with other states if we are to attract the kind of good-paying jobs that will encourage young people and families to stay in Maine.

The size and cost of government should not burden hard-working families. We have been working to right-size government, but there is still more to do.

We must have an affordable and efficient government that is responsive to the needs of our citizens and our businesses. A government that is too big and too expensive takes money away from Mainers and discourages job creation.

Mainers and business owners want a government that spends their money as carefully as they do.

We have listened to you, and we hear you. We hope the legislature is listening too. We are not here to play political games. We are here to work for you, the people of Maine.

So rest assured, during the next four years I will continue do the right thing for Mainers.

Radio Address: Maine?s Winter Season Keeps Mainers Active and State Economy Healthy

December 23, 2014

(MP3 Audio)

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Bangor just recorded the snowiest November on record with a monthly total of nearly 26 inches. That beats the previous record set back in 1962. All that snow is a welcome sign for our economy.

Last year, nearly five-and-a-half million people visited Maine during the winter season, many to enjoy the outdoors. According to the Maine Office of Tourism, the 2013-2014 season saw an increase over the previous season in the number of overnight visitors from New England. This helps thousands of businesses ? both big and small.

There is no shortage of activities during the winter months. We have some of the best skiing in New England, and Maine is the premiere snowmobiling destination in the Northeast. We also have some of the most beautiful state parks, which remain open all-year long.

To ring in the New Year, the Bureau of Parks and Lands will sponsor free, guided hikes in five state parks throughout Maine on New Year?s Day. It?s part of ?America's State Parks First Day Hikes? initiative.

For a list of participating state parks, visit maine.gov and search for ?First Day Hikes.?

If you?re like one of the thousands of snowmobilers across the State, you now have a trail system that includes more than 14,000 miles to ride. Private landowners and the hard work of the Maine Snowmobile Association?s 289 clubs helped to create the14,500-mile trail system.

Last year 82,000 snowmobiles were registered in Maine, with 25 percent of those belonging to people from out of state.

For racing enthusiasts, we have an exciting event coming to Bangor with top snowmobile racers from around the world. International SnoCross will be held at Bass Park on January 10 and 11.

SnoCross is described as ?NASCAR on snow,? and we expect it to draw a lot of attention. For tickets go to Eastern Maine Community College Foundation?s website. emccfoundation.org

Not only will it be a great event to watch, but it is also supports our youth in technical career fields. Some of the proceeds from ticket sales will help the Eastern Maine Community College Foundation, which connects students with local job opportunities.

The estimated economic value of snowmobiling in Maine alone is $350 million annually and provides the equivalent of 2,200 full-time jobs.

Together, snowmobiling and skiing represent $625 million in economic activity.

So, while we are hoping for a white Christmas, we also hope the snow keeps falling to generate some more green for our businesses and our State.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!

Radio Address: It Is Time to Take Bold Action for Maine

January 2, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Politicians in Augusta are saying they want to focus on job creation and the economy. While late to the game, we?re glad they?re finally ready to work on what is really important to Maine people.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Our administration has been working every day for the past four years to help the private sector create jobs and grow the economy. We hope politicians are serious about wanting to join our effort.

We hope stunts like selling the Blaine House and taking away the Governor?s pension are a thing of the past.

We now have the opportunity to work together to move Maine forward. We have made some modest progress to make the state more business friendly by reducing the income tax, eliminating red tape and halting the growth of the welfare system.

Our efforts helped the private sector create 20,000 jobs. Almost 7,000 positions are still open on the Maine Job Bank. Our unemployment rate is down, and our economy is growing.

We need to create even more jobs, and we need our economy to grow faster. We need to keep our graduates in Maine. But it will take more than a couple of years to see major progress in making Maine more competitive on a global scale.

If we want to attract and retain companies that provide good-paying career jobs for our families, we must show them that Maine is a competitive place to do business. Our modest improvements are just the first step. Now it is time be bold and transform Maine.

We must take decisive action to show the nation?and the world?that Maine is serious about welcoming business and improving its economy. In today?s global economy, companies can set up in any state or any country. We must give them a compelling reason to come to Maine.

The states that are growing the fastest have the lowest tax rates and the lowest energy costs. That is no coincidence.

Some of those states have experienced boom years from the oil and gas industry. Others have mild climates in which heating and electricity costs in the winter months are much lower than Maine?s.

We have made strides in promoting industries such as bio-tech, international shipping and mining.

But to compete with the fast-growing states, Maine must get even more aggressive in its efforts to recruit and retain companies. This will take all hands on deck.

Our education system must produce students who have the skills businesses need. Our tax structure must be very attractive to companies and Maine residents.

Our electricity and heating costs must be affordable for businesses and home owners. Our infrastructure must be able to move goods at the speed of business.

We are ready to take bold action. We are ready to tell the world that Maine is truly open for business.

We will lay out a broad vision for the next four years at the Inauguration on January 7. You are all invited to attend. But you must register.

To get your free tickets, please go to LePageInaugural2015.com. I hope to see you there.

Radio Address: Budget makes our government efficient, effective, and affordable

January 13, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

If we want to stem the loss of our population, to fuel economic growth and to move Mainers from poverty into prosperity, we must have efficient, effective, and affordable government.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

When job creators and families look at how states are ranked by tax burden, Maine has been very uncompetitive compared to other states.

Before my administration, the Tax Foundation ranked Maine 37th in terms of tax burden. That put us in the bottom third of states with the highest tax burden. That?s not competitive.

Business owners, young people and retirees use these rankings to compare Maine to other states.

A high ranking can convince young people to go elsewhere to work and raise their family. It can persuade our retirees to go to states where they can keep more of their hard-earned money.

Most importantly, this kind of rating can convince job creators that their businesses should go where they can get a better bang for their buck. Our corporate tax is one of the highest in the Nation.

Our goal is to make Maine a leader?not a follower?on rankings that determine the best states for job creation and places to live and work.

With our budget proposal, we have the opportunity to jump to 23rd place in the tax climate ranking. That makes Maine competitive.

Our budget will allow family businesses and the jobs they provide to stay here in Maine. It tells retirees they can stay in Maine and keep their retirement accounts here.

Our budget shows we appreciate military families and want to keep them here. Most importantly, it shows job creators that Maine is not only a great place to vacation, but it?s a great place to live and do business.

The Maine people want efficient, effective and affordable government. This budget is a start.

Let?s be clear. We are not adding to the tax burden for individuals and job creators. We are reducing it.

We are not expanding taxes in a shift. We are directly reducing the overall tax burden for Maine people.

At the same time, we are also making Maine more competitive with the nation.

We are not proposing any effort to increase local property taxes. That is typical liberal rhetoric. We are encouraging local communities to work together to be more efficient and cost-effective in delivering services.

My priority as governor has always been to tackle our long-term fundamental challenges so we can improve Maine?s future for our children and grandchildren. My long-term vision is a Maine without any income tax.

We have already reduced Maine?s income tax from 8.5% to 7.95%. This budget reduces it further to 5.75% and puts $300 million of tax relief into the pockets of Maine people.

This is a good first step, but we must keep working. I expect to get a lot of resistance to my budget. But I will keep making the tough decisions we need to move Mainers from poverty to prosperity.

Radio Address: Smarter, Smaller Government Begins with a Plan

January 20, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

We must be smart about investing in Maine?s economy. By smart, we must have a strategy about how and why we do what we do as a State.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As a businessman, I consulted for a number of companies needing to improve financial stability. I was able to help a many of those businesses get back on track by creating a realistic plan toward solvency.

Recently, one of the most efficient agencies within our Administration rolled out a two-billion dollar Work Plan that will help Maine?s economy tremendously.

The Maine Department of Transportation saves millions of taxpayer dollars every year, but continues to maintain and improve roads, bridges, ports and rails providing the infrastructure needed for state, interstate and international trade to be successful and profitable.

This Work Plan prioritizes the immediate needs of the state, and the professionals have set these priorities, not the politicians.

It includes more than 1,900 work items over the three years, creating thousands of jobs in the construction industry.

I am proud of Commissioner Dave Bernhardt and his staff at Maine DOT for their hard work and dedication on behalf of their customers?the people of Maine.

At a time when Washington continues to flat fund transportation, we as a State need to be innovative, effective and efficient.

We need to be creative, and we need to stretch the dollar to meet transportation goals each year and that?s exactly what we are doing.

As your Governor, I want Mainers to prosper. I want poverty as a thing of the past. For this to happen, government must become more efficient.

In four years, we have demonstrated that you can do more with less when you are willing to make tough decisions and change can be good.

We have paid off Maine?s welfare debt, put millions back in the Rainy Day Fund, and cut government waste. All of which has led to an improvement of the State?s credit rating.

These things have a direct link to the State?s ability to get a better return on our investment, for instance, when we go to sell bonds for transportation projects and otherwise. But without a plan, we cannot move forward.

Margaret Thatcher probably said it best when she said, "Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan."

And that?s exactly what we will continue to do for all Mainers.

Thanks for listening.

Radio Address: We must all work together to create jobs

January 28, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

We are pleased that liberal lawmakers are now supporting efforts to grow jobs and wages in Maine. This is good news, but their ideas are not new.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The ideas being touted by Speaker of the House Mark Eves are initiatives that our administration has already put in place.

These initiatives are strengthening our economy and getting more Mainers back to work. 20,000 Mainers have found jobs since we took office.

The unemployment rate in December went down to 5.5 percent. The rate is down from 5.7 percent in November and down from 6.4 percent one year ago.

A better indicator of how many Mainers are working is the employment-to-population ratio. Our ratio is nearly 61 percent. It is above the national average for the 87th consecutive month. This is progress, but we all want the economy to grow faster. Unfortunately, some legislators are already trying to stifle job growth.

Democrats are now pushing a bill called ?An Act to Retain Call Centers,? which would force businesses and jobs out of our state. This anti-business law does not help attract jobs to Maine.

Instead of working against us or duplicating efforts, legislators should join us in moving Maine forward. We have several initiatives under way to grow jobs and train a highly skilled workforce.

The Maine Department of Labor is expanding on successful industry partnerships to get the long-term unemployed and New Mainers into jobs.

The Maine Departments of Labor, Education and Health and Human Services are partnering in our ?Welfare-to-Work? program, which helps people who have been on welfare get back into the workforce.

Our administration has also streamlined the youth work-permit process and opened up more types of jobs to teen employment. Getting more young people into the work force is key to teaching them good work habits that will last a lifetime.

We are working to attract highly skilled, young people to the state by partnering with the private sector to provide scholarships and alleviate student debt.

My tax reform plan is the first step to eliminating the income tax and making Maine more competitive nationally and around the globe. This will attract job creators and good-paying careers to our state.

If we really want Maine to be competitive and attract new businesses, families and young people to our state, we must put politics aside and work together to grow jobs.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Local government has failed at tax reform

February 4, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

In January 2005, a law was passed that was supposed to cut property taxes and reduce government spending. A decade later, it has failed to decrease the overall tax burden on Maine residents.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The law was called LD 1, and it set a limit on the growth of state and local government.

The State is doing its part. Spending in 2015 is 13 percent below the limit. That?s almost half-a-billion dollars under. ($471 million)

But in 2014, nearly one-third of municipalities (31%) exceeded the limits of the law. In recent years, one-quarter to one-third of municipalities have exceeded the limit.

Despite its good intentions, LD 1 has not made local government more efficient and less costly. It has not spurred significant efforts at collaboration between communities to reduce the local tax burden.

We cannot count on local officials to reduce taxes. That?s why our budget sends relief directly to the property taxpayer.

In Fiscal Year 2015, we provide $34 million for the new Property Tax Fairness Credit. This sends property tax relief directly to Mainers.

We are proposing a $60 million increase in the second year of our budget. We will then maintain funding for this tax relief at $90 million a year.

We also double the Homestead Exemption from $10,000 to $20,000 to help Mainers 65 and older stay in their homes.

When LD 1 was passed in 2005, 37 percent of the state?s General Fund budget went to local government. In 2014, 37% of the General Fund is still going to local government.

We must focus on tax relief for Mainers, not welfare for local government.

By cutting the income tax, my plan gives money directly back to Mainers. Local officials don?t talk about this side of the equation.

For example, Waterville gets $1 million in revenue sharing. But Waterville residents pay almost $10 million in income tax.

I?d take a 10-to-1 deal any day?and I?m sure Waterville residents would too.

In a smaller town, Greenville gets $67,000 in revenue sharing. Its residents pay $1.5 million in income taxes. I bet they?d like to keep the 1.5 million.

The point is this: any loss in revenue sharing pales in comparison to the hundreds of millions of dollars Mainers would keep under my plan.

It would return $300 million to Mainers. That?s a massive pay raise for hard-working families. It?s time for local officials to stop blaming the state for their budget woes. They must get creative, learn to work together and find efficiencies in delivering services regionally.

Local officials are concerned with local budgets in cities and towns. We are concerned for the Mainers who live in those cities and towns.

Let?s work together to give them the relief they deserve.

Radio Address: Our Plan Helps Senior Citizens Stay in Their Homes

February 18, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

We all know senior citizens who worked hard their whole lives, but now find themselves facing financial uncertainty. My tax reform plan helps them stay in their homes.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

This cold winter reminds us of the less fortunate who are struggling to heat their homes and pay their bills. Maine senior citizens are among them.

Our tax reform plan protects seniors from local property tax increases. Giving state aid to local government has not resulted in lower taxes for Mainers.

Property tax relief programs should focus on individual homeowners instead of municipalities. That?s why our plan gives relief directly to the taxpayer.

Our plan doubles the homestead exemption for seniors. The first $20,000 of their home?s value will be exempt from property tax.

Our plan also increases the property tax fairness credit from $900 to $1,500 for those over 65. This is direct property tax relief to seniors and other Mainers on fixed incomes.

Senior citizens should not be forced to leave their homes because local officials failed to reduce their property taxes.

Our plan also makes Maine a more attractive home for young retirees to launch a second career and for seniors to retire in comfort.

The plan cuts the tax burden by $300 million for Mainers, reduces taxes on all pensions and eliminates taxes on military pensions.

Our plan also eliminates Maine?s estate tax and creates a sales tax fairness credit to offset any increase in sales taxes.

Under this plan, our Maine seniors will see more money in their checking accounts. It will also keep wealthier Maine seniors in our state.

Too many seniors change their legal residence to other states because of Maine?s high taxes.

To make it more affordable for them to stay here after retirement, we will exempt pension income up to $35,000 from state income tax.

Our plan also exempts military pensions from state income tax. Maine will join 22 other states that honor veterans by not taxing their pensions.

This will encourage retired veterans of all ages to reside in Maine, as well as those launching second careers.

Our plan also protects family businesses and farms by eliminating the ?death tax.? Seniors will no longer have to move to other states, and small businesses can keep employing Mainers now and for generations to come.

Our tax reforms are designed to help Mainers age in their homes with dignity. They worked hard all of their lives for their homes. They deserve to keep them.

Radio Address: Energy costs are hurting Mainers, businesses

February 25, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

High energy costs drive away business and raise rates for Mainers. We must lower electricity rates and home heating costs.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

We have seen reduced prices at the pump and lower costs for heating oil this winter. Many people confuse this short-term relief with the kind of lower energy costs we need to make Maine competitive.

One problem is our electric bills, which are too high to bring new manufacturing jobs to Maine. These rates are also killing our small businesses.

When more natural gas is needed to heat homes in the winter, the cost goes up for industrial and business users. Some mills cannot afford these prices spikes. That?s why they shut down and lay off employees in the winter months. It?s not just big businesses that get hit. A laundry owner in Brunswick wrote to me that his energy bill is 75 percent higher than last year. A woodworker in Boothbay says he can?t compete when other regions have electric bills half of what they pay here.

If our businesses have to pay high electric rates, they cannot invest in new equipment or hire new employees. This is not the path to prosperity.

It does not have to be this way. We have affordable natural gas right in our backyard. We have hydropower just across the border in Canada and right here in Maine. Let?s use it! Maine?s renewable energy policies are broken. They are expensive and ineffective, and they favor special interests, not Mainers. We should make our policies focus on two goals: lower costs and lower pollution.

We should follow states like New Hampshire and return money from the regional cap-and-trade program to our businesses that are struggling with higher costs than the rest of the country.

We must also help Mainers invest in more affordable heating options. We have made some progress: 10,000 heat pumps have been installed in Maine.

But low-income households cannot make that kind of investment. We should help our truly needy get affordable heat.

Once again, we will attempt to use $5 million from the increased timber harvest to help our truly needy stay warm in the winter. Let?s help them invest in heat pumps, install wood stoves or upgrade to highly efficient oil burners.

For four years, we fought for more affordable energy options for Mainers. Legislators and special interests stopped us cold. This hurts Mainers.

There is no reason for Maine to pay for high-priced, special-interest energy. We have the solutions right in front of us.

Let?s make this the year when Maine finally chooses to get affordable energy for our residents and our businesses.

Radio Address: Here We Go Again. When Will Politicians Deal with Maine?s Drug Problem?

March 4, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

One of Maine?s most valuable resources is at risk, and the problem is sweeping our State and our Nation.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Our children are the victims, and drugs are the culprit.
Last year, 961 babies in Maine were born drug-affected. This is 8 percent of births, or 1 in 12 babies.

Five years ago, Maine had just under 400 babies born drug-affected. While one child is too many, this increase is staggering.

Another number continuing to climb is the total drug overdose deaths. There were more than 200 last year. That?s more overdose deaths than we had motor vehicle fatalities in 2014.

The number of drug dealing gangs is on the rise. Many of these dealers create dangerous meth labs in our communities. These make-shift drug labs are on an alarming increase. Maine Drug Enforcement Drug agents went from 20 meth labs busts two years ago to 37 last year.

Pharmacy robberies are up, too. Maine had 35 percent more robberies last year than the previous year.

Many out-of-state drug dealers are affiliated with ruthless criminal gangs. They push crack cocaine, heroin, prescription pills and other dangerous drugs into our communities.

Most often these dealers are involved in other crimes, like gun running and human trafficking. In 2014, 17 percent of drug-trafficking arrests were these out-of-state dealers.

Almost half ? 47 percent ? of these dealers were from New York, followed by Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida and six other states.

While Maine is one of the safest states in our Nation, our police officers, drug agents, prosecutors and judges are fighting an uphill battle with these criminals.

Resources have been limited because career politicians don?t want to address the problem.

I have identified funding to help our law enforcement, prosecutors and judges tackle our drug problem. However, liberal politicians would rather ignore this epidemic. But I?m not backing down ? not on this one. There is too much at stake. So, once again, I have included funding in my budget to address this serious problem.

We must provide more resources to law enforcement to hunt down these drug dealers. Then we must ensure they pay for their crimes.

The longer we wait, the worse our children will be. Nearly 1,000 babies born in Maine last year were addicted to crack cocaine, heroin, prescription pills and other dangerous drugs.

How many more will there be this year?

Radio Address: Maple Syrup Season Starts with Blaine House Tree Tapping

March 11, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Maple syrup season is an example of why small farmers are such an important part of our heritage and our economy.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

This week, I took part in an annual tradition ? the tapping of a maple tree at the Blaine House. This event kicks off Maine?s maple syrup season and helps promote this growing industry in our state.

Maine?s maple industry contributes an estimated $28 million directly to our economy. Including multiplier effects, it has an annual economic output estimated at nearly $50 million.

The industry also provides 805 full and part-time jobs and $25 million in labor income.

More importantly, this industry has a tremendous potential for additional growth and future job creation.

A University of Maine study conducted last year found that Maine has the third-largest maple industry in the United States.

Maine?s licensed maple syrup producers have been in operation an average of 24 years, and many span multiple generations.

Our tax reform proposal would help these maple producers, as well as other small farmers and family businesses.

Our goal is to eliminate the income tax, which would put $1.2 billion back in Mainers? pockets. This year?s phase of cutting the income tax would save Maine?s small farmers more than $4 million.

Almost every Mainer who claims income from farming would get at least $1,100 from our tax cut.

The estate tax often results in families losing the farm or business. We would eliminate this ?death tax,? which would help keep farms and small businesses in the family.

We also double the Homestead Exemption for homeowners over 65, and we replace revenue sharing by tripling the Property Tax Fairness Credit, which provides tax relief directly to Maine?s taxpayers.

Our tax reform proposal puts money in farmers? pockets, helps them keep their homes and protects their farms or small businesses for future generations.

You can visit many of these farmers and maple producers on Maine Maple Sunday, which is on March 22.

About 100 sugarhouses will be open throughout the state. Visitors can enjoy samples of maple syrup and candy, see demonstrations of making syrup, take sugarbush tours and participate in other activities.

For more information about Maine Maple Producers, please go to: www.MaineMapleProducers.com.

Thank you for supporting our maple industry and our small farmers.

Radio Address: Eliminating the Income Tax Means a Pay Raise for Hardworking Mainers

March 19, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Forty-six years ago Democratic Governor Ken Curtis championed a controversial state income tax. So it began; Mainer?s paychecks were raided to pay for bigger government.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

In 1969, the income tax barely survived the Legislature, and today $1.2 billion dollars is taken from hardworking Mainers through income tax.

Nearly fifty years later, we are trying to return money back to Mainers, but it?s not without a major battle. This week, Democratic Representative Adam Goode of Bangor opposed our plan saying it only benefits the rich.

However, his definition of rich is interesting. Most Maine businesses are pass through entities meaning many of those earning 400-thousand dollars are actually small businesses owners. These are the businesses that create jobs and invest these tax cuts creating career opportunities.

Also, what Rep. Goode fails to mention is that 653-thousand working Mainers pay over one billion dollars ? 1.2 billion to be exact ? in income taxes.

Our plan returns that money back to working Mainers. Starting next year, Mainers will receive $238 million annually back in taxes and that number increases to $300 million in four years.

Our plan helps those earning lower incomes, too. We?ve set aside $60 Million to the neediest Mainers through the Sales Tax Fairness Credit and the Property Tax Fairness Credit. These tax credits are available only to those of more limited means.

The Property Tax Fairness Credit will help Mainers with their property taxes. We?ve doubled the amount of money available to Mainers under 65 and with limited incomes. We have also tripled the amount of money available through the Homestead Exemption. This tax credit helps Mainers over 65 to lower their property taxes.

Another way we help folks with lower incomes is by providing a tax credit toward the sales tax. Those with limited incomes will be eligible for this tax credit.

For Representative Goode to claim this plan benefits the rich is an insult to Bangor residents who pay the state nearly $29 million in annual income tax. If you really look at how this plan works you will see it modernizes our tax code so the majority of Mainers are keeping what they earn.

Don?t be fooled by rhetoric. I encourage you to attend one of our upcoming town hall meetings to learn the facts.

You can also call your legislator to tell them you support eliminating the income tax. Legislators are working on the budget now and they must hear from you.

Meanwhile, remember who introduced the income tax here in Maine? Well, today former Governor Ken Curtis lives in Florida where there is zero income tax.

Thanks for listening.

Radio Address: Welfare to Work Works and More Reform Makes it Better

April 6, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Before we started reforming Maine's welfare system in 2011, people could stay on "Temporary" welfare for as long as they wanted. The rule for eligibility was: ?When in doubt, hand it out.?

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

When I became Governor, I knew our welfare system needed to be fixed. We had too many people on the welfare rolls, and there was zero accountability.

We?ve worked with thousands of Mainers to help them become more self-reliant and economically independent.

Our administration is willing to provide the time and effort it takes to help fellow Mainers.

We have enacted a five-year cap on TANF benefits. But that isn?t the only solution. We now offer welfare recipients the opportunities and support they need to succeed.

In the past year, our welfare-to-work program has provided vocational assessments to more than 2,000 welfare recipients. More than 850 of them have been placed in jobs or work experiences.

Because of our efforts, TANF cases have dropped from 14,804 in 2011 to just 6,191 as of March 2015.

This week, I met two Mainers who have made the successful transition from welfare to work. Their names are Jill and Danielle, and they support these changes to the system.

These two women are shining examples of how our welfare system is intended to work.

Welfare is not a way of life. Maine taxpayers cannot afford to pay for bloated welfare programs, nor is it government?s role to do so.

But government can take the time and effort to help Mainers through education and training to become financially stable and economically independent.

Liberals think throwing money at the problem will solve it. That has never worked, and it never will.

Taking the time to train, educate and mentor our fellow Mainers is the path toward success.

Our welfare reforms and innovative programs are providing more Mainers the ability to achieve their American Dream. Our latest welfare reform bill is another step in helping them move from poverty to prosperity.

This bill will:

Require job-ready welfare applicants to apply for three jobs before receiving benefits;
Prohibit the use of Maine EBT cards outside our state;
Ban welfare benefits from being used to buy tobacco, liquor, gambling, lottery tickets, tattoos and bail.

We have also strengthened penalties for people who abuse the system.

Some of these initiatives may sound familiar. These changes didn?t go through last year because our liberal friends killed the bills.

However, Mainers have spoken. We have a new Republican majority in the Senate. Mainers want welfare reform, and I hope Democrats listen to them this time.

These changes are not going to fix our welfare system entirely. But our reforms will change people?s lives for the better.

Our welfare-to-work program has proven successful for people like Jill and Danielle and thousands of other Mainers.

It?s time we listen to the people who have been through the system themselves so we can improve it for everyone.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Energy Policies Must Drive Down Costs for Mainers

April 17, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Environmental groups downplay our energy challenges because we did not see the catastrophic price increases we saw last winter. They couldn?t be more wrong.

Hello, this is Governor LePage.

We are not just trying to avoid price increases. We must lower energy costs to make our state competitive.

High energy costs make it difficult for our businesses to compete or expand. When prices spike in the winter, some mills shut down to save on energy costs.

We need to create jobs, not lose them because of high energy prices. We are making progress to get more natural gas to our region. But we need to move faster.

New England Governors are meeting this month to talk about natural gas ? I will push for action there.

Fortunately, we now have more partners to make our region competitive.

Governor Baker in Massachusetts wants to get more natural gas capacity. Governor Malloy in Connecticut supports infrastructure for natural gas. Rhode Island is also moving forward with natural gas.

We need projects that deliver the quickest results for Mainers. We are proposing legislation to help employers purchase their own natural gas capacity with a letter of credit.

Once again, we are proposing common-sense policies that the Democrats have rejected in the past. We want to use revenue from increased timber harvesting to lower costs for Mainers to heat their homes.

We are also proposing to remove the 100-megawatt limit on all forms of renewable energy. I have said it again and again. I favor any form energy, as long as it does two things: lower costs for Mainers and reduces pollution.

The PUC should be allowed to consider long-term contracts for energy only if it significantly reduces costs for ratepayers.

The Legislature is scrambling because they missed a small, three-letter word in their energy bill, which could lead to an increase of $38 million on Maine ratepayers every year.

But we have greater problems than that. If we are serious about addressing the costs of energy, we should have a Commissioner of Energy. Maine spends over a billion dollars in electricity and a roughly $500 million on heat every year.

Energy is important to our state?s economic future. While the Legislature wants to spend more of your money there should also be oversight. The commissioner should supervise the funds at the Efficiency Maine Trust to make sure this funding is used effectively. This organization gets millions of dollars in ratepayer funds. It needs to be accountable and ultimately answerable to the Maine people through elected officials.

Once we have oversight and transparency at Efficiency Maine, then we can take about adding a small word to a big spending bill.

Radio Address: Priorities for the People of Maine

April 23, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Priorities.

For decades, Maine government--state and local--has got them completely backwards. Nowhere is this more evident than in our social services.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

When I came to office, things were good for able-bodied, working-age adults who don't like to work.

They had Medicaid, they had cash welfare for as long as they wanted, and they could get food stamps for as long as they wanted.

Meanwhile, the State neglected paying bills to Maine's hospitals, our nursing homes were on a "starvation diet," 3,000 severely disabled and elderly Mainers were on waitlists for Medicaid services, and the budget was swimming in a sea of red ink.

The liberal politicians who ran Maine nearly uninterrupted for four decades created a system where we said "yes" to able-bodied young men looking for welfare, but "no" to an 18 year old with cerebral palsy on a Medicaid waitlist for home care services.

We've begun to turn it around over these past four years. We reduced our Medicaid rolls by 67,000 able-bodied adults. We put a 60-month cap on cash welfare, a two-year cap on methadone, and we told able bodied 18-49 year olds without dependents that if they want to keep getting food stamps, they've got to get off the couch and go volunteer in their community, go to school, or get a job--do something to give back and improve themselves.

As a result, between policies and the state budget I have proposed this year, we have been able to increase nursing home funding, pay off our hospitals, move disabled and elderly Mainers off waitlists and get them the care they need, and finally get spending under control at DHHS.

Those were my priorities because that?s what Mainers said they wanted.

It's a new day in Augusta, and a new future for Maine--one where responsible government gets its priorities straight. It?s about what Maine people want and need.

You asked for change at the state level, and I've done my best to deliver.

But the same change needs to happen at the local level too. Liberal politicians in municipal government haven't gotten the message yet about priorities.

I believe the most effective government is the one closest to the people.

It is the responsibility of every citizen to engage at the local level.

Change for the better occurs only when people get involved. Demand the right priorities: jobs over welfare; hand ups over handouts; fiscal responsibility over higher property taxes.

Maine can do better. Maine can be more prosperous. But it all begins with getting our priorities straight.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Contact your legislators about eliminating the income tax

May 6, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

My bill to eliminate the Maine income tax would make sure it never comes back. This would put 1.2 billion dollars in the pockets of working Mainers.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Eliminating the income tax is the largest wage increase Mainers could get. You work hard for your money, you earned it and you should keep it.

Liberal politicians tax and spend and tell you they are helping you. There?s no amount of your money they won?t spend on their follies, expand welfare and reward their friends in special-interest groups.

I have just one special interest: the Maine people. You know much better than government how to spend your own money.

That?s why I have proposed a Constitutional amendment to eliminate the income tax. This amendment would prevent politicians from enacting an income tax in the future.

The Constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote of the Legislature. Maine voters must then approve it at a statewide referendum in November.

Some states tried moving too fast to eliminate their income tax. We are taking a much more cautious approach.

We are phasing it out over time until it is gone. We first reduced the top rate from 8.5 to 7.95 percent, giving tax relief to two-thirds of Mainers.

In addition, 70,000 low-income Mainers no longer pay income tax. Opponents said the loss of income tax revenue would hurt government. But revenue has gone up since we reduced the income tax.

This year, my plan cuts the income tax even further, from 7.95 to 5.75%. That?s a 40% reduction in the income tax since I took office.

As the income tax goes down, Mainers get more money in their pockets. As they spend that money, it creates economic growth. This generates the revenue needed to right-size government, resulting in an affordable, efficient and effective governance.

My goal is to reduce the income tax to 4% by the end of 2018. The Constitutional amendment would guarantee it keeps going down after I leave office.

I have been holding town hall meetings all over the state. I am telling Mainers I?m trying to put more money into their paychecks. Most people get it.

But liberal politicians are purposely misrepresenting my plan, saying it will cut education or local services. These are nothing more than ideological fabrications being used to scare the Maine people.

Angry liberals often yell out or strongly object to my plan at the town hall meetings. I asked one man if he would give up $300,000 in revenue sharing in his town if the residents in that town would get back $5 million from my income tax cut. He said, ?No!? You just can?t please some people. But I know the vast majority of Mainers do want their money back. They prefer to spend their own money, rather than have greedy liberal politicians redistribute their earnings on programs we don?t all agree with.

Whether you like with my plan or not, I urge you to contact your legislators. You hold the true power ? not me and not the Legislature.

If you want to eliminate the income tax and put more money in your paycheck, then pick up the phone and call your legislators. Write them a letter or send them an email.

Your voice is very important: make sure they hear it.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Democrats stifle the voice of the Maine people

May 15, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

I have a simple question for the Maine people: Would you like to eliminate the income tax and put $1.2 billion back into your paychecks?

Hello, this is Governor LePage.

Unfortunately, you won?t get the chance to answer that question. Democrats in Augusta have denied you, the Maine people, the opportunity to be heard on this important issue. The Taxation Committee voted along party lines to deny Mainers a voice in this process.

Republicans voted in favor of the Maine people. Democrats voted against you, the Maine people.

State government now takes $1.2 billion out of the paychecks of hard-working Mainers. Eliminating the income tax would put $1.2 billion back in their pockets. In fact, it?s the largest wage increase Mainers could get.

I have been holding town hall meetings all over Maine, and citizens up and down the state are in favor of eliminating the income tax.

That?s why I asked Legislative leadership for bipartisan support for my bill to amend the Constitution to eliminate the State income tax. Only Republican leaders stepped up to endorse it. Democrat leaders wanted to kill it from the start.

The process to approve a Constitutional amendment includes sending it to Maine voters in a statewide referendum. This gives the Maine people a voice in deciding if they want to get rid of the income tax.

Democrats on the Taxation Committee voted to stifle that voice. They reject any effort to give Mainers back the money they have rightfully earned.

Liberal Democrats just want to keep growing government, no matter how much they have to raise your taxes to pay for it. The rhetoric they use against improving our economy is nothing more than ideological fabrication.

Politicians take money out of your paycheck every week, and you have no say in how they spend it. There is no amount of your money they won?t take for their tax-and-spend follies. For example, legislators are keeping 200 empty positions on the books so they can spend your money in the dark of night. It goes into what they call a ?cascade.? But it?s really just pet projects for politicians.

I believe the Maine people know much better than government how to spend their own money. We are a society of consumers. The people will spend that $1.2 billion it and put it right back into our economy. This will provide the revenue we need to operate a government that is affordable, efficient and effective.

We must give the Maine people the power to choose how to spend their own money. It is disgraceful for these politicians to refuse Mainers the opportunity to vote on eliminating the income tax.

You must demand to know why these legislators don?t want you to speak on this issue. The Taxation Committee members who voted against you are:

Senator Nathan L. Libby (D-Lewiston)
Representative Adam A. Goode (D-Bangor)
Representative Stephen S. Stanley (D-Medway)
Representative Matthew W. Moonen (D-Portland)
Representative Diane M. Russell (D-Portland)
Representative Denise A. Tepler (D-Topsham)
Representative Gary E. Sukeforth (I-Appleton)

There is still time for the full legislature to vote on this issue. If you want to eliminate the income tax, find out who your local legislators are. Call them and let them know how you feel.

You, the people of Maine, deserve a say in how $1.2 billion of your hard-earned money is being wasted. Mainers deserve better.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Now is the Time for Real Tax Reform

May 27, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Now is the time for real tax reform Reports that tax reform is dead have been greatly exaggerated. Republicans and I are determined that we will cut the income tax this year.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

When it comes to the budget, career politicians in Augusta have one objective. They just want to create a budget that 186 legislators can agree on ? whether it?s a good budget or not. Then they want to go home for the summer, giving you the impression they worked hard for the Maine people. Now that the clock is ticking toward their vacation time, Democrats suddenly want to take tax reform off the table. They just want to submit a budget that maintains the status quo.

Democrats pretended to be interested in cutting the income tax, but they would actually raise taxes by $120 million. It was a poor deal for Mainers. These politicians really don?t want to reduce the high tax burden on hard-working Mainers. They prefer business as usual.

That?s not how I operate. I didn?t take this job to be a rubber stamp for bad policy coming out of the legislature. I became Governor because we need to bring real reform to state government, and we need to create prosperity for the Maine people.

Every day, Mainers tell me taxes are too high. They want to keep more of their hard-earned money. The Maine people don?t trust liberal politicians to spend their money responsibly. Neither do I. That?s why we are determined to reduce the income tax in this budget.

Democrats are trying to kick the can down the road again, but we won?t let them.

Republicans are united in our mission to eliminate the income tax. Over the past few months, we have considered different approaches about how to accomplish it. But we all agree on one thing. This budget must take a major step toward eliminating the income tax once and for all.

The time for reform is now.

The media keeps asking me if I am willing to compromise on the budget. My answer is still the same: I am always willing to compromise on good public policy that truly benefits the people of Maine. However, I am not interested in any compromise on bad public policy that does not move our state forward or create prosperity for Mainers.

Democrats are working on a budget for 186 legislators in Augusta to approve. They are making deals and working behind closed doors, just so they can vote on something and go home.

I am working on a budget to benefit 1.3 million Mainers. But I need your help. You must hold your legislators accountable.

Lobbyists and lawyers for special interests are talking to legislators every day in the halls of the State House. The taxpayers? interests are not being represented.

If you want to eliminate the income tax, you must get engaged. Find out who your local legislators are. Call or email them and let them know how you feel.

Together, we can move our state forward and bring prosperity to all Mainers.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Government Shutdown Unnecessary

June 9, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Let me be clear: I have never called for a government shutdown. I do not want a shutdown. It is not necessary.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Democrats are using scare tactics to make state employees and the Maine people believe a government shutdown is imminent.

Furthermore, they are trying to blame it on Republicans. Folks, this just isn?t true.

A shutdown is not necessary. There is plenty of time for legislators to work out a responsible budget that serves the best interests of Mainers.

They just need to get back to work.

Don?t be fooled by the false deadlines the Democrats keep talking about. They would rather pack up and go home for the summer than create a budget that benefits the Maine people.

That?s because legislators don?t get paid for working after June 30.

Instead of worrying about their pay, Democrats should be more concerned with getting the job done for the people they claim to represent.

This budget must include what the Maine people are demanding. They told us very clearly in November they want tax relief, more welfare reform and less spending on government.

The Democrats propose spending $125 million more in their budget. But they give no tax cuts for Mainers.

In fact, Democrats disenfranchise the Maine people ? until they want their vote at the next election.

They also take money from nursing homes to give to undocumented immigrants.

Thankfully, Republicans in the House are sticking to their principles. Their budget would lower taxes, keep reforming welfare and limit spending.

Democrats have a choice. They can keep playing games or they can do what?s right for Mainers.

On June 30, they will have 3 options. They can recess, adjourn or take action to keep government open.

If Democrats have not agreed to a responsible budget by June 30, I will submit a continuing resolution to keep state government running.

It will provide the revenue needed to keep government open on a month-by-month basis.

A two-thirds vote of the Legislature is needed to enact a continuing resolution. If Democrats don?t vote for the continuing resolution, then it is their choice ? and their choice only ? to shut down government.

Again, a shutdown is not necessary. It?s just political fear-mongering by Democrats.

Instead of using scare tactics to threaten state workers, Democrats should get to work and do what?s right for the people of Maine.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Legislators are Voting to Expand Welfare

June 23, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

The single most important issue in last November?s election was welfare reform. But legislators didn?t get the message. Instead of ?welfare-to-work,? they have created ?welfare-to-even-more-welfare.?

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

When I worked at a major retail chain, we?d have promotions to get people in the door and make it easier for them to buy our products. This deal in the Legislature?s budget is like a clearance sale for welfare benefits: it gets more able-bodied people in the door to sign them up for even more welfare.

Eliminating the welfare cliff to ease people off of welfare is a concept everyone wanted to get behind. But liberals took this common-sense concept and turned it into another way to expand welfare to more people.

I proposed to eliminate the welfare cliff by rewarding the work performed by TANF recipients. In their back-room deal for this budget, legislative leaders stripped out our work provision, making it easier for welfare recipients to stay on the program without working. This will make it nearly impossible for Maine to meet our federal work requirements. The federal government has already fined Maine over $20 million for failing to comply with these requirements.

These legislators have turned the welfare cliff into a plateau, putting able-bodied people on welfare cruise control for years. Our goal is to get more welfare recipients working, but this budget is a step backward. Our unemployment rate is 4.7%, compared to 8% when I took office. With 10,000 jobs on the Maine Job Bank alone, there are plenty of jobs to go around.

When we enforced the federal work requirement for food stamps, people in rural Maine actually complied with it more than people in urban Maine. It?s not just about jobs; it?s about an attitude.

We have to change the culture from giving lifetime welfare benefits to people who choose not work into a system that expects and enables them to work. Giving people more welfare benefits with no time limit and no work requirement is not going to accomplish that.

Politicians in Augusta must think Mainers have the same work ethic as some of the welfare recipients they are trying to enable. These politicians come to the State House and accomplish nothing for five months. They cram together a budget in secret at the last minute and then complain about staying up late to do the work they didn?t get done since January. But Maine taxpayers have a stronger work ethic than that. We can?t weaken that work ethic with a looser welfare system.

I came here to reform welfare and make it more accountable, and the Maine people sent me back here to keep doing exactly that. This budget does the opposite. I used my authority to line-item veto over $4 million to provide SNAP, TANF and SSI for non-citizens. Legislators put it back in. Increasing welfare for non-citizens while 2,000 elderly, disabled and mentally ill Mainers sit on wait lists for medical services is unacceptable.

If you voted for legislators who said they were going to reform welfare, you need to contact them today. They are not listening to you.

Radio Address: The Budget That Could Have Been, But is Not

June 17, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Five months ago, we handed politicians in Augusta a balanced budget that included welfare reforms and a $300 million tax cut for Mainers. That budget never saw the light of day and today, that budget is long gone.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Previous budgets maintained the status quo and did nothing to move Maine forward. My Administration stunned legislators by presenting them with a bold and comprehensive budget. We put the best interests of the Maine people before politics. We prioritized our working-class families and our most vulnerable citizens. For the first time in decades, our budget provided meaningful tax relief for Mainers with a vision for a prosperous future.

Politicians claim my budget focused on ?tax breaks for the rich.? But Maine?s highest tax rate now kicks in for someone making only $20,000?only liberals would call that rich. My plan would have cut taxes for Mainers of all income levels, and it would have moved 60,000 more low-income families off the tax rolls.

We also created tax credits for Mainers with low incomes and a high property tax burden. We chose to give property tax relief directly to Mainers?not to municipal politicians?by expanding the Property Tax Fairness Credit.

We provided even more tax relief for our elderly and those on fixed incomes by doubling the Homestead Exemption to help offset their property taxes.

While we heard a lot about taxes, our budget also strengthened our safety net for the elderly, disabled and mentally ill. We fully funded the Medicaid waitlist with $46 million to provide services to all 2,000 eligible Mainers. For nearly five years, I have sought to adequately fund programs and services for our most vulnerable, but the call for help continues to fall on deaf ears.

The Appropriations Committee holds the purse strings in Augusta, and Mainers on the Medicaid waitlist have never been their priority. Instead, they protect illegal aliens.

These same politicians pushed for $6 million in welfare benefits for illegal immigrants. At the same time, they rejected proposals to fully fund nursing homes and services for severely disabled Mainers on waitlists.

My fiscally conservative principles differ very much from most Augusta politicians. I believe we must take care of Mainers first while we maintain an effective, efficient and accountable government. I believe that Mainers should keep more of their hard-earned money, and I think they know better than government how to spend it.

I want to be clear: this budget belongs to the 127th Legislature. It is not mine. It is a far cry from what I proposed for Mainers. They rejected real reforms for Mainers and voted for a budget that has a stranglehold on your hard earned money.

When I veto the Legislature?s budget, it is because I care more for our elderly, disabled and mentally ill than asylum seekers. But a veto doesn?t mean we have given up. We will never turn our backs on hardworking taxpayers and our most vulnerable Mainers.

When lawmakers go home, I will continue taking the truth to the people of Maine so someday Mainers will see prosperity.

Radio Address: Business As Usual is Not Acceptable

June 30, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

In case you haven?t noticed, I did not come to Augusta to do business as usual. I came to do good business for the Maine people.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Career politicians in Augusta are not interested in public policies that would actually move Maine forward. They give 10-second sound bites about improving our economy, but they come to the State House for just one reason: to protect the status quo.

Most Maine people pay no attention to the petty, political game-playing that goes on under the dome?and Augusta politicians know it.

They are very comfortable doing their business out of the public eye and disenfranchising the Maine people. They held secret negotiations on a budget that affects 1.3 million Mainers and in doing so left their character and integrity at the door, which they locked.

They cut the Maine people out of the Constitutional process by refusing to let them debate on whether to eliminate the income tax.

To elected politicians, this is business as usual. To me, it is unacceptable. The Maine people have a right to know what their government is doing with their hard-earned money. That?s why I use all of the tools available to the Executive Branch to go around these politicians and communicate directly with the Maine people. I am not here to work on behalf of 186 politicians inside the State House. I work for the Maine people?all 1.3 million of them. If their elected officials are not being honest, I will call attention to it.

For example, a handful of Augusta politicians held secret negotiations on their budget behind locked doors. But I held 10 public town hall meetings about my budget all over Maine, from Saco in York County to Presque Isle up in The County.

Legislators are now rushing to pass bills without even reading them. I read them all. I?m not Nancy Pelosi. That?s why I use my veto pen to halt bad policies from making it into law or to ensure bills get the widest possible representation in the State House.

Augusta politicians also snuck in a last-minute ?Christmas tree? adorned with $4 million in gifts for favored legislators. We used a prop to expose this underhanded practice of spending taxpayers? money without their knowledge.

Some people think we go over the top to make our point. But we have to. Only a handful of legislators are willing to fight for the Maine people, and they are outnumbered. The Maine media and the liberal political establishment work hand-in-hand to defend the status quo. Every day, they push job-killing, pro-welfare policies that move our state backward.

The Legislature is now more interested in going home than doing what?s right for the Maine people. They are banding together to override vetoes and approve a budget that has no real reform in it?just so they can pack up and leave for the summer.

They won?t make the tough decisions to reduce the size of government and improve our economy. Someone needs to hold them accountable.

We will keep using headline-grabbing tactics to keep the Maine people informed about the self-serving agendas of Augusta politicians. You deserve to know what they?re up to. And I pledge to expose them.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Fighting for a government free of fraud and abuse

July 7, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

No one in the State of Maine cares more for at-risk kids than I do. I was an at-risk kid. I have been there.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I know what it?s like to grow up in a dysfunctional household with an abusive parent. I know what it?s like to live on the streets where crudeness and violence are so normal that the rest of the world seems foreign. I also know what it?s like to feel alienated in a public school system that doesn?t understand the needs of the at-risk kids. I care about all Maine kids, and I care about the at-risk youth at Good Will-Hinckley.

When I heard Good Will-Hinckley had hired Speaker of the House Mark Eves to run their charter school for at-risk kids, I thought it was a joke. If Speaker Eves had his way, no charter schools would have ever opened in Maine. He worked his entire political career to oppose and threaten charter schools in Maine. He is the mouthpiece for the Maine Education Association. Giving taxpayers? money to a person who has fought so hard against charter schools would be unconscionable.

Supporters of Speaker Eves, including his admirers at the Portland Press Herald,, have portrayed him as a nice family man who is being persecuted for simply trying to get a job. That is pure political spin, and the Maine people know it.

Mark Eves enjoys the prestige and the perks that come with his powerful position as Speaker of the House. However, like most professional politicians, he does not like having to defend his voting record. And that record is crystal clear: Eves has been the most visible and most powerful opponent of charter schools in Maine.

Regardless of his efforts to close charter schools, he wanted a cushy job at a charter school that paid $150,000 in salary and benefits. You can?t make this stuff up. The media is bending over backward to defend Eves, but Mainers see it for what it is. It?s a political hack-o-rama at its worst.

Unlike prior presidents at Good Will-Hinckley who hold advance degrees in education administration and have had long careers as educators, Speaker Eves? only qualification was being a politician in Augusta, where he?s used his position to oppose charter schools and to threaten the existence of the very organization he sought to lead.

I have spoken out against people in powerful positions who have abused the taxpayers? trust at the expense of the Maine people. Former legislator Paul Violette, the past head of the Maine Turnpike Authority, went to jail for enriching himself and misappropriating public money.

Another former legislator, Dale McCormick, past head of the Maine State Housing Authority, was spending much more public money than was necessary to build housing units for low-income Mainers. She was ousted for her mismanagement of that agency.

These former legislators used their political positions to land cushy, high-paying jobs in which they were trusted to use taxpayer money to improve the lives of Mainers. They abused that trust and had to face the consequences of their actions. The same is true of Mark Eves.

Speaker Eves most recently broke the public trust when he orchestrated closed-door budget negotiations with three other legislative leaders, then forced the 183 other legislators to vote on a budget they did not have time to read. Thankfully, 47 legislators saw through this and voted against it.

I?m sure Mark Eves is a nice family man. He is free to speak his mind personally and politically. But so am I. When I disagree with Speaker Eves or any other politician and when I see that their actions are not in the best interest of the State of Maine, I will speak up. If Speaker Eves or anyone else wants to sue me in hopes of a big pay day, that?s their right. But I will always fight for the right of the Maine people to have a government that is free from waste, fraud and abuse.

I will not get a big pay day for my efforts. But I will sleep well at night, knowing I did the right thing for the Maine people.

Radio Address: Maine Crime Down, But Drug Trade is Growing

July 22, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Maine is one of the safest state?s in our Nation. We can all be proud of that.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Every year, the Maine Department of Public Safety releases information on criminal statistics, and this year there are many signs of encouragement. Crime in Maine decreased nearly 15 percent during 2014, the largest drop in 40 years.

As Governor, I am determined to decrease domestic violence. Our society must not tolerate it. We may not be able to eliminate this abuse, but we can be committed to talking about how to detect early signs of abuse and share with people the resources and help available for victims.

During the past four years, I have spoken to thousands of young people around the State highlighting the dangers of domestic violence and how to identify the signs. I?m pleased to say there were fewer domestic violence assaults and three fewer homicides in 2014 compared to 2013.

However, we must always remember that behind the number is a family member, a loved one, a friend, neighbor or coworker. They are not statistics.

There are other signs of improvement. Crimes involving aggravated assaults, robberies and burglaries declined last year. The number of arson cases decreased, as well.

However, drug trafficking is on the rise. Drug arrests went up, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency continues to see significant abuse of prescription drugs and heroin, as well as an increase in out-of-state drug dealers.

Democratic Senator Ann Haskell said we have already lost the war on drugs. Democrats have given up on getting drugs off our streets. Their solution is simply ignore the problem.

To be successful fighting Maine?s drug problem, we must have a plan. We need to fund more agents at the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. If we want drugs off the streets, we must be willing to fight the root of the problem: drug dealers.

There were 208 drug-induced deaths identified in Maine in 2014. It?s likely more go unidentified. The use of heroin is increasing. Nearly twice as many people died from a heroin overdose in 2013 than in 2014 ? 34 in 2013, 57 in 2014.

Even more troubling, there were 961 drug-affected babies born in our State last year.

Drugs are the driving force for most of the crime in Maine. But Democrats continue to undercut the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and its ability to hire an adequate number of agents. These agents are the only way to hunt down these drug-dealing thugs and put them behind bars. Democrats choose to turn a blind eye on our drug problem, but I will not back down in my support for more agents, prosecutors and judges to fight this major problem.

I want to thank our law enforcement officials for all the work they do to keep us safe. Local and State police put their lives on the line for us every day. On behalf of all Mainers, I thank you for making our state a safer place.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Maine is Under Attack from Drug Dealers

July 29, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Maine is under attack from out-of-state drug dealers who are peddling poison to our kids, and it?s time we get serious about it.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I read a story in The Washington Post about Maine?s heroin crisis and the young man from Falmouth who died last year from heroin overdose. As a parent, the story of a good family destroyed by heroin addiction struck close to home.

Ann and I worry about young Mainers, and how heroin addiction can tear a family apart, regardless of social status or parenting efforts.

Folks, we have to get tough on this problem. Deaths from heroin overdose are four times more frequent than they were just 10 years ago. Gangs are trafficking this deadly poison in our state, using other New England states as their operating base. We need to go after the dealers?not the addicts?but it?s not an easy job.

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency is working around the clock to lock up these dealers of death, and we often see their results in the news with drug bust after drug bust. However, they need more help. That?s why I repeatedly ask the legislature to pay for 14 new agents to crack down on drug dealers, to no avail. They denied my request. Then we asked for seven agents, but they only gave us half. These Democrat legislators are not serious about stopping the drug epidemic that is killing our young people.

Please call your state representative and state senator and tell them to hire more MDEA agents. They won?t do it on their own. I need the help of the Maine people to get this done. We can?t just arrest our way out of this problem. For those who addicted to deadly opiates like heroin, there is help?even if you don?t have insurance. The liberal media claims that reductions in welfare eligibility for able-bodied young adults have reduced drug treatment options for addicts. This is false.

DHHS has money available for drug treatment, even for those who don?t have Medicaid or private insurance. In fact, we have hundreds of thousands of dollars left over every year in this program. We have the resources to help those who need it. The State has increased funding for addiction treatment from $7 million to $17 million since I?ve been Governor.

Unfortunately, Maine?s welfare system has fueled the drug trade for too long. We?ve all seen the photos of drug busts with EBT cards that were used to pay for drugs. One welfare recipient whose EBT card showed up in possession of a drug dealer had gotten 47 replacement cards in just a couple of years?47 EBT cards for one person! The old rule allowed people to get unlimited replacement EBT cards for free; cards they often traded for heroin and other narcotics. Our new rules would cap EBT users at four replacement cards. We?re also putting photos on EBT cards, so drug dealers are less likely to take them as payment for heroin.

The Washington Post article noted the dealer who sold the lethal dose of heroin to the young man from Falmouth was living in subsidized housing in Portland. We have to be more careful about who our taxpayer-funded programs are supporting.

We simply cannot allow welfare benefits to enable drug abuse and drug trafficking.

Dial 2-1-1 if you or a loved one is addicted to heroin and needs help paying for treatment. Please, get help before it?s too late.

Radio Address: Now is the time to get hydropower from Canada

August 7, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

We?ve been saying it for years: Maine?s high electricity prices are not competitive. Affordable energy is just over the border, but politics is preventing us from getting it.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Maine residents spend nearly double the national average for energy. In fact, Maine has the 12th highest electricity cost in the country.

We were glad to see reports this week detailing the five large-scale hydropower proposals that could send thousands of megawatts to the Northeast, which would lower energy bills for Mainers.

We have been trying to get inexpensive hydropower from Canada for years, but to no avail. States to our south are now working to get it. We must take advantage of this inexpensive power that will be flowing right past us.

But environmentalists, newspapers and Augusta politicians keep blocking our efforts to reduce energy prices for Maine and New England.

Their policies also drive away large manufacturers that provide good-paying career jobs for the Maine people. Our high natural gas and electricity prices have been cited in the closing a number of mills in Maine.

Rather than invest in Northeastern states, major manufacturing companies take their jobs to the Southeast, where energy costs and taxes are much lower.

We have said repeatedly that we welcome any form of energy that actually lowers the cost of energy in Maine. But we need lower costs now, not decades into the future.

Despite the objections of liberals, we have been focused on reducing energy costs. We are working with other New England governors?Democrats and Republicans?to get affordable natural gas from Pennsylvania into our region.

In May, I testified in Washington, D.C. before the House Energy and Commerce?s Subcommittee on Energy and Power. I urged them to speed up the federal permitting process for producers of clean and affordable energy.

Since 2012, Mainers have installed over 10,000 heat pumps, reducing heating costs for households and small businesses. Since 2013, we have devoted resources to help Mainers reduce their home heating costs through incentives ranging from insulation to heating system upgrades?the first time the state has put funds toward one of our greatest energy challenges.

We have introduced a bill several times since 2011 to remove the 100-megawatt limit on hydropower, which would allow us to get inexpensive hydropower from Quebec. But politicians who are indebted to wealthy environmentalists and special interests keep rejecting it.

It makes no sense to ignore the clean and affordable energy that is available right next to us. Despite my efforts, I cannot do it alone. I need your help.

If you want lower electric bills, lower home-heating costs and better jobs, please urge your representative and senator to support common-sense efforts to get affordable energy to Maine.

Radio Address: A Comprehensive Plan to Fight the Drug Crisis Starts with Critical Thinking

August 12, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

As a business consultant, I used my skills and expertise to help deliver an outcome, develop a solution or mitigate a risk.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I look at governing the same way as improving a business. As an Administration, we first identify the problem, then we seek solutions to improve the situation.

Today, Maine is facing a huge drug problem. It is killing our children, ripping families apart and jeopardizing the safety within our communities.

Nearly 1,000 babies each year in Maine are born addicted to heroin and other opiates. Last year, more than 200 people in Maine died from overdoses, and our jails are overcrowded.

This is not just a problem. It is a crisis, and my Administration is taking action. Since announcing the Drug Summit, we have received overwhelming response.

As Commander-in-Chief and Governor of the State of Maine I will use all resources possible to ensure the public health and safety of Mainers. This includes enabling members of the Maine Army National Guard to help assist the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency in its counter-drug efforts.

We must have a comprehensive plan created by critical thinkers. We must provide solutions on how to disrupt the drug supply and hunt down the traffickers. We must also provide strategies about how to address addiction and improve recovery rates for those struggling to get off drugs.

We scheduled Drug Summit on August 26. It will include top officials from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as judicial officials, including the U.S Marshal, Federal DEA officers, the Chief Justice and Attorney General. The Commissioner of Public Safety will moderate this session and help determine how we can best manage this drug-trafficking crisis from a law enforcement and judicial perspective.

These drugs do not magically appear on our streets; they are being brought in every day by outside drug gangs. Drug traffickers from places like the Philadelphia, the Bronx and Boston are making big money at our expense and they are killing Mainers as they do it.

These drug dealers don?t care who buys their heroin. But we do. They are our family members, our loved ones, friends and neighbors.

Recently, a lawyer blamed me for his ex-wife?s overdose. Too often we see the devastating effects of addiction and how it takes over people?s lives, including this one. But we are to blame if the State and its dedicated employees ignore those trafficking and addicting our citizens every day.

There are treatment programs for the uninsured. In fact, there is no funding shortfall for substance abuse treatment. In fact, my Administration has increased funding over the past five years.

While we?ve increased funding for addiction programs we ignore the people who are getting Mainers addicted. If we truly want to save lives, we must cut off the supply.
It?s easy to point the finger at someone and say they are to blame, but it?s much more difficult to work on a solution. We all have a choice. You either have to be part of the solution, or you're going to be part of the problem. I am bringing critical thinkers to the table to provide solutions to a complex problem. We will get the job done.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: High Electricity Prices Cost Mainers Good Jobs

August 19, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

With 90-degree heat this week, air conditioners are cranking and electricity meters are spinning. Household bills may go up, but it?s Mainers seeking good jobs who really pay the price for high electricity costs.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Homeowners see higher electricity bills during summer months or when prices spike in the winter. But large manufacturing companies using tremendous amounts of electricity pay high prices all year round.

When companies are forced to pay higher costs for electricity, they have to cut costs elsewhere. Too often, this results in layoffs or furloughs for workers. Some companies even move out of state, taking good-paying jobs with them.

Maine just lost another company, Franklin Fueling Systems of Saco, which is moving to Madison, Wisconsin. Their cost of electricity doubled between 2012 and 2014. Thirty-five manufacturing jobs are now going to the Midwest, where energy costs are much lower.

Well-respected Maine companies have told us that high energy costs make it difficult to invest in jobs and harder to compete in the marketplace.

Companies struggling with high electricity costs around the state include Pine Tree Orthopedic Lab in Livermore Falls; an Irving sawmill in Dixfield; Elmet Technologies in Lewiston; Auburn Manufacturing; Jarden Plastic Solutions in East Wilton; and Black Dinah Chocolates in Isle au Haut.

I?ve been saying it for five years: high electricity costs are a major barrier to attracting business investment and good-paying career jobs, especially in energy-intensive industries such as manufacturing. My Administration is making progress with other states to expand hydropower and natural gas into our region. But 40 year liberal policies in Maine are preventing us from taking advantage of low-cost energy, such as clean and affordable hydropower in Quebec and natural gas in Pennsylvania.

The Legislature also has a responsibility to address this burden on Maine businesses. Instead of looking exclusively at wind and solar power, elected officials must look at the bottom line. That?s where the jobs are. The Legislature neglected to address real energy reforms, choosing to continue 40 year-old policy of making a few wealthy at the expense of Mainers.

How many more Mainers must lose their jobs before the Legislature takes action? It?s time to switch off expensive energy and plug into the affordable reserves of natural gas and hydropower that can lower costs, jumpstart business development and create good jobs for Maine people.

Radio Address: Stronger, Safer Communities Require Public Safety and Public Health Strategies

August 25, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Maine?s Heroin Crisis is real and it requires more than treatment to keep our communities safe.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

On Wednesday, I will, along with the Commissioner of Public Safety John Morris, host a Drug Crisis Summit.

In light of surging heroin use in Maine and the alarming rate at which people are overdosing we must come together to identify ways to stop this deadly drug abuse, utilizing our very limited resources. While prevention and treatment efforts are worthy of discussion, we are never going to eliminate the drug problem altogether through treatment alone.

The State has increased substance abuse treatment spending by $21 million since 2008. Today, taxpayers spend more than $72 million on substance abuse treatment.

This brings me to a very important point, which is supply and demand.

Disrupting the drug supply chain is critical to saving lives. We no longer can neglect the root of the problem. Our massive drug crisis stems from the traffickers and gangs coming into our state. In addition, our state is suffering from drug-related crimes often committed by addicts to support their drug addiction.

It is an issue of supply and demand. We know we have addicts who truly are the victims and we have resources available for those who want it. Yet, we have not adequately addressed the supply chain. We must address both.

As Governor, I am unable to spend money without authorization from the legislature. I mentioned earlier that the State spends more than $72 million on substance abuse treatment. Compare this to the $3 million spent on law enforcement efforts. It really is an embarrassment how little funding the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency receives.

Once again the media is criticizing the Summit, which is mostly comprised of law enforcement experts. However, the purpose of this Summit is to have a comprehensive law enforcement approach to the exploding number of drug traffickers entering our state.

Seventy-million toward substance abuse while drug diversion in Maine receives $3 million highlights our unbalanced approach to combatting drug traffickers.

Despite this, on Wednesday we will identify ways to disrupt the drug supply coming into Maine with the limited resources we have. We will also talk about patterns of illegal drug production, distribution, and consumption and determine how we can communicate more effectively with each other.

We can help make our neighborhoods and communities safer and our people healthier, and to do that we will identify solutions in both public health and public safety.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October 14, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. However, Domestic abuse isn?t an issue that we should pay attention to only one month during the year ? it?s a topic that targets victims every day.

Hello, this is Governor, Paul LePage.

Domestic violence transcends race, age, gender and economic groups and it is widespread affecting millions of Americans each year.

It?s likely you know someone whose been in an abusive situation ? whether it be emotional or physical. Although domestic abuse, often times, is a difficult subject to speak about, it is a necessary discussion we must have with each other.

This month, we have lit the Blaine House in purple in an effort to honor those we have lost to domestic violence and to offer hope to survivors.

Domestic violence awareness month provides a great opportunity for citizens to learn more about preventing domestic violence and to show support for the numerous organizations and individuals who provide critical advocacy, services and assistance to victims.

This week I was able to join with the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence for their annual Awards Ceremony which was held at the Blaine House.

The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence is a group that is dedicated to preventing domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. The Coalition provides a range of programs that offer the support and services as well as the encouragement and hope that victims need. Additionally, the Coalition provides training and education for the public, employers and educators.

You can find information on their website at mcedv.org. That?s mcedv.org.

The only way we can eliminate this violence is to speak up. I am asking every Mainer to stand and speak out with me on this issue. Together, we can make Maine safer while we dedicate our message to those that have been taken from us too soon.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Clean Election Money is Welfare for Politicians

October 7, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Question 1 on the November ballot asks Maine voters if they want to increase Clean Election funding for candidates.

Don?t be fooled: it is just more welfare for politicians.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Question 1 is disguised as a way to disclose who pays for political ads and to increase fines on candidates who violate campaign finance laws.

But it doubles and even triples the amount of taxpayer money for political candidates. In a primary race, each candidate for Governor could get up to $1 million.

In the general election, each candidate for Governor could get up to $2 million. In the last election, the three candidates for Governor would have gotten $9 million in taxpayer funding. In 2010, it would have been $15 million.

Giving millions of dollars of your hard-earned money to politicians is just wrong. I have never taken Clean Election money. If candidates can?t get enough support from the Maine people to win an election, they shouldn?t run.

Candidates for House and Senate already get welfare for politicians. House candidates now get around $5,000. It would triple to $15,000. Senate candidates now get about $20,000. It would triple to $60,000.

This is ridiculous. Taxpayers should not subsidize campaigns for politicians.

Even worse, Question 1 will not keep big money out of politics. It does not limit the activity of Political Action Committees (PACs).

Question 1 would require listing the top three donors to a PAC, but it is very difficult to find out the names of those donors. Donors can funnel money through legal organizations that are not required to reveal their names.

Question 1 would increase penalties for violators. However, if you can?t determine who the donors are, it?s nearly impossible to fine them.

It?s no surprise who is behind Question 1: union bosses and very rich people from other states, including the partner of Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes.

Supporters of Question 1 say they want clean money for local candidates. But they are using a George Soros-style of bundling dark money from out-of-state millionaires and billionaires who hide their identities.

Unions are often the biggest donors to candidates using taxpayer money, but union bosses never reveal their names. The hypocrisy behind Question 1 is stunning.

Make no mistake: billionaires, union bosses and out-of-state liberal activists are trying to buy Maine?s elections. It?s up to you to stop them.

Radio Address: Educate and Empower Yourself Before Going to the Polls

October 21, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

As Election Day approaches, we are reminded of our civic responsibility as American citizens.

Your vote is your voice. It is your opportunity to hold elected officials accountable for their actions or inaction. And it enables you to be a part of the conversations and issues affecting your community.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

On November 3, Mainers will have the opportunity to answer three statewide questions. The questions are relatively easy to understand. However, the old adage, the devil is in the details is an understatement this year. The details are worth checking about before you check yes or no.

For example, there are 13 pages of legislation attached to Question 1. Question one will cost Maine taxpayers many millions of dollars.

This is taxpayer-funded welfare for politicians to buy signs, bumper stickers and negative political advertising. It could triple the amount of public funding for some candidates. For a contested primary race, each candidate for Governor would qualify to get up to $1 million.

House candidates now get an average of $5,000. This would triple it to $15,000. Senate candidates get an average of $20,000; this would raise it to $60,000.

In the general election, each candidate for Governor would qualify to get up to $2 million.

In the last election, the candidates for Governor would have received a total of $15 million in taxpayer funding. I?d rather see that money go toward roads, schools and protecting our most vulnerable citizens.

Increasing public financing will not keep big money out of politics. This will not limit the activity of political action committees also known as PACs.

You?re not going to hear about these details from those who support Question One, but in the fine print it is clear what?s going on.

I would also like to take a moment to share the facts about housing bonds, which is the focus of Question Two on the ballot. The Maine State Housing Authority helps secure funding to build affordable housing for Mainers and in the past two years alone, I have signed for $180 million in housing bonds to support this effort.

Question Two asks voters if they want to borrow $15 million in General Obligation bonds for housing. Rather than tie up Maine?s general obligation bonding capacity ? which has an impact on our state?s credit rating, I believe housing bonds should be issued through Maine Housing, whose mission is to ensure Mainers have affordable and accessible housing.

Question Two is a feel good bill by legislators who want to appear like they?re solving our affordable housing problem. We must be smart about how the State invests taxpayer money and use our partners like the Maine State Housing Authority strategically.

Before you cast your ballot, take time to learn the facts. Your voice and your vote make a difference in how Maine moves forward ? either way. Please vote.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Strengthening Maine?s Economy by Connecting Local Businesses Globally

October 21, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Building relationships in business is one of the components to ensuring economic success.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

This week, I will lead a diverse group of Maine business professionals, academic recruiters and government representatives to Japan and China on a trade mission.

This mission is about jobs and economic growth. The delegation includes several Maine businesses seeking to develop new export markets and secure new buyers to expand their sales in Tokyo and Shanghai.

Industries represented include: advanced materials, renewable energy, marine resources and some educational institutions looking to boost international student attraction. We have two high schools joining the mission, along with the University of Maine and University of Southern Maine.

China is Maine?s second largest export market, with $184 million in exports in 2014. Japan is Maine?s fourth largest export market at $98 million. They are both critical markets for our Natural resource-based economy.

For example, pulp and paper represents $127 million and seafood represents $46.1 of Maine exports.

There has been tremendous growth in lobster exports to China, increasing from $8 million to $21 million in last 2 years.

And there is room to grow. We can boost Maine?s export trade by developing investment contacts and increasing business attraction.

In 2012, we lead the Administration?s first visit to Mainland China, which lead to International Grand Investment Corp. investing more than $150 million in Woodland Pulp in Baileyville.

The Chinese company last year added 2 paper machines, creating 80 new jobs in Northern Maine.

The Chinese will also soon invest in the City of Auburn, where plans to renovate an old mill are underway for a medical tourism facility. This is expected to create another 100 jobs.

Trade missions are important economic drivers. We have opportunities to build up exports and bring in new sales, investments and connections.

This mission is one more way our administration is working to provide more opportunities for more Mainers to achieve prosperity.

Radio Address: Thank a Veteran on Veterans Day and Every Day

November 11, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Maine has one of the highest numbers of veterans per capita in the country. With pride, Mainers have always answered the call of duty to defend our State and Nation.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

On this Veteran?s Day, I ask you to honor the millions of American men and women who have given of themselves for their country since our nation?s founding.

Our debt to these heroes can never be re-paid, but our gratitude and respect must last forever. Ann and I fully support programs for our veterans, including the Hire-A-Vet campaign at the Maine Department of Labor. We want our veterans to return home to good-paying careers that take advantage of the skills they developed serving our country. The campaign?s goal was for 100 businesses to hire 100 veterans. So far, 127 businesses have signed up, and 135 veterans have been hired. Now we are hoping for 200 businesses to hire 200 veterans. Whether you are a veteran or an employer, we urge you to connect with this campaign to help hire our veterans.

To encourage veterans to stay in Maine after their service, we pushed hard to eliminate the income tax on military pensions. We want to welcome veterans from Maine and around the country to settle in our state and bring their skills with them.

Just last week, the Bureau of Veterans Services announced the Maine Veterans Legacy Project, which will preserve the personal stories of our veterans in their own words. The project is now collecting first-person accounts of those who defended the United States during wartime and protected our borders during peacetime. Our veterans are living history, and it is our responsibility to ensure these memories are shared with Mainers for generations to come. WABI TV5 of Bangor is filming and producing the interviews with veterans, and they will be kept at the State of Maine Archives for public viewing.

Ann and I urge you to show your support for our veterans. Just say ?thank you? to the next veteran you meet. Hire a veteran in your workplace, visit a VA hospital or donate to a veterans program.

We must ask ourselves as a nation: Are we serving veterans even half as well as they have served us?

Ann and I are indebted to the families and service members who have given so much for this great country in the name of freedom. We must remember them. We must appreciate them.

God bless our veterans, and God bless America.

Radio Address: Paris Attacks Unite Allies, Creates Concern about Syrian Refugees Entering U.S.

November 16, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

President Obama said he will allow 10,000 Syrian refugees into our country within the next year, and his staff is confident in the federal government?s screening process. In the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris, the President?s actions are irresponsible.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Several Governors have already stated concerns about Syrian refugees resettling in the U.S. Two Governors will not agree to relocate Syrian refugees in their states. Unfortunately, we do not know for certain if Maine has any Syrian refugees at this time.

While the President has expressed confidence in the U.S. screening process, some have pointed out the gaping holes in our immigration policy.

Rep. Mike McCaul of Texas is chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. He says there is no way to vet refugees because there are no databases to do such a thing.

McCaul said the Obama Administration lacks the names of 5,000 or more foreign fighters around the world?these are very dangerous people who pose serious threats on a global scale.

One of the first actions I took as Governor was to ensure Maine is no longer a sanctuary state that harbors illegal aliens. It?s important to follow federal law, and we work with law enforcement and other agencies to assist the federal government on immigration matters.

As a free state and country, we are always vulnerable to attack. The safety of our citizens comes first. We need responsible immigration policies to protect not only Americans, but all people.

The terrorist attacks in France are a tragic reminder of the dangerous world we live in. It is my responsibility as Governor to protect the people of Maine with the resources I have available.

Staff from my office has reached out to the Consulate General of France in Boston to offer any assistance on behalf of the State of Maine.

The Maine Department of Public Safety and Maine Emergency Management Agency are working with the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies to monitor any possible threats.

This is not a time to incite panic or fear. But I remind Mainers to stay alert to your surroundings and to report any suspicious activity.

You can make a report by calling 877-786-3636. That?s 877-786-3636.

On behalf of all Mainers, we offer our deepest condolences to the victims and their families in Paris. An attack on our allies in France is considered an assault on the United States, and we stand together in condemning all acts of terrorism in friendly nations and around the world.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Generosity and Spirit of Mainers

November 24, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

The First Lady and I opened the Blaine House doors again this month for our annual food drive, and we were pleased to see the generosity of Mainers helping other Mainers.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Mainers travel from all parts of our State each year to donate food to needy people they have never met. The holidays are often hard for the less fortunate, so it is truly heartwarming to see their fellow Mainers stepping up to help. We were humbled by the hundreds of Mainers who came to donate thousands of pounds of non-perishable foods. The Good Shepherd Food Bank will distribute the food to those who need it most.

As I reflect on this Thanksgiving season, I am thankful for my family and for the generous spirit of the people of Maine. Instilling the gift of service to others has always been very important to Ann and me. Our children were raised to understand that while receiving something is always nice, giving to others is even more rewarding.

Giving back to your community is an important part of being a good citizen and a good neighbor.

I am someone who has been in need. But it wasn?t the government that helped me out. I never forget that it was the commitment and love of Maine people who gave me the support I needed to succeed. Government should certainly provide a safety net for our most vulnerable, but government programs do not change lives: people do.

Mainers have a long tradition of caring for their neighbors as they care for themselves and their own families. And when you extend your goodwill, it has a way of encouraging others to do the same. So, as we approach the holiday season, let?s take a moment to pause and reflect on what it is we are thankful for. Let us also think about how we can contribute to our communities and the future of Maine.

Ann and I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: We Cannot Wait Any Longer to Fight Drug Dealers

December 1, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Heroin is raging in our state, and it is killing Mainers every week. We need less talk on this deadly pandemic and more action.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Everyone agrees Maine?s heroin problem has escalated into a public health crisis. But politicians differ on how to handle it.

My administration is focused right now on attacking the supply side of the problem. We need more law enforcement officials on the streets, hunting down drug dealers and stopping them from selling poison in our state. However, as we have said repeatedly, we are not looking to arrest drug addicts. We are going after the organized drug dealers who run these illegal operations like a very profitable business. We need to shut them down wherever we can.

We absolutely agree that more treatment, education and recovery efforts are needed. If the Legislature wants to create a comprehensive plan to increase both law enforcement and treatment, we welcome it. The Legislature has the ability to prioritize funding for this comprehensive plan when they go through the budget. Unfortunately, like everything else the Legislature does, it will take a long time to come up with the plan?and even longer to implement it.

We can?t stand by and watch Mainer after Mainer die from heroin or other lethal opiates while the Legislature is mulling over their plan.

As Maine is plagued with the worst drug epidemic in history, MDEA is shortest staff than ever. We first proposed 14 new agents in March 2014, but the Legislature only approved 4 new drug enforcement agents in July. That?s not enough. We need to build a pipeline for hiring and training new agents so as some are hitting the streets, more are coming in for training. But the Legislature has delayed these law enforcement efforts for a year-and-a-half. As the drug crisis is rapidly accelerating, we are falling behind in resources to stop the supply. The Legislature can determine the timeline for funding the new agents. I just need to know they are serious about creating these positions no later than Jan. 2016. But if they continue to stall and wait around for an unspecified plan to increase treatment, I will move ahead without them. As they contemplate how to create a plan, Mainers are literally dropping dead.

If they have not informed me by December 10 that they are planning to fund these new agents, I will take action. That?s why I will use every resource available to me to fight these drug traffickers, including temporary support from the National Guard.

Every life is worth saving, and we will do whatever is necessary to prevent the death of one more Mainer.

Radio Address: Maine Leads Wreaths Across America Journey to Honor American Heroes

December 10, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Hello, this is Governor, Paul LePage.

The first week of December marks a special time for Mainers as a caravan of volunteers makes its way from Washington County to Washington D.C. to lay thousands of wreaths on the graves of American heroes in Arlington National Cemetery.

Morrill and Karen Worcester, who own Worcester Wreath in Harrington, began this tradition with just a few wreaths in 1992. Today, the wreaths are on their way to more 11-hundred locations across the Nation.

It has become an annual pilgrimage to Arlington National Cemetery for dozens of Maine people, Gold Star families, the Patriot Guard Riders and the Maine State Police.

In each state along the way, stops are made for wreath-laying ceremonies at memorials, visits at veteran?s homes and education programs at schools.

On Monday, I watched with pride as my lovely wife Ann once again joined the convoy, which she has been a part of for the past four years.

She has become a leading voice in raising awareness and appreciation of our military, our veterans and their families, which in return has been an incredible experience for both of us.

Wreaths Across America expects to reach its goal of placing 750,000 wreaths on veterans? graves this year. With each wreath we help to honor our veterans and active military, as well as their families.

On the convoy, there are 11 trucks filled with wreaths. Over 50 trucks will arrive Saturday at Arlington National Cemetery to be ready for the wreath laying by thousands of volunteers. However, not all trucks head to Arlington. There are more than 1,000 participating locations where wreaths are trucked all over the country.

The First Lady and I would like to say thank you to all of the professional drivers and the trucking companies that support this mission.

This trip helps to show our nation what it means to be from Maine. This Maine-led commemorative convoy, now known as the world?s largest veteran?s parade, makes Ann and me proud to call Maine home.

I look forward to joining her at Arlington National Cemetery this weekend for the wreath-laying ceremony.

As we celebrate the holiday, please remember the true spirit of the season, which shines in Wreaths Across America and those it pays tribute to. It is not just giving a gift, but giving of ourselves.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Medicaid expansion: Here we go again

December 29, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

Medicaid expansion has been disastrous for many states around the nation?just as it was for Maine. Now Augusta politicians are trying to expand Medicaid again because it is an election year.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I vetoed Medicaid expansion five times because we knew it would not be free. It would cost Maine taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars over the next decade.

AP reports at least 14 states with Medicaid expansion are being crushed by enrollments that are blowing past original projections. These states will have to pay hundreds of millions of dollars when the federal government?s promise of ?free money? is cut back in 2017.
? In Kentucky, enrollment in 2014 more than doubled what they projected. Cost estimates could skyrocket to more than $360 million.
? In Michigan, cost estimates for Medicaid expansion jumped 50 percent because of exploding enrollment.
? In Ohio, projected costs of expanding Medicaid have more than doubled.
? In California, 2.3 million people enrolled in Medicaid?almost three times what they projected.
? In Washington, enrollment more than doubled.
? In Oregon, enrollments exceeded projections by 73 percent. In 2017, Oregon will lose nearly $2 billion of federal funding for Medicaid.
? In New Mexico, enrollment jumped 44 percent over projections. They may have to take money from other state agencies to fill the budget gap.
? In Arkansas, cost overruns for Medicaid expansion were projected at $45 million in 2014. The state?s Medicaid director resigned, and they had to seek a bailout from the feds.
? Rhode Island expanded Medicaid in a way that was similar to what Democrats wanted for Maine. Enrollments of able-bodied Rhode Islanders immediately doubled, and the state faced a $52 million budget shortfall.

As Yogi Berra said, ?It?s d?j? vu all over again.? Unlike other states, Maine expanded Medicaid in 2002. It resulted in welfare debt of $750 million to Maine?s hospitals, and it squeezed out funding for our elderly, our disabled, our mentally ill and our nursing homes.

Maine?s media has ignored it, but DHHS has done a tremendous job of containing the Medicaid shortfalls that used to blow holes in the budget every year. Medicaid spending is now essentially flat.

But two liberal politicians want to expand Medicaid again, shamelessly tying it to more treatment programs for addicts. We already spend $76 million a year on substance abuse programs, but only $3 million a year chasing drug traffickers from out-of-state gangs.

If these so-called politicians want to increase spending to treat addicts, they should try doing it without deception. They don?t have to expand welfare?they just have to set priorities.

Don?t be fooled by this latest attempt to expand welfare. The results were disastrous for Maine, and it is now devastating states around the country. ObamaCare is crumbling, and promises of ?free money? are drying up.

We have vetoed Medicaid expansion five times, and we will veto it every time electioneering politicians try to bring it up. It was the wrong thing to do then, and it?s the wrong thing to do now.

It?s time to send dishonest and deceptive politicians home for good.

Radio Address: A Christmas Message from the Governor

December 22, 2015

(MP3 Audio)

As we gather with friends and family this week to celebrate Christmas, I am reminded how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As Governor, it is my number-one priority to provide opportunities for my family to stay in Maine. I know it is just as important to you for your children and grandchildren to live, work and play in our great State. This holiday season, I hope you are encouraged at the direction Maine is moving.

Last week, we learned the unemployment rate fell to 4.1%?its lowest rate since 2002. More Mainers are working, and that means more Mainers are providing for themselves and their families this holiday season. Still, there are Mainers struggling, and I don?t want those families to lose faith. As your Governor, I have walked in your shoes. I know how difficult it is to fall on hard times. However, where there is a will, there is a way.

Our Administration continues to work for you, and we will continue to make Maine a better place for all of our sons and daughters to find work, to start businesses and to stay here to raise families of their own.

As we come together for the holidays, we have an opportunity to share goodwill and gratitude and reflect on the blessings we have received year round. I am proud of our great State and the fortitude of Mainers, and I am looking forward to another year of building opportunities for you and your family.

And while many families are together this Christmas, I would also like to recognize the many families who are apart. The First Lady and I are thinking of our military service members who are serving away from their loved ones this Christmas. We thank you for your dedication and courage as you defend our nation and the freedoms we hold dear. We look forward to your safe return. Also, I wish to thank our military families for all their sacrifices while your loved ones are away.

I wish you and your families, near and far, a safe and Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all.

Radio Address: We will continue to root out corruption in Augusta

January 5, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

As the second session of the 127th Legislature opens, you can be sure it will be more political than last session. That?s because 2016 is an election year.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Politicians know how to provide lip service, and that?s exactly what they will be doing for the next few months as they use the session for their campaign soapbox.

I did not come to Augusta to provide lip service. I came to work for the Maine people. I also came to Augusta to root out crooked politicians and government corruption.

I?ve upset their apple cart, and they don?t like it. They could not defeat me at the ballot box, so they are trying to destroy me any way they can.

But, as the saying goes, when you point a finger at me, three fingers are pointing back at you. These politicians are the same people who are guilty of deceiving the Maine people.

They wasted six months of the taxpayers? time and money on a political witch hunt, only to find no wrongdoing. They convened a kangaroo court, but shut it down as soon as the truth started to come out.

They blundered on the budget. In June 2015, they orchestrated a secretive, back-room deal on the budget, which included wasteful spending of millions of taxpayer dollars.

They rejected real tax reform. We put up a bill to amend the Maine Constitution to eliminate the income tax. These politicians rejected the bill, denying Mainers a chance to vote on how much tax the government should take out of their paychecks.

They refuse to be transparent. Maine Public Broadcasting Network has offered to broadcast the legislative session for years so Maine people can see what these politicians are doing. They have repeatedly denied funding to MPBN, so they can keep hiding their business from you the Maine people.

Now they are playing politics with the drug crisis. They finally agreed to pay for some Maine Drug Enforcement Agency agents. However, like Washington, D.C. politicians, they included money and special favors for their friends. The bill sends money for drug treatment to hand-picked organizations whose programs have been ineffective.

These electioneering politicians will continue to attack me because they think it will win them votes back home. They will keep making shady back-room deals so they can say they are working in a bipartisan fashion.

Three independent legislators came to me in 2013 to say they would support my bills if I support theirs. They call it ?quid pro quo.? I call it corruption. I threw them out of my office. Now they are leading the charge to impeach me. I say, ?Bring it on.? I will continue to publicly denounce politicians who put themselves ahead of the Maine people.

If we really want accountability and transparency in government, we must let the Maine people know what is really happening in Augusta.

The media won?t expose their favorite politicians for the dishonest and deceptive games they play with the taxpayers? money, by my Administration will.

Radio Address: Efficient and effective government requires accountability and transparency

January 13, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

If we are to have efficient and effective government, we must have accountability and transparency. It?s the only way to earn the trust of our hard-working taxpayers. Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I intend to let Mainers know what is going on in Augusta. They deserve to know how their elected officials are voting on important issues. Unfortunately, once these politicians get to Augusta, they are all too eager to hide their business from the Maine people.

They soon forget why they were elected and what they promised to do for their constituents. I was elected by hundreds of thousands of people from all corners of Maine. As your Governor, I don?t make decisions based on one person, one lobbyist, one community or one county, but rather what?s in the best interest of all 1.3 million Mainers.

I am all for accountability and transparency in government, and I have made that clear throughout my tenure as Governor. But the Legislature is not transparent.

For instance, in the past five years the Legislature has tried to strengthen the Freedom of Access Act for other branches of government?but it exempts itself from the FOAA law.

When these politicians exclude themselves from FOAA, they are hiding their business from the media and the Maine people.

They also make it very difficult, if not impossible, for the public to see their voting records. Most Mainers would have a very hard time trying to determine how their legislator voted on an issue.

Another example involves the disclosure of salary and compensation for public officials and state employees. The Executive and Judicial Branches, as well as the rest of state government, lists salaries and compensation for every employee for the public to see.

But the Legislature hides its salary and compensation information from the Maine people. They don?t want you to know how much of your money they are using to pay themselves.

Sadly, the Legislature has had the opportunity to be completely transparent with the Maine people, but they have refused.

I put up a bill last year to allow Maine Public Broadcast Network to televise legislative sessions of both the House and the Senate. MPBN would also broadcast meetings of the powerful Appropriations Committee, which decides how all the money in the budget will be spent. The Appropriations Committee killed the bill. They don?t want Maine taxpayers to know what they are doing with your hard-earned money. They prefer to craft the budget in secretive, back-room deals?just like they did last year.

Allowing MPBN to broadcast Legislative sessions would improve transparency in Augusta and shine a light on what politicians are doing with your money. They would not be able to hide their votes. They would not be able to say one thing to Mainers and another thing in the privacy of the State House.

It?s an election year, and in just a few short months you?re sure to hear from your legislators all about the good they have done in Augusta. Don?t take their word for it. Let?s make the Legislature transparent so you can get a chance to see for yourselves what your elected officials are really doing in Augusta.

Radio Address: State of the State will be delivered in historic fashion

January 26, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

This year I will not deliver my State of the State speech to the Legislature. Instead, I?ll follow the historical precedent of sending a written message to the Legislature.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The State of the Union was always delivered as a written message to Congress until President Woodrow Wilson began the modern tradition of delivering it in person to lawmakers.

I would rather talk with Mainers at my town halls. The truth is, I?ve delivered the State of the State to Legislators for five years ?only to have it fall on deaf ears.

Last year, socialist legislators wasted more than six months of the taxpayers? time and money on a political witch hunt. While Mainers were literally dropping dead from the drug crisis, these legislators were grandstanding for the cameras, hoping to score political points by attacking me.

Mainers did not send us to Augusta to play childish games. They sent us here to reform welfare, lower taxes, end the drug epidemic and find ways to keep our young people in Maine.

Mainers want their government to help them prosper and improve our state. That?s why I am bringing the issues directly to the people at my town halls and outlining my vision to make Maine prosperous.

If they truly want to work for the people of Maine, legislators should listen to the people who put them in office in the first place.

My vision is clear: Continue to reform welfare and strengthen the safety net for our most vulnerable; continue to lower taxes for all Mainers so they have more money in their paychecks; reduce energy costs for businesses so we can attract companies with good paying careers. Way too much money is spent on energy costs that could conversely go to wages; address the high cost of student debt that is burdening young people from living and working in Maine; and get tough on drugs by stiffening drug crime penalties, as well as cutting off the deadly drug supply by arresting traffickers who are crossing into our state.

The State of the State is about a long-term vision. Rather than deliver to Mainers once a year, I will continue to bring it directly to Maine people every week.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Read to ME Challenge - A Special Message from the First Lady

February 2, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

We all recall sitting on our parents lap having a story read to us. It?s moments like these that need to take place every day in a child?s life.

Hello, this is First Lady Ann LePage.

The Governor and I are pleased to be a part of the Read to ME Challenge that is underway across the state. The benefits of reading with a child are endless. Reading is a gift, reading builds foundations and reading changes lives. Curiosity, creativity and imagination are all developed through reading.

Research shows that the more words parents use when speaking to an 8-month-old infant, the greater the size of their child's vocabulary by the time that child is 3. This sets the stage for reading to be an enjoyable, lifelong activity, and it gives the opportunity to build knowledge of the world.

The month-long Read to ME Challenge simply asks you to read aloud with a child for just 15 minutes, capture that on video or in a picture, post it on social media and challenge others to do the same.

Did you know that reading for just 15 minutes every day, for 5 years, exposes children to 456 hours of reading? Reading to children stimulates brain development. It helps them learn to talk and to listen, grows their vocabulary, helps build their attention spans, and encourages them to ask questions.

Keep reading to children even after they start reading themselves because it provides an opportunity for them to learn about topics and to experience stories beyond what they can read on their own. Even if parents can?t read to their children, listen to books on tape together so you all can experience magical adventures while spending time bonding.

What a great gift to have a little one nestled on your lap or beside you enjoy a book together, and what an even greater gift you are giving that child by building a trust, a love, and a dedication to that child?s well-being while investing in their future success, just by reading.

I will forever cherish the moments I had reading with my children, and I encourage you to appreciate these same moments. Take the Read to ME Challenge today and challenge others to do the same.

Our children are our future, so let?s invest today in that future by reading aloud with a child. Happy Reading!

Radio Address: $40 Million in Tax Relief is in Sight, but Democrats? Refuse to Put Money Back in Mainers Pockets

February 9, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

The inaction of Democrats in the House of Representatives will have consequences on hardworking Mainers. Why don?t they get it?

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

It is important to Maine?s small businesses, teachers, and homeowners that we conform to the federal tax code. Republicans in the Legislature support the concept to permanently conform Maine?s tax code to federal tax laws because it will reduce taxes on the Maine people.

Democrats, however, have refused to vote for permanent tax relief. Their inaction will result in a nearly $40 million tax increase on Maine families.

Even the gridlocked members of Congress in Washington, D.C. agreed the American people deserved a break. So they approved these tax reductions late last year. But the socialist Democrats in Maine don?t want to give you your money back.

It?s not surprising Democrats want to tax you more. But they usually raise your taxes behind closed doors in the middle of the night. This time, they are proudly doing it out in the open, right in front of your face. You would think even socialist Democrats would know better than to increase taxes in an election year.

Our proposal is simple. It adopts conformity with the federal tax code, saving Mainers millions of dollars, and it extends the Maine Capital Investment Credit through 2019. Our plan also gives much-needed tax relief to teachers by conforming to the federal teacher expense deduction. This is an important tax break to Maine teachers who purchase classroom supplies out of their own pocket. In addition, the legislation will also extend Maine?s conformity to itemized deductions for mortgage insurance and a deduction for higher education expenses.

Maine?s Democrats are turning their backs on Maine teachers, students, families and small businesses. If you?re a teacher buying supplies for your classroom, a family sending a kid to college or a business owner employing your neighbors, House Democrats are saying?loud and clear?that you are not a priority to them. This is exactly what I?ve been saying in my town hall meetings and they live up to their reputation, as expected.

If you want to prevent a $40 million tax increase, call or contact your Democratic legislators in the House who are refusing to vote for conformity. Tell them to let you keep more of the money you have earned. Tell them to do the right thing for the Maine people.

Radio Address: Democrats Should Stop Holding Tax Conformity for Ransom

February 16, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Democrats are still refusing to implement permanent tax conformity. They are determined to prevent tax benefits from going to teachers, low-income earners, students and Maine businesses.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Folks, tax conformity is not an obscure issue. It is about giving Maine people and businesses the tax benefits they deserve. Even the Obama administration agrees Americans should get back some of the taxes they have paid to the federal government.

But not the House Democrats. They are holding tax conformity for ransom. They are tying it to education funding, which is totally unrelated to giving tax refunds to the Maine people.

Even worse, they want to raid the state?s Budget Stabilization Fund for $23 million in education spending in exchange for giving tax refunds to Mainers. Taking money out of the rainy day fund would jeopardize the state?s credit rating, which we have worked hard to improve.

Furthermore, the $23 million would be a windfall for state education spending, which has already increased by $80 million over the last budget.

Over the past decade, enrollment in Maine decreased by 25,000 students. Although the number of students has declined by 13%, spending has increased 18%. In school year 2016 to 2017, state spending will be $114 million higher than school year 2010 to 2011.

Democrats also object to giving Maine?s business the ability to invest and expand. They don?t want businesses to take advantage of ?bonus depreciation,? which encourages companies in Maine to make capital investments on new equipment. Companies can then write off their investment more rapidly in the first year of purchase.

Once again, these Democrats don?t get it. When businesses are encouraged to invest, they grow their companies and?most importantly?they create jobs. The Democrats are taking their marching orders from the socialist leaders at the Maine People?s Alliance, which is aggressively pushing an anti-business, job-killing agenda this election year. Instead of listening to socialists, Democrats should be working to benefit Maine businesses and Maine taxpayers. They are either for it or against it. If Democrats think tax conformity is good for the Maine people?which it is?they should vote for it. If Democrats disagree with President Obama and don?t think Maine people and businesses deserve the same tax benefits the federal government is giving them, they should just vote against it.

Even though it is an election year, they should just be honest with Maine people.

Radio Address: Democrats Must Stop the Spending Spree and be Fiscally Responsible

February 23, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Living within a budget takes discipline and good fiscal management.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Mainers understand how to live within their means.

Unfortunately, socialist democrats do not understand the meaning of fiscal management. We all remember last year?s Christmas in July scandal when they spent $300 million more than was needed in the two-year budget. We aren?t even a full year into that budget and they are already coming back to the trough to spend more forecasted money that hasn?t even come in yet.

Fiscal discipline is important in government to improve and sustain economic vitality.

Since I have been in office, state agencies have worked hard to live within the budget the Legislature creates.

Previous administrations made it a habit to ask for additional money in between budget years; however, our administration has stopped that practice.

Moody?s Investors Service, a leading provider of global credit benchmarks, has affirmed their credit rating on the State of Maine?s general obligation debt to a ?Aa2? rating while improving their outlook on Maine?s debt from negative to stable.

According to Moody?s, ?The stable outlook reflects their expectation of revenue stability going forward and the state?s adequate flexibility to manage spending pressures.?

If there is one lesson to take away from the Moody?s rating, it is that Republican reforms are working for Maine. It was Republican efforts to repay our hospitals, reform the public pension system, and maintain the balance of the budget stabilization fund, also known as the Rainy Day Fund that led Moody?s to improve their outlook for our state.

Good public policy strengthens the economy and it?s reflected in the latest revenue projections. Experts say millions will be available in the coming months. That money should go right into the Rainy Day Fund, where it can protect the State from a future economic downturn. The State?s current balance would only fund state operations for 8.5 days in the event of a catastrophic event. The Boston Federal Reserve has recommended that we need 30 to 40 days to improve our state?s financial strength.

But, Democrats are trying to steal that money. They want to use those taxpayer dollars to create what they call a ?supplemental budget,? which is nothing more than saying their $300 million spending spree wasn?t enough. They want to spend more money on things we don?t need.

Not only do they want to spend every dollar that?s projected to come in, they also want to raid over 20% of the Budget Stabilization Fund to send more money to ballooning school budgets, money that they are using as ransom for providing tax relief to small businesses in Maine. This $23 million would be a windfall for runaway state education spending, which has already increased by $80 million over the last budget.

And finally, stealing money out of the rainy day fund would again jeopardize the state?s credit rating, which we have worked hard to improve. The amount they propose to spend would fund nearly 2 full days of state government operations, bringing us 2 days closer to financial collapse.

Bad fiscal management leads to out of control spending, persistent deficits, rising debt levels and ultimately a bad credit rating for the state. Socialist democrats must stop the spending spree.

We need the political fortitude to be fiscally responsible.

It?s not only the right thing to do; it?s the will of the Maine people.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Increasing the Minimum Wage Could be Disastrous if Done Wrong

March 1, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

The socialists at the Maine Peoples? Alliance are leading the effort to raise the minimum wage to $12. This would be disastrous for small businesses, entry-level employees and the elderly.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

If you increase the cost of doing business, one of two things will happen?maybe both. First, business owners will have to lay off workers to make up for the significantly higher wages they now have to pay. This will hurt inexperienced teenagers and other low-skill workers seeking part-time jobs. If employers have to pay high wages for a worker, they will hire someone with more skill and experience.

Second, business owners will have to raise their prices to cover the costs of the higher wages. This hurts the elderly and others on fixed incomes. They will suddenly have to pay higher prices, even though their income has not gone up. Even worse, the Maine Peoples? Alliance proposal would automatically raise the minimum wage every year, even during downturns in the economy. Automatically raising wages while revenue is going down would put some companies out of business.

Furthermore, this proposal will be devastating for restaurants. Wait staffs would be paid the minimum wage, which means they would get much smaller tips, if any. Restaurants would have to pay tens of thousands of dollars more in wages?some may have to pay hundreds of thousands. This would raise prices on the menu by 20 percent, which means you would pay more sales tax. Workers? comp and payroll taxes would also increase. These massive increases could put some of your favorite restaurants out of business for good.

The Maine Peoples? Alliance proposal will go to the voters as a ballot question in November. It would destroy jobs and inflict terrible damage on Maine businesses, especially in the retail, hospitality and tourism industries.

That?s why a coalition representing the retail, hospitality and tourism industries, as well as the business community, strongly opposes the proposal. This coalition is supporting a bill that would raise the minimum wage to $10 by 2020, allowing businesses time to absorb the additional cost.

The Legislature can put this proposal on the ballot as a competing measure. Mainers could then choose between the catastrophic proposal from the Maine Peoples? Alliance or the approach from the coalition that would increase costs more slowly.

The socialists at the Maine Peoples? Alliance think all business owners are wealthy and can afford to pay workers higher wages. Mainers know this is not true. Our state is made up of small, mom-and-pop businesses that operate on very thin margins.

The Maine Peoples? Alliance proposal will obliterate those margins and put your corner store and your favorite restaurant out of business. Price increases will also hurt the elderly on fixed incomes who will be forced to pay more for goods, services and food.

The Maine people deserve a more thoughtful alternative. I urge you to call your legislators and tell them to support a bill for the common-sense competing measure. If Maine is going to raise the minimum wage, it should be done in a rational and business-like manner?not by social activists who don?t understand simple economics.

Thank you for listening.

Official Competing Measure Coalition

? Retail Association of Maine
? Maine State Chamber of Commerce
? Maine Restaurant Association
? Maine Innkeepers Association
? Maine Energy Marketers Association
? Maine Grocers and Food Producers Association
? Portland Region Chamber of Commerce
? Lewiston Auburn Metro Chamber of Commerce
? Manufacturers Association of Maine
? Maine Insurance Agents Association
? Maine Tourism Association
? SkiMaine Association
? Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce
? Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce
? Bangor Convention and Visitors Bureau

Radio Address: Maine Public Safety Officers Have Our Back and We Should Have Theirs

March 15, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Being a law enforcement officer is dangerous, demanding and requires working difficult hours.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

To make the job even more difficult, wages throughout state law enforcement positions are not comparable to local law enforcement agencies or other departments in New England. Legislators agree we must pay our law enforcement agencies adequate wages so we can retain good officers and recruit qualified candidates.

Republican House Leader Ken Fredette sponsored the bill that would increase salaries by 12 to 18 percent for certain law enforcement positions in the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Department of Marine Resources.

I think this bill should stand on its own merit. But Democrats are at it again. They are trying to roll this bill into a totally separate budget bill in an effort to spend more taxpayer money. Like the tax conformity and education funding, these are two completely separate issues and must be dealt with on their own.

We do not need another budget bill. Legislators chose to spend an additional $300 million in last year?s budget, and I do not support any more out-of-control spending at the taxpayers? expense. Legislators can either pass a stand-alone bill for law enforcement wages, or I will call them back in this summer to deal with this again. The choice is theirs.

Recruitment in law enforcement positions within State government remains a challenge. For example, the Department of Public Safety has a total of 324 Maine State Police positions with 32 positions vacant. An additional 25 members of the Maine State Police are eligible for retirement this year.

In recent years, we have seen a dramatic decrease in applicants for the State Police and only 11 successful applicants in 2015. Troopers in other New England states average $6 to $14 more per hour compared to Maine. We are also competing with local police agencies that pay higher salaries than the Maine State Police.

We are seeing similar wage parity issues in the Departments of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Department of Marine Resources. Their work is vital to Maine?s commercial fisheries and hunting and fishing in our state.

I encourage our lawmakers to make the right decision and pass this bill without tying it to any other unrelated spending. Let them know what you think. Contact your legislator today to let our law enforcement community know we have their back because public safety is important to all of us.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Elected officials must listen to Mainers, not job-killing special interests

March 8, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

This past weekend thousands of Mainers turned out to vote in caucuses in record numbers.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

When citizens vote for a candidate of their choosing, they are participating in the purest form of democracy. However, too many candidates forget their campaign promises once they get into office.

In the 1800s, Alexis de Tocqueville said, ?The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens.?

He also said, ?The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.?

That?s why I have been holding town halls all across the state. It?s very important Mainers understand what?s going on in Augusta. You won?t get the real story from the media, and politicians only tell you what you want to hear.

Politicians say a strong private sector is incredibly important for our economy and for improving the lives of Maine people. But the average person does not realize how much influence special interests and lobbyists have on their elected officials.

For example, Aroostook County had a rare opportunity to mine for gold and other minerals. This would generate millions of dollars in revenue and create hundreds of good-paying jobs in Northern Maine.

For three years, however, the Natural Resources Council of Maine and other special interest groups have blocked this opportunity. These groups control how legislators vote, including many from Southern Maine.

It?s shameful that legislators from Southern Maine would work against good-paying jobs that are badly needed in Northern Maine.

The Department of Environmental Protection has worked diligently to ensure the rules for mining minerals were carefully considered. Unfortunately, environmental lobbying groups like the Natural Resources Council of Maine used their power and money to persuade politicians to block all mining and kill good jobs for the Maine people.

During the Baldacci Administration, Mainers were led to believe wind turbines would generate jobs and lower electricity rates. But the construction jobs were only short-term. Even worse, our energy prices have not been reduced from the wind industry.

As companies are struggling with high energy prices and laying off Mainers, the Natural Resources Council of Maine is blocking the use of clean and affordable hydropower.

NRCM instructs legislators to promote more expensive wind and solar power at the cost of good jobs for Mainers.
Special interest groups like NRCM do not consider what is in the best interest of all Mainers. They manipulate legislators into enforcing their ideology and spending taxpayer dollars in ways that defies economic sense. Their agenda kills good jobs and makes it harder for businesses to succeed in Maine.

Legislators need to listen to the people who elected them, not the lobbyists and special interests who buy their influence in the halls of the State House. The livelihoods of the Maine people depend on it.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Legislature needs to wake up and help create jobs

March 22, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

With the sudden closure of Madison Paper Industries, 214 more Mainers will lose their jobs. The Legislature?s response is typical: they are holding more meetings and attempting to increase energy costs.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

With the decline in demand for the paper Madison produces, it is no surprise the mill was failing. Maine companies face these challenges every day, as well as fierce competition from the national and global marketplace. We should not be making it harder for them to operate at home. When is the Legislature going to wake up? I?ve been saying it for years: high energy costs, high taxes and more regulations from special interest groups are crushing the jobs that Mainers so desperately need. In fact, a General Consul from a foreign country just did a study and found Maine has the 19th highest cost of doing business in the United States. But Democrats won?t do anything to improve our business climate and help create jobs.

The solutions are right in front of us. The Legislature just has to act on them. First, the Executive Branch needs more authority over the tree growth program. With so much land in tree growth, not enough wood is being cut in Southern Maine, which drives up wood costs in Northern Maine. This program must be better managed to lower the cost of wood.

Second, energy costs must be reduced. Dozens of companies told us energy costs are making it difficult?if not impossible?to do business here. High energy costs have been a major factor in the mill closings that put hundreds of Mainers out of work. To reduce energy costs, we must be open to all resources, rather than artificially creating markets for solar. We also should encourage our biomass industry to build co-generation power plants.

Third, we need to approve a competing measure that would increase the minimum wage at a reasonable and manageable rate. The businesses that propel Maine?s economy simply cannot absorb a rapid increase in the minimum wage. Our job creators would be forced to lay off workers or increase their prices to cover the sudden jump in labor costs, which would hit elderly Mainers, our youth and those on fixed incomes particularly hard.

Fourth, liberals and socialists must stop picking on their favorite target: the ?one-percenters.? By constantly trying to ?tax the rich? and drive them out of our state, they are chasing away the business owners and investors who create good jobs for Mainers. When they leave, they take their wealth?and their jobs?with them.

Finally, we must remove the bureaucratic red tape that discourages business owners from trying to expand and grow their companies. We need strict regulations; however, they should not be wrapped so tightly in red tape that companies can?t cut through it to create jobs Mainers need and deserve.

Unfortunately, these common-sense solutions have no place in the job-crushing agenda from the liberals and socialists in Augusta. Their lack of action is causing layoffs and preventing other businesses from creating new jobs.

Meetings and sound bites don?t help the Mainers who just lost their jobs. Contact your legislators and tell them to wake up. If they don?t take action, the next Mainer to lose his job could be you.

Radio Address: Liberals are fixated on expensive solar energy

April 5, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

First the socialists wanted wind power. Now they are pushing for solar subsidies. They want to mandate the most expensive solar energy possible and force you?the Maine ratepayers?to pay the bill.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The Wind Energy Act of 2009 put into place installation goals for the State of Maine. Liberals in the Legislature wanted 2,000 MegaWatts of wind installed by 2015, but their mission has fallen short. They only reached about a quarter of their goal. That?s because the price for wind electricity has been too high to meet their ridiculous objective.

The lobbyists for the solar bill have learned from the failure of the Wind Energy Act. Goals are not good enough anymore?they?re demanding mandates. They are literally controlling the market. Instead of simply having a target for solar growth, the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee voted for legislation that would mandate solar installations and require above-market, long-term rates to meet these decrees.

This bill requires the Public Utilities Commission to set prices for solar electricity so there will be 248 MegaWatts by 2022. It does not allow the PUC to go with large projects to meet these outrageous mandates.

Instead, the bill requires that 118 of the 248 MegaWatts come from solar panels on people?s roofs. The only problem is that you, the ratepayers, will be paying to make a few people millionaires. The price tag of this bill will cost you tens of millions of dollars?every year.

I can understand why the solar industry is licking its chops for this bill. It guarantees a market for their product. But I can?t understand why elected officials who represent low-income Mainers could support adding yet another electric fee to their constituents while they are struggling to put food on the table.

If the Legislature wants to do something meaningful, it could allow solar at market rates.

Mandates for particular energy sources are the wrong way to reduce pollution and exactly the wrong way to lower costs. If you are concerned about pollution, solar subsidies are the least cost-effective way to reduce pollution.

We still have work to do to reduce heating oil consumption with insulation and modern heating equipment. We still need to open up markets for all clean energy resources.

Last year, my Administration?s bill to eliminate the renewable portfolio standard would have lowered electricity bills by $30 million this year alone. The people who blocked it are the same people who just voted to add solar subsidies to your electric bill. As I have been saying in my towns halls around the state, the lobbyists and special interests in Augusta are working hard every day to line their own pockets at your expense. There?s no amount of your money they won?t spend to get rich.

Contact your legislators and tell them to say no to expensive solar energy?and remember their vote when you cast your ballot in November.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Reducing student debt and lowering the cost of education requires bold policy changes

March 29, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Businesses in Maine need highly skilled workers, and college graduates need to start their careers without the crushing burden of student debt.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Reducing the debt that our young people are saddled with just as they are beginning their careers is too important to get lost in partisan politics. For the first time in more than a century-and-a-half, Maine?s population has begun to drop, rather than grow. Maine is now the oldest state in the nation.

For Maine to become prosperous again, we need to make it easier for our graduates to stay in Maine and attract talented young people to our beautiful state. We can help by relieving the burden of student debt for those who want to stay in Maine or choose to relocate here and start their professional careers.

Maine?s recent college graduates have among the highest average student debt in the nation, as well as the highest delinquency rate in the Northeast. High student loan payments prevent our young people from buying a house or a car or spending their money at local businesses.

To help provide relief for new college graduates, there are three bills now before the legislature. These bills would give businesses a tax credit for every student loan payment they make for employees who choose to stay in Maine. They would also create a new low-interest student loan program through the Finance Authority of Maine to encourage new graduates to work in our great state. These efforts will be well worth the investment and will pay huge dividends for Maine by encouraging young people to come here and reverse our declining population.

If a student loan has a 6.5% interest rate over 10 years, the student would pay $450 a month and a total of $14,500 in interest. With the FAME loan, the student would pay $333 a month and no interest. If a business makes the loan payment for the student, the student would pay zero in principal and interest. The business gets a dollar-for-dollar tax credit, and the student gets more money to spend in the local economy.

In addition to these three bills, we must think outside the box. We must ask ourselves why the cost of education is so expensive. That?s why we have created a Blue Ribbon Commission to determine how to lower the cost of public education and improve student performance. The commission will analyze data from all public secondary and post-secondary schools that receive state funding. For too long, the Legislature has thrown money at education without asking any questions. The goal of this Commission will be to find some answers.

When a bill seeks an increase in education spending, I always ask if it puts our students first. If it?s yes, it?s good public policy and a worthy investment.

I believe we are on the right path to fixing education.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: A Slap on the Wrist is Not Getting Tough on Drugs

April 12, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Nearly 300 people in Maine died in 2015 as a result of drug overdose. You probably know someone affected by illegal drugs. My administration wants deadly drugs off our streets, but we also want those who are addicted to fully recover.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Thirteen-hundred babies last year were born in Maine affected by or addicted to drugs. Recently, law enforcement charged parents from Sidney with a felony for heroin possession and endangering the welfare of their one-year-old baby, who allegedly ingested their heroin.

These are horrifying situations that are tearing at the fabric of our communities. How many more Mainers must suffer or even worse die for the Legislature to pass meaningful legislation? Policies have the power to persuade people to change their behavior, but we cannot help them if we do not send a message that Maine is tough on drugs.

I supported a bill that strengthened drug penalties, but politicians weakened it. A misdemeanor does not provide prosecutors the influence needed to help someone with heroin addiction. Rather than a slap on the wrist and a $400 fine that does not break the cycle, we want addicts to receive the treatment they need to reclaim their lives and become healthy and productive again.

In fact, one of my bills would add at least 200 beds to the Maine Correctional Center for the treatment of substance abuse, as well as beds for medical and mental health patients and beds for geriatric patients.

But we must make addicts accountable, too. That?s why I support the bill for stricter drug penalties, which gives the courts a tool to help addicts. A felony charge gives prosecutors the ability to place an individual into treatment through Drug Court or a Deferred Disposition.

Maine would not be an outlier. There are more than 10 states that impose a felony charge just for possession of marijuana. We should at least impose the same penalty for possession of a deadly drug that is killing five Mainers a week. We must send a message that it is simply not worth the punishment when you get caught.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Solar bill adds to burden on Maine ratepayers

April 20, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Liberals in the Legislature are congratulating themselves for passing the solar bill. This is a perfect example of what is wrong in Augusta.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Legislators believe they were voting to reduce carbon emissions, save the planet and create jobs in the solar industry. In reality, they are taking more your money to subsidize an inefficient and expensive form of energy by guaranteeing above-market rates for solar power.

Maine is already ranked 12th highest in the nation for energy costs. We have already lost over 6,000 good-paying jobs, due in part to above-market electricity costs to ratepayers, high taxes and unreasonable red tape. These costs hit large employers in our traditional industries particularly hard.

The jobs Mainers are losing are high-paying career jobs, well above the state?s per capita median income. We could easily purchase 6-cent-per-kilowatt hydro electricity from Quebec, rather than paying 14 cents for above-market contracts. This is the kind of anti-business attitude that increases costs and drives companies out of Maine.

The solar bill will not save jobs at paper mills or other large employers. But it will help your neighbor lower the cost to put solar panels on his roof at your expense. This will not save the planet, and it will have a negligible effect on reducing carbon emissions.

The bill will add tens of millions in energy costs for Maine businesses and households that cannot afford expensive solar panels. It ensures the costs of the program will be borne by ratepayers, and it includes a provision to allow above-market contracts to be added to stranded costs. Stranded cost is the difference between the contract price and the market price. We are already paying stranded costs for other forms of energy. The solar bill simply piles more costs on ratepayers. I would have no problem with the bill if the pricing was at market-rates and it prohibited more costs from adding to the burden of ratepayers. Sadly, the bill does not include ratepayer protections.

Last month, the Chinese Communist Party revealed its plan to reduce carbon intensity from now until 2020. The plan includes all forms of energy to meet the party?s goals for cleaner air. It allows wind, nuclear and hydro power to encourage their economy to continue to grow. It sounds absurd, but the Chinese plan is more sensible, more cost-effective and much less draconian than the Legislature?s bill for solar power.

Business leaders from Sappi, Bath Iron Works, Barber Foods and Pratt-Whitney are imploring us to lower the cost of energy. This bill takes us exactly in the wrong direction.

How many more jobs must Mainers lose before the Legislature wakes up?

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Raising the minimum wage results in job losses

May 4, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

As Mainers consider voting to raise the minimum wage, they should see what is happening in other states that have already raised it.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

California is the first state to enact a $15 minimum wage, and Governor Jerry Brown said it will put a lot of poor people out of work. I do not always agree with his liberal positions, but this time Brown is right. He stated that a $15 minimum wage would create ?major increased costs, estimated at more than $4 billion annually.? It would exacerbate a projected recession by raising operating costs for businesses and causing job losses.

The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco also released a report on the impact of minimum wage increases. It found research that shows minimum wage increases do result in job losses for low-skilled workers?the very people it is supposed to help. More importantly, it found that raising the minimum wage to $15 could have even worse effects than earlier research has suggested.

Socialists in Maine want to raise the minimum wage to $12. That is less than California, but it is still too much for Maine businesses to absorb.

We agree a modest increase in the minimum wage is necessary. However, going too far too fast will be disastrous for businesses and the workers they employ. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, restaurant employees work an average of 26 hours a week. In California, increasing the minimum wage from $10 an hour to $15 would result in an annual increase of $6,760 per employee. If a small restaurant employs 10 workers, it would face almost $70,000 in extra labor costs.

The same thing would happen in Maine. I told one woman that coffee shops would have to increase the price of a cup of coffee to cover the new labor costs. She disagreed responding: they just have to sell more coffee.

This basic misunderstanding of how business works is plaguing Maine. Socialists and liberals think business owners have plenty of cash stuffed under their mattresses or buried in the back yard. They want to compel these owners to sacrifice their profits to pay low-skilled people a high wage.

The minimum wage is not a livable wage; it is a starter wage. If socialists and liberals want to increase livable wages, they should fight to eliminate the income tax, reduce energy costs and find a balance between protecting the environment and allowing economic development. This will attract companies with good-paying careers jobs.

Raising the minimum wage to $12 is not the answer. When businesses are forced to increase labor costs too fast, they have no choice but to increase prices to cover payroll or lay off workers.

Increasing prices hurts low-income Mainers and those on fixed incomes, especially the elderly. Their income will not increase, but they will pay more for that cup of coffee and everything else they buy.

We will continue to urge Mainers to reject a $12 minimum wage. The job they lose may be their own.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: It?s not about the children, it?s about the union

May 10, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

The Maine Education Association is putting a dishonest initiative on the November ballot. They call it ?Stand Up for Students,? but it is just another attempt to extort more taxes from Maine families and businesses without improving education.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

It is difficult to explain to Mainers that the K-through-12 education system has more than enough funding to give our students a proper education. Whenever the MEA wants more money, they just tug on parents? heartstrings and say, ?It?s for the children.?

Everyone supports children, and everyone supports funding for education. The problem is not money. The problem is the union bosses at MEA don?t put the money where it belongs. They want to increase pay for underperforming teachers; they refuse to reduce administrative costs; and they want to increase your property taxes.

The MEA complains the state does not fund 55 percent of local school costs. They don?t tell you it?s superintendents who decide what those costs are, and they keep moving the goal posts. There is no way the state can catch up.

With a total education budget of almost $3 billion, it is unconscionable that teachers and students have to spend their own money to buy notebooks, pens and pencils. Even worse, student enrollment in Maine has decreased by 25,000 students over the past two decades, despite the fact that pre-kindergarten has been added to public school enrollment.

Just in the last decade, the number of students has declined by 13 percent?but spending has increased by 18 percent. Despite this increase in spending, school performance has been stagnant. Mainers deserve to know why their local school budgets are going up every year, but academic results are not getting better. The MEA can?t answer that question. They just want more money.

They want to add a 3 percent tax on Maine?s families and small businesses who earn $200,000 to raise money that is not needed for education.

They say it will only affect 2 percent of Mainers. These are the Mainers who already contribute the most revenue to our economy and our tax base. It would drive their income tax rate over 10 percent?and it might drive them out of the state.

We?ve worked hard to reduce the income tax, but the MEA is taking us backwards. Instead of punishing our higher-income earners, they should be working to make the education system more efficient and more effective.

Instead of building lavish new schools, they should be considering how to combine schools or regionalize services.

Instead of paying for a top-heavy system of administrators, they should be paying our teachers more and putting more money into the classroom.

Don?t be fooled, folks. The Maine Education Association has no desire to reform education. They don?t want better academic results or lower costs for taxpayers. Their sole purpose is to confiscate union dues from teachers? paychecks to bankroll political campaigns and send more socialists to Augusta.

So remember, when MEA says they want to tax you more, it?s not for the children?it?s for the union bosses.

Radio Address: NRCM is ignoring the will of rural Mainers

May 17, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

The Natural Resources Council of Maine is at it again.

First, they denied high-paying mining jobs to rural Mainers. Then they tried to raise electricity costs by giving above-market-rate contracts to the solar industry.

Now they are ignoring the will of Mainers by asking President Obama to unilaterally create a national park in the Katahdin region.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The Natural Resources Council of Maine knows the people of rural Maine do not want a national park on Roxanne Quimby?s land in the Katahdin region. Town after town has voted against it. The Legislature approved a bill I proposed to block creation of the national monument.

So NRCM is trying to end run around the Maine people and pressuring President Obama to declare the land as a ?national monument.? It?s the first step in creating a national park.

Senator Angus King, who champions all liberal causes at the expense of working Mainers, invited the director of the National Park Service to hold a public meeting to discuss creating the national monument.

Working closely with King, the NRCM coordinated attendance at the meeting and arranged to bus supporters from Southern Maine to the meeting in Orono.

Not surprisingly, King did not invite?or even notify?the Governor?s Office. It?s pretty clear they have made up their mind, and they don?t want to have an open dialogue. The push to create this national monument is being spearheaded by liberal environmentalists, like Roxanne Quimby and her son Lucas St. Clair; Angus King and Quimby?s spokesman David Farmer; and summer visitors who are not concerned about poverty in rural Maine.

Liberals from Portland and wealthy coastal towns also favor the national monument. Most of these people have never visited the North Woods, and they don?t care what rural Mainers want.

The Quimby family is now using highly paid lobbyists in Washington, D.C. to lobby President Obama to use his authority to designate this area a national monument. They ignore the fact that the National Park Service already has a $12 billion backlog in maintenance work at national parks.

Wildfires in western states on federal land owned by the National Park Service are the result of poor management of the forest. We cannot risk that kind of disaster in Maine.

Let?s be honest, folks. The creation of this national park is nothing more than an ego play for Roxanne Quimby and Senator King. It?s not about good jobs for rural Mainers?it?s about headlines for Angus King.

Heaven forbid he would help Northern Mainers get good jobs. If it was about creating good jobs, the Natural Resource Council of Maine would not be involved. The liberal elitists at NRCM say ?no? to every opportunity to create jobs for rural Mainers. They are determined to preserve a pristine environment with no human activity, even if it keeps people in poverty.

We can have a balance between protecting the environment and creating good jobs. A national park is not the way to do it.

If Quimby wants a legacy, she can donate her land to the State of Maine. It would be well-managed, Mainers could still use it for traditional activity and it would be a good complement to Baxter State Park.

Rural Mainers need to speak up: tell President Obama to stay out of it; tell Angus King to go back to Washington; and tell NRCM to stop obstructing good jobs for Mainers.

Radio Address: Ballot questions would take Maine backwards

May 31, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

We have made progress to lower the income tax, fight the drug epidemic, create jobs and get Mainers more involved in their local elections. But activists are working hard to reverse this progress. They want to take Maine backwards.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

These activists have put questions on the November ballot to increase taxes, legalize drugs, destroy entry-level jobs and determine the outcome of elections in an unconstitutional manner.

We have fought for five years to reduce the income tax from 8.5 to 7.15%. We want to gradually phase it out until it is gone. It would be the biggest wage increase we can give to Mainers.

But the union bosses at the Maine Education Association are asking Mainers to add another 3% tax to the income-tax burden of modestly successful Mainers. They want an extra tax so they can spend more money on education.

It would drive the income tax to 10% for Mainers and small business owners making over $200,000. This punishes Mainers who have worked hard their entire lives and who are already paying their fair share of taxes. Even worse, the Maine education system has plenty of money, especially since student enrollment is declining every year.

Instead of taxing successful people, we should be making our school system more effective and more efficient. Increasing taxes is the wrong way to go.

Artificially increasing wages is also the wrong way to go. Welfare activists at the Maine People?s Alliance are asking Maine voters to approve a drastic increase in the minimum wage. It will increase labor costs so much that small businesses will have to raise their prices.

This hurts the elderly and those on fixed incomes. They will not get a raise. As prices rise, these folks will be forced to pay higher costs for food and other basic necessities. It will put a major burden on those already struggling to get by.

Maine People?s Alliance also wants to eliminate the tip credit for servers. Restaurant workers who make $20 to $30 an hour during the summer will suddenly make $12 an hour. This will devastate students trying to earn money for college and workers who rely on tips for the majority of their income.

Other activists are asking Maine voters for permission to get high. They want to legalize marijuana. Although many say smoking marijuana is not harmful, it is known as a gateway drug that can lead to addiction to other drugs, such as heroin and other opiates. We have been working hard to combat the drug crisis facing this state, and we fear that legalizing marijuana may make it worse.

Activists say they want to treat marijuana like alcohol. But there is no way to tax something you can grow in your backyard, and it is difficult for law enforcement officials to determine if someone is too high to be driving. Maine is not ready to legalize another drug.

Maine is also not ready to ignore its constitution and allow ranked-choice voting. Officials who get a plurality of votes win the election. It?s that simple.

This is just another way for sore losers to try and overturn election results they don?t like. In the last election, liberals outspent me by more than two-to-one, but I still got more votes than any other Governor in Maine history.

If liberals want to win elections with a majority of votes, then they need to put up candidates who will work on the issues Mainers really care about?not a failed socialist ideology. Ignoring our constitution is not the way to do it.

In November, they will ask you to vote for more taxes, more drugs, more labor costs and more complicated elections. Just say no.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Instead of Playing to the Media, NRCM Should Meet with Me to Create Jobs for Mainers

June 8, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Last week the executive director of the Natural Resources Council of Maine was outraged about a letter I wrote to their donors. But instead of responding directly to me, she decided to grandstand.

Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage.

I sent a letter to Lisa Pohlmann, who is the face of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, and a couple hundred of its donors. I explained that while everyone supports a healthy environment, NRCM is doing it at the expense of good-paying jobs for rural Mainers who are desperate for employment.

The job-crushing, anti-business policies of NRCM are preventing Mainers in rural towns across our state from getting the kind of jobs they need to raise themselves out of poverty.

Maine has traditionally balanced the stewardship of our environment, while also ensuring that our people have economic opportunity. This balance is vital to providing opportunities for prosperity to rural Mainers.

If we support economic development at the expense of the environment, we will have a natural disaster. If we support the environment over economic development, we will continue to have severe poverty.

All Mainers are concerned about the environment, and we all agree we must conserve it. Having worked in the forest industry for decades, I understand and appreciate the need for sustainability and a clean, healthy environment.

I doubt Lisa Pohlmann knows how I feel about the environment?and I?m sure she has no idea how long I worked in the forest industry. But she railed at her press conference last week that I am the most anti-environmental Governor of the past 40 years.

As I have stated repeatedly, I am not against the environment. Maine?s scenic beauty, including our pristine lakes, rivers, forest and ocean, is the best in the nation. However, we cannot keep saying ?no? to any economic activity that would allow rural Mainers to prosper. We cannot let them wallow in poverty with no way out.

So I have written another letter to Ms. Pohlmann. I invited her to meet with me to discuss how we can work together to conserve our environment while allowing the economic development that will create good jobs for Mainers.

I?m not talking about short-term jobs for workers to install a couple of solar panels on your neighbor?s roof at our expense. I?m talking about long-term, good-paying career jobs for Mainers that will lift them and their families out of poverty.

If the Natural Resources Council of Maine really wants to help the Maine people, Ms. Pohlmann should let us know what kind of permanent career jobs her organization will find acceptable in rural Maine.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Democrats? Reckless Spending Habits Put Programs and People at Risk

June 30, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Democrats cannot break their bad spending habits.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

This week I had to sign an Executive Order authorizing the Executive Branch to identify funding for several bills. I was forced to do this because the Legislature failed to pay for these bills prior to its adjournment.

Unfortunately, the Legislature?s lack of fiscal management is going to place unnecessary strain on various programs and salary negotiating processes within the Executive Branch. However, we are going to do our best to mitigate the impacts of this unfunded legislation with available resources.

The Legislature abdicated its responsibility by not funding four pieces of legislation. But these bills are law now, and the Executive Branch must implement the law. One bill lacks about $100,000 for a wage study about ambulance drivers, and another is for a needle exchange program costing $75,000.

A third bill will force more than a dozen positions to remain vacant at Riverview Psychiatric Center. And the other bill continues to throw money at a county jail system that breaks its budget every year.

Maine law demands the budget must be balanced. Since Democratic leadership refuses to fund these four bills, I have taken action by issuing an Executive Order to ensure government is being funded in a fiscally responsible manner.

Last week, I met with Legislative leadership to discuss where they expected the Executive Branch to identify money to pay for four bills. Democrat Speaker of the House Mark Eves told me during the meeting that legislators would not be coming back to Augusta to deal with the unfunded mandates. If I did call a special session, Eves stated they would ?adjourn immediately.?

So, without any help, we are going to move forward. I have directed the Department of Health and Human Services to fund the implementation of four bills in a fiscally prudent manner. They will transfer any remaining balances within the Low-Cost Drugs to Maine?s Elderly Program; transfer any funding that can be generated by a redistribution of a Fund for a Healthy Maine; and transfer any savings that can be created by managing personal services at State mental health institutions, which includes implementing a hiring freeze and other cost-saving measures department-wide.

These actions, which are designed to mitigate the budget impacts of unfunded legislative mandates and legislative misallocations, will remain in effect through the remainder of Fiscal Year 2016-17.

However, the Legislature does have the sole authority to act at any time to provide appropriate funding for these initiatives. So, while the ball is still in their court, I am the one forced to take action.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: A Trip to Disney isn?t Likely; Why Legislators Must Come Back to Augusta

June 15, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Fiscal responsibility is something I take, as your Governor, very seriously.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The State of Maine does not have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem. Revenues collected by the state are up and because of sound financial policies the State?s credit rating continues to improve. However, socialist politicians made some bad decisions before they went home and now the executive branch is paying for it ? literally.

Simply put, the Legislature passed four bills that could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. I have no problem with the bills passing, but I do have an issue with the fact that our administration has no funding to pay for the bills.

If your family wants to go on vacation to Disney, but only has enough money to get to Fun Town, do you go to Disney anyway? Your household budget helps determine what you?re able to do.

In this case, the executive branch doesn?t have enough money to pay for all four bills. Therefore, I am prepared to call a special session to address the Legislature?s failure to fund these four bills properly.

The bills call for an unfunded study of ambulance services, an unfunded needle exchange program, addition funding to the County Jails and pay increases to Riverview State employees.

I am prepared to introduce a bill to legislators during the special session. The bill addresses the funding issues in a responsible manner, which avoids depleting existing resources and a fragile salary plan. However, I am also prepared should the Legislature refuse to address this problem to take action by Executive Order.

These are not decisions I take lightly, but they must make financial sense. The Legislature cannot pass bills with faulty funding. It?s a gimmick and I will not put the State at financial risk because of it.

So, legislative leadership has a choice. It can come back and deal with the fiscal issues it created and work with the administration to identify responsible ways to pay for these bills or we can go it on our own. Either way, I?m not planning a trip to Disney anytime soon, but I may go to Fun Town.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Wording of Minimum Wage Ballot Question is Misleading

July 6, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

The minimum wage was never intended to be a living wage. It is a starting wage for low-skilled workers. But a ballot question in November asks voters to treat it as a living wage.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Over time, labor activists have confused the minimum wage with a living wage so they could boost union contracts. That?s because well-paid union workers get another increase when the minimum wage goes up.

Raising the minimum wage hurts our lowest-skilled and hard-to-place workers. Twelve dollars an hour is a lot of money to pay a 16-year-old with no work skills. Raising the minimum wage will increase labor costs for local businesses, which will surely lead to layoffs. And when an employer has to lay off a worker, it is the worker with the least skills who is cut first.

This proposal will take away the incentive for employers to pay higher wages for good workers. If the wage automatically goes up every year, there is no need to give raises above the minimum wage.

The wording of the ballot question is misleading, calling this a ?cost of living increase.? A teenager living with their parents does not need a ?cost of living increase.? They need more job options and more flexible hours?but the legislature has repeatedly blocked these efforts during my administration. We should be making it easier for employers to hire low-skill workers, not harder.

Most importantly, this proposal would change the labor costs of an entire industry that is critical to Maine?s economy. Tipped workers make on average far more than the minimum wage. But the law allows the employer to take a tip ?credit,? which lowers the overall payroll and payroll taxes. When an employer has to pay each worker the full minimum wage, labor costs rise sharply. To cover those costs, menu prices would increase by as much as 20 to 25 percent.

There?s only one way for a restaurant to remain competitive and lessen the impact on the customer?s wallet: eliminate tipping. Now those workers will see a significant decrease in pay.

Furthermore, if this referendum were to pass, Maine will have the highest state-wide minimum wage in the country. It doesn?t provide for any flexibility to address economic differences between northern and southern Maine or other parts of the country.

Finally, arbitrarily increasing the minimum wage will hurt the elderly and others on fixed incomes. The dramatic rise in labor costs will force businesses to increase prices on all goods and services. Fixed incomes will not increase, but the elderly will suddenly have to pay more for everything they buy. This is the wrong way to go. Maine needs to work on increasing a real living wage with good career jobs, not artificially raising the bottom of the pay scale. No matter how high you raise it, it?s still the bottom.

A better plan is to eliminate the income tax, which would put money back into Mainers paychecks. It?s the biggest wage increase they can get. Mainers deserve better than a higher cost of living.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: It?s not enough to show up to vote, Mainers must understand what their vote means

July 20, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Being an engaged citizen is more important today than ever.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As the general election in November approaches, we as Americans have choices to make. This presidential race will mark a pivotal point in our nation?s history and it is up to the people to vote for a leader who will protect our country and our people.

I believe voting is a responsibility each one of us shares. I am not one to tell you how to vote, but it is important that voters know what they are voting for.

Mainers tend to turnout in large numbers to the polls during presidential election years. In 2012, more than 60 percent voted, which was higher than the national average.

In Maine, this year we have significant issues on the ballot. There are five questions Mainers have to consider. My staff and I have been researching each of the questions and we are learning about how these issues will affect Maine. Now until November, I will do my best to provide you with facts so you may make informed decisions.

But not all information is equal. Recently, a concerned citizen alerted me regarding information distributed by the St. Michael Parish. To my surprise, the parish voluntarily shared information from the group Mainers for Responsible Gun Ownership. The group is advocating for the passage of one of the questions on the ballot, which mandates universal background checks.

This group is clearly advocating for a ?Yes? vote and has targeted churchgoers. Why a church would allow electioneering propaganda to infiltrate its parish is questionable and, unfortunately, misinformation is spreading.

Because this parish has chosen to take sides, I feel it necessary to provide more clarity of the facts so voters may make an informed decision in November. First, this question to voters could prove to be unconstitutional. The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of background checks, but has never had occasion to rule on a blanket, one-size-fits-all background check requirement that is included by the proposed initiative.

Second, if you want to sell or loan firearms to a friend and this passes, you want to understand exactly what this means or you unknowingly could be subject to criminal sanctions.

The initiative would make it illegal to simply sell or loan firearms to a friend without first having a background check performed on the friend. Further, the exception for hunting only applies if the friend takes possession while in the act of hunting. Under the terms of the initiative, a friend cannot loan you a gun without first performing a background check unless the friend accompanies you during every minute of the hunt or unless the friend takes possession while in the act of hunting. Simply put, this is confusing and a convoluted question that will create unintended consequences for many Mainers.

With your vote, there is great responsibility in understanding what it represents. From now until November people and groups will lobby from the left and the right for your vote.

In an effort to better inform Mainers so you can make up your own mind, I am putting information about this question and others on the Governor?s website. I encourage you to take time to understand all the questions and what a yes or a no vote will mean. You can find the information at www.Maine.gov/governor. That?s Maine.gov/governor.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Maine does not need New York-style gun control

June 21, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

The proposal for Universal Background Checks on the November ballot seems simple, but it?s not. First of all, according to Constitutions of the United States and Maine, it is likely unconstitutional.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Gun control is a very emotional issue, especially after unstable people use firearms to kill innocent Americans. The media and liberal politicians use these horrific tragedies to demand the government take firearms away from law-abiding citizens.

New York billionaire Michael Bloomberg is backing this anti-gun effort to require background checks on the private transfers or sale of all firearms.

Article I, Section 16 of the State of Maine Constitution clearly states: ?Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms and this right shall never be questioned.? The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees ?the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.?

Still, a liberal gun-grabber called Moms Demand Action is pushing for this law. But it?s really Bloomberg and other out-of-state liberals who are trying to buy this gun ban in Maine.

Making Mainers pay for background checks on private sales or transfers will make it more difficult and expensive to buy, sell and borrow firearms.

Bloomberg?s proposal would make it illegal to sell a firearm to a friend or loan a rifle to a neighbor to go hunting. To comply with this law, you and your friend would have to go to a licensed dealer during business hours, fill out federal paperwork, undergo an FBI background check and pay a fee before you could let them borrow your firearm. Then you have to go through the whole process again before they could return your gun to you.

Even some family members are not exempt from Bloomberg?s proposal. A grand-uncle who lets you borrow his rifle for hunting is not exempt. Unmarried people who are living together may not be exempt. Even some members of blended families who are not related to each other are not exempt.

Furthermore, Bloomberg?s proposal is not enforceable. Law enforcement officers have no way of knowing if someone complied with the law. The only way to enforce this kind of law is through a universal firearm registration system. And make no mistake?Bloomberg?s proposal is the first step toward mandatory gun registration.

This law would create criminals out of Mainers who have followed safe firearms practices for generations.

Strict gun control has not worked in Chicago or Bloomberg?s hometown of New York City. Maine does not need ineffective gun laws that have not worked in those cities. More laws that deprive Mainers of their traditional use of firearms will not stop deranged people or terrorists from killing Americans.

Before you vote on this proposal, please understand the facts so you can make an educated decision.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Maine Education Association puts money into political campaigns, not classrooms

July 27, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

The Maine Education Association has a tremendous influence on legislators in Augusta. But make no mistake: the MEA?s mission has nothing to do with improving education for our children.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I have never kowtowed to special interest groups?and I will not now. That?s why we must expose the MEA?s tactics to the Maine people. The MEA is nothing more than a lobbying group trying to get more money from taxpayers for an education system that is not improving.

The MEA wants legislators to support a 10 percent income tax on successful Mainers. They claim the state has never fulfilled its obligation to pay 55 percent of public education?but they don?t tell you it is a moving target that can never be fully funded the way the law passed. Superintendents decide what the 55 percent will be, and they move the goal posts every year.

Furthermore, if you take into account the state?s portion of teacher pensions and health care after retirement, the state is paying over 55 percent of the cost of public education.

Recently, the MEA sent a questionnaire to legislators, implying their answers will decide whether MEA will endorse them in November election.

The MEA implies that spending more money on schools will reduce child poverty. It perpetuates the myth that charter schools will destabilize public schools. It asks legislators to increase the minimum wage to $12 an hour, calling it a ?livable wage.? In fact, it should be called a starter wage. Minimum wage was never intended to be a livable wage.

The MEA wants to remove a school administrator?s ability to transfer teachers. The MEA also scares legislators into thinking teachers will not get adequate pensions.

I always say the education system has two winners and two losers. The winners are the union bosses at MEA and the superintendents. The losers are the students and our teachers.

The MEA is not interested in putting adequate money into classrooms. It is politically motivated to keep the status quo, while teachers and students pay the price.

For years I have asked the MEA to join with me in supporting Maine teachers by improving and increasing the opportunities available to them through professional development. I have never received a response.

I once again challenge the MEA to ‎put up 5 million dollars and the administration will match it. This money could be used for training and professional development of our teachers?some of whom spend money out of their own pockets to buy school supplies for students.

Keep in mind, the MEA pays 15 of its employees more than $100,000 a year each (plus benefits). Surely, it can find resources to support the improvement of skills and development of our teachers.

Instead of working with our administration to improve education, the MEA is using the dues it takes from teachers? paychecks to run political campaigns.

Be sure to ask the candidates in your district who they support: union bosses and school bureaucrats or teachers and students.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: An Open Letter to State Employees

August 3, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Dear State Employees,

Recently, the print media and the union bosses at the Maine State Employees Association would have you believe that in the next biennial budget I will be sending pink slips to thousands of state employees, all in an effort to lower the income tax rate to 5.75 percent. They are simply wrong.

I want to be perfectly clear: the overall goal of our next budget is to create a more affordable and efficient government that is accountable to the taxpayer and controls spending and reduces taxes.

Here are the facts: the Maine Legislature authorized money for more than 13,000 state positions in the last budget. The state fills between 11,000 to 12,000 of those positions. Many positions are ?limited-period?, meaning they have an end date associated with their funding source. I have instructed our commissioners to assess all positions based on the value of the program or service they provide to Mainers. The lowest-valued programs and services may result in a non-renewal of those positions.

In previous years and in previous administrations to achieve savings, the State has implemented periodic hiring justification reviews. We have done this again. There are exceptions for certain fields, including law enforcement and health care among other essential positions.

One of the goals of the hiring justification review is to correct an injustice created by the Legislature in the current biennial budget. In a purely political move, the Legislature authorized significant salary increases for employees at the state?s two psychiatric centers. The money for the increases comes directly from the account that provides salary increases to all state employees based on future labor negotiations. Unfortunately, the Legislature?s politically motivated move diminished that account. Implementing a hiring justification review may allow the state time to rebuild the resources needed for that account for our upcoming labor negotiations for employees? wages and benefits.

Finally, from a broader perspective, a significant number of state employees with critical knowledge in vital positions are eligible to retire in 5 to 10 years. At the same time, government jobs are changing. We must start now to lay the foundation for the future workforce of state government.

In the long term, Maine?s employment strategy will include a smaller, more technologically savvy workforce of people who value portability of benefits and flexibility on work schedules. To move in that direction, the state must place more emphasis on better trained employees with more competitive wages compared to the private sector. To achieve that goal, we must continue to right-size our workforce to meet those challenges.

Once, again, please do not give credit to the media headlines. The goal of our administration is to provide the necessary resources to our workforce so we can continue to efficiently and effectively serve the people of Maine.

Radio Address: Bad decisions in Augusta result in high electric prices

August 8, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Bad decision-making in energy policy is expensive. These bad decisions show up on your electric bill, and they?ve been holding Maine back for 30 years.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

In the 1970s, environmentalists, like NRCM, blocked the expansion of hydropower, which had been vital to Maine?s economy and manufacturing base.

Meanwhile, the Province of Quebec decided to pursue hydro development. Quebec is now ready to be a huge exporter of electric power to New England. We could benefit from their low rates.

The 1980s were really bad. The Legislature gave contracts to independent generators at the equivalent of the future price of oil. They got the future price of oil very wrong, and Mainers paid $2 billion in above-market contracts. These are called ?stranded costs.? We are still paying millions for that decision.

In 1987, Maine rejected a long-term contract and transmission project with Hydro Quebec in favor of higher-priced generators at home. But Vermont moved forward with a hydroelectricity project with Quebec. This hydro project is helping Vermont lower its high cost of electricity.

In the 1990s, Maine broke up the utilities and sold our hydroelectricity assets to the highest bidder. Brookfield is now the largest owner of our hydro dams, and they have made millions selling power back to the Maine people?even though these projects were supposed to benefit the public.

The idea of this effort, called ?restructuring,? was to create a market-based system and avoid the mistakes of the 1980. Instead of allowing the markets to work, lobbyists have created expensive renewable energy credits, long-term contracts for wind and costly carve-outs for solar. The entire model is broken.

The bad decisions continue today. In 2009, the Legislature created a requirement to sign contracts for 10-cents a kilowatt?which was double the market price?for community renewable projects. This is expected to cost $300 million over the lifetime of the contracts.

Instead of admitting this pilot program was incredibly expensive and a massive failure, the Legislature determined the State should try to get even more above-market contracts. They expanded the program in 2015 over my veto.

Bad decisions are very expensive. Last month, rates increased between 7 and 20 percent for all electric customers, whether they were an elderly couple or a company trying to put Mainers to work. ?Stranded costs? increased by 363 percent!

Poor decision-making by politicians in Augusta is increasing your electric bill and making it harder for companies to compete in Maine. Our past is full of bad decisions, but it does not have to be our future.

I favor all forms of energy, including natural gas, hydro, wind, solar and nuclear?but only at market rates. The Legislature must stop approving long-term contracts that enrich lobbyists at the expense of Maine people and Maine companies.

These bad decisions are costing Mainers money and jobs. It?s time to get smart about energy policy.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Governor?s tax-reform proposals are recognized as some of the best in the country

August 17, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

My 2016 ?State of the State? address has been listed one of the best in the country in terms of the economic policy proposals we put forth.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The address is listed in a report by ALEC?the American Legislative Exchange Council?which is a national organization made up of legislators from both parties. ALEC commends us for fighting to abolish both the income tax and death tax. They said: ?If these taxes were repealed, the state would improve dramatically in economic competitiveness, leading to more residents and businesses moving in to the state and greater job growth.?

The report also states: ?Like New Hampshire, Maine could be a refuge for taxpayers, businesses and capital fleeing the poor tax and fiscal policies adopted by most Northeast states.? Sound familiar? I?ve been saying that for years.

ALEC found more governors this year proposed reducing taxes than governors who proposed increasing taxes. Even Governor Malloy in Connecticut, a liberal Democrat who proposed major tax hikes, admits his policies have had drastic economic consequences. The ALEC report commends him for basing his new budget on how much the state actually has to spend?not how much politicians want to spend.

The report also gave me credit for recognizing Maine?s high taxes?including income, corporate and death taxes?are holding our state back.

ALEC has found that corporate income taxes are harmful because they make it more difficult for businesses to innovate, hire employees and raise wages.

States with the lowest corporate income taxes have better population growth and more domestic immigration, as well as higher payroll growth, personal income growth and gross state product.

But socialists in the Legislature?and the media?continue to fight our common-sense economic proposals, even though they have propelled other states into growth and prosperity.

The report noted Maine?s economic outlook is still ranked at 38. Although the ranking has moved up under our administration, socialists in Augusta are still clinging to the disastrous economic policies of the past 40 years that are holding us back.

But ALEC said the proposals I outlined ?are an excellent model for any state to follow in order to improve their economic competitiveness and achieve greater economic growth.?

We are pleased that national organizations have recognized us for trying to implement common-sense economic reforms in Maine. Now, if we could just get the career politicians in our state to listen, we could really move Maine from poverty to prosperity.

Remember, November 8 is Election Day. Make your vote count!

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Do not be fooled by another referendum that claims it will solve education funding in Maine

August 23, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

We all agree more money should go directly into the classroom to benefit students and teachers. But Question 2 on the November ballot won?t do that.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Question 2 is the latest in a line of ballot questions claiming to solve education funding in Maine. First they told us legalizing the lottery would be the silver bullet to fund education. Then it was the casinos, then it making the state pay 55% of education costs. Now, they?re asking us to increase taxes on Maine families and small businesses to get more money for education.

The national teachers? association is funneling out-of-state money into Maine to fund this proposal. It was written by the union bosses at the Maine Education Association to put salary increases for teachers into Maine law.

I agree we should increase teachers? salaries. That?s why we should have a statewide teachers? contract. Teachers in rural Maine would get the same pay as teachers in the wealthy cities and towns in Southern Maine. Let?s work together to get that done.

Instead of spending $1.4 million on political ads, I call on the teachers? association to partner with my administration to invest in professional development for Maine teachers. But supporters of Question 2 want to impose a new tax on Maine households with incomes over $200,000.They say this money will go to education, but that is not true.

The money would be subject to the whims of the legislature?s Appropriations Committee?and they could spend it however they wish. You should know by now you cannot trust legislators to put the money where it belongs. Any extra tax revenue would most likely go to expand welfare, grow government and fund pet projects for legislators. Besides, this money would not be distributed to every community. It would be directed to many in Southern Maine. Schools that are already spending more than the state?s Essential Programs and Services would get even more money.

Portland already spends $11.6 million over the state?s EPS. According to the MEA, Portland would get an additional $11.3 million. But 85 school districts representing more than 100 communities would get no extra money. Nearly 40 percent of school districts would get no additional funding. Towns like Acton, Blue Hill, Caratunk, Eustis, Lamoine and Greenville would get nothing. Falmouth and Cape Elizabeth would get millions more, but schools in Machiasport, Boothbay and York would receive zero.

Finally, this ballot question sends a terrible message. It says that if you are a successful Mainer, the government is going to tax your income by more than 10 percent. That?s the second-highest income tax in the country.

Maine?s high tax burden makes it difficult to attract doctors, scientists, engineers and other professionals. Taxing their income at 10 percent will discourage them from coming to Maine?and encourage those living here to pack their bags and leave. Chasing high-income job creators out of Maine will not increase money for education. So don?t be fooled by this ballot question.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: MSECCA Reminds Us of the Importance of Giving Back to our Communities

September 8, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

When the call goes out to help our neighbors in need, Mainers respond.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As someone who has been without, I know how meaningful charitable donations can be in bettering the lives of those less fortunate as they get on their feet.

I have had many opportunities through the years to see the generosity of our fellow citizens in helping our neighbors in need. It is not government hand-outs, but the great compassion and commitment Maine people and community organizations have for lending a hand-up, that is improving lives and strengthening our great state.

This week I joined Commissioner Bernhardt to kick-off the 2016 Maine State Employees? Combined Charitable Campaign Appeal to support some of the organizations. Commissioner Bernhardt is serving as chair of the 2016 MSECCA campaign and during the 37 year history of MSECCA it has raised nearly $9 million.

Your contributions can make the difference for them being able to provide a hand up to members of our communities or having to close their doors. Last year, by contributing nearly $250,000 to charitable organizations, we continued with Maine?s strong tradition of looking out for one another.

We are all well aware of the economic reality and the effect it has on our households. In times like this, donations of any size are valued more than ever, and the combination of many small gifts has a profound impact. Your time volunteering is another way to give back to your community, as well. The value in volunteering is beneficial to not only the recipient, but also the volunteer.

Whether it is time or money, I would like to thank our state employees for their generosity and encourage others to think about how they may be able to support their local non-profit or organization that makes a difference in their community.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: If You See Something, Say Something

September 14, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Fifteen years ago, America was forever changed. 9-11 demonstrated that terrorism can happen at home.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As your Governor, public safety is a priority for me. When it comes to protecting citizens, we all have a responsibility to report suspicious behavior.

This week, law enforcement agencies and Maine Emergency Management Agency partnered with the Department of Homeland Security to launch a campaign called ?If You See Something, Say Something?.? Joining this national effort reinforces Maine?s commitment to fighting terrorism and violent crime.

?If You See Something, Say Something?? was launched by the Department of Homeland Security to raise public awareness about terrorism and the importance of reporting suspicious activity to state and local authorities.

?If You See Something, Say Something?? campaign materials will be visible throughout the state of Maine in public buildings, transit systems, schools and participating business and event locations.

The public should report suspicious activity and behavior, such as an untended package or someone breaking into a restricted area. Suspicious activity does not include factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Anyone who sees suspicious activity in Maine is asked to call their local law enforcement agency or dial 9-1-1 in case of an emergency.

Maine has a small population, but we have a large geographic area to protect. We have 611 miles of international border; 3,000 miles of coastline. Two of the 9-11 terrorists traveled through Portland Jetport to Boston. They hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 and flew it into the World Trade Center.

The goal is to make sure all of our citizens are alert and paying attention to their surroundings. Most importantly, Mainers should report anything suspicious. We don?t know when, where or by whom the next act of terrorism may strike. But we must be aware and understand the vital role citizens play in preventing terrorism and keeping our communities safe. Since 9-11, the world has changed and we must be vigilant. If you see something, say something.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Government Officials Have a Responsibility to Learn about Mental Illness and the Programs that Work

September 22, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Anyone with mental illness or disability can reach their full potential; they just need support to do it.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

In the early 90?s I was fortunate to work with a start-up program in Maine focusing on enriching the lives of people affected by mental illness and disability. That program is thriving today and is still known as the High Hopes Clubhouse in Waterville.

The Clubhouse model promotes individual strengths to recover from the effects of mental illness sufficiently to lead a personally satisfying life; and a belief that work, and work-related relationships are healing.

High Hopes Clubhouse is Maine?s founding clubhouse and of four in our state. A major focus of the clubhouse movement is to assist its members into transitional employment. When I was general manager at Marden?s, we employed nearly 50 High Hopes members, many of whom earned their first paycheck through the company.

Last year, payrolls from active and former members totaled more than $1.5 million, which means these people are not only learning work skills, but they are taxpayers, too. In additional to the economic advantages, membership has demonstrated health benefits, as well. Studies show that membership in a clubhouse program results in a significant decrease in the number of hospitalizations. That?s why I was astonished to hear from members from across the country on a recent trip to a Clubhouse Conference in Washington, DC that other governors have not embraced this program.

This is not your run of the mill welfare program doling out money without a return on investment. Quite the opposite, it?s a program saving taxpayer dollars in turn empowering its members to contribute as a taxpayer and improving the overall health of the individual. Clubhouse support is a win-win, setting an individual on a path to long-term economic stability and minimizing taxpayer assistance needed by the individual.

I?m proud to say I support Clubhouses throughout Maine and the Nation and I?m confident if you take the time to learn about the services of this program that you?ll find it?s much more than a social program. It?s a place where dignity, purpose and confidence are restored and people are provided a well-deserved sense that they are contributors to their community, not dependents of it.

At the recent conference, dozens of clubhouse members approached me from many states, including, Maryland, South Carolina, Texas and Utah to name a few. They asked I reach out to their governors. So, I have. And I encourage clubhouse advocates to do the same. Government officials have a responsibility to run government effectively and efficiently as possible and part of that is to learn about taxpayer funded programs that work. Well, this one not only works, it is a proven success and it will only take a visit to your local clubhouse to understand why. Remember, you don?t work for the government, the government works for you. So, reach out to your officials and show your support for a clubhouse near you.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Ballot questions may run afoul of Maine Constitution

September 27, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Last week I spoke at a forum during Constitution Week at Husson University. Liberals are constantly attacking our Constitution, but I believe it is a sacred document.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As Governor, I am sworn to uphold the Constitutions of Maine and the United States of America. I take this responsibility very seriously.

In fact, I carry a copy of the Constitution in my suit pocket every day.

In Maine, I believe three of the questions on the November ballot are unconstitutional. If they pass it will be impossible to uphold my oath of office.

Question 1 seeks to make marijuana legal. But the federal government says marijuana is illegal. If I allow marijuana to be legal in Maine, I will violate my oath to follow the laws of the federal government.

Question 3 proposes Universal Background Checks on all private sales and transfer of firearms. This is an attempt to create a gun registry, which is being funded by New York liberal billionaire Michael Bloomberg. The Maine Constitution clearly states: ?Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms and this right shall never be questioned.? It sure sounds like Bloomberg is questioning the traditional practices of responsible firearms owners. It?s a not-so-subtle attempt to create a gun registry so Bloomberg and the government will know if you own a gun.
Bloomberg should leave our Constitution and our guns alone. He should spend his money trying to keep liberal cities like Chicago and New York City safe.

Question 5 wants to throw out our traditional system of voting and replace it with Ranked Choice Voting. It?s a complicated process that allows candidates to get a second chance to win elections?and maybe even a third chance. Supporters claim it ensures a candidate gets a majority of votes, rather than a plurality. But that?s not true.

In the last election, I got the most votes ever cast for a Maine governor. Mike Michaud got the second most number of votes. But with Ranked Choice Voting, it?s possible that third-place candidate Eliot Cutler could have won. That?s probably why he supports it. But the Maine Constitution states that candidates win by plurality. Period.

Even the Attorney General says Ranked Choice Voting is unconstitutional. It?s one of the rare times we agree. Despite these constant attacks on our rights and our laws, I will always follow and defend the Constitution. If the people of Maine want these three laws, first, we must change our Constitution.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Question 3 should be called the Gun Registry Bill

October 5, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Question 3 on the November ballot calls for Universal Background Checks on all private sales and transfer on firearms. But it is unenforceable; it creates an unfunded mandate; and it is the first step toward gun registration.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The name of this proposal is misleading. Universal Background Checks are not ?universal? because criminals will never follow this law. Criminals get guns by breaking existing laws. They steal them, buy them on the black market or use straw purchasers. Less than one percent of criminals get firearms from dealers at gun shows.

This proposal won?t do anything to stop criminals from getting guns. It should be called the Gun Registry Bill. That?s because so-called Universal Background Checks cannot be enforced without requiring complete gun registration.

This Gun Registry Bill is being financed by liberal billionaire Michael Bloomberg. He wants the government to know if you own firearms. Bloomberg?s proposal would criminalize law-abiding firearms owners who loan or transfer guns to each other. Any time one person hands a firearm to another person, they could be convicted of a misdemeanor. A first offense could result in jail time of up to a year and a $2,000 fine. Under Bloomberg?s Gun Registry Bill, transfers or loans of firearms would only be lawful if both people appear together at a licensed gun dealer, get background checks and pay fees. Both people would have to go through the same process when the firearm is returned. Having to pay fees for transfers or loans of firearms is an unfunded mandate on responsible gun owners.

Supporters say Bloomberg?s proposal exempts transfers for hunting and shooting ranges, but the exemptions are confusing. For example, a firearm can be borrowed to shoot at an shooting range. But borrowing your friend?s gun to hunt on public land would be an illegal transfer.

Game wardens would not be able to enforce this law. If they encounter a hunter and ask whose shotgun he is using, the hunter can say it belongs to him. The warden would have no way to determine if the shotgun was loaned or transferred to the hunter legally or illegally under Bloomberg?s law.

So don?t be fooled. Bloomberg?s proposal is not enforceable. It?s not going to prevent criminals from having guns. And it?s not really about lawful transfers of firearms. It?s all about creating a gun registration so Michael Bloomberg and the government will know if you own a gun. When Bloomberg solves the problem of gun violence in Chicago and his hometown of New York City, then he can come lecture us about firearms. Until then, he should stay out of Maine and keep his hands off our guns.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Question 1: Legalizing Marijuana

October 12, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Question 1 is not just bad for Maine, it can be deadly.

Marijuana kills people on the highways. Traffic deaths in Colorado have increased dramatically.

Marijuana is 3 times stronger than it was in the 1980s.

People addicted to marijuana are 3 times more likely to be addicted to heroin.

Heroin is already killing 5 Mainers a week. We don?t need to legalize another drug that could lead to more deaths.

THC levels in marijuana snacks are so high, they could kill children and pets.

Pot snacks look like cookies, candy, gummy bears and soda. Children can?t tell if there is weed in these snacks.

People will smoke marijuana in pot stores right next to schools, daycare centers and churches.

They will smoke weed and sell pot at state fairs.

Businesses could not fire employees for using marijuana.

Before you vote, please educate yourself on this dangerous issue.

Radio Address: Question 2: 3 Percent Tax for Education

October 18, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

PLEASE NOTE THERE IS VIDEO OF THIS MESSAGE https://www.facebook.com/mainesgov/videos/10155375689889676/

*The weekly message is available via the Office of the Governor website http://www.maine.gov/governor/lepage/news/radio_addresses/index.shtml.

Question 2: 3 Percent Tax for Education

Question 2 will not solve education funding in Maine. Don?t be fooled. It will just raise the income tax to 10.15% on successful Maine households. It won?t put more money into classrooms. It won?t go to rural schools. It will go into the General Fund. The Legislature can spend it on however they want.

Question 2 won?t help education. It will drive successful people out of Maine. Maine is already having a hard time attracting doctors, engineers, scientists and other professionals. Slapping them with a 10% income tax will guarantee they won?t come here. They can go next door to New Hampshire, where there is no income tax. Chasing high-income earners out of Maine creates less tax revenue for education?not more.

Before you cast your vote, please educate yourself on this misleading question.

Radio Address: Augusta Ignores Energy Prices ? And You Pay the Bill

October 25, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Special interest groups try to make energy policy complicated. We must create fair policies that work for energy producers as well as consumers.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

For decades, Augusta has been giving carve-outs for whatever fancy new form of energy pops up. The lobbyists say we can save the world and grow jobs if we just pass more mandates and hide more fees on your electric bill, all while encouraging above-market rates.

They force you to buy electricity at high rates and then hide the football in your electric bill. But businesses have told us our electric prices are too high to be competitive, so they are going elsewhere. Even worse, they say they are closing down.

Prices are very important to our business, large and small. Big employers like Texas Instruments and Bath Iron Works tell us that Maine needs to lower its electricity costs.

My Administration has worked to lower the price of electricity, but Democrats and special interests try to confuse the debate. However, the Maine people know electric prices are important to their monthly expenses.

Now in Augusta, special interests are trying to increase your electric bill again. That?s because a number of individuals are producing their own power. Hancock Lumber is producing electricity with a biomass combined heat and power unit. Bowdoin College has installed a large solar project.

These investments can reduce prices for all electric customers, especially during high energy consumption days. The question is: what should they be paid if they sell excess power?

The obvious answer is ?market prices.? Electricity producers should be paid market prices for the power they generate. But they want to avoid paying the fixed costs of the electric transmission and distribution system and have the rest of us pick up higher costs on our bill.

That is wrong. These companies are still using the electric transmission and distribution system when their electricity production stops. By avoiding these costs, it would increase costs on low-income families and our struggling businesses.

This isn?t about solar or biomass or any other form of energy. This is about creating basic fairness for all users of our electric grid. It?s about keeping energy costs down. Thousands of Mainers struggle to pay their high electric bill every year, including seniors who live on fixed incomes.

Quite simply, we should pay market prices to producers of electricity. Then everyone benefits from more small electric generation, not just the special interests.

I encourage you to contact Augusta. Tell the Public Utilities Commission to fairly compensate electric producers, but not at the expense of our low-income households and our struggling businesses. Please tell the PUC how important lowering electric bills would be for your own household or your business.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: No matter what, please go out and cast your vote

November 2, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

No matter what, please go out and cast your vote

It has been a long and difficult election season, and most of us will be glad when it?s over. But that shouldn?t stop you from exercising one of your most sacred rights: voting.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The past year has been dominated by so-called Presidential politics. It has energized some people, and turned other people completely off. Regardless of what you think of either Presidential candidate, I urge you to go to the polls and cast your vote.

Remember, there are other important races on your local ballot. Choosing your state senator or state representative is not something to be taken lightly. These are the people who will make the laws in our state. They will determine whether you pay more taxes or less.

They will decide whether to continue with welfare reform or roll back our progress and return to the days of an expensive and unchecked welfare system that was riddled with fraud, which liberals often refer to as ?victimless crimes.? These elected officials will vote on whether to raise your electricity rates, and they will decide whether to help create jobs in Maine or destroy the economy with their socialist, 50-year agenda.

You cannot rely on TV ads or junk mail to determine which candidate is best for you. You certainly cannot trust the Maine media to give you the facts. It is up to you, the Maine citizen, to educate yourself on the candidates and the issues.

Most importantly, these candidates will have to decide how to handle the impacts of several referendum questions?if they pass. Maine is facing the threat of a financial tsunami after this election.

Question 4 would arbitrarily raise the minimum wage so high and so fast, it will cripple local businesses, devastate the restaurant industry and put entry-level workers out of a job?not to mention sending our elderly neighbors deeper into poverty.

Question 2 will add 3 percent to the income tax, creating the second-highest income tax in the country. That will drive successful people out of Maine and make it even more difficult to attract doctors, dentists, engineers, scientists and other professionals. None of them will come here and pay a 10.15 percent income tax?especially when they can go next door to New Hampshire and pay no income tax.

The final blow will come from President?s Obama?s mandatory increase in overtime pay. Coupled with a high minimum wage and a 10.15 percent income tax, the sudden hike in overtime pay would drown local businesses and capsize the Maine economy.

The stakes are high on Tuesday, not just for the country, but also for our state. We are at a crossroads: we can keep marching down the politically correct path toward the kind of socialism that has ruined other great countries. Or we can vote to get us back on the road to prosperity and bring common sense back to our government.

So, no matter what side you are on, I urge you to take an active part in the process. Let your voice be heard. On Tuesday, November 8, please go to the polls and cast your ballot.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: We Celebrate American Heroes, Patriotism and Sacrifice on this Veterans Day

November 10, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Veterans Day has been celebrated in many ways since 1926. And one of the best ways to honor are country?s heroes is to help them in any way we can.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The First Lady and I have had the great pleasure to meet many Maine veterans over the years. Sadly, we also have attended many funerals of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

Our men and women in uniform are dedicated to protecting the freedoms we all share today. It is our responsibility to honor our heroes today and every day.

Our administration has been focused on ensuring veterans are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. That is why we advocate for veteran-friendly policies and will continue to do so.

Our administration has created a tuition waiver program for all Maine National Guard members to attend the University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System and Maine Maritime Academy.

We have launched a new veterans? website providing a single site to access all services for Maine veterans.

We give veterans preference in state hiring and retention to provide them and Gold Star spouses an advantage in applying for employment with the State of Maine. I signed legislation to ensure veterans and military spouses seeking employment in professions that require Maine licensing are given credit toward their experience acquired during military training and service.

More than 60 veterans have been hired through the 2016 Hire a Vet Campaign since we launched the program?and employers are looking to hire more workers. The Bureau of Veterans? Services, along with our partners at Department of Labor, the VA, Easter Seals Maine and others, have joined together to create this campaign with the sole intent of helping Maine?s veterans find jobs.

We also exempted Military Retiree Pension Income from the state income tax and enacted an income tax exemption for active duty military pay earned outside of Maine. There are many wonderful veterans living and working in Maine. Our administration has made it a mission to make sure you feel appreciated and we hope you do.

On this Veterans Day, we celebrate you, our American heroes, for your patriotism and your sacrifice for the common good. We will never take it for granted.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: What?s Next for the Referendum Questions

November 15, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

We have a lot of work to do in the upcoming Legislative session. If we are going to make progress, there must be a willingness to work together.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

One of the first tasks the Legislature must deal with involves the citizen?s referendums. Citizen initiatives certainly have a place in a democracy, but I strongly believe the process needs better checks and balances.

Several of the ballot questions put out to voters have serious, unintended consequences for the people of Maine. Some questions are clearly unconstitutional, one will chase successful people out of Maine and another will drive the elderly deeper into poverty.

Legalizing marijuana goes against federal law, and the question was so poorly drafted it will require millions of dollars and several legislative fixes before it can be implemented.

The Legislature needs to determine how to best implement these initiatives so they respect the will of the people, but don?t harm our elderly or destroy Maine?s economy. Furthermore, we may have to endure lengthy recounts in the weeks ahead on some of the referendum questions.

I will be submitting a bill to create checks and balances on the citizen?s referendum process. Right now, to get a referendum question on the ballot, about 61-thousand signatures are required. The Maine Constitution states that 10 percent of the total votes cast for governor in the most recent election must be collected.

The problem is that all the signatures can come easily from one part of the state?and it?s usually Portland and Southern Maine.

I will offer a resolution proposing an amendment to the Maine Constitution that would require signatures to be gathered proportionately from each county in Maine. Our state is large and diverse, and we should have fair representation across our state. Residents in Southern Maine should not be able to control the citizen initiative process. The biennial budget is a massive piece of legislation that our staff and administration have been working on for months. In it, there will be measures to reduce taxes, lower energy costs, help students reduce their debt burden and bring more accountability to government.

We won?t agree on everything, but we should always put Mainers first. If the citizens disagree with the decisions made in Augusta, they have the right to speak at the ballot box. However, we must make sure out-of-state money pouring into one part of the state does not control our desired way of life. Citizens from every part of Maine should have a fair and equal voice in a process that could have a serious impact on their way of life.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: A Thanksgiving Wish from Maine Governor Paul R. LePage and First Lady Ann M. LePage

November 22, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Volunteerism in Maine is strong. In recent years, nearly 337,000 Mainers volunteered annually, which generated a value of about $950 million. Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Last week, I joined the Salvation Army to kick off its Annual Kettle Campaign. Proceeds help to provide food, clothing, utilities and emergency disaster aid, ant they help give children the opportunity to attend The Salvation Army?s Camp Sebago. In all, the Kettle Campaign helps to provide services and programs to 41,680 men, women and children statewide during the holidays and throughout the year.

So, the next time you hear the sound of a ringing bell and see the red kettle, consider making a donation. You?ll be giving back to your community and perhaps even a neighbor in need.

While a donation can go a long way, your time can too. I have rung kettle bells on countless cold winter afternoons and served hot meals to seniors who are homebound. Volunteering your time is as valuable as a dollar, and for me it is often more rewarding.

Let us also be reminded that Mainers hit hard times no matter the season. So, as the holiday spirit starts to fade, we should not forget the spirit of giving back is needed year round.

The First Lady and I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Stopping the Backroom Energy Deals in Augusta

November 29, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Since 2010, average residential New England electric rates have increased by 20 percent. But in Maine, they have remained essentially flat.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Liberals, special interests and the Democrats in the Legislature are constantly trying to carve out gravy trains for wealthy energy companies, then make you pay for it. Not on my watch! That?s why our rates have not increased since I took office in 2010.

Electric fees are like regressive taxes. Our low-income households and our elderly struggle every month to keep the lights on. Increasing rates, add ons, and fees on our must vulnerable should be an outrage to all of us, but liberals constantly support rich energy lobbyists over low-income and elderly Mainers.

Liberals forget that Maine?s economy is different from the rest of New England. We have leading manufacturers that use a tremendous amount of energy to create world-class products. In fact, Maine is the only New England state in which industry is the largest consumer of energy. Sappi, Texas Instruments and Bath Iron Works for a few examples don?t compete with Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts or Rhode Island?they compete globally.

Liberals ignore competitive pressures involved in producing a roll of coated paper, a semiconductor or a Navy destroyer. Every penny we add to their bills puts them at a competitive disadvantage.

Liberals look to Boston, Hartford and Montpelier for magical energy schemes that add an electric fee to your bill, and then hand the money to wealthy energy companies. The average electric bill is now $120 in New England?in Maine, it is slightly less.

That?s because I have rejected the expensive policies from other New England states. Instead, we have focused on practical and cost-effective policies that work for Maine?s unique energy challenges. We outright reject signing above market contracts to enrich the large renewable industry.

We have offered rebates for heat pumps, wood pellet boilers, insulation and other modern heating systems to reduce heating costs. This has lowered our heating-oil consumption, reduced pollution and cut heating bills.

The bottom line is we should seek low cost energy that does not harm the environment. All forms of clean energy sources should be treated equally?and not at the expense of Maine consumers.

There is a legacy of above-market costs from decades of corruption, poor decision-making and wealthy special interests controlling Augusta. It?s time for this era to end. It is time to completely reject above-market contracts, reform Maine?s expensive energy mandates and put more money in your pocket.

Thankfully, last session that?s what Representative Ken Fredette and House Republicans did and Mainers owe a big thank you to them for holding firm and defeating above market contracts.

Backroom energy deals in Augusta are wrong and we will continue to fight for what is right.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Respect the will of the voters, but do no harm

December 8, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

When I swore in the 128th Legislature this week, I urged them to reduce the negative impact of two referendum questions that will cause significant harm to our economy.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

All elected officials must respect the will of the people. However, the Legislature?s first duty as elected representatives is to do no harm to our state.

Two questions will cause significant harm to our economy. They will hurt restaurant workers, small businesses, successful people and particularly our elderly. They will drive away doctors, dentists, scientists, engineers and other much-needed professionals.

Question 2 hikes the income tax by 42% on successful Mainers, supposedly to boost funding for education. But it will punish high-earners by slapping them with the second-highest income tax in the nation. It will drive them out of our state. We already have examples of this.

These folks already pay the most in taxes. If they leave and take their income with them, it will result in even less money for education and less revenue from property tax, sales tax and excise tax.

Question 4 raises the minimum wage too fast for local businesses to absorb. Combined with the higher income tax, small business owners will face a financial death spiral. They will first get hit with a 10.15% income tax, then they will have to pay a significantly higher minimum wage.

On top of that, the minimum wage will automatically go up every year, based on the Consumer Price Index. Even during an economic downturn, small business owners would be required to raise wages.

Your friends and neighbors who own small businesses may close up shop and go to New Hampshire or another state with low or no income taxes. Then their employees will be out of a job, and the state will lose their tax revenue, too.

We must slow down the rate of increase to the minimum wage, and we must not eliminate the tip credit so restaurant workers can continue making $25 to $30 an hour. But those who will get hurt the worst are the elderly.

5,900 Mainers who now earn minimum wage will get a $4-an-hour increase, but 325,000 Mainers won?t get a raise. Those on Social Security will get an average increase of just $4 a month.

As labor costs rise so fast, small businesses will have to lay off workers and raise prices. The elderly will be left out in the cold. They will have to spend more of their fixed income on higher prices on everything they buy. This will push them even deeper into poverty.

I have asked the Legislature to delay implementation of these bills so we can work together to improve them. We can respect the will of the voters, but we must do no harm to our economy, our small businesses and, most importantly, our elderly.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Despite Democrats? Roadblock, Mental Health Unit will be Built

December 13, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

Sometimes when you hit a road block, you have to find a detour.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I was appalled when Democrats recently voted?twice?to block the approval of plans to construct a secure mental health unit in Augusta. While Riverview has been a political pawn for Democrats for years, it needs to stop.

This new facility is needed for individuals who are not criminally responsible and who no longer require a hospital level of care. This facility would ensure these forensic patients receive the right treatment in the right setting.

Moving individuals who no longer need a hospital level of care will significantly improve Riverview?s ability to meet the statewide demand for inpatient psychiatric capacity for civil patients, and become certified as a state mental health hospital. Many of them are stuck in local emergency rooms waiting for a bed.

Plans for the new facility have been in the works for two years. In May, the Capitol Planning Commission approved the same plans, as did the City of Augusta Planning Board. Let me be clear: patients are my priority. With or without the Democrats? approval, a new mental health unit will be built.

I have agreed to work with new legislators should they have questions. However, I expect elected officials to do their homework before the first day of school.

The State plan has been online and will continue to be. I encourage lawmakers to read the more than 200 pages we have made available to the public. https://www.scribd.com/document/333668439/Riverview-Stepdown-Unit

Democrats claim to be the party of the people?but they refuse to provide care or compassion for the elderly and the physically and mentally disabled.

It is unconscionable that Democrats are being obstructionists just to score political points. They must demonstrate real compassion for the truly needy patients we are treating in this facility today and into the future.

Democrats on the Legislative Council can choose to do what?s right and I hope they do.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Honor the will of the people, but do no harm

December 28, 2016

(MP3 Audio)

As we look forward to the New Year, we think of those who are struggling to get by. Unfortunately, their struggle is about to get worse.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Maine needs to attract more jobs, more families and more opportunity. Raising the minimum wage too high, too fast will make it much harder to do that.

Increasing low wages sounds like a good idea on the face of it. But the economic devil is in the details. A couple of sentences on a ballot do not explain the details of the law that regulates the wage hike.

If the question asked voters to slash the pay of their favorite waitress, they would have said no. If the question asked voters to force the elderly to pay higher prices on everything they buy, they would have said no.

And if the question asked voters if they want their friends laid off because employers could not absorb the increase in the minimum wage, they would have said no.

Most voters didn?t realize the minimum wage would automatically go up every year, even during a downturn in the economy. They didn?t know that with inflation or hyper-inflation, the minimum wage could jump to $20. It would put virtually every Maine company in jeopardy.

The socialists at Maine People?s Alliance basically made up their own indexing to downplay the effect of the automatic increase in the minimum wage. The cost-of-living increases in Social Security are based on the national Consumer Price Index.

But Maine People?s Alliance used the Northeast region?s CPI to increase the minimum wage at a much higher rate than Social Security. This will hurt 325,000 Mainers on fixed incomes who can?t afford to pay higher prices on anything they buy.

Voters didn?t realize most Maine businesses cannot afford these huge increases in labor costs. Black Mountain was forced to raise the price of lift tickets to cover their new labor costs. And the cost of milk is already going up. In response to efforts around the country to raise the minimum wage, McDonald?s will replace workers with self-service kiosks. Even businesses in California, which is a very wealthy state, can?t absorb their higher minimum wage. Businesses in California that closed because of these new labor costs include a bookstore, a pub, restaurants and bakeries, a coffee shop, grocery stores and clothing manufacturers.

Maine is not California. We have a fragile economy, and this new minimum wage could destroy it. I will not purposely harm the economy. I am asking the Legislature to work with me to do no harm.

We must fix the law to make sure it does not harm our elderly, our workers and our small businesses. We can honor the will of the people to raise the minimum wage, but slow it down to give businesses time to absorb it. We can eliminate the annual increase, just as we got rid of the automatic increase in the gas tax. And we can restore the tip credit so restaurant servers can continue to make $20 to $30 an hour.

The people have spoken. Now it?s the Legislature?s duty to make sure the law does not ruin our economy. Again, do no harm.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: We Must Support Innovative Approaches to Delivering Education in Maine

January 4, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

If we want to put more money in our classrooms, we need a more efficient education system.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage. Happy New Year.

We often hear from people throughout the state who want more of the over $2.2 billion dollars spent on education to go into the classroom. I agree. It is unacceptable that we have underpaid teachers in Maine schools who must take money out of their own pockets for classroom supplies while there is bloated administration for over 240 school districts led by 148 superintendents for only 175,000 students.

Maine?s public school infrastructure has not kept up with our declining student population. Education spending has risen by 27% over the past ten years. Meanwhile, student enrollment in our schools has decreased by eleven percent and we have one of the lowest student to teacher ratios in the country.

We must take a hard look at where school districts are spending the money that we already send them and invest in new, cost-saving solutions. If local communities want to spend their own money on administrative overhead, they are welcome to do that, but the state will be investing in regional administrative centers that can reduce cost and improve resources and opportunities for students. Our administration will introduce a bill to the Legislature that will enable regional education service agencies to serve local school districts.

Superintendents ask me to stop saying that we have too many of them in Maine ? but they all know that it?s true. To be sure, there are some good and talented superintendents in our communities but we can surely do with far fewer than 148 of them. Our students will benefit from a less fragmented system that can provide access to more educational opportunities.

Florida has 3 million students with 64 superintendents. Maine has 174,000 students and 148 superintendents. Florida also spends considerably less per student and based on The National Assessment of Educational Progress Florida students achieve much better achievement results.

Over the next two years, we will support local efforts for schools to collaborate, save cost, and improve services for students. Several such efforts are already under way.

In Western Maine, an ?education collaborative? allows thirteen districts serving over 13,000 students to save money on virtual courses, professional development, software and training. In Bangor, fourteen school districts have joined together to form a regional program for children with highly acute special needs, enabling access to education and services in the least restrictive environment. These services would be cost prohibitive in small districts. Providing them centrally has dramatically reduced cost while improving education for our most vulnerable students.

The Department of Education is identifying resources that can be made available immediately to provide grants to school districts that take on voluntary, innovative, grass-roots efforts to take long-term, non-classroom cost out of the system. We believe that $3 million can be made available to school districts this year. In my budget submission, I will once again ask the legislature for an additional $5 million to fund these efforts.

Many people talk about ?more money for education,? but the hard work is making sure every dollar and every decision truly educates Maine students.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The Story You Will Not Hear in the Media about the Budget

January 10, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

In 2002 when Governor Angus King left office the State was seeing red?big time. He left a billion-dollar structural deficit for the next administration. Today, all of that is nearly eliminated.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Mainers who rack up debt and fail to pay it are adversely affected with poor credit scores and sometimes sued for payment. This impacts their ability to buy a car, apply for a loan or a mortgage, and it can even prevent them from renting an apartment.

Interest rates will also be very high for someone with bad credit. High debt can also harm a state?s credit rating, so it?s important to maintain fiscal responsibility in state government.

There has been a billion-dollar reduction in the State of Maine?s General Fund structural gap since I took office six years ago. Today, it?s down to about $150 million. This marks the single lowest structural gap in the last 16 years. We have proven that significant, ongoing reforms?not one-time gimmicks?get real results for the Maine people.

The same goes for my current budget proposal. You won?t find gimmicks or political foolishness to save money. The executive branch is essentially flat-funded, and I have kept my promise to lower the income tax for all hard-working Mainers. My tax relief plan puts more than $565 million back where it belongs?in Mainers? paychecks.

Our administration has achieved savings through better fiscal management over the years. It?s why we are able to provide more tax relief, as well as better care for our elderly and disabled.

The Department of Health and Human Services saved $100 million within the department. This savings allows us to help our elderly and disabled who now make up 42 percent of our MaineCare population. My budget provides more funding to Medicare.

We also are able to eliminate one of the waitlists for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. By eliminating this waitlist, we are able to provide more than $12 million in programs and services.

Good financial management and limited state spending enables government to protect Mainers. My budget is not designed to please liberal politicians in Augusta or the special interests that live off state funding.

My budget reduces taxes to put hard-working Mainers first. More importantly, my budget prioritizes our most vulnerable citizens, especially our senior citizens.

Finally, the majority of jobs that have been cut are vacant positions dating back from 2008 to 2015. If state jobs are vacant for multiple years, why do we need them?

I urge all Mainers to contact their legislators. Tell them you want to cut taxes, reduce the size of government and take care of our seniors. The only special interest they should listen to is you.

Radio Address: Experts recognize that lowering taxes would make Maine more competitive

January 25, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Legislators may not understand how taxes work, but experts recognize the tax reforms in my budget would make Maine more competitive and more prosperous.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The non-partisan Tax Foundation has reviewed the tax changes in my budget, which reduces individual income taxes, lowers corporate taxes, broadens the sales tax and eliminates the death tax. They called my plan ?a recipe for a more competitive state.?

They also liked my effort to simplify the income tax and reduce it to a flat tax of 5.75% in 2020. We have also proposed lowering the top corporate rate from 8.93% to 8.33%, which would still be relatively high compared to the national average.

But the Tax Foundation said this reduction would make Maine more competitive with its neighboring states.

The Tax Foundation also knows the death tax is harmful to economic growth, so they are pleased to see my proposal to eliminate it. Only 14 states and Washington, D.C. still impose a death tax. Most states are moving away from death taxes.

They are especially harmful to many of Maine?s families who own small businesses. They usually do not have the resources to spend on estate tax planning, which can make it difficult to pass the business on to family members.

The Tax Foundation is also in favor of our effort to broaden Maine?s sales tax base to include some services. The state?s 5.5% sales tax rate would not increase. But it would be applied to amusement and recreation services, some installation and maintenance services and personal services.

Services such as carpentry, plumbing and electrical work, as well as motor vehicle repairs, will remain exempt from sales tax.

Decades ago, the United States economy consisted mostly of goods. But now, services comprise about two-thirds of the economy. Maine?s sales tax is already low compared to the national average. By exempting all services, our sales tax base is increasingly narrow, which leads to a reliance on other taxes, such as the income tax.

One of the most transparent ways to collect tax revenue is through the sales tax. Complicated tax codes, graduated income tax rates and tax brackets are confusing. But the sales tax is easier to understand. Mainers can see how much tax they are paying because it is printed right on their receipt.

The Tax Foundation said our proposal to broaden Maine?s sales tax base is the ?correct call for modernizing a state?s sales tax code.?

Although our proposals are far-reaching, the Tax Foundation said policymakers should seriously consider them. Our efforts to broaden tax bases and lower rates overall will make Maine more competitive and improve our economy.

Now it is up to you to let your legislator know how you feel about taxes and where your dollars are best spent.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Marijuana bill reveals politics at its worst

January 31, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

While politicians were scrambling to pass a moratorium on marijuana legalization, their credibility went up in smoke.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As usual, politicians in Augusta waited until the last minute to pass legislation on a very important issue. They approved a bill allowing Mainers to possess and grow marijuana, but they put a moratorium on buying and selling it until rules are developed to regulate retail sales.

The original legislation directs the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to implement the regulations and enforcement of recreational marijuana. But ACF does not have the manpower or expertise to create and enforce these regulations. It would cost several million dollars for ACF to do this.

We have been saying since November that oversight should be transferred from ACF to the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations (BABLO). BABLO already has the expertise to create the rules and manage licensing and enforcement. It would cost $1.5 million for BABLO to do this.

Both Republicans and Democrats agreed this was the right thing to do. So we proposed amendments to make it happen. Then politics-as-usual kicked in.

Democratic Speaker of the House Sara Gideon convinced Democrats to kill the amendments. Then she turned around and put the exact same language in a bill she sponsored.

This is why the average person is turned off to politics. Although they were presented with the right thing to do, political leaders from both sides of the aisle jumped in to derail it. Rather than simply agree to the common-sense amendments being proposed, they defeated the proposal so they can take credit for themselves. We should not care who gets credit for good policy, we should simply do our job for the people.

I signed their bill to enact a moratorium because the original legislation was flawed and may have allowed children to smoke marijuana. Politicians now say they will approve a bill to move rulemaking to BABLO and allocate money for it. I?m not holding my breath on this, though. I?m still waiting for action on plans for a mental health forensic unit Speaker Gideon promised we would have by Christmas.

They have broken their promises in the past. So I signed an Executive Order on Monday directing rulemaking authority to the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations. The Executive Order also stipulates that no employee or department of the Executive Branch may spend any money to implement the legalization of marijuana until the Legislature allocates adequate funding for that purpose.

The legalization of marijuana is a major issue for our state. We must ensure the appropriate agency creates the rules to regulate it and has the expertise and the ability to enforce it. Sadly, this all could have been done last week.

Politicians in Augusta must stop putting their self-serving interests over the good of the people. Meanwhile, as they continue to play politics, our administration will focus on good policy that is best for Maine people.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Union lobbyist Ryan Tipping should resign his House seat

February 15, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Union lobbyist Ryan Tipping should resign his House seat Legislators who line their own pockets rather than represent their constituents do not belong in the State House.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Representative Ryan Tipping of Orono accepted $9,000 from state and national teachers? unions to line his own pockets, go around the legislature and work to pass a citizens? referendum that raises taxes. These pay-to-play payments nearly doubled his salary as a legislator.

Tipping?s boss was the lobbyist for the teachers? union, but he took this money while he was on the legislature?s Education Committee. He then ran for reelection as a so-called ?clean election? candidate, which means he took taxpayers? money to pay for his campaign.

After the election, Speaker of the House Sarah Gideon made Tipping the chair of the state?s Taxation Committee. This committee is supposed to implement or modify the tax hike that Tipping was paid to support.

Tipping is also the brother of Mike Tipping of the Maine Peoples? Alliance, another a major supporter of the tax hike.

Representative Tipping claims he has no conflict of interest. I ask the Maine people a simple question: Who do you think he answers to? It?s probably not his constituents back home who cannot afford lobbyists. It appears he is a puppet for the union bosses who signed his paychecks of $1,500 a month.

People in Tipping?s district, including elderly Mainers on fixed incomes and job creators looking to reinvest in their family-owned business, deserve a representative who is responsive to them?not a hired gun representing special interests in Augusta.

When the lobbyist for the teachers? union was asked if they paid any member of the Taxation Committee to advance the tax hike, he responded that ?of course they did.? Sadly, this is business as usual in Augusta. It?s the kind of corruption I have been talking about for six years. Tipping is a Democrat, but this would be wrong if any legislator did the same thing.

He got taxpayer funding for his campaign, then took at least $9,000 for himself. If unions donated this money directly to his campaign, it would have been illegal. But Tipping and the media believe that putting it in his own pocket is acceptable.

The Portland Press Herald knew about this story, but sat on it. They only covered it once I announced it on a radio show. Had this been a Republican legislator, it would have been front-page news.

The Legislature?s ethics officer claims Tipping?s actions were not prohibited. No law requires him to resign or recuse himself despite this glaring conflict of interest. The Maine people know better. Wrong is wrong, even if legislators refuse to hold themselves to basic standards of decency.

As your Governor, I will call out corruption when I see it. Tipping?s actions proclaim that his vote is for sale. He should be ashamed of himself. He owes it to the people of his district to resign his seat.

If legislative leaders will not hold their own members accountable, then they are demonstrating yet again why the Legislature is becoming irrelevant.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: PUC decision confirms ratepayers pay twice

February 21, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Our electricity rates are far above the national average?Maine has moved up from the 12th highest rates to the 11th highest in the United States.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

High rates have destroyed our industrial base, our commercial base and, more importantly, are causing higher rates for those who can least afford it, our retirees. The decision by the Public Utilities Commission to compensate owners of solar panels for transmission and distribution is taking Maine in the wrong direction. It increases prices on ratepayers by charging them twice for T and D of electricity.

I agree solar customers should be compensated for the electricity they generate at fair market rates. However, other Mainers should not have to subsidize their installation costs to make solar viable.

If affluent people choose to put expensive solar panels on their roof, poor and elderly Mainers should not have to pay for it.

The PUC is shifting the burden away from those who have the resources to afford roof-top solar installations and onto ratepayers, including low-income and elderly customers. They are also putting more of a burden on businesses that are already operating on very thin margins and cannot afford to pay higher rates. Businesses need all the help they can get to stay competitive and create good jobs. Raising electricity rates is taking resources away from higher wages.

This rate hike was pushed by environmentalists, special interests, the public advocate and some Legislative leaders. Rather than protect Maine ratepayers, the PUC caved to special interests.

Even worse, wealthy people with solar panels are being paid for the excess electricity they generate and for the transmission and distribution of the excess power. But Emera and CMP also charge the ratepayers to transmit and distribute this excess electricity.

That means ratepayers are being charged twice so affluent people who put solar panels on their roof can recoup their money faster.

The solar industry lining its pockets on the backs of hardworking Mainers?not to mention our poor and most vulnerable who can least afford it.

We should be able to agree on a sensible energy policy. We should provide the most affordable energy that does the least harm to the environment.

But liberals continue to support their favorite?and very expensive?forms of renewal energy. They have no political desire to reduce rates for Mainers, and they continue to deny the harm they are doing to our job creators and our economy. Put very simply, higher rates leave less money for higher wages.

We are going backwards. But I will continue to fight to lower rates for our elderly and poor Mainers and for our businesses that create good jobs. Someone has to protect them from wealthy special interests and lobbyists in the halls of the State House.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Bad tax policy forces Maine families to flee to other states

February 28, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

As your Governor, I want all Mainers to prosper. Providing opportunities for people to help themselves is the best pathway to success.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Unfortunately, liberals believe a bigger government, higher taxes and more spending is going to help Mainers prosper.

For decades, they spent millions of taxpayer dollars on welfare programs with no accountability. They increased the tax burden on families and businesses, driving them out of state.

Now Maine has the second-highest income tax in the United States. Some folks have told me they can no longer afford to live here. In a time when we need to attract people into our state, we are driving them away with bad tax policies. I received a letter from a 67-year-old a man in Westbrook.

His name is Robert. In 1973 he and his wife Marti moved to Maine. They both started with low-paying jobs, but they worked very hard to become successful. They raised a family with two children and put them through college?one at Bates, the other at University of California-Berkeley.

Now, after 44 years in our great state, Robert and his wife are being forced to leave because of high taxes. They must decide whether to stay here or buy a home in Florida or Texas, both of which have no income tax.

Living in either one of those states for six months and a day would save them thousands of dollars a year because they would pay no income tax. Even if they kept their home in Maine, the other home would essentially be free.
Eliminating their Maine income tax is enough to pay the ownership costs for their home down south.

Robert and Marti are not alone. They are just two of many Mainers like them who feel they have no other choice but to leave. These are real people who want to stay in Maine, but they are being forced out by high taxes.

Robert said he is grateful the only thing standing between the Legislature and his bank account is me. I appreciate it, but he has it backwards. The State of Maine should be very grateful to have good, successful people like Robert and Marti.

Our tax policies should encourage them to stay here, invest here and create jobs here. We must show successful people we want them to stay. My budget tells them we are cutting taxes, we welcome professionals and small businesses, and we want people to keep more of what they have earned.

Whatever decision Robert and his family make will largely be influenced by the upcoming budget. Legislators have a choice: they can lower taxes to help Mainers prosper. Or they can enact the second-highest income tax in the nation and chase other good people away.

I encourage folks like Robert to share their story with legislators before it?s too late.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Market must drive energy costs, not handouts

March 21, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Protecting our natural resources is a priority. It is also a priority for me to make sure Mainers can afford to live in this great state we call home.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Maine?s electricity rates are among the highest in the nation. In fact, we rank number 11 in highest costs. When you see your electricity bill, you should know these rates are artificially high. The reason is what liberals like to call ?subsidies? or ?stranded costs.?

These subsidies are taxpayer dollars funneled to the solar and wind industry to make sure they do not go bankrupt. Alternative forms of energy are worthwhile, but they are expensive?and you pay the price.

A 2015 study by the Energy Information Administration found that wind is federally subsidized at a rate more than 70 times that of natural gas and oil. Solar is even worse. It is subsidized at more than 340 times the rate of natural gas and oil. This is the highest level of all renewable subsidies.

I have said it once, and I will say it again: I support all forms of renewable energy. However, when electricity rates are increased because of energy like solar and wind, consumers are paying for it twice. On the front end, consumers pay for the government welfare these companies need to stay afloat. On the back end, you pay more in higher electric bills.

Some liberals, such as the Natural Resources Council of Maine, want you to believe we are lagging behind as a producer of renewable resources. Not true. Maine uses only about 10 percent of the electricity in New England, but it is by far the biggest producer of renewable electricity in New England. We produce almost half of the total renewable electricity generated in New England.

Nearly 70 percent of the electricity produced in Maine is from renewable resources. Maine is the leader!

Liberal critics want to promote wind and solar as the only renewable resources. However, it is financially irresponsible to favor expensive solar and wind, while we are making good use of Maine?s indigenous resources?nearly 30 percent of the electricity we generate is from our hydroelectric plants, and another 27 percent comes from biomass.

If anyone in New England wants to pursue solar and wind, I encourage them to do so, but you should not have to pay for it through subsidies or stranded costs.

All forms of renewable energy have a place in the market, as long as they are not overpriced and companies are not living off taxpayer dollars.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Legislators Must Enact Welfare Reform for Future Prosperity

March 28, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Over the past six years, welfare reform has been at the forefront of my agenda as your Governor.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Some of these reforms have required legislation, such as capping TANF at 5 years back in 2011 and prohibiting the purchase of cigarettes and alcohol with welfare last year.

Despite overwhelming public support for welfare reform, many welfare reform bills have failed because of the entitlement mentality in Augusta.

That?s why many of our greatest welfare reform successes have not come from legislation, but from executive action.

Work requirements, asset tests and photo IDs on EBT cards have helped move Mainers from welfare to work and safeguarded the integrity of the system. They have restored confidence in Maine?s welfare system for the taxpayers who pay for it.

In addition, these reforms are helping Mainers become economically independent. Nearly, 7,000 able-bodied adults who left the food stamp program increased their wages by more than 110-percent.

Mainers across the political spectrum support these reforms.

Polling during my re-election showed that about 80 percent of Mainers support welfare reform.

Many of the reforms did not require legislation, but were enacted within the authority of the Executive Branch.

They can also be reversed by the next Governor.

That is why it is so important that we make these common-sense reforms permanent in state law. We want Maine to keep moving from poverty to prosperity for our children and grandchildren.

An able-bodied 30-year-old man without kids should not be able to collect food stamps without working, going to school or volunteering in his community.

If Mainers like what we?ve done to fix welfare over the past several years, then I encourage you to call your state senator and state representative. Tell them to support the Governor?s bill to put welfare reform into state law.

This isn?t a Republican or a Democrat bill. There are many traditional Democrat lawmakers, most of them from rural Maine, whose constituents agree with these reforms.

I ask for their support in putting party politics aside and joining me to do the right thing for our state.

Together, we can help Mainers keep moving from welfare to work and from poverty to prosperity.

Radio Address: Democrats? budget is one page of talking points

April 12, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Democrat politicians in Augusta will take every opportunity to spend more of your money, and most Mainers simply can't afford it.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Last week, Speaker of the House Sara Gideon announced something we already knew: Democrats in Augusta are ready to raise your taxes and spend more of your money.

Democrats claim to represent the little guy, but their actions do the opposite. They increase taxes and grow big government. This doesn?t help the working people of Maine. The Maine media applauded the Democrats? proposal as an alternative budget. But they failed to report the most important fact: it isn?t a real budget.

The Democrats submitted a single page that offers few specifics and even fewer price tags. That is a set of talking points?it?s not a budget.

My balanced budget is well over 800 pages and accounts for every single penny. Shame on the media for once again printing the Democrats? propaganda and giving the plan absolutely no scrutiny whatsoever. It?s just more fake news.

I vetoed the last state budget, but the Legislature passed it anyway. They increased spending to $6.7 billion?that?s $300 million more over the biennium than I had submitted.

Now Democrats are on track to increase the budget over $7 billion and maybe over $8 billion.

The 128th Legislature is preparing to enact the largest government spending increase in Maine history. That is a legacy our families and businesses simply cannot afford.

As your Governor, I will do everything possible to confront the big-government, tax-and-spend Democratic mentality. I will ask Republicans in the Legislature to stand with me for fiscal responsibility and smaller government.

Speaker Gideon, Senator Jackson and their Democratic colleagues want Maine to have the highest income tax in the country. In total disregard for our economy, they are forcing working families and small businesses to finance their special-interest spending spree in Augusta.

These Democratic leaders fully support a 10.15% state income tax rate and will fight to maintain the 3% additional tax on small businesses championed by the special interests that control them.

Towns like Medway, Greenville and Cumberland soundly rejected Question 2, yet many Democrats now embrace this extreme tax hike against the wishes of the constituents who elected them.

In Freeport, Question 2 was also defeated, but their Democratic legislator is now demanding to raise their taxes. Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth voted against Question 2, but their Democratic Senator was front and center at this fake budget announcement, lobbying for Maine to have the country?s highest income tax.

Make no mistake, the Democrats? budget favors special interests over the Maine people. If Speaker Gideon and Senator Jackson really want to do a budget that works for the Maine people, they should come meet with me.

I?ve already done the work for them. We can merge their one page into my 800-page budget. It doesn?t take much effort for them to meet with me. They just have to come down a flight of stairs to my office.

If that is too difficult for them, they can always take the elevator.

Radio Address: Regional services can improve funding for education

April 19, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Democrats say they want to reduce property taxes. But they don?t have the courage to actually do it.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

You can?t talk about reducing property taxes without addressing state funding for education. Education costs are a major driver of local property taxes.

Democrats keep telling people that my administration has cut education funding. That is absolutely not true. State funding has increased every year since I have been Governor.

The real problem is that student enrollment is plummeting as costs keep climbing. Since I became Governor in 2011, Maine has 10,000 fewer students, but we are still spending over $100 million more a year.

We are very top heavy in school administration. We simply do not need 148 superintendents for 177,000 students. We could do with one for each county.

Special education is another major factor driving up costs. Small districts do not have the resources to provide services to special education students. So they pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to send these students out of the district or out of state.

We can lower costs by regionalizing services. These efforts are already working. Dr. Betsy Webb, superintendent in Bangor, works with the Southern Penobscot Region to serve special needs students with far less money.

It saved the Bangor school district over $1 million a year.

The state is now paying upfront costs of regionalization through its new program called ?EMBRACE.? Education Commissioner Bob Hasson is introducing a plan that will let communities create 9 to 12 regional centers.

Services such as payroll, transportation, nutrition and professional development can be provided regionally at a lower cost.

Local school districts can still choose to go it alone. They can keep all their superintendents and provide all services locally. But local taxpayers should pay for it, not the state.

By using regional services, the state can put more money directly into the classroom. Maine only spends 59 cents of every dollar in the classroom, which is below the national average. With regionalization, we can get it to 70 cents per dollar.

DOE offered $3 million in grants for schools to achieve educational opportunities and efficiencies. In only six weeks, DOE got 21 applications to deliver nearly $40 million in savings over the next five years.

So far, DOE has awarded over $2.6 million, which is going to save about $17 million over the next five years. Some superintendents get it?they know that by taking money out of administration and non-instruction activities, we can put more in the classroom.

In Saint John?s Valley, three superintendents are working to combine their school districts. Two of them know they are working themselves out of a job.

But they are excited because it will mean better opportunities for their students. And that?s what it?s all about.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Our teachers should be paid what they are worth

May 3, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Good teachers are critical to Maine?s future, so let?s pay them adequately.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Our children are our most valuable asset, and as a parent, I have been fortunate to raise my family in Maine.
Unfortunately, while Maine is a good place to raise a family, our teachers are earning below-average salaries.

The average salary for teachers in New England states is more than $70,000. In Maine, they settle for $20,000 less, which is $8,000 below the national average.

Sadly, union bosses who claim to represent our educators don?t want to work on solutions that will increase teacher wagers and help improve their teaching skills.

For six years I have tried to work with union bosses at the Maine Education Association to benefit students and teachers, but they refuse. For years, I have proposed matching funds for professional development of our teachers to increase expertise and excellence, but they refused and walked away from the table. I have advocated for more money in the classroom and less for inefficient administrative structures, but the union bosses won?t support that either.

Once again, I am standing up for our teachers to ensure they receive better pay, but we need your help.

There is a bill in the legislature to increase teacher?s wages and make sure that more state funds for education actually end up in the classroom.

It is part of a comprehensive plan that will recruit and retain highly qualified teachers, as well as provide equity across the state for both teachers and students.

This is especially important in rural and disadvantaged schools where there is high turn-over because they are unable to compete with higher salaries in wealthier districts.

A statewide teacher?s contract will enable excellent, properly paid, professional educators for every classroom and student in the State of Maine.

The State would pay for the standard salaries and benefits of all Maine teachers. By directing state funding to actual teaching and learning, the contract would bring the state share of education cost above 55%, the so-called magic number that advocates cite based on a flawed formula.

And it removes an enormous burden on local volunteer school boards, who have to bargain teacher contracts and are often outmatched by professional, highly paid negotiators from the MEA. Think about the wasted time of having 148 superintendents engaged in negotiations every year rather than focusing on student outcomes. There must be a better way.

Past gimmicks, like raising the minimum teacher salary, have not provided a long-term solution. Even after the State implemented a $30,000 minimum annual salary for teachers, districts fail that requirement claiming added local financial burden. Teachers are still being hired below the minimum.

It?s time we put our students and our teachers first, and reject the union bosses and special interests that only want the status quo.

On Thursday, there is a public hearing on this important bill in Augusta. I encourage you to come to the state house and voice your opinion.

If you cannot make it, write a note to your state representative and senator. Your voice matters, and so do our teachers.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Gideon?s Bill Would Expand Welfare Dependency

May 10, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Speaker of the House Sara Gideon is trying to pull a fast one on Mainers. She is pushing a bill to expand welfare, and she claims there is $150 million to pay for it. Folks, it?s not true.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Once again, Speaker Gideon is being disingenuous?to put it politely. She claims DHHS has $150 million in federal funds for welfare that are not being used. That is totally false. This money is in the DHHS spending plan. Instead of handing out cash benefits?like previous administrations did?DHHS is investing this money in programs that directly benefit at-risk youth and families in need.

The money is helping Mainers transition from welfare to work. But Gideon doesn?t like that plan. She wants to use the money to keep more Mainers on welfare. Like most limousine liberals, Gideon thinks throwing money at poverty helps poor people.

It doesn?t. The last forty years in Maine should prove that notion. And I know poverty because I?ve been there. Rich liberals like Gideon have not walked in my shoes. She doesn?t understand poverty?and she never will.

Through sound fiscal management and policies that help Mainers escape poverty, DHHS has been able to free up TANF funding for programs that serve more low-income families and children.

We are now able to support at-risk children and their families through our pro-job, anti-poverty programs.

For example, DHHS dedicates $1.5 million in TANF funding to youth programs that reduce risky behaviors, promote job skills and encourage educational achievement. This money goes to agencies such as My Place Teen Center, Trekkers, KVCAP and the Maine Leadership Institute.

Another $300,000 supports programs like Good Will-Hinckley to help young people with their education and employment goals.

After we required able-bodied adults to comply with federal work requirements for food stamps, we saw them moving toward independence.

Their incomes rose 114% within a year of leaving the program. Their average quarterly wage is now above the Federal Poverty Level.

Furthermore, there are plenty of jobs out there. Unemployment is at 3 percent, and businesses need employees. Now is a good time to move from welfare to work. That?s why our administration is proposing a bill to make our common-sense welfare reforms permanent. We?ve shown we can empower able-bodied Mainers to become more self-sufficient.

But Speaker Gideon and some of her colleagues want to roll back these reforms and keep more Mainers trapped in poverty. She claims child poverty has increased. But between 2004 and 2016, Maine?s overall number of children living in poverty rate has gone down.

If she wants Maine children to prosper, Speaker Gideon should focus on creating good jobs. Good jobs?not government handouts?create stable families, stronger communities and a more prosperous state.

So if she really wants to help poor people, Speaker Gideon should put away her checkbook, roll up her sleeves and join us in moving Mainers from welfare to work.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Mainers can overcome drug addiction with the right help and people involved

May 16, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Mainers who have overcome drug addiction have powerful stories and when they share their struggle it is hard to ignore.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

When Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and President Trump senior advisor Kellyanne Conway visited Maine last week, most of the media tried to ignore the reason why they were here.

There were articles claiming the Trump administration and Maine is at odds over a narcan bill I introduced. However, that was fake news. We are not at odds about this bill and all the media wanted to do was create controversy.

The media failed to focus on the real issue. The real issues are the people who shared their stories of addiction; the doctors who shared their experience with addiction; the advocates who work day in and day out with people who want to recover from their addiction.

More than a dozen people met with Secretary Price to share their knowledge about opioid addiction and how we can move forward to help save lives. THIS is the real story.

Maine loses one person per day to drug overdose. In 2016, 376 people died because their addiction was more powerful than they were.

Liza Parker is 26 year old mother of two who doesn?t want to die. A year ago she was addicted to heroin, and selling it to feed her addiction. She says ?she let the drugs take over.? It was one year ago she pledged to take back her life. A year clean, a job and a new home, Liza has done just that.

She received help from Open Door Recovery in Ellsworth like many other mothers have. Open Door Recovery was the right solution for Liza and it is for many young women. It?s why our administration will continue to see Open Door remains an option for addicts who want help.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced recently that $5 million dollars will be used to treat opioid addiction by focusing on what works best for the individual.

There are other programs available to help Mainers, as well. We are currently working to open a 200-bed inpatient facility at the State prison in Southern Maine.

And I have asked the group that met last week with Secretary Price to meet again. Maine can be a leader on reducing opioid addiction in our state and bringing awareness to this problem we face as a society.

There are many approaches we may take regarding opioid abuse, addiction, treatment, recovery and education and prevention. Law enforcement will continue to be a top priority to scourge the drugs from coming into our state.

And we also want to focus on ensuring addicts who want help receive the appropriate help they need. It?s simply not enough to provide a treatment option for an individual. We must assess the addict and choose a course of action that will place that person on a successful path to recovery.

Every person is different and what works for Liza may not work for someone else. The important piece is that we are appropriately assessing addicts and which treatment plan is best suited for the person.

I want to thank everyone who works to reduce drug addiction in our State, you may be a survivor who shares your story, a doctor who guides addicts toward recovery or a law enforcement officer who encounters someone at their worst.

I look forward to meeting with this group again to listen to their ideas on how we can help save more lives.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: There is no amount of your money the Legislature will not spend

May 24, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

I?ve said it for years, and I will say it again. There is no amount of your money the Legislature will not spend. Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The State of Maine cannot tax-and-spend its way to prosperity, but the Democrats are doubling down on spending. My biennial budget calls for $6.8 billion, which is more than enough to fund government and meet the needs of Mainers.

The Democrats want to boost spending to $7.5 billion. Hard-working Mainers should be outraged by this kind of reckless and unnecessary spending.

In January, I presented a balanced budget that is fiscally responsible. It essentially flat-funded Executive Branch agencies and made an effort to reduce spending and the growth of government.

In six years, we have gotten Maine?s fiscal house in order?despite the Legislature?s insatiable appetite for spending your tax dollars. We reduced Maine?s structural gap by $1 billion dollars. We repaid the $750 million Medicaid debt to Maine?s hospitals.

We took back and restructured the state?s liquor business, which enabled us to pay back the hospitals and provide a much better deal for Mainers.

We reduced our pension liability from $4.1 billion to $2.4 billion?a decrease of 41 percent.

Fiscal responsibility is not about spending money to fulfill political promises for the next election. It is about how government can best manage Maine taxpayer dollars.

Unfortunately, the Legislature has a history of careless spending. In 2015, the Legislature passed a budget, over my objections, which increased spending to $6.7 billion. That was $300 million more than the previous budget!

This time around, Democrats are attempting to spend money we don?t even have yet. They are dreaming of uncollected online revenues, a 10.15% income tax and unrealistic expectations of ?economic growth.?

Lawmakers don't need to look far to find that several states that are facing projected budget shortfalls: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Oregon, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Pennsylvania.

These states failed to make the fiscally responsible decisions necessary to resolve the deeply entrenched budget problems they have faced for decades.

We have been working for six years to put the State of Maine on a stable financial footing, rather than scrambling to fill budget gaps. But the Legislature has continued with their cavalier spending spree every year.

Democrats claim to respect the will of the people, but they are disrespecting you and your tax dollars with this kind of outlandish budget proposal. We cannot go backwards to the days of massive budget holes filled with one-time gimmicks.

We urge all hard-working Mainers to contact their legislators and tell them to stop using your money for their irresponsible spending spree.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Turnpike Tolls are Not the Answer to Better Roads and Bridges

May 31, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Our administration has done a good job bringing accountability to the Maine Turnpike Authority. Mainers are still counting on us to ensure that turnpike revenue is spent as efficiently as possible.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As a state, we must plan long-term and streamline the management of the state?s transportation infrastructure. If the Department of Transportation and the Maine Turnpike Authority merged, there would likely be a number of efficiencies found. This would lower costs for toll payers, while at the same time continue to maintain good roads and bridges.

I recently submitted legislation authorizing the Turnpike Authority to merge with the DOT by 2027 and remove the tolls on the turnpike, with the exception of the York toll facility. However, the Legislature killed this bill without debate, continuing their desire to embrace the status quo.

The estimated cost for DOT to add the 109 miles of highway would be about $46 million annually. The York toll brings in about $60 million a year, and that revenue could be used to operate and maintain the 109 miles. It makes fiscal sense.

My proposal also addressed the turnpike?s nearly $380 million in debt by prohibiting them from future borrowing for 10 years. The balance would then be taken over by the state. The estimated turnpike debt in 10 years would be about $200 million, and my plan would allow for a general obligation bond to pay off the remaining debt.

This is not unlike someone refinancing their mortgage to get a better interest rate.

Furthermore, I believe Maine citizens and businesses along the turnpike are at a disadvantage by having to pay tolls to commute to work or to get their products to market.

A major issue is the rising cost of food in Maine. Maine residents spend, on average, about 34 percent more on food than folks from other states. In addition, Mainers pay more per capita than all other states, except Vermont and Alaska, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Transportation costs are a huge factor. Experts say about 80 percent of the food sold here comes across our border.

Tolls increase trucking costs, which results in higher consumer prices. And because our energy costs are high, most of the food produced here is sent elsewhere for further processing.

That increases the cost of food and the cost of transportation for any product sourced from the Northeast, then sent back after processing.

Our transportation infrastructure is critical to Maine?s economy and our way of life. Merging the Maine Turnpike Authority with the Department of Transportation is an example of how government can work together to achieve the same?if not better quality?results.

Major transportation corridors like the turnpike should be part of DOT and operated as one statewide transportation system. This would ease the toll burden on business and Mainers, while still ensuring we have safe and well-maintained roads.

We already know the Legislature wants to keep the tolls along the turnpike. By stifling debate, they made sure Maine people and businesses had no opportunity to weigh in. Do you want to keep the tolls or significantly reduce them?

Send a note with your thoughts to our office at 1 State House Station, Augusta.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Money alone cannot solve our problems, we need change

June 8, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Too much money can hide a lot of problems. Well, we spend more and more money every year on education, but our student performance remains stagnant. That?s a problem.

Instead of blindly throwing more money at public education, we need to ask why this problem has been allowed to go on for so long.

Just because the status quo is something that has been done for years doesn?t mean it?s the right way to do it, and we can?t defend it any longer.

For decades, Maine politicians have increased education funding despite massive declines in the number of students in our schools. We are educating far fewer kids, but paying much more to do it. Why?

To chase the mythical 55 percent ? a number that can never actually be reached? To line the pockets of superintendents who are making six figures? To pay for bloated administrative costs and inefficient programs that deliver inadequate results? This just doesn?t make sense.

We already spend a lot of taxpayer money on education. Now we must insist that it actually go into the classroom to directly benefit students and teachers.

Liberals are demanding hundreds of millions of dollars more be spent on education. They want to grow the state budget by over 12 percent. A 12 percent increase is nearly three times the rate of personal income growth in Maine households. Try telling your boss to pay you 12 percent more, even though you won?t improve your performance or take on more responsibility.

Taxpayers already spend more than $2 billion per year on education, yet we have some of the lowest paid teachers in New England and in the nation.

The Maine Education Association and its union bosses refuse to support a statewide teachers? contract that would increase pay for your child?s teacher. I invited them to the table to help write the plan for a statewide teacher contract, but they said they?d rather see teachers make less money than to work with my administration. That is not serving Maine teachers and it is not serving Maine students.

Meanwhile, the superintendents? association is in denial that we have too many superintendents, despite the fact that Maine school districts pay much more than the national average on administrative costs, driven by superintendent salaries and redundant central office functions.

Some districts have started working together to reduce costs and improve programs, but they are only nibbling at the edges. There is so much more that we can do!

If we want to direct more money into the classroom, we must change our way of thinking. We can redesign the system to lower administrative costs and the cost of programs such as special education by reducing the number of superintendents and building scale.

We can offer incentives to school districts willing to share programs and resources. And we can provide better wages for our teachers.

Every year, more than $2.3 billion is spent on Maine?s education system. That?s a lot of money. If liberals are not committed to ensuring every one of those taxpayer dollars is directed into the classroom, you need to ask them why.

I suspect they won?t be able to give you a good answer, and that?s a problem.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: A shutdown is possible, and Democrats will need to answer why to the Maine people

June 27, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

A shutdown is possible, and Democrats will need to answer why to the Maine people.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I submitted a budget more than six months ago and Democrats are going to try to blame the Governor?s Office for a shutdown. It?s not happening.

Over the past week, Senate and House Republicans have worked together and agree on a budget that is reasonable. However, Democrats continue to refuse to compromise.

One thing is certain Mainers don?t want to be over-taxed.
A survey of small Maine businesses reported that more than 77 percent of small-business owners want to eliminate the 3 percent surtax imposed by referendum last November.

This job-killing surtax is already affecting our small businesses. 68 percent of small-business owners said the surtax will result in less money for them to invest in workers. Over 19 percent of them said the surtax will make it more difficult to hire or retain high-skill workers.

These high-skill workers include doctors, dentists, engineers, lawyers, accountants and other professionals. Many are preparing to leave the state, and some have already left. Recruiters say this surtax is making it more difficult to attract these much-needed professionals to Maine.

Sadly, this is all unnecessary. Maine spends plenty of money on education. More than two-thirds of Maine small businesses agree. They say our public schools are a ?costly, inefficient system with too much administrative overhead.?

And they?re right. It is inexcusable that we have 148 superintendents for only 177,000 students.

In the last decade, we?ve increased spending on education by 27 percent?but student enrollment has dropped nearly 12 percent. The state already funds more than one billion dollars for our schools, and now Democrats are demanding hundreds of millions of dollars more.

A majority of small-business owners believe that any additional funding for education must include cost-saving reforms like the kind that my administration has been discussing with the legislature for several years now. 59 percent of Maine small businesses say ?we should expect better results for what we spend? on education. But we all know Democrats don?t listen to small business owners.

Democrats are in the pocket of the teacher?s union and the Maine People?s Alliance, two organizations that want Maine to have the highest income tax rate in the country for income under $1 million.

Small businesses are the lifeblood of the Maine economy. It is unconscionable that Democrats in Augusta continue to promote policies that harm small businesses and hardworking Mainers.

They say they want to tax the rich. But 80 percent of Maine?s small businesses employ 19 or fewer employees. They are not rich.

The Legislature is still struggling to pass a budget that will avoid a state government shutdown. I am extremely discouraged by the laissez faire attitude of Democratic leadership in the Legislature. More importantly, I am truly shocked and saddened at the lack of appreciation Democrats have for Maine small businesses.

I submitted a budget in January that protects Maine small businesses, reduces income taxes and restrains government spending. I call on the Legislature to do the same. I urge you to call you legislator and join my efforts to do no harm to the State of Maine.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: As usual, the budget comes down to crunch time

June 13, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

As usual, the budget comes down to crunch time

Folks, it?s d?j? vu all over again.

Hello, this is Governor Paul R. LePage.

I submitted a balanced budget in January. But?as usual?the Legislature has waited until the very last minute to get serious about it.

They are scurrying around like Keystone Cops, trying to get a budget done and get it to me with just seconds to spare. This is the fourth biennial budget of my term, and they have done this every time.

This year, however, is worse than ever. It is due in part to the inexperience in the Legislature. Too many new legislators have not participated in the budget process. They are basically clueless.

Even worse, there is a massive leadership void in the majorities of the House of Representatives and Senate. Good leaders could help guide inexperienced legislators through the budget process.

But this year?s leadership sat on their hands for six months. They spent their time pandering to special interests and posturing for the next election. Instead of trying to get their name in the papers, they should have been working on a budget that provides good public policy and affordability for Maine taxpayers.

My budget was balanced and fiscally responsible. It lowered the income tax, provided funding for much-needed education reform and limited the growth of government. My budget totaled $6.8 billion.

The Legislature is now scrambling to negotiate on three different budgets. They want to spend over $7 billion so they can increase tax and throw more money at education without any accountability.

When I created my budget, I focused on the best possible services at the most affordable costs for the hard-working taxpayers who have to pay for it. The Legislature?s budgets are focused on political ideology and favoritism. They don?t care about the enormous costs they are dumping on the next generation?they are just working for their next election.

I can work with experienced legislators, even if they are on the other side of the aisle. John Martin and Bill Diamond are Democrats, but they are experienced legislators who know how to craft a responsible budget. But the new, progressive Democrats do not listen to them or anyone but the Maine People?s Alliance.

This exposes the problem with term limits. New legislators come in and try to re-invent the wheel every session. New leaders in the Legislature are more afraid of losing their next election than doing the right thing for the Maine people.

Term limits and a socialist political ideology has erased the Legislature?s institutional memory. Democrats are no longer the party of hard-working Mainers. They are nothing more than puppets for the socialists at the Maine People?s Alliance and union bosses at the Maine Education Association.

If you are not a socialist or a union member, this Legislature is not working for you. Fortunately, House Minority Leader Ken Fredette and House Republicans are trying their best to do what?s right for the Maine people.

But as crunch time approaches, the Legislature will do what they have always done. They will come to a poorly crafted compromise late at night behind closed doors. They will raise your taxes, increase the cost of government and pander to their puppet masters.

And what about you, the hard-working Maine taxpayer? You will pay the price.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: You cannot put a price on the value of life

July 12, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

As your Governor, I will do everything within my authority to prevent deadly drugs from killing Mainers.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Recently, I informed the Federal Highway Administration that Maine will follow federal law and suspend driver?s licenses from those who are convicted of a drug-related offense.

Many legislators, including Democrat Speaker of the House Sara Gideon disagreed with me. But I am adamant we must do more to deter the influx of out-of-state drug-trafficking into Maine.

The Legislature could have conformed to this federal law during the past session, but they chose to ignore it?even after I advised them that we would lose nearly $13 million in federal funding.

By ignoring this issue, the Legislature has neglected the health and safety of Mainers across our state who are affected by the wrath of drug addiction and abuse.

While Maine is not in compliance with federal law, I will remain committed to addressing the drug problem facing our State. Maine law enforcement is serious about cracking down on illegal drugs crossing our border, and we will take every step necessary to save lives.

When it comes to battling addiction, we must be willing to step outside the box. Our administration will continue to monitor treatment programs and adjust them if they are not adequate to truly help people recover.

We also are piloting a vivitrol project in the Penobscot County Jail to help inmates and former inmates stop using opiates. By eliminating withdrawal symptoms, this medication can neutralize opiate cravings and help maintain abstinence in an effort to prevent relapses.

The drug epidemic we face as a state is something I?ve been talking about since being elected your Governor.

Last year, Maine spent $80 million in taxpayer dollars on substance abuse treatment and prevention. This doesn?t even begin to account for the cost of substance abuse in our families and jails, the cost of public safety or the cost of charity care in our hospitals.

More than 1,000 babies were born affected by drug use last year, and there were 378 overdose deaths?more than one a day.

Organized drug gangs are flooding the state with fatal drugs like heroin and carfentanil.

In 2014, our administration was able to get the Legislature to fund more Drug Enforcement Agents, but even that came after a fight with Democrats.

There are reasons I am passionate about this fight. If Democrats in the Legislature want to make a difference, then they too must understand the importance of having the ability to punish drug-trafficking criminals.

Furthermore, drinking while driving is a threat to public safety, as well and it is on the rise in Maine. As I stated in more than one veto message this legislative session, I am concerned the Legislature is not taking seriously the risks to the public of increased drug and alcohol use, particularly while operating a motor vehicle.

I want people to be free from their addiction?I want them to get their lives back. When Democrats complain we are losing federal funding for not complying with federal law, my response will always be the same: you cannot put a price on the value of life.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Now is the time to invest in Maine?s future

July 26, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

After years of fixing Maine?s balance sheet, now is the time to make investments in our economy.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

During this past session, I supported three initiatives that focused on using bonds to invest in Maine families and our future: transportation; commercialization; and education.

Investing into our transportation system to maintain Maine?s infrastructure is critical. Our economy relies on transportation, and we must ensure our roads, bridges and ports are accessible, safe and reliable to transport goods to consumers.

The Department of Transportation has proven they can do it in a frugal, fiscally responsible way. In my budget proposal, I provided options to free up funding for the highway fund, but the legislature rejected these proposals and spent those funds on other things. That?s why I support a $100 million bond and encourage the Legislature to do the same.

Commercialization has not been the focus of our state?s bond sales. Instead, Maine has supported research-and-development bonds under the belief it will create jobs. This is only partly true.

While research and development is needed?and Maine has spent tens of millions on it?the product that is created must go to market. Developing a patent that sits on a shelf is not a good return on investment for the Maine taxpayers.

That?s when commercialization becomes very important. Maine has innovative entrepreneurs who create a vast array of products. If we invest in commercialization like we do in research, we could have even more products and services on the market.

It?s why I support a commercialization bond for $50 million, and I encourage the Legislature to do the same.

Finally, we must do something transformative to attract young people to our workforce. Maine is an aging state. We are the oldest state in the nation with a media age of 44 years old?and we are getting older. The national average is about 35.

For companies looking to locate or grow in Maine, we need to attract skilled workers such as scientists, engineers and technology professionals to live and work here. Otherwise, we will see our businesses leave. And as our population continues to age, we will need to attract more doctors, nurses and medical professionals to serve our healthcare needs.

Enabling our employers to offer meaningful loan repayment as part of a recruiting package will give Maine companies a competitive advantage in attracting the young, skilled talent that we so desperately need. I believe a first-in-the-nation effort to help young professionals repay their student loans on an accelerated basis will put Maine on the map and succeed in attracting young people.

The Education Opportunity tax credit has been too complicated and too small to make a difference. Our situation is serious, and we cannot afford to nibble around the edges.

I support a $100 million bond that would enable young people who work in Maine to pay off their student loans over 5 to 7 years, provided they choose to live and work in Maine.

We have an opportunity to support bonds that will transform the Maine economy and build a platform for success.

If others disagree with my proposals, I ask them this: how do you propose we attract younger people and strengthen Maine?s economy? Politicians in Augusta must stop thinking about the next election, and start focusing on our next generation.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Maine?s Senators are out of touch on ObamaCare

August 1, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

If Washington insiders were forced to use the failing ObamaCare system, they would think twice about the gridlock they are causing right now.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

U.S. Senators like Senators Susan Collins and Angus King are enjoying Cadillac health insurance plans while they are mandating Americans ride a moped. They are so busy seeking the national limelight, they are ignoring the people in their own state.

Quite simply, ObamaCare is collapsing because it is unaffordable. Premiums and deductibles have skyrocketed, and private insurers are fleeing states, leaving fewer options for the individual marketplace.

The individual mandate has been a disaster. Despite the ObamaCare failure, Democrats continue to claim millions of Americans will be ?kicked off? their insurance if the individual mandate is repealed.

If the individual mandate is repealed, these people will not be ?kicked off? health insurance. They will be able to decide for themselves whether they want to pay for health insurance and not be penalized by the government if they don?t.

Politicians should have the courage to do what they were elected to do: replace ObamaCare with market-based policies that provide patient-centered health reform, rather than government-run health care.

When it comes to providing affordable health care to the Maine people, Senators Collins and King are worse than out of touch?they are downright dangerous to Mainers and the economy. Expanding Medicaid in 2002 nearly bankrupted our state, but now Collins and King are pushing to expand it again.

Our administration has worked hard to finally pay $750 million in Medicaid debt owed to our hospitals. Despite its massive price tag, Medicaid expansion didn?t get good results. Maine had 110,000 uninsured people in 2002?and it had 110,000 uninsured people in 2011. It was very expensive, but it was not very effective.

It didn?t have to be this way. Maine was a national leader in health care reform back in 2011.

Our reforms in Public Law 90 fixed the problems with government-run health care. PL90 created an innovative type of high-risk pool, which held down costs of frequent health-care users. PL90 allowed the purchase of health insurance across state lines and let small groups to band together for better rates.

Premiums for young people dropped as much as 70 percent. It also incentivized the use of lower-cost services. This prevented large premium increases, and we saw more premium decreases. We became a leader in helping Mainers get better access to more affordable health insurance.

Washington politicians are still arguing over ObamaCare and how to fix it, but Maine had a solution all along. Unfortunately, Senators Collins and King have been driving too fast in their Cadillacs to notice it.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Legislators who say 18-year-olds are not adults are hypocrites

August 8, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

To be an adult, or not to be? That is the question I have for the Maine State Legislature.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I vetoed a bill that would prohibit 18-year-old adults from buying cigarettes, but the Legislature overturned it. This new law denies rights and responsibilities to 18-year-old adults who want to purchase a legal product.

Quite simply, any legislator who voted for this law is a hypocrite. These legislators have no problem trying 18-year-olds as adults in a court of law, and they want 18-year-olds to vote for them in our elections. They make 18-year-olds pay taxes, and they allow 18-year-olds to get married and divorced and make medical decisions for themselves.

Legislators even allow people 18 and younger to use birth control and smoke ?medical? marijuana. But now they say 18-year-old adults cannot decide for themselves whether to buy cigarettes.

Even worse, they strap a gun to their backs and send them off to fight America?s battles, where they could suffer a gruesome death or grievous wounds.

Many of these same legislators are soft on punishment for adults who are selling illegal and deadly poison that is killing one Mainer a day. But they prevent 18-year-old adults from purchasing a pack of cigarettes, which is a legal product.

I agree that smoking is dangerous to a person?s health, and I would never encourage anyone to smoke cigarettes. However, legislators can?t have it both ways. By approving this law, they have denied the right of Mainers who are legally considered adults to purchase a product that is sold legally.

This law subverts the United States Constitution, and it attempts to ?social engineer? behavior by adults who want to use a legal product. If they don?t believe 18-year-olds are adults who can make their own decisions, then I expect them to support a couple of bills I will submit in January.

If 18-year-olds cannot decide whether to buy cigarettes, then they certainly cannot be trusted to decide which candidate to vote for. So I will submit legislation that increases the voting age to 21.

And if 18-year-olds cannot decide whether to buy cigarettes, then they surely cannot decide whether they should go to war. So I will submit legislation that prevents military service until a person turns 21.

Young people today like to protest anything they consider slightly offensive. Legislators are now saying they are not adults?that is truly offensive.

Our college and university students, as well as any other young adults, should band together and protest the Legislature. Demand they drop their hypocrisy. If they don?t consider you an adult, then you shouldn?t vote for them, and you certainly shouldn?t put your life on the line for them.

Tell them we need informed legislators, not politicians looking for feel-good headlines. Educate, don?t legislate.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Making promises is easy if you don?t live in the real world

August 16, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

It?s easy for politicians in Washington, D.C. to make promises to the people, especially when they don?t have to deal with real-world consequences.

Hello, this Governor Paul LePage.

Governors are directly accountable to the people. We are required to balance our budgets. If we fail to do that, our residents suffer the consequences, such as higher taxes or even government shutdowns.

We have to live with the consequences of our actions every day. Senators in Washington D.C. don?t have to deal with the harsh reality of keeping their promises. They just keep making promise after promise, even if it creates $20 trillion in debt.

Our Senators in Washington, D.C. want to expand Medicaid in Maine. They aren?t living in the real world. They did not have to deal with the disastrous effects of Maine?s Medicaid expansion in 2002.

Maine expanded Medicaid to able-bodied people in 2002, and then-Governor King left behind a structural gap of $1 billion. He didn?t have to deal with the ruinous effects of Medicaid expansion on our budget or the structural gap he created.

The structural gap then increased to $1.2 billion under Governor Baldacci, partly because of run-away spending on Medicaid expansion. It created a $750 million debt to our hospitals, and it blew massive holes in the state budget every year.

Senator Collins also wants to expand Medicaid to able-bodied people, but she has no executive experience. She never had to balance a state budget or deal with massive budget shortfalls every year.

But I promised to restore fiscal responsibility to the Maine state budget, and I did. I paid off the hospitals?without raising taxes. My administration managed our Medicaid program and got the budget under control. Medicaid spending is now nearly flat, and we don?t need gimmicks to fill budget holes.

In six years, I reduced the structural gap from $1.2 billion to just $165 million. But other states are now in a budget crisis because they expanded Medicaid under ObamaCare.

We had 15 years of experience with Medicaid expansion, and it wasn?t good. It didn?t reduce the number of uninsured Mainers, and it nearly broke the bank.

It?s easy for our Senators to grab national headlines by pushing Medicaid expansion. It?s another thing to deal with the financial disaster it would create in their home state. We estimate it would cost nearly a half-billion dollars from the General Fund over five years. It would raise your taxes, and it would raid money from agencies that now provide the services you deserve.

As we always say, ?free? health care is very expensive to someone. With Medicaid expansion, that someone is you.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: There?s no excuse for violence from any side

August 23, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

The violent behavior in Charlottesville was more than despicable?it was deadly, causing the deaths of three people and injuries to many more.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I condemn anyone who believes in the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacy or racism. It has no place in our country.

I have spoken out forcefully against the KKK for seven years as your Governor. In the 1920s, the KKK had as many as 40,000 members in Maine. They came after Franco-Americans because they hated Catholics. They hated my family.

The KKK?s first parade to take place in broad daylight was in Milo, Maine in 1923. They didn?t even try to hide their hate.

As a Franco-American, I know the lasting and devastating effects this kind of hatred and discrimination can have on people. I denounce it in the strongest possible terms. However, I also condemn the leftists who use hatred and violence against people they accuse of spreading hatred and violence. Both sides are wrong.

These leftists call themselves anti-fascists, but their techniques are right out the fascist playbook. They deprive the First Amendment rights of people who disagree with them. They use hate speech against the people they accuse of hatred.

They prevent people with different viewpoints from speaking at colleges. They physically attack supporters of politicians they don?t like.

The media is right to condemn neo-Nazis, white supremacists and the KKK. But they also vilify politicians who don?t comment on tragic events that happened in other states. They claim such silence is consent, and they draw the ridiculous conclusion that these politicians must support neo-Nazis.

However, the media itself is guilty of remaining silent. They don?t condemn or expose the dangerous thugs who are using classic fascist techniques. They are fanning the flames of this firestorm.

It?s admirable to take a stand against hatred and intolerance. But showing up with sticks and clubs and black masks is an invitation for violence.

The so-called ?anti-fascists? went to Charlottesville looking for a confrontation. It cost the lives of a young woman and two dedicated police officers.

Those who want to be violent should listen to the mother of Heather Heyer, the young woman who was killed. Heather was there to peacefully protest against the white supremacists. She was not a member of the ?anti-fascists.?

Heather?s mother called for all sides to come together, despite their differences. She asked people not to channel their anger into hate or fear or violence.

Instead, they should have an honest discourse, even if it is an uncomfortable dialogue, and channel their anger into righteous action.

No matter what, she said, there is no excuse for hatred. We agree.

Our hearts go out to Heather?s family, as well as the families of the police officers who were killed and the people who were injured.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Disasters reveal the compassion and generosity of the American people

August 30, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

The compassion and generosity of the American people is never more evident than during a disaster.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Even as Hurricane Harvey has been downgraded to a tropical storm, the people of Texas are still reeling from the devastating effects of the massive weather system.

Mainers are always quick to rush to the aid of their neighbors, and many are looking for ways to help their fellow Americans in Texas.

The most effective way to support disaster survivors is to donate money and time to reputable charitable organizations.

Emergency agencies are requesting that people do not donate unsolicited goods, such as used clothing, household items, medicine or perishable food. When such items are donated, agencies must find the staff and resources to sort, transport, warehouse and distribute items, which may not meet the needs of disaster survivors.

Cash donations give agencies the most flexibility to address urgent needs. With cash in hand, these organizations can obtain much-needed resources closest to the disaster location. This inflow of cash also puts money back into the local economy, which helps local businesses recover faster.

Mainers should only donate to reputable organizations, such as the Red Cross or the Salvation Army, and always be cautious of scams that may surface during this disaster. If you are unfamiliar with an agency that is contacting you for a donation, do not donate to that organization.

Do not give your personal financial information to anyone over the phone if you aren?t certain who you are speaking with.

Those wishing to volunteer should also work through reputable organizations, since the influx of volunteers needs to be a coordinated effort. Do not head to the disaster area without first contacting a volunteer organization to determine if and where they need you. Donations of blood are also needed. Contact your local Red Cross for more information.

The Maine Emergency Management Agency is monitoring the situation in Texas. MEMA is also getting regular updates from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.

They expect requests for assistance to continue for months as the people of Texas recover from this catastrophic storm.

Ann and I send our heartfelt sympathies to the victims of Hurricane Harvey. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and with the survivors of this disaster.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Join the fight to lower taxes and help Maine families prosper

September 6, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

It is so refreshing to have a President in the White House who truly understands what it takes to create jobs and grow the economy.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

From his long and successful career in business, President Trump knows firsthand that a burdensome tax code doesn?t create jobs, it kills them. When he outlined his vision for tax reform last week, I was pleased to see it will help Maine families keep more of their hard-earned paychecks.

Americans now spend 6 million hours and more than $250 billion preparing taxes each year. Small businesses incur between $15 and $16 billion on tax-compliance costs.

Imagine if even a fraction of that money was spent investing in our economy, creating jobs, taking family vacations or raising wages. Imagine doing your taxes on a single sheet of paper.

The U.S. tax code is inefficient, bureaucratic and does not promote a competitive economy. It stifles companies and prevents job creation. I agree with President Trump that Americans deserve a tax system that is simple, fair and easy to understand.

As a businessman, I know what it takes to create jobs. Tax relief is absolutely critical to creating more jobs and providing higher wages for middle-class American families. Congress needs to act quickly to jumpstart our economic engine. We must make America the most competitive country in the world for businesses to invest and grow.

Despite what the media will tell you, tax relief works. I have spent nearly seven years fighting for tax relief for Maine families. We now have the highest number of private-sector jobs ever. Our unemployment rate is the lowest in decades. Just this year, Maine ended its fiscal year with a $111 million surplus.

Liberals want to tax you more so they can spend more of your money on bloated government programs. President Trump and I believe Mainers and all Americans deserve to keep more money in their paychecks. You know how to spend your money better than any government does.

Tax relief is certainly important for our country, but it?s even more vital for Maine. We?ve taken a business-like approach to strengthening Maine?s economy, and we brought fiscal responsibility to Augusta. But more tax relief is crucial to becoming truly competitive and attracting new jobs.

Now that we have a President in the White House who is serious about helping our small businesses grow, we should not let this opportunity go to waste.

As your Governor, I will keep fighting for policies that put money back in your pocket, not in the hands of bloated government. We can continue to pursue the failed liberal policies of the past, or we can choose prosperity. I was fortunate?I lived the American dream. Now we must protect that dream for our kids and grandchildren.

Please join me in this fight to lower taxes and make Maine a better place to live and raise our families.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Affordable softwood lumber prices are needed now more than ever

September 13, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

After the devastation from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the families who have to rebuild their lives need affordably priced lumber.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Unfortunately, corporate greed from a coalition of big lumber companies has already sent those prices skyrocketing. Making a profit is the goal of any company?and it should be.

But it is unconscionable that this coalition is in a position that could lead to price-gouging Americans in distress.

The issue is tariffs levied on Canadian softwood. The coalition is holding the U.S. Department of Commerce hostage, trying to slap a tariff on softwood exports to the United States from New Brunswick. But New Brunswick, Atlantic Canada and Quebec border mills have been exempt from the tariff for over three decades.

It is understandable that lumber companies in the Western U.S. would favor these tariffs. They need to even the playing field against big companies from provinces such as British Columbia, which dumps cheap, government-subsidized lumber into the U.S. market.

However, the smaller companies in New Brunswick produce less than 2% of the Canadian softwood market. Their prices are already similar to Maine?s prices, so the tariff is not necessary.

Our cross-border commerce is intertwined with our Canadian neighbors. Our lumber trade flows back and forth between Maine, Quebec and New Brunswick. Some Maine companies own mills and forest land on both sides of the border. We are already seeing job losses as companies try to avoid the tariffs.

The Department of Commerce is sympathetic to our position that New Brunswick should be exempt from tariffs. But the coalition?s aggressive posture will only drive up softwood prices for the American people in their time of need. It will continue to eliminate good-paying jobs for workers in Maine and Eastern Canada.

That?s why I am calling for a suspension of all tariffs until rebuilding efforts are complete. We should not allow corporate greed from big lumber companies to kick these good people while they are down.

Coalition businesses that could benefit unfairly from the hurricanes include: U.S. Lumber; Collum?s Lumber Products; Potlatch Corporation; Rex Lumber Company; Seneca Sawmill Company; Stimson Lumber Company; and Weyehaeuser Company.

I am urging the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers to tell the coalition to exempt New Brunswick from the tariffs. Now is not the time for corporate greed?it is time to do the right thing for the American people.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: You must act now to save the American health care system

September 20, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

If we are going to save the American healthcare system, we need your help?and we need it now.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I have been in close contact with many people working on this issue in Washington D.C.. We?re nearing the number of votes needed to end the national nightmare of ObamaCare. A new piece of legislation could be voted on this week.

I don't need to tell you how damaging ObamaCare has been. Premiums are skyrocketing between 20 and 40 percent again, and deductibles are about to jump significantly. Everyone who pays for their insurance knows what is happening.

Democrats are trying to use the massive failure of ObamaCare to have the federal government completely take over the healthcare system. Folks, if we don't do something now, that could happen.

This week, we have one last shot to get the votes in the United States Senate to save the healthcare system from total collapse or a big government takeover.

Unfortunately, Maine?s two senators have been opposing efforts to reform ObamaCare since Day One. Senators Collins and King just want another massive expansion of Medicaid. They want to give free health care to able-bodied people who should be working and contributing toward their health insurance.

They are ignoring their own state?s disastrous history of expanding Medicaid in 2002.

Medicaid expansion did not decrease the number of uninsured Mainers, and it did not reduce emergency room utilization. It increased charity care, and it racked up a $750 million debt to our hospitals.

Even worse, Medicaid expansion nearly destroyed the state?s budget. After I took office we paid off the hospitals, and we fixed our Medicaid system.

No one who is currently on Medicaid will lose their eligibility. That is simply false rhetoric.

We know that Maine cannot afford another expansion of Medicaid for able-bodied people. This new welfare entitlement will cost taxpayers $500 million over the next five years.

I urge you to call Senators Collins and Senator King and ask them to vote for the Senate?s bill to reform ObamaCare. Maine benefits greatly from this bill. Even though they don?t admit it, Senators Collins and King must see that the system is failing.

It?s time for our elected officials in Washington to lift this terrible burden from hard-working Mainers and the American people.

Senators Collins and King must stop their excuses and politically motivated delays. They must vote to save the healthcare system for Mainers and all Americans. Please call them and tell them to do the right thing.

Call Senator Susan Collins at her office in Washington D.C. at: (202) 224-2523.

Call Senator Angus King at his office in Washington D.C. office at: (202) 224-5344.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Senator Collins killed reforms to ObamaCare

September 27, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Maine?s senior senator in Washington, D.C. single-handedly killed the chance to reform ObamaCare and provide hard-working Mainers with affordable and effective health insurance.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Senator Susan Collins claimed the latest efforts to reform ObamaCare in the Graham-Cassidy bill would cut Medicaid for our most vulnerable citizens. She said it would hurt people with pre-existing conditions. She believed it would result in higher premiums and reduced coverage for Americans.

But no one who is now on Medicaid would be kicked off. Medicaid was originally designed for impoverished children, the elderly and the disabled. However, Medicaid expansion under ObamaCare gave free health care to able-bodied adults who should be working and contributing to the cost of their own health insurance.

Graham-Cassidy would have reformed Medicaid?it would not have harmed our most vulnerable citizens. In fact, it was the first step in returning Medicaid to the safety net it was designed to be.

Furthermore, Graham-Cassidy would have had no negative impact on benefits for disabled children and low-income seniors. They would continue to get the robust set of benefits they have always received.

Keeping ObamaCare in place will create the same disaster that happened when Maine expanded Medicaid in 2002. We ended up with a $750 million debt to our hospitals, massive budget shortfalls, a waitlist for people with intellectual disabilities and low reimbursement rates for nursing homes. If the Senate does not act, it?s deja vu all over again.

Senator Collins also said she was worried about Americans with pre-existing conditions. But Maine has had a strong law mandating coverage of those with pre-existing conditions since the late 1980s.

A White House National Economic Council Analysis determined that Graham-Cassidy would give Maine significant flexibility under the provision to allow the program to grow if needed, while simultaneously providing the flexibility to truly manage our program.

Graham-Cassidy would have given states the authority to develop their own Medicaid programs that would best serve the people of their state. Maine has different needs than Texas or California, and the Graham-Cassidy bill recognized that.

Finally, Senator Collins ignored the fact that ObamaCare is hurting Mainers who can least afford it. According to the IRS, the individual mandate under ObamaCare is a regressive tax on low- and middle-income Mainers.

In 2015, more than 34,000 Maine families chose to pay $15 million in fines, rather than pay for ObamaCare?s exorbitant premiums and coverage that did not meet the needs of their families.

Under Graham-Cassidy, Maine would get 43% more federal healthcare funding?that?s nearly $1.5 billion by 2026. The bill would have eliminated the individual and employer mandates, which would help these working families and job creators right here in Maine.

Instead of seeking national headlines, Senator Collins and Senators King should have worked on behalf of the Maine people who elected them.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Senators Collins and King Did Not Put Mainers First in ObamaCare Debate

October 4, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Those elected to represent the people of Maine have a responsibility to prioritize the needs of our state. But Maine?s Senators do not put Mainers first.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The people who elected Senators King and Collins are already facing fewer insurers, higher premiums and soaring out-of-pocket costs. But the Senators killed any effort to reform ObamaCare and provide Mainers with affordable health insurance.

Senator Collins falsely claimed that ?Maine would lose $2 billion over the next 10 years and billions more after that.? Although some states would have seen a decrease in future funding, Maine would not.

Funding in Maine would have increased by 43 percent?and we would have had the flexibility to spend more on Medicaid, if necessary.

Senator Collins also claimed that ?Premiums would have increased.? But ObamaCare premiums have increased dramatically, and they are still rising. One insurance carrier has already left the Maine market. Two are still here, but one asked to raise premiums by 40 percent and the other by 20 percent.

The Graham-Cassidy bill would have given states the flexibility to establish their own insurance regulations. This would have allowed the return of Maine?s successful insurance reform law, PL 90.

PL 90 decreased Mainers? premiums by 20 percent on average before ObamaCare forced us to shelve it. Senator Collins also claimed that ?People with pre-existing conditions would not have been adequately protected.? Again, this is not true for her home state.

In Maine, state law in the late 1980s and again in the 1990s mandated coverage of pre-existing conditions. No one in Maine would have lost this coverage.

Senator Collins is so busy trying to stop President Trump's agenda on the national stage, she is out of touch with her own state. She puts other states ahead of the people she is supposed to represent.

Senator King and Representative Pingree also agree that the federal government?s one-size-fits-all approach is better than giving states the authority to manage programs tailored to their own populations.

Representative Poliquin was the only member of our delegation who voted to end the disaster of ObamaCare. While Senator Collins was seeking the national spotlight and Senator King was trying to put lobster icons on cell phones, Representative Poliquin was putting the needs of Mainers first.

The failure by Senators Collins and King to reform ObamaCare opens the door for Mainers to vote next month on another expansion of Medicaid for able-bodied people who should be working and contributing to the cost of their health care.

When Angus King expanded Medicaid in 2002, we ended up with a $750 million debt to our hospitals. We faced massive budget shortfalls, a waitlist for people with intellectual disabilities and low reimbursement rates for nursing homes.

Senators Collins and King want you to pay for free health care for able-bodied people. It will cost the Maine people $500 million over the next 5 years. As I always say, ?free? is expensive to somebody.

Instead of working in Washington, D.C. to benefit other states, our Senators should be protecting the paychecks and the health of the people back home.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Taxpayers should not pay to give ?free? healthcare for able-bodied adults

October 11, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Special-interest groups are using the ballot box to push initiatives that are bad for Maine.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

For seven years, I have been leading the charge to change the status quo in Augusta. But the Legislature won?t make the tough decisions that are needed to move Maine from poverty to prosperity.

This opens the door for socialists to push their agenda through the ballot box. These citizen referendums punish success, encourage professionals to leave Maine and burden our taxpayers with runaway costs.

In the last round of referendums, the socialists at the Maine People?s Alliance tried to tax successful people and hurt small family businesses. They also tried to take away tips from servers in restaurants.

Now they want Maine taxpayers to give free healthcare to able-bodied people who should be working and contributing to the cost of their own healthcare. In Question 2, these socialists are trying to expand Medicaid again.

Medicaid is a $2.65 billion program that accounts for more than one third of all state spending and nearly one quarter of Maine?s General Fund.

Before I became Governor, massive Medicaid shortfalls derailed the state budget every year. But my administration eliminated those shortfalls and put Medicaid back on sound financial footing.

We removed most able-bodied adults from the Medicaid rolls and encouraged them to work and contribute to the cost of their healthcare. If they have a job, they can qualify for insurance on the exchange or get insurance through their employer.

Expanding Medicaid to give them ?free? healthcare removes this incentive to work. As I always say, ?free? is very expensive to somebody. Maine learned this the hard way when it expanded Medicaid in 2002 under then-governor King.

Medicaid expansion did not decrease the number of uninsured Mainers. It did not reduce emergency-room utilization. Instead, it nearly destroyed the state budget and created a $750 million debt to our hospitals. To pay for this ?free? healthcare, Maine took money away from our nursing homes, and it put vulnerable people on waitlists for services they need.

My administration finally paid off the hospitals, and we fixed our Medicaid system?without raising taxes. This time around, Medicaid expansion will cost Maine taxpayers an additional $500 million over the next five years. Once again, it will create massive budget shortfalls every year.

Maine should not expand Medicaid for adults who are capable of working. We should continue to direct our limited resources toward the truly needy: the elderly; low-income people; and those with intellectual and physical disabilities.

We must stay on our fiscally responsible path. We cannot let socialists use big money from out of state to reverse all of the progress we have made.

Before you vote in November, please educate yourself about the disastrous effects Medicaid expansion will have on Maine.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Question 1 is about a Third Casino, Not Education or Jobs

October 18, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Once again, special interest groups are not being honest and upfront about a ballot initiative.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Question 1 on the ballot this November is not a referendum on funding our schools. It is not about creating new jobs or lowering taxes. Make no mistake: it is about putting a third Maine casino in York County. It?s about gambling, plain and simple.

Gambling and casinos are controversial, so ad campaigns focus on other things, like jobs or funding for schools. But voters need to know what they are really voting on. Question 1 doesn?t even mention jobs, education or taxes, so voters could be easily confused by the ads they are seeing.

Question 1 asks: ?Do you want to allow a certain company to operate table games and/or slot machines in York County, subject to state and local approval, with part of the profits going to the specific programs described in the initiative??

The question on the ballot says nothing about taxes, schools or jobs.

Here?s another way Question 1 is misleading. The legislation behind the question is written in such a way that only one entity can even qualify to apply for the gaming license.

In other words, the person who wrote the legislation or his companies are the only legal entities that can apply for the gambling license.

This gambling initiative is not an open or fair process. In fact, it?s yet another case of big-money, out-of-state interests using Maine voters to get a sweet deal. But it?s a phony deal for Maine.

Supporters of Question 1 are using a bait-and-switch tactic that has nothing to do with funding schools or creating jobs. Their promises of boosting our economy are overblown.

Our casino market is already saturated. Maine has two casinos, one in Oxford and one Bangor. Further, two huge casinos are being built in Massachusetts that will attract residents of Maine.

Opening a casino in York County will not draw new revenue or visitors to the state?it will just shift funds away from our existing casinos. It could destroy the casinos in Oxford and Bangor.

Let?s be honest about Question 1. Proponents spent $4.3 million in out-of-state money to get this question on the ballot. They want to put a third casino in Maine, but only one person will be able to apply for the gaming license.

It?s a stacked deck.

Once again, Maine?s referendum process has been highjacked by big money, out-of-state interests hoping to pull the wool over your eyes.

Before you cast your vote, remember what Question 1 is really about. It?s about gambling. Period.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Medicaid expansion is ruining budgets in other states, just like it did in Maine

October 25, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

The Maine people are being told that if Medicaid is not expanded, children and the elderly will suffer. Folks, it?s not true--it?s just the opposite.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Medicaid is for impoverished children, the elderly and low-income people. They will continue to receive Medicaid, with or without Medicaid expansion. No one will be kicked off.

The truth is that Medicaid expansion will just give able-bodied adults free healthcare. Most of these adults do not have children, and they should be working. Then they can get insurance on the exchanges or contribute to the cost of their own health care through their employers.

We don?t mind helping people get health care, but it should not be free. ?Free? is very expensive to somebody. When Maine expanded Medicaid in 2002, it created a $750 million hospital debt, and it ruined the state?s budget. We cannot go down this road again.

Another Medicaid expansion would cost $500 million over the next five years, and hard-working Mainers would have to pay the bill. Social activists claim the federal government will pick up most of the tab. That?s simply not true.

States that took the bait and expanded Medicaid under ObamaCare are now paying the price. The cost of Medicaid expansion is soaring beyond their projections and creating massive budget shortfalls.

A Senate Committee in Washington, D.C. is investigating why Medicaid costs are so out of control. In Ohio, new enrollees exceeded estimates by 60%, and the cost per enrollee jumped by 30%. In Michigan, costs skyrocketed by 72%, and the cost per enrollee surged by 86%.

Next door in New Hampshire, Medicaid expenses increased a whopping 253% between 2014 and 2015.

Other states facing financial disasters from Medicaid expansion include Illinois, California, West Virginia, New York and Hawaii.

New Hampshire found out the hard way what Maine had already experienced. In 2015, nursing homes in New Hampshire were facing the loss of $7 million because Medicaid expansion blew a $58 million hole in their DHHS budget.

In Maine, Medicaid expansion took money from our nursing homes and put vulnerable people on waitlists for services they need and deserve. Many are still languishing on these waitlists.

Another Medicaid expansion will take money away from our elderly in nursing homes. These are our parents and our grandparents. They have worked hard their entire lives. Our elderly deserve a good quality of life in their twilight years.

They shouldn?t be punished so activists can give ?free? health care to able-bodied adults.

So don ?t believe the hype about Medicaid expansion. It is not for children or the elderly. It is just ?free? healthcare for people who should be working--and you will pay the price.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Important Questions Regarding Our Future Are on the Ballot; Make Your Voice Known

November 1, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Maine needs you to make important decisions that will affect our future. Please vote on November 7.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

There are several important issues on the ballot, including two statewide citizens? initiatives, a bond question and a proposal to amend our state constitution. Question 1 is about putting a third casino in Maine. The casino can only be in York County and can only be operated by one legal entity. Don?t be misled by the slick ad campaigns.

Question 1 is not about funding our schools, creating jobs or lowering taxes. It is about gambling. Period. The gambling market in Maine is already saturated. A third casino will take business away from existing casinos in Bangor and Oxford, and it would have to compete with new casinos opening in Massachusetts. It will not boost the economy.

The special interest group behind the ballot question is the only entity that can operate this casino. They have not been honest and upfront about Question 1. Remember, in gambling, the house always wins?and the house owns Question 1.

Question 2 is also backed by big money. In this case, it?s by those who are trying to expand Medicaid again. But don?t be fooled. This Medicaid expansion is not for children or the elderly. They are already covered by Medicaid.

This Medicaid expansion would give ?free? healthcare to able-bodied adults who can work and contribute to their own health insurance costs.

I?ve said it before: ?free? is very expensive to somebody. This time, it will cost Maine taxpayers up to $500 million in the next five years. Maine learned this the hard way when it expanded Medicaid in 2002.

We don?t need to look at imaginary numbers from liberal think tanks. We already lived through the disaster of Medicaid expansion.

The promises did not pan out. It did not create savings, reduce charity care or decrease the number of uninsured Mainers. In fact, enrollment far exceeded projections. It resulted in massive Medicaid shortfalls and annual state budget crises. We saw no decline in emergency room use or the number of uninsured Mainers.

To pay for this ?free? healthcare, Maine took money away from our nursing homes, and it put vulnerable people on waitlists for services they need.

Those who pushed to expand Medicaid the last time were wrong on every promise. And they are back again, selling the same story. They are ignoring the financial disaster Medicaid expansion caused in Maine and is now causing throughout the nation.

Don?t fall for their false promises. And don?t be misled by hospitals. They only want to expand Medicaid to put more money in their pocket and the wallets of their CEOs. It has nothing to do with improving healthcare.

Question 2 will thrust Maine back into a financial crisis, and it will put our most vulnerable citizens back on waiting lists. Even worse, it will encourage able-bodied people to work less or not at all.

Please educate yourself on these issues before you vote.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Remember to Thank Veterans and Their Families

November 8, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

In 1865, President Lincoln asked Americans to remember soldiers and veterans. He urged them: ?To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.? I take his words to heart.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The First Lady and I have had the great pleasure to meet thousands of Maine veterans over the years. Our men and women in uniform are dedicated to protecting the freedoms we share today. They put their lives on the line and make many sacrifices to keep our nation free.

Many members of our Armed Forces have made the ultimate sacrifice, and for them we are truly grateful. We cannot understate the importance of honoring our heroes today and every day.

My administration has made veterans a priority. Creating jobs, providing education and reducing taxes for our veterans are just some ways we are showing our appreciation for them. Not only is this the right thing to do, it is good public policy. Attracting more veterans to Maine will help grow our population and workforce, bringing people with top-notch skills to our state.

We exempted Military Retiree Pension Income from the state income tax and enacted an income tax exemption for active duty military pay earned outside of Maine.

More than 120 employers have signed on halfway through the 2017 Maine Hire-A-Vet Campaign and have hired 61 veterans so far. The goal is for at least 100 employers to hire at least 100 veterans and military family members during 100 days.

The State of Maine also gives veterans preference in hiring and retention. These veterans, as well as Gold Star spouses, have an advantage in applying for employment with the State of Maine.

I also signed legislation to ensure veterans and military spouses seeking employment in professions that require Maine licensing are given credit toward their experience acquired during military service.

We?ve expanded educational opportunities by creating a tuition waiver program for all Maine National Guard members to attend the University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System and Maine Maritime Academy.

For those veterans and their families who want to take advantage of any services for veterans, please contact the Bureau of Veterans Services. Their website ( http://www.maine.gov/veterans/ ) provides comprehensive information to assist you and your loved ones.

On this Veterans Day, Ann and I thank you for your patriotism and your sacrifice.

We also thank the families of our veterans and of our active-duty service members. Without your support at home, the jobs of our men and women in uniform would be much more difficult.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: We Must Not Be Fiscally Irresponsible in Implementing Medicaid Expansion

November 14, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

It took a lot of work to balance Maine?s budget, bring fiscal responsibility to state government and restore our rainy day fund. Expanding Medicaid must maintain a balanced budget, protect our reserves and not raise taxes on hard-working Mainers.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

For seven years, I have made very tough decisions to move Maine from poverty to prosperity. My administration has always put forth budgets that provide services to hard-working taxpayers at an affordable cost.

The Legislature?s budgets are driven by special interests, and they just push costs down the road. We shut down state government this summer to negotiate a budget Mainers could live with. But some programs are not funded in the second year, and the Legislature doesn?t know how fill those gaps.

On top of that, we now must fund Medicaid expansion. The referendum did not specify how to pay for the state?s massive share of the costs. Remember, before the federal matching dollars come to Maine, we must pay our share first.

In order to implement Medicaid expansion, the Legislature has to find the money to pay the bill. DHHS estimates the cost of expansion will be about $63 million next fiscal year, then $82 million the next and about $100 million each year thereafter?that?s nearly $500 million from Maine?s taxpayers in 5 years.

Unlike governors before me, I refuse to take money away from our nursing homes or put vulnerable people on waitlists to pay for Medicaid for able-bodied adults who should be working. I refuse to raise your taxes. And I don?t have another liquor bond to sell.

Maine is a poor state. We cannot count on our economy to generate enough new revenue to cover expansion, and we must be prepared to pay for it in a recession?what goes up always comes down.

The credit ratings agencies are watching us. They saw the disastrous results after Maine expanded Medicaid in 2002. With another expansion, Moody?s stated that Medicaid expenditures ?will force the state to cut spending in other areas, raise revenue or look for other budget-balancing measures.? Credit agencies know Legislatures have poor track records of making touch choices.

Expansion will put 24 percent of our population on Medicaid?one quarter of our people will be getting 100 percent of their healthcare paid for by the taxpayers. Such high usage means a big bill. If?and when?the federal government chooses to cut or eliminate its share, Moody?s explains that Maine ?would face budget pressure if it decides to maintain similar levels of coverage.? In other words, expanding Medicaid will take us back to 2002 and result in annual budget shortfalls, higher taxes, unpaid bills to hospitals and cuts to services for our most vulnerable Mainers.

Taking the time now to fund this properly can mitigate some of these risks. We must get this right.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: A Thanksgiving Wish from Maine Governor Paul R. LePage

November 22, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Mainers are generous people, and we are known to help our neighbors when there is a need. Whether it during a natural disaster, a holiday season or any time of the year, Mainers take care of Mainers.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Generosity comes in many different forms. It can be donations of money or your time. Some people?including those who have very little to give?will donate slightly worn coats or help serve meals or volunteer at a shelter.

Earlier this month, I joined the Salvation Army to kick off its Annual Kettle Campaign. Proceeds from the campaign help to provide food, clothing, utilities and emergency disaster aid.

They also help give children the opportunity to attend The Salvation Army?s Camp Sebago.

The Kettle Campaign helps to provide services and programs to over 40,000 men, women and children during the holidays and throughout the year.

So, the next time you hear the sound of a ringing bell and see the red kettle, please consider making a donation. You?ll be giving back to your community and perhaps even a neighbor in need.

While a donation can go a long way, your time can too. I have rung kettle bells on countless cold winter afternoons and served hot meals to seniors who are homebound.

Volunteering your time is as valuable as a dollar, and for me it is often more rewarding.

Let us also remember that Mainers hit hard times, no matter the season. So, as the holiday spirit starts to fade, we should not forget the spirit of giving back is needed year-round.

The First Lady and I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Let?s Make Sure Gun Control Laws Already on the Books are Working

November 29, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

The federal government must do a better job to provide adequate resources for background checks on people purchasing firearms.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Horrific mass killings remind us of how fragile life is. When killers have a history of violence or mental illness, they should not be able to buy a gun.

The vast majority of Maine?s people are responsible gun owners, and our outdoor traditions have instilled in us a healthy respect for weapons. Homicides in Maine are few. Unfortunately, they almost always have a relationship to either drugs, domestic violence or mental illness.

Many people are already prohibited from buying a firearm, and the national background check system is supposed to catch them. These include people with a domestic violence convictions; illegal immigrants; fugitives from justice; drug traffickers; individuals with a dishonorable discharge from the Armed Forces; and those with a restraining order.

We must ensure the background check system is working. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System holds more than 13 million records from local, state and federal law enforcement officials?but it has not always worked.

The killer in Texas should have been prohibited from buying firearms because of his dishonorable discharge from the Air Force, as well as his domestic violence charge for beating his ex-wife and her child. This was more than enough reason to deny him a firearm, but the Air Force failed to report it.

Laws are useless if agencies fail to comply with them and authorities fail to enforce them. More importantly, the limited data on mental illness that is allowed under HIPAA must be reported.

HIPPA does not require mandatory reporting. Instead, it creates an exception so only specific, limited information can be reported. This includes the name, sex, date of birth, Social Security number and documentation that an individual has been involuntarily committed or disqualified from using firearms due to mental illness.

An individual who seeks help for mental health conditions is not automatically prohibited from having a firearm. But some states have strict privacy laws that block reporting of mental illness data.

Another problem with our federal background check system is lack of staff and funding. A background check that is initially inconclusive can be extended for three business days for further investigation. This is not a waiting period?it is simply more time to ensure the background check is thorough.

But if three days lapse without the FBI completing the review, a buyer can purchase a gun. This is how Dylan Roof, the Charleston shooter, legally purchased his weapon before his murderous attack on a church.

We need adequate funding for background checks, and we need strict enforcement of the laws already on the books. We also need to ensure all mandatory reporters are submitting mental illness data.

We already have the system in place now. Let?s use it before our country suffers another unspeakable tragedy.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Proponents of Medicaid Must Put Their Money Where Their Mouth Is

December 6, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

Proponents of Medicaid expansion have not been honest with the Maine people. They claim it?s free because the federal government will foot the bill for this massive expansion of welfare.

Folks, it?s just not true.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The federal government will pay approximately 60 percent of the costs for some of the new Medicaid recipients. The feds may pay up to 90 percent for some Medicaid recipients, but Maine still has to pay its share of the costs?and those costs will be significant.

Maine?s share of Medicaid expansion will cost taxpayers more than $60 million in the first year, then will increase to $100 million or more every year after that. Before we can implement Medicaid expansion, we have to hire and train 105 new employees at DHHS.

Politicians in Augusta?and in Washington, D.C.? lobbied hard to expand this government entitlement, but they have absolutely no idea how to pay for it. Once again, they were writing checks they can?t cash.

I have no problem implementing the will of the people. However, these politicians must first determine how the state is going to pay for ?free? health care for 80,000 people. We have spent seven years restoring fiscal sanity to Augusta, and I will not let them endanger the state?s financial health.

As they figure out how to pay for this massive entitlement they promised, these politicians must follow some basic parameters. First, they must not raise taxes on Maine families and businesses. We have spent seven years lowering taxes on the Maine people and improving the business climate. Now is not the time to go backwards.

Second, they must not raid the rainy day fund. We have worked hard to replenish this important fund, which provides a safety net if the budget is hit with an unexpected crisis, like a recession. Increasing the rainy day fund has also improved our credit rating, which lowers the cost of bonds.

Third, and most important, politicians in Augusta must live up to their responsibilities to the thousands of our most vulnerable Mainers who are still on waitlists for services. These elderly or disabled Mainers desperately need services, but the Legislature has consistently failed to provide funding for them.

Leaving needy Mainers to languish on waitlists while giving free health care to able-bodied adults is unconscionable.

Finally, the federal government wants Maine to pay back the $60 million the Legislature has drawn down for the Riverview Psychiatric Center. Politicians have been kicking this can down the road since 2012, and now they must finally pay the bill.

Many politicians conveniently forget that the last time Maine expanded Medicaid, it blew holes in the budget every year. The Legislature lurched from crisis to crisis and scrambled to find one-time gimmicks to fund the budget. We cannot let the past repeat itself.

I look forward to expanding Medicaid. I just want the Legislature to fund it in a fiscally responsible manner. These politicians like to talk the talk?now they have to walk the walk. Show me the money.

As I always say, ?free? is very expensive to someone. It?s a shame that someone will be the Maine taxpayer.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Funding Medicaid Expansion Requires Tough Choices to Avoid the Pitfalls of the Past

December 13, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

I have laid out four basic principles to guide the Legislature?s decision on how to pay for Medicaid expansion. We must maintain the state?s long-term fiscal health and avoid the budget disasters of the past.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

DHHS estimates the cost of Medicaid expansion will be about $63 million in fiscal year 2019 and $82 million in 2020. It will rise to $97 million in 2021, then jump to more than $100 million every year after that?and the price tag will continue to grow.

Maine taxpayers will spend more than $450 million in just five years, just for the state?s share of Medicaid funding. The federal government is supposed to provide 90 percent in matching funds for some of the new Medicaid recipients, but the rest will be reimbursed at about 60 percent.

DHHS has estimated the number of new enrollees at about 82,000. However, if we look at Maine?s previous experience with expansion?and the other states that expanded Medicaid?it indisputable that enrollment numbers are consistently under-estimated.

In Michigan, costs skyrocketed by 72 percent, and the cost per enrollee surged by 86 percent. Ohio has a similar story to tell. Connecticut is cutting Medicaid for 68,000 seniors and people with disabilities.

Other states facing financial disasters from Medicaid expansion include Illinois, California, West Virginia, New York and Hawaii.

States that expanded Medicaid under ObamaCare are seeing costs that have soared far beyond their projections. Maine?s Office of Fiscal and Program Review does not take that into account. The estimates from DHHS are much more realistic.

We must fund Medicaid expansion in a way that is sustainable and ongoing. We cannot reverse all the progress we have made to get Maine?s financial house in order.

Therefore, my principles are as follows:
1. No tax increases on Maine families or businesses.
2. No use of the Budget Stabilization Fund, and no use of this year?s money that will be directed to the fund.
3. No use of other one-time funding mechanisms or budget gimmicks.
4. Full funding of our Section 21 and 29 waitlists, and no reduction of services or funding for our elderly or disabled populations.

Liberals in the legislature want to rush ahead and implement Medicaid expansion without funding. But DHHS cannot hire and train an additional 105 staff without money. We cannot pay the state?s share of the new enrollees' medical bills without funding.

Many legislators were in office the last time Maine expanded Medicaid. They rang up a $750 million debt to the hospitals, then did some tricky accounting to say the state had balanced the budget. We are not going back to those days of financial shenanigans.

The ball is in the court of the Democrats, the hospitals, the advocacy groups and the wealthy out-of-state special interests who campaigned for this referendum. They claimed that adding 80,000 people to a taxpayer-funded entitlement program will save money.

Now it is time to take them at their word. Show me the savings!

Radio Address: A Christmas Message from Governor LePage

December 20, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

At this time of year, we gather with loved ones to celebrate Christmas, count our blessings, remember the past year and look forward to next year.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

This holiday season, I ask that we reflect on where we are. Our state has reached an all-time high in private-sector job growth, and our unemployment rate is hitting record lows.

Wages are rising at the fastest rate in decades, and I am told we have one of the highest percentages of our population working ever.

For the past seven years, my goal has been to make our state prosperous, and I hope you are seeing the benefits of this economic growth in your community and in your wallet. Growth means opportunity, and that opportunity will encourage our children to stay here?living, working and prospering in Maine.

Despite this progress, we must always remember that some of our fellow citizens are struggling. I know how difficult it is to fall on hard times. You are not alone, and we are constantly aware of what needs improving.

Mainers are generous people, and there are many organizations that can provide the financial, emotional and mental health support that you or your loved ones may need to regain hope and a sense of well-being as you face life?s challenges.

As I enter the last year of my administration, I will continue to fight for the future of Maine. Together, we will keep working to make Maine a better place for our families and the generations to follow.

Each year, as Ann and I gather with our children, relatives and friends to celebrate the holidays, we pause to remember the many families who are apart. The First Lady and I ask all Mainers to keep our military service members in your thoughts.

Ann and I thank you for your dedication and courage as you defend our nation and the freedoms we hold dear. To your families, we thank you for the everyday sacrifices you make while your loved ones serve our nation.

This time of year is truly magical with sparkling snow, colorful lights, festive foods and outdoor fun. We hope you take time to create lifelong memories with those you love.

Ann and I wish you and your families, near and far, a safe and Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Relieving Student Debt Can Attract Young People to Maine

December 27, 2017

(MP3 Audio)

As we look forward to the new year, one of the big challenges facing our state is growing our workforce and keeping our economy on a roll.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

In 2017, we hit record lows in unemployment and all-time highs in private sector job growth. To meet this demand, our employers need skilled workers.

We are the oldest state. Record numbers of baby boomers are entering a well-deserved retirement. Employers need to replace these skilled workers.

For our state to continue to grow, it must become easier for graduates to stay in Maine, and we must attract talented young people here. Not only will these young people work in our industries, but they will also buy homes, invigorate our communities and have children.

Our wages are rising to record levels, and this will help attract young people. However, Maine must make investments that incentivize population growth, just as we make investments in research and development, infrastructure and other factors that grow our economy.

We can invest in our young people by relieving the burden of student debt for those who want to stay in Maine or choose to relocate here and start their professional careers.

Maine?s recent college graduates have among the highest average student debt in the nation, as well as the highest delinquency rate in the Northeast.

High student loan payments prevent our young people from buying a house or a car or spending their money at local businesses.

We cannot continue to kick this can down the road while our employers have vacant positions that young people could fill.

I will be submitting legislation again this session that will create and fund initiatives that make these strategic investments.

The Legislature did create a program at FAME, but failed to fund it. Such typical, half-hearted measures give them some talking points for their campaign while they again fail to make the tough choices that will make a real difference in the lives of our young people and our communities.

My initiatives will provide businesses a tax credit for every student loan payment they make for employees who choose to stay in Maine. They would also fund a low-interest student loan program through the Finance Authority of Maine to encourage new graduates to work in our great state.

These initiatives will require funding from the Legislature. However, the return on this investment will pay enormous dividends for Maine by encouraging young people to come here and reverse our declining population.

Money talks. A student-debt relief program can make a job offer from a Maine business even more attractive.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Voter ID is needed to protect Maine?s elections

January 5, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

As American citizens, one of our most precious rights and solemn duties is to vote. The active participation of our citizens is vital to a functioning democracy.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Just this week, new Voter ID laws went into effect in two states, West Virginia and Iowa. Across the nation, legislatures are recognizing the need to protect our sacred right to vote. They realize stronger measures must be put in place to protect the ballot box from those who would abuse it.

Because our neighbor New Hampshire has a Voter ID law, we have data we can use to examine patterns in voter behavior for individuals voting with no ID or with an out-of-state ID.

On Election Day in November 2016, 5,903 people registered to vote in New Hampshire for the first time using an out-of-state license.

The data is revealing. Not surprising, most of the IDs presented were from Massachusetts, about 38 percent of the 5,900 registrations. Those were followed by IDs from other nearby states: Connecticut, New York, Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Many races have been decided by just a few votes, so tolerating any kind of voter fraud could reverse the outcome of an election.

It makes sense that New Hampshire?s college towns would have the highest rates of out-of-state voter registration. It is not illegal for these college students to vote in New Hampshire?and it is not illegal for out-of-state college students to vote in Maine.

However, if they vote at college, they should not be allowed to vote by absentee ballot in their home state. If out-of-state students want to vote in their college town, they should meet the residency requirements, just as anyone else who chooses to live and work and vote in Maine must do.

It is not a hardship to require an ID for voting. An ID is already required for buying alcohol, for driving a car, for cashing a check, for boarding a plane, for starting a job, for checking in to a hotel and for many every-day activities.

In fact, I was required to show my ID the other day when I was picking up a prescription in the pharmacy. It?s not unreasonable to ask for voters for an ID as a simple way to safeguard the most sacred right we have in our democracy.

That?s why I will submit a bill this session to require Voter ID for Maine elections. We must discourage voter fraud, and we must ensure that non-citizens and non-residents are not voting in our elections.

At the start of this election year, we see people in other nations who do not have functioning democracies protesting in the streets and risking their lives. They are fighting to make the freedoms we take for granted here a reality in their own country.

This year, let us do all we can to prevent fraud in our electoral system.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Taking conservation land off tax rolls increases the burden on homeowners

January 10, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Too many Maine families are facing skyrocketing property taxes that strain household budgets. Our elderly on fixed incomes are particularly vulnerable to these increases.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

School budgets are often blamed for annual increases in property taxes. But there?s another reason. A tremendous amount of land and property value has been taken off the tax rolls, leaving homeowners to pick up the tab.

At the state level, my administration is actively working to put long-held, unused property back on the tax rolls. The new DHHS building in Augusta is a prime example.

We sold the property to a private owner who will now pay taxes to the City of Augusta. DHHS will lease the office space in the new building and save money over the life of the lease?a win for the state, the city and taxpayers. But too many communities don?t benefit from this kind of partnership.

As of 2016, towns and cities owned land and buildings valued at nearly $5.5 billion statewide. Large and wealthy non-profits, such as hospitals and colleges, often escape paying property taxes on their vast real estate holdings?totaling more than $5.1 billion statewide.

Even worse, the balance between economic growth and conservation is lopsided. In Maine alone, 2.2 million acres of land have been set aside for conservation by the federal and state governments and non-profit organizations, including land trusts. When combined with easements, nearly 20 percent of our state is conserved from development at a time when we should be promoting growth and economic development.

The total estimated value of land that has been either removed from the tax rolls or prohibited from development is $1.8 billion.

Municipalities are losing out on property taxes on all that land value. The cost of municipal services has shifted to local homeowners, who subsidize the loss of all that value by paying higher property taxes.

It?s time to recognize the results of taking property off the tax rolls and identify solutions to reduce the burden on our homeowners.

Our administration has proposed allowing municipalities to collect property taxes or fees from large non-profit entities, and we?ve tried to require land trusts to contribute to the tax rolls. We?ve been met with staunch resistance.

Now we established an online registry for all non-profits that own conservation land. So far, 84 organizations have met their obligations and submitted over 1,700 entries. The data is stunning.

In 1996, about 35,000 acres of land were documented as land-trust owned. That number has increased by an astonishing 1,200 percent. Land trusts now control over 422,000 acres with an estimated value of $344 million.

We must restore the balance. We will be working this session to ensure all land owners are contributing to the local tax base.

It?s time for them to pay their fair share.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Preventing the purchase of soda, candy with SNAP is crucial to the health of Mainers

January 18, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Obesity is a problem in our nation, and it?s a problem in Maine. But the USDA refuses to prohibit the purchase of soda and candy with food stamps.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Maine has twice requested a waiver to exclude sugar-sweetened beverages and candy from purchase with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, which are still referred to as food stamps.

The Obama Administration denied the first waiver, and now the U.S. Department of Agriculture has denied the second request under the Trump Administration.

This is extremely disappointing because Maine, like other states, is experiencing a health epidemic of obesity and other chronic illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, resulting from the consumption of foods with high sugar content.

In 1990, the obesity rate in Maine was 10 percent. By 2016, Maine?s obesity rate tripled to 30 percent.

This waiver is imperative to improving the health of our population, particularly those SNAP recipients who are already challenged in their access to healthy foods by tight budgets.

This waiver would align Maine?s SNAP program with allowable healthy foods under federally funded programs for school breakfasts and lunches, as well as the Women Infant and Children?s program. It would reinforce the crucial message of eating healthy both in schools and at home.

It would also align with other USDA bans on purchases of other, less-nutritious food items.

Several other states have requested similar waivers, but all have been denied. The denials are based on USDA?s concerns about implementation of the waiver requests. But Maine has thoroughly addressed these concerns.

Implementing the waiver would be much easier than USDA contends, especially since Maine already taxes foods identified as having little or no nutritional value. This would make it easier for retailers to identify the banned items.

Of course, the sugar lobby and the agriculture industry, which makes corn syrup, is against this. However, when we could no longer deny that smoking was causing suffering and early death for millions of people, the government finally stood up to Big Tobacco and did the right thing.

The time has come to stand up to big sugar and ensure our federal dollars are supporting healthy food choices for our neediest people.

Maine?s obesity rate is the heaviest in New England. More than 13 percent of our population use SNAP benefits.

Making these changes would not only help our state improve the health of these families, but would also have lasting effects by helping the children in these families grow up making better food choices.

It would lay the foundation for life-long health benefits. Now is the time to let states do the right thing.

The health of our people depends on it.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The LePage Administration Has Prioritized Treating Our State Employees Fairly

January 26, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

When I came into office in 2011, the state workforce had been subject to pay freezes and furlough days, reducing the pay of a state worker by 5 percent.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I promised state employees that I would restore their lost pay and that I would never balance a budget on their backs. I have kept those promises.

State employees received a 1 percent raise, the first pay raise in nearly five years, in 2013. They got another 1 percent raise the next year. I also restored merit and longevity raises. Since then, state employees have received cost-of-living raises.

The Baldacci Administration balanced the budget on the backs of employees and implemented so-called ?fair share? service fees. State employees who did not want to join the union were forced to have the union?s service fees deducted from their pay.

Last August, the State reached agreements with the MSEA and AFSCME unions. MSEA agreed to a contract with two 3-percent raises in exchange for giving up the service fee.

However, AFSCME union bosses from Boston insisted on a 1 percent increase and keeping the service fee. But Maine?s members rejected that proposal, and AFSCME ultimately accepted the same 3 percent increases as that of the MSEA.

Although we offered similar proposals to both AFSCME and MSEA during the 2015 contract negotiations, the union negotiators chose the lower raises so they could keep service fees rolling in. They put political slush funds for union bosses ahead of the needs of our workers.

The Maine State Troopers Association and Maine State Law Enforcement Association have also received 3 percent raises and other benefits. Those who protect the public deserve to be adequately compensated for their service and sacrifice.

We?ve also made reforms that ensure our employees spend their time working for the people, not the unions. We eliminated paid release time for more than 290 employees for annual union meetings; reduced the number of employees released for union Board of Director meetings, bargaining and grievance committees; and eliminated an extra day of training leave for MSEA chief stewards.

Another important reform for our state employees, as well as our public school teachers, was addressing the unfunded liability in the pension system.

When I took office, I inherited an unfunded liability of $4.1 billion. Decades of one-party control by Democrats in Maine?s Legislature had made repeated promises to state employees without regard for cost or the state?s ability to keep them.

I worked with the Republican-led 125th Legislature to reform this broken system, reducing the liability from $4.1 billion to $2.4 billion?a decrease of 41 percent.

I?ve put a priority on maintaining the highest levels of customer service while modernizing the state?s services. Although we?ve shrunk the size of our workforce, mostly through attrition, the savings has allowed us to make these investments.

As our unemployment rate drops, it will be harder to replace retiring state workers. Our reforms have not only benefitted the current workforce, they will help us recruit the workers of the future.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: We Must Act To Save Girls from Horrific Child Abuse

February 2, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

There?s a horrific type of child abuse happening right here in Maine, and we must stop it. It is graphic and disturbing.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

No child should ever be subjected to violence, especially when leaves them permanently disfigured and interferes with normal bodily functions.

But young girls in Maine are being forced to undergo a procedure called ?female genital mutilation,? and hundreds more are at risk.

Referred to as ?FGM,? this heinous procedure involves partial or total removal of female genitalia for cultural or religious reasons.

It is a practice common in many refugee populations, particularly those from East Africa, although the practice is pervasive around the world.

In 2013, Maine had 1,603 women at risk. Of those, 399 were under 18. Exact figures are hard to get because parents don?t report this kind of mutilation, and girls are unlikely to report on their parents.

Doctors and nurses in our hospitals have seen the brutal results, either on the exam table or in the Emergency Room after it has gone horribly wrong.

Female genital mutilation is practiced on girls as young as infants up until the age of 14. The practitioner is often not a medical professional, yet they remove or partially remove the young girls? clitoris. They may also alter or remove the vaginal folds or pierce, scar or cauterize the genital area.

I have put in a Governor?s bill to make female genital mutilation a felony in Maine.

The Democrats are holding a separate bill as an alternative so they can look like they are doing something about it. When their bill comes out, hold them accountable.

We must ensure that any bill outlawing FGM allows us to aggressively prosecute these horrific crimes against children.

First, the state needs the authority to prosecute the parents or guardians who bring the child to the mutilator. Otherwise, if the parents take the child to another state where it is not illegal, then return to Maine, we won?t be able to prosecute the crime here.

Second, the state needs to prosecute the person who actually mutilates the young girls? genitals.

A bill that only requires an education program does not hold anyone accountable. Maine already received a federal grant to run an educational program. This has not stopped the mutilation of children. We must be able to prosecute.

Maine cannot be a hub for female genital mutilation procedures. New York, California, Virginia, Michigan and New Jersey have already outlawed this kind of brutality against children. Congress outlawed it in Washington, D.C. and voted last year to triple the penalty.

If you are a mandated reporter and see evidence of a mutilated child, you must report it. You must save these young girls.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: We must help keep the elderly in their own homes

February 9, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

We need to treat our elderly with respect and let them keep their dignity. And we must let them keep their homes.

Hello, I?m Governor Paul LePage.

I have submitted a bill to protect the elderly from tax lien foreclosures. It would protect elderly Mainers on fixed incomes from losing the equity in their home when they have trouble keeping up with ever-rising property taxes.

Last year, I learned about an elderly couple who lost their home through the tax lien foreclosure process. The husband is a disabled veteran, and the wife is a former nurse with health issues.

The couple was living on social security and fell behind on their property taxes. The town foreclosed on the home they had lived in for 33 years. The couple was evicted and the property sold for $6,500.

Maine law provides for an automatic municipal tax foreclosure process. When a homeowner does not pay back taxes within 18 months of the property-tax lien, the town automatically forecloses and the home becomes property of the town.

As Frank D?Alessandro of Pine Tree Legal Assistance testified in support of my bill, ?There is no court hearing. The town takes the home and its entire value?whether the home is worth $50,000 or $150,000?regardless of the amount of taxes owed. The town can then legally keep any amount that the house sells for, regardless of how much is owed in taxes. This is true if the homeowner owes $200 or $2,000 in back taxes.?

He provided another disgraceful example where a homeowner, whose total income was just $735 a month, owed approximately $8,000 in back taxes on a home worth about $60,000.

The town foreclosed and sold the home for the amount owed in taxes?to a neighbor.

The homeowner lost all her equity, approximately $50,000. If she had been allowed to sell the home, she would have paid the taxes in full from proceeds of the sale. She would have had money to pay for safe, affordable housing. Instead, she was left with nothing.

My bill would assist elderly homeowners by creating a more protective municipal tax lien foreclosure process. Specifically, it would create a pre-foreclosure process that applies to homeowners 65 and older.

The goal is to ensure elderly homeowners who are unable to pay their property taxes will not lose their homes or lose the equity they have built. It prevents them becoming homeless.

The Mayors? Coalition and the Maine Municipal Association, which is funded with local taxpayers? money, opposed my bill. They have no compassion for our elderly. Rather than using this bill as an opportunity to whine to the Legislature yet again about revenue sharing, they should offer proactive solutions to keep our elderly in their homes.

I was a mayor for three terms, and it was not a burden to provide good public service.

Please contact your legislators and urge them to put our seniors ahead of local bureaucrats.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Tell the Legislature to Put Their Medicaid Expansion Funding Plan in Writing

February 16, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

It?s been 100 days since voters passed the referendum to expand Medicaid. So far, the legislature has done nothing to fund it.

Hello, I?m Governor Paul LePage.

Mainers who voted for Medicaid expansion are waiting to see signs of its implementation. But, as I have told the Legislature repeatedly, I cannot implement it without funding.

Medicaid expansion is the law, and I will execute the law. However, funding it is the Legislature?s constitutional duty. Folks, they have no idea how to fund it.

DHHS cannot hire and train the additional 105 staff needed to run the expanded Medicaid program without money. We cannot pay the state?s share of the new enrollees? medical bills without funding.

It?s like the Legislature telling me to go to the store and buy the weekly groceries, but they won?t give me any money. The time to appropriate the money is now?not after the next election.

So I laid out four basic principles to guide them on how to pay for expansion.

We must fund Medicaid expansion in a way that is sustainable and ongoing. I will not jeopardize the state?s long-term fiscal health. We must avoid the budget disasters of the past.

I laid out my principles in early December, just a few weeks after the vote, to make sure that the Legislature would know what they would need to do. They are simple and straightforward:

  1. No tax increases on Maine families or businesses.
  2. No use of the Budget Stabilization Fund, which we call the ?Rainy Day Fund.?
  3. No use of other one-time funding mechanisms?known as budget gimmicks.
  4. Full funding for vulnerable Mainers who are still waiting for services, and no reduction of services or funding for our nursing homes or people with disabilities.

It would be fiscally irresponsible for the Legislature to demand we implement Medicaid expansion without adequate funding. It is simply not too much to ask the Legislature to prioritize our truly needy over those looking for a taxpayer-funded handout.

Democrats, hospitals, advocacy groups and wealthy out-of-state special interests who campaigned for this referendum claim that adding 80,000 people to a taxpayer-funded entitlement program will save money.

So I am taking them at their word. Show me the savings. Show me how you will fund Medicaid expansion?and put your plan in writing. Show the Maine people how you will carry this out.

The Maine people should not have to wait until the next election has passed to learn how the Legislature is going to pay for expansion. Liberals want me to leave office so they can pass a tax increase or rob the rainy day fund without having to face the voters. That is the coward?s way out.

Demand to see the plan. Hold their feet to the fire. You know I will.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Let?s Ensure Maine?s Minimum Wage Law Does No Harm

February 22, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

We need to make sure that employees in Maine do not see the same cut in pay that?s happening to low-wage workers in Seattle.

Hello, I?m Governor Paul LePage.

The Department of Labor submitted a bill this year to establish a training wage and slow the increase of the minimum wage. It would also eliminate indexing once the wage rises to $12 an hour in 2020.

There?s a big difference in the cost of living in Aroostook and Cumberland Counties. One wage doesn?t fit all employers. Other states recognize that a statewide minimum wage poses a problem. New York State allows its Commissioner of Labor to set the wage for counties outside New York City and its three surrounding counties.

In 2019, Maine?s minimum wage will be the same as that of Massachusetts?and in 2020 it will be higher. Think about that.

Maine?s minimum wage will hurt the ability of our young people to get their first job. More than 26 states have a training wage or allow the use of the federal training wage. Maine does not.

Work is so important for young people. A job teaches them to develop good work habits, to be accountable to others and to understand consequences, like what happens when someone doesn?t show up on time.

Maine should have a training wage for these young workers, and we need to gradually raise the minimum to $12.

Economists have published studies indicating that increases in the minimum wage affect employment over time. They?ve predicted Maine will lose 9,000 jobs through 2020 due to the increase of the minimum wage to $12?and a loss of 28,000 jobs by 2023.

They estimate each of these jobs lost would have paid $9,700 in wages.

Economists who studied Seattle?s minimum wage increase have seen that workers? take-home pay has decreased.

The first increase in the minimum wage did not show much effect, most likely due to Seattle?s strong job market. But the second wage increase to $13 resulted in reducing the hours worked in low-wage jobs by around 9 percent.

Folks, when your hours are cut, you earn less, not more. These workers in Seattle lost an average of $125 a month in 2016, despite the hike in the minimum wage.

Don?t listen to union bosses. They like increases in the minimum wage because union wages go up when the minimum wage goes up. Unions are not concerned with the few people who actually make minimum wage in Maine.

In 2016, only about 6,000 out of the 700,000 Maine workers were earning the minimum wage, and most were young or worked part-time.

Our employers were already paying more than the minimum wage, so the increase to $9 and $10 an hour had little impact. But, just as in Seattle, going to $11 next year and then $12 in 2020 will have drastic consequences.

We are the oldest state in the nation and need to care for our seniors. These minimum wage increases hit our nursing homes and providers who care for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities hard.

The mandated wage hike for entry-level workers also has increased costs of experienced employees who naturally expect a corresponding raise in their pay. Nursing-home budgets cannot keep pace and many are facing closing for good.

We need to slow the increase to $12. We can get there, but getting there by 2020 is too fast.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Maine?s judges must be above reproach

March 2, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

One of my most important duties is to appoint judges to Maine?s district, superior and supreme judicial courts. The Maine people must know our judges are impartial, objective and committed to a fair and honest judicial process.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I have been praised for ignoring the political affiliation of judges and striving to appoint the most qualified people to the bench. We insist that judges demonstrate they are above reproach when it comes to making the important decisions that affect the lives of Mainers.

However, I must apologize to the Maine people for an appointment I made to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, Justice Joe Jabar. I did not intend to reappoint him to the Supreme Court, not because I had anything against him personally, but rather because I wanted to appoint another more conservative justice to balance out the court.

When we met, Justice Jabar told me that he had only one year left to reach 20 years of service to maximize his state pension. I told him that if he agreed to step aside after qualifying for his full pension in a year, I would support his nomination to go back to the Superior Court or to serve as an Active Retired Justice.

I did not want to leave him without work. I simply wanted him to continue to serve in a different capacity.

I also told him that if another justice retired within the year, our deal was off: he could continue to serve, and I would fill the vacant seat with a more conservative justice. That would also have achieved my goal.

We shook hands on the deal.

In fact, my staff advised against allowing him to continue on the court, since I was told he would probably break the deal and continue to serve after 20 years. I didn?t listen to my staff, and I was wrong.

Instead, I gave Justice Jabar the benefit of the doubt in deference to his position on our highest court.

Unfortunately, Justice Jabar has reneged on our deal and refused to step aside after reaching the date qualifying him for his full pension.

His failure to keep his word demonstrates to me a lack of character and an example of dishonesty that is not worthy of a member of the bar, let alone a sitting justice.

The Maine people have a right to demand the highest qualifications?intelligence, integrity and good moral character?from members of their judicial branch. Their word must mean something.

If a judge fails to uphold these standards, then I believe it is my duty to tell you.

Abraham Lincoln had a stern warning for those who wanted to become lawyers: ?If in your own judgment you cannot be an honest lawyer, resolve to be honest without being a lawyer.?

This is the same advice I have for Justice Jabar. If he is the kind of person to leave his integrity and his character outside the door of the Governor?s Office, then every decision he makes from the bench is tainted with dishonesty.

As the great Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia once said: ?The only thing in the world not for sale is character.? I apologize to the Maine people for appointing a justice who sold his character.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Universal Home Care will create more wait lists

March 9, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Here we go again. There?s another referendum on the ballot this fall that sounds too good to be true. Trust me, it is.

Hello, Governor LePage here.

The ballot question proposes a bill, which is called ?An Act To Establish Universal Home Care for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities.? It would pay for ?in-home and community support services to individuals and families.?

Sounds great, right? Don?t be mislead. ?Universal? in this case isn?t universal.

But here we go again. Big-money special interests from out of state are using Maine?s referendum process to push policies that would never make it past my veto. The Maine People?s Alliance will tell you that this bill simply taxes the wealthy to pay for free in-home care for people with disabilities and for all our seniors. I will tell you what it really does.

This bill would create yet another board with zero oversight and no ability to remove board members for poor performance or corruption. This unsupervised board would impose a 3.8 percent payroll tax on all workers who earn $127,000.

Just like the 3 percent surcharge on last year?s ballot, this bill will drive high-earning professionals out of Maine.

The new tax would supposedly pay for in-home care. But the bill includes a list of other things it can pay for: transportation, home repairs and rent, among others. A vast bureaucracy would need to be set up to audit these payments to prevent fraud.

Here are the two worst things the bill does. First, it creates yet another wait list for services for our elderly and our people with disabilities. In at least nine different places, this bill authorizes wait lists and the curtailing of services.

Folks, they already know this program can?t sustain itself. It makes a promise it can?t keep.

What?s worse, it promises a benefit for our seniors who would reasonably expect to have the program there for them when they or their spouses get sick and need in-home care. Yet, when they need that program, they will be put on a wait list.

The Legislature excels at making promises they can?t or won?t keep. We already have seniors and people with disabilities languishing while they wait for services, like the Section 21 and 29 waiver programs in DHHS.

The title of this bill should not refer to Universal Home Care. It should be called ?Universal Wait Lists.?

The second thing this bill would do is require any individual care provider to be considered a state employee for collective-bargaining purposes.

What does that mean? Forced unionism. That?s right. These providers will be forced to unionize and pay dues to the same unions that represent the state employees.

This bill is not about caring for our seniors. It would just create a system that can?t pay for its promises; it would put our seniors and people with disabilities on more wait lists; and it would funnel money to union bosses.

Folks, do not be fooled. This referendum is another bad deal for Maine.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Conforming to the Federal Tax Code is the Right Policy for Maine

March 14, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

The federal tax cuts will provide about $1 billion in tax relief this year and next to Maine families and businesses.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

To make things easier for taxpayers when the federal government changes the tax code, each state generally adopts that federal code. Adopting the same code at the state level is called ?tax conformity.? It simplifies how Mainers pay income and business taxes.

Most of the time, tax conformity requires minor fixes that are relatively easy for the state to adopt. This year, because the federal tax reform was long overdue, we must determine whether we will conform our tax laws to the significantly revised federal code.

The tax code is confusing enough. Having two sets of laws for federal and state tax returns will create problems.

If we do not conform, Maine businesses will have to keep two sets of tax books. Tax administrators will have to comply with different state and federal tax rules. This is a giant headache for Maine businesses.

Not conforming will also require the state to create a new tax bureaucracy. We?ll need to create our own regulations and then hire new state employees to audit state income and business taxes separately from IRS audits. Folks, we don?t need to do this.

To avoid these problems, I?ve introduced the ?Conformity and Family Tax Relief Act? to conform our tax laws to the updated federal code.

Conforming Maine to the federal code, however, will result in Mainers paying additional income tax that you are not currently paying. That?s not right. The last thing I want is for Mainers to pay more taxes.

Therefore, my bill makes an important technical change to Maine tax law that avoids a tax increase.

For small businesses, my bill provides a tax cut of nearly $20 million in the current biennium. For corporations doing business in Maine, the bill mitigates a tax increase caused by conformity by reducing our corporate income tax rate from 8.93 percent to 8.33 percent.

I also propose more than $200 million in tax reductions over the next three years. We will return much of the tax revenue surplus to Maine taxpayers.

Most of this tax relief is through a new $500 child and dependent tax credit. Coupled with my proposal to provide $30 million per year in student debt relief, we will encourage recent college graduates to remain in our state and raise their families here.

Yet, liberals in the state Legislature don?t want you to keep your money. They see this as a windfall even though their counterparts in Congress called this tax savings nothing more than ?crumbs.?

If you keep the savings, they say it?s ?crumbs.? If they get to spend the savings, they call it ?revenue.?

My bill maintains simplicity in our tax structure, and it returns surplus tax revenues to Maine families. Let your legislators know you want to keep it simple. Let them know you want to keep your money. You?ve earned it.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Democrats Play Politics with Our Elderly Homeowners

March 22, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

I have been working hard to protect our elderly Mainers and to help them stay in their homes. But Democrats in Augusta are playing politics again. They say they want to help the elderly, but they are pulling a bait-and-switch.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I had proposed a bill, LD 1629 ?An Act To Protect the Elderly from Tax Lien Foreclosures,? that would protect senior citizens and the elderly from municipalities that wanted to take their homes for back taxes.

My bill would do two very simple, common-sense things to help protect the interests of our seniors.

One, it would provide notification that the homeowner has the right to file an application for abatement and has the right to seek assistance through the State?s Bureau of Consumer Protection.

And two, it would require that if a homeowner who is 65 or older is foreclosed on, their property should be sold by an independent broker?instead of through the opaque municipal auction process.

After all expenses by the municipality are paid, the remaining proceeds from the sale would be refunded to the former owner.

The town would be made whole, and the senior citizen would retain most of the equity he or she had built up over a lifetime. This is as close as you can get to a win-win in a difficult situation.

But members of the Taxation Committee voted to water down my bill. They only want to include some additional notification in the process.

Instead of truly helping the elderly?like my bill would have done?they are doing just enough to check the box and make it look like they have taken action to help our seniors.

These legislators are siding with the Maine Municipal Association, which is funded with taxpayer dollars. But MMA always fights against any initiative that would actually benefit hard-working, property-tax payers. It is a clear conflict of interest.

MMA Executive Director Stephen W. Gove and MMA lobbyist, Kate Dufour, vigorously oppose our efforts to help keep the elderly in their homes?even though the elderly are paying the property taxes that bankroll Gove and Dufour?s salaries.

Folks, Maine Municipal Association has proven that it is the enemy of the elderly in Maine.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Legal Services for the Elderly and the Maine Council on Aging all testified in support of this bill. I thank them for standing up for what is right.

AARP was a ?no show? at the hearing and submitted no written testimony. I question whether the AARP is truly an advocate for our seniors or whether the AARP would rather not offend Democrats than prevent our seniors from homelessness and destitution.

The amended version of the bill that the Democrats supported is nothing more than a feel-good attempt to make it look like they really are helping the elderly.

I implore you to contact your legislators and tell them to do what is right for our elderly Mainers.

Tell them to stop playing games with people?s lives.

Tell them to help our elderly stay in their homes they worked so hard to earn.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Do the right thing with Downeast Correctional Facility

March 29, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

As Governor, it?s my responsibility to make the tough decisions. The upcoming closure of the Downeast Correctional Facility in Washington County is the right thing to do.

Hello, I?m Governor Paul LePage.

The Department of Corrections has the duty and responsibility to run secure and humane facilities for convicted felons in a fiscally sound manner.

Keeping Downeast Correctional Facility open violates these principles?unless we spend millions of dollars to improve an outdated, decaying facility.

This facility was built in 1955 as Bucks Harbor Air Force Base, providing radar support to Brunswick Naval Air Station. In the early 1980s, the Legislature bought it from the federal government and opened it as a prison, although it was never designed as one.

In 2002, the voters rejected a bond initiative to replace the facility. It continued to degrade. Governors King and Baldacci each tried to close it.

After decades of neglect, the annual legislative attempts to keep it on life-support must end.

Over the past 10 years, Downeast Correctional Facility has cost more to operate on a per-inmate-basis than Maine State Prison: DCF averages $44,148 per inmate, per year, while MSP averages $43,773. It?s not efficient.

This prison is not a solution to Washington County?s economic challenges. It isn?t even a band-aid.

We?ve invested millions of dollars to improve the economy of Washington County, and our efforts are paying off. My administration has invested more than 8 million new dollars in the University of Maine at Machias for marine business incubation, the softshell clam industry and seaweed farming. We?ve reinvigorated the Bailleyville Mill.

The people of Washington County earned $38 million more dollars in wages in 2017 than in 2010. The unemployment rate in the county is at 5.2 percent?the lowest rate ever.

Rather than wasting money patching up 63-year-old buildings at the end of their useful life, I am focused on creating jobs and improving workforce readiness in Washington County.

When we closed the prison, the employers of DCF?s inmates hired local people. When the department called to say that a few of the inmates were coming back, they said, ?Great! Just, give us a couple days to lay off the local people.? Wrong answer.

Prisons are not jobs programs. They are not economic investment. For those fighting to keep Downeast open, I challenge them to make the harder but better choice.

We should sell the property to private investors who will redevelop it. Then we can put the savings into the substance abuse rehabilitation program in Windham, where it is truly needed. Which is more important, a new drug rehabilitation program or an old, outdated jail?

Let?s stop playing games with the employees, the inmates, the employers and the people of Washington County. Close it on July 1, as planned, and move on.

It?s the right thing to do.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Let?s Prohibit Towns from Making Our Elderly Homeless

April 4, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

As we wrap up this legislative session, I am making our elderly a top priority. Unfortunately, they are not a priority for Democrats.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Senior citizens on fixed incomes struggle to pay rising property taxes. Municipalities are allowed under current law to foreclose and sell the property for the amount of taxes owed.

Consumers have many protections if a foreclosure involves a mortgage. When the bank forecloses, it sells the house and pays the homeowner any remaining equity after all debts are paid.

However, in a municipal foreclosure, when a senior citizen owns the home outright, those protections disappear. There?s no requirement that the municipality sell the property at market value and no requirement that the balance of the equity is returned to the homeowner.

We?re talking about people living on fixed incomes. Their home?s value is their only savings.

Our amendment to my bill, LD 1629, ?An Act To Protect the Elderly from Tax Lien Foreclosures,? protects seniors facing foreclosure.

It requires that when a municipality forecloses on a homeowner age 65 or older, the property will be sold by an independent broker at market value. All of the town?s expenses and the broker fee will be paid from the proceeds of the sale with the balance refunded to the former owner.

This makes the town whole while providing the senior with the rest of the home?s equity. The senior can avoid becoming homeless with some of their life?s savings.

Democrats say these foreclosures don?t happen enough to pass a law about it. But once is too often for this shameful practice to occur?and it?s already happened multiple times.

Think about that: if it rarely happens, then the amendment will not burden towns?as the Maine Municipal Association has argued.

Democrats are siding with the Maine Municipal Association, which is funded with property tax dollars. MMA Executive Director Stephen W. Gove and MMA?s lobbyist, Kate Dufour, vigorously oppose our efforts to help keep the elderly in their homes.

Make no mistake, the Maine Municipal Association does not care about elderly taxpayers. They only care about tax revenue, no matter where they get it.

Frankly, it?s heinous when lobbyists and politicians?both paid by taxpayer dollars?argue that it?s bad to burden a town, but it?s okay to throw seniors out of their homes.

And, on the other hand, if it?s happening with any frequency, we must stop it. Maine has more than 400 towns. If this only happens in each town once every 10 years, that averages more than 40 seniors losing their homes and their equity each year.

Our amendment takes no revenue away from towns. But towns should not get one more penny from a senior or any taxpayer than what is owed, and seniors deserve the equity from their own home.

If Democrats and local officials think foreclosing on our elderly is a good way to increase revenue, folks, we?re even worse off than I thought. Contact your legislators and tell them to help our elderly stay in their homes.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Democrats Delay the Tough Decisions until after the November Election

April 13, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

As the legislative session enters its last weeks, Democrats are sitting on their hands, hoping voters won?t notice they have avoided making the tough decisions that affect your families, businesses and wallets.

Hello, I?m Governor Paul LePage.

Tax conformity and funding Medicaid should be two separate, simple issues. However, the Democrats have linked them in their search for Medicaid expansion funding. The end result? They are doing nothing on either.

?Tax conformity? is when the state adopts the same tax code as the federal government to avoid having two sets of laws?one for federal taxes, and another for state taxes.

Maine should conform, but we must ensure it doesn?t increase taxes?you should keep the money you have earned. Here?s what you need to know.

If we don?t conform, Maine will collect about $15 million more in revenue. However, businesses will have to keep two sets of books to comply with different state and federal tax rules.

This is a giant headache for our local businesses. In addition, the state will have to create a new bureaucracy to manage the two tax codes, essentially eating up that increase in revenue.

If we do conform without ensuring we remain revenue-neutral, taxes on hard-working Mainers will increase by a massive $233 million. Because we had already implemented several of the reforms in the federal legislation, simply conforming won?t decrease what you pay in taxes, and individuals end up paying more.

My conformity bill makes key changes, avoiding this tax increase on small businesses, corporations and, most importantly, families. But Democrats see the $233 million as a windfall they can use as a down payment on Medicaid expansion.

We told the legislature that DHHS needs money to hire more staff and pay the medical bills for the 80,000 new people who will jump on Medicaid. So Democrats have a new plan.

They?ll pass a bill allowing DHHS to hire the staff. But they refuse to allocate more money to pay the state?s share of the medical bills. Instead, they say, ?Oh, just use the money you already have allocated for the next fiscal year; it won?t run out until next May.?

Folks, when funds are allocated by the Legislature to pay for an existing program?s budgeted expenses, it is irresponsible and illegal to use those funds for a program?s expansion?for which zero funds have been allocated?when there?s not enough money to pay the bills for the full year.

This mentality created the last financial disaster when Maine expanded Medicaid in 2002.

We ended up owing hospitals $750 million, and the state lurched from budget crisis to budget crisis every year.

Democrats know that if they enact tax conformity without my changes, it will result in more tax revenue. And they know they cannot fully fund Medicaid expansion without raising your taxes.

They are just waiting until after the November election to grab the windfall.

They?ll make campaign promises about lowering taxes and giving free healthcare to everyone. Then, under the guise of helping the mom-and-pop businesses, they?ll pass watered-down tax conformity without my provisions that avoid a tax increase, and use the $233 million to pay for Medicaid for able-bodied adults.

Don?t let them get away with this bait and switch.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Democrats? Failure Now Means Big Hassles on Tax Day Next Year

April 20, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Americans paid their 2017 federal and state income taxes this week. Filing taxes isn?t a pleasant or easy task, but the lack of action by Democrats in the Legislature will make filing a nightmare next year.

Hello, I?m Governor Paul LePage.

Maine?s tax laws, as those of most states, piggyback on the federal IRS code. This is called ?tax conformity.? States conform to avoid having two sets of laws?one for the federal taxes, and another for state taxes.

Aligning the state to the federal tax code usually requires minor fixes. But because the federal tax reform was comprehensive, we must make changes in a way that does not increase Mainers? taxes. This requires the Legislature to pass a conformity bill.

Unfortunately, the failure of leadership by Speaker of the House Sara Gideon has made it likely that tax conformity will not happen this year.

Not conforming will cause problems for every tax-paying person and business. Not conforming will break the links between the state and federal codes. For example, tax-related terms might mean something different in our law than in federal law.

Not conforming will force businesses to keep two sets of books this year?one for federal laws, and one for state laws.

To enforce our unlinked tax laws, the State must create a new tax bureaucracy, writing new regulations in time for families and businesses to do their taxes next year.

The state will then hire dozens of employees at Maine Revenue Service to audit state and business income taxes separately from IRS audits.

By doing nothing, the Democrats risk placing the state in chaos next January when individuals and businesses start preparing their returns?with no regulatory guidance as to how they should file two entirely different sets of taxes.

Without enough lead time, the tax software companies cannot update their software, making it even harder to file.

Nothing better-illustrates the Democrats? total incomprehension of economics and finance than their lack of urgency on this issue.

This uncertainty hurts our economy and makes it harder to recruit good people and businesses to Maine.

Democrats should not tinker around the edges, changing the tax code under the guise of conformity, but in reality making tax changes that have nothing to do with conforming?but everything to do with collecting more of your hard-earned money.

I have told the Democrats that they must pass a bill to conform the tax code, and three things must be included to avoid a veto:

  1. We must ensure that there is no tax increase on Maine families.
  2. We must ensure that there is no tax increase on Maine businesses.
  3. We must conform to the federal estate tax to encourage high-earners to stay or locate here in Maine.

I?d prefer to eliminate the estate tax, but I?m willing to compromise as long as we conform to the new federal code.

No matter how you prepare your taxes or whether you?re an individual or business, take note: filing your 2018 taxes will be an extraordinary challenge due to the lack of action by Democrats in the Legislature.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Minimum Wage Propaganda Drives Higher Prices and Taxes

April 26, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Maine?s progressives have been selling the benefits of the minimum wage increase using faulty analysis. Don?t buy the hype.

Hello, I?m Governor Paul LePage.

Our businesses and our state budget will face significant challenges when the minimum wage rises to 11 and 12 dollars an hour over the next two years.

We?ve all heard the old saying about lies and statistics. Here?s the latest example: two recent blogs by the progressive Maine Center for Economic Policy incorrectly use workforce data to support raising the minimum wage.

In a January 8 blog, MECEP incorrectly attributes our 2017 wage gain to the increased minimum wage (See note 1). According to economists at our Department of Labor, total wages paid were unusually low in the fourth quarter of 2016 and unusually high in the first quarter of 2017. This was not due to the minimum wage referendum. Rather, many employers delayed bonuses and other annual performance payments from December to January.

Why the delay? Because businesses expected incoming President Trump?with the Republican-controlled Congress?would pass tax cuts as promised. Looking at the 2017 data without that important context is misleading.

But progressives? misunderstanding of workforce data leads to greater deceptions.

For instance, MECEP?s blog dated April 2 draws a number of misleading conclusions (See note 2). The worst claim is their argument that in 2017, low-wage workers received their largest annual increase in earnings in the last 15 years.

But the 2017 data is not representative of a single year of employment wage gains. Two of the years included in the 2017 data set, 2015 and 2016, preceded any increase in Maine?s minimum wage (See note 3).

The 2017 wage gains are largely from our improving economy, which is driving the fastest rise in real average wages in two decades?not the minimum wage. Once again, progressives prove they know little about economics, yet remain ready to tell you how to run your business.

Instead of listening to progressive falsehoods, let?s listen to our employers, who testified to the Legislature that they?ll cut hours and raise prices if the minimum wage increases.

Our state budget faces a similar challenge. We need to increase reimbursements to non-profit healthcare agencies to compensate for rising wages. To pay for this, the state must raise taxes.

A short-term budget fix will not resolve the ongoing pressure to raise wages. Year after year, these non-profits will need more money to keep pace.

We need to take the pressure off wages. One way to do this is to allow our 14- and 15-year-olds to enter the workforce more quickly by eliminating the work-permit requirement during summer months.

This would make almost 30,000 workers immediately available to employers. Several states, including Arizona, Florida and Oregon, do not require any work permits.

So don?t fall for the progressives? propaganda. It?s bad for our state budget, and it?s bad for our businesses.

Thank you for listening.

Notes

  1. In a January 8 article titled ?Minimum Wage Increase Contributes to Largest Annual Wage Gain in 10 Years? ( http://blog.mecep.org/2018/01/minimum-wage-increase-contributes-to-largest-annual-wage-gain-in-10-years/ ), MECEP correctly states that increase in total wages paid in Maine for the first six months of 2017 over the same period in 2016 was the fastest since the last recession. However, they incorrectly attribute the gain to the increased minimum wage. According to economists at the Maine Department of Labor?s Center for Workforce Research and Information, which is the source of that data, total wages paid were unusually low in the fourth quarter of 2016, a period not included in the analysis, and unusually high in the first quarter of 2017, a period included. This occurred because many employers delayed bonuses and other annual performance payments from December 2016 to January 2017 expecting the incoming Trump Administration and Republican-controlled Congress would pass tax cuts as promised.

  2. In an April 2 article titled ?New federal wage data brings more evidence for success of Maine?s new minimum wage law? ( http://blog.mecep.org/2018/04/new-federal-wage-data-brings-more-evidence-for-success-of-maines-new-minimum-wage-law/ ), MECEP incorrectly states that new occupational employment and wage estimates indicate that the law has not spurred employers to reduce hours worked for low-wage workers. In fact, the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) data they cited does not include information on hours worked. Rather, MECEP estimates hours worked by taking two different data series, OES and the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, each with different coverage, to calculate an increase in average hours worked. Because the two datasets cover different time periods and industries, they are not directly comparable, which leads to flawed analysis.

  3. The April article also stated that low-wage workers received their largest annual increase in earnings in 2017 in the last 15 years. This analysis relies on a use of OES estimates that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recommends against for several reasons. In particular, USBLS notes that: ?employment and wages are collected from establishments (in the survey) in six semiannual panels for three consecutive years. Every six months, a new panel of data is added, and the oldest panel is dropped, resulting in a moving-average staffing pattern. The three years of employment data are benchmarked to represent the total employment for the reference period (2017, in this case). The wages of the older data are adjusted by the Employment Cost Index. This methodology assumes that industry staffing patterns change slowly and that detailed occupational wage rates in an area change at the same rate as the national change in the ECI wage component for the occupational group. The use of six data panels to create a set of estimates means that sudden changes in occupational employment or wages in the population or changes in methodology show up in the OES estimates gradually. Given the above changes, it is difficult to make conclusive comparisons of OES data over time [emphasis added].? Data that is comprised of sets of data collected over three years is not representative of a single year of employment wage gains, especially since two of the years included in that data set, 2015 and 2016, preceded any increase in the minimum wage. More information about the OES survey methodology is available at: https://www.bls.gov/oes/oes_ques.htm#overview .

Radio Address: Speaker Gideon Kills Good Legislation That Would Benefit the Maine People

May 4, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

The Maine people elect legislators to represent them in Augusta. They expect these elected officials to enact good public policy that benefits all Mainers. But some legislators put politics over people.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Unfortunately, too many legislators are more interested in playing political games than doing the work of the Maine people. The worst offender is Speaker of the House Sara Gideon.

I am a tough negotiator, but I am willing to negotiate. I am willing to have a conversation, and sometimes these might be difficult. They should be difficult, because as leaders we must make tough choices.

But rather than sit down at a table with me and have honest conversations and negotiate, Speaker Gideon holds press conferences complaining about Republicans. She?s even accused us of being terrorists.

But rather than negotiate and do the work of the people, she killed Republican?s bills?bills that were good policy?for no reason. She hoped to extend the legislative session to ram through bad bills at the last minute.

Republicans put in bills to provide funding for workers for the elderly and disabled, opioid treatment, county jails, people on wait lists and nursing homes. Speaker Gideon killed them all.

She wouldn?t address tax conformity, which would give tax relief to hard-working Mainers and small businesses.

She even tabled a bill that would help the elderly stay in their homes?or at least keep their equity if they were facing tax-lien foreclosures.

Speaker Gideon would rather throw the elderly on the street than give a Republican-backed bill a win.

Speaker Gideon then tried to extend the session, but not by negotiating. An email from an advocate for addiction and mental health services revealed the Speaker?s strategy: she met with advocates and lobbyists and urged them not to work with Republicans.

The email stated: if the advocates can convince the Republicans to extend the session, Gideon promised to help pass key bills sponsored by the advocates.

This is not good governance. It is partisan politics at its worst. It does not help Maine people. Gideon does not work across the aisle or reach out to the Governor?s Office. Instead, she held a press conference on Wednesday to reveal her proposal to extend the legislative session.

Negotiating through sound bites and photo ops, rather than working with her colleagues in the State House, is not working. This is a massive failure of leadership.

Gideon?s failure to lead resulted in a state shut down last summer, and it has led to a stalemate this session. Now hundreds of bills are left to die?bills the legislature had been avoiding for months.

The Speaker is concerned about saving face and playing politics. She is not doing the right thing for the people of the State of Maine.

Remember that in November.

Radio Address: Beware of dishonest politicians this Election Year

May 9, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Since this year is an Election Year, I must warn the Maine people that politicians have no legal obligation to be honest in their promises, campaign ads or remarks. Some of them will say or do anything to get elected.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The worst offender is Attorney General Janet Mills, a Democrat who is running for governor. She has already proven to be disingenuous with the people of Maine, and she has already demonstrated a morally flexible relationship with the truth.

She is telling people that I tried to take healthcare coverage away from children and that she stepped up to protect healthcare for 6,000 Maine kids. It?s just not true.

She also claims she took me to court to keep them covered. She is implying that the lawsuit was about healthcare for school-aged children.

Folks, it was not. Janet Mills is not telling the truth.

She did not take the Governor to court. She is referring to a lawsuit filed by DHHS against the federal government. Mills joined this lawsuit by filing an amicus brief on the side of the federal government. She went directly against the interests of the Maine people.

More importantly, this lawsuit had nothing to do with children. DHHS wanted to remove able-bodied 19- and 20-year-olds from the MaineCare system. Despite what Mills says, these are not school children.

These are young adults who were old enough to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are the same age as thousands of Americans in the Greatest Generation who fought in Europe and the Pacific during World War II.

They may be under 21, but they are not children?unless you are a Democrat in Maine. Only Maine Democrats think 19- and 20-year-olds are children instead of young adults.

That?s why Democrats continue to pass nanny-state laws that disrespect these young adults, like preventing them from buying cigarettes until they are 21. Democrats would rather coddle young adults than provide them with the skills they need to become productive members of our workforce.

Mills also refers to an AP article, which states the reason why the federal court denied DHHS?s request: ?The court agreed that Maine can?t roll back coverage for 19- and 20-year-olds because the Affordable Care Act requires states to maintain their level of coverage for children until 2019.?

This ruling was not decided by any brilliant legal maneuvering by Mills. In fact, she had nothing to do with it. The federal court simply ruled on federal law.

And nowhere in the AP article does it credit Mills with protecting healthcare for 6,000 Maine kids.

You would think the state?s highest-ranking law enforcement official would be committed to truth and honesty. In Janet Mills?s case, you would be wrong.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Maine Has an Exciting Opportunity To Reduce Energy Costs

May 17, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

I have been talking about the need to reduce energy prices for nearly eight years. Maine is a manufacturing state, and high energy prices have a direct and negative affect on the cost of doing business and the ability to create good-paying jobs.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Central Maine Power Company won the proposal to create a transmission line to deliver electricity from renewal energy sources from Quebec to the State of Massachusetts. So my administration is now seeking input from experts on how we can benefit from this new era in Maine energy policy and options.

CMP?s transmission line is Maine?s first direct high-voltage electric interconnection with Quebec, which is good news. But the selection process that chose CMP?s transmission line also included several other transmission and energy supply proposals within or close to Maine.

These proposals could also benefit our state.

Maine already exports more electricity than we consume, and our state is easily self-reliant when it comes to electricity. Nearly all of our electricity is produced from renewable and lower-carbon sources. But other New England states have yet to achieve these results.

As states to our south increasingly look to Maine and Canada to meet their renewable energy and low-carbon needs, Maine?s opportunities and responsibilities increase, along with energy prices.

We need to find ways to lower energy costs for Mainers.

So I am directing the Governor?s Energy Office to work with the Public Utilities Commission and the Public Advocate to report on the issues Maine should consider in this changing energy world and look toward ways to make Maine?s energy competitive.

I also ask Maine?s electric utilities, gas companies and consumer electricity groups to identify how we can reduce our energy costs and improve the lives of Maine citizens. Our goal is to reduce the costs of electricity for our ratepayers.

We are inviting input from regional, state and international organizations that deal with electricity and energy supply and reliability. These entities include ISO-New England, Northern Maine Transmission Corporation and North American Electric Regulatory Council.

We want to determine the possible efficiencies and benefits, especially reduced cost to ratepayers, that can be gained by a greater electrical integration of Maine with our neighboring Canadian provinces.

We also want to identify any obstacles to creating a more integrated electricity system between Maine and our neighboring Canadian provinces. For instance, there may be existing cross-border institutions, trade agreements or other mechanisms that could facilitate such improved integration.

We also need to determine how Canada can assist in the supply of natural gas to Maine. Massachusetts is blocking our ability to increase natural gas capacity to Maine.

If we cannot get more natural gas from the south, we should look to our neighbors to the north and the ocean to the east.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Let us be thankful for the men and women who have been so willing to serve our nation

May 23, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

As World War Two neared its end in June of 1945, General George Patton stated, ?It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.? This Memorial Day, let us be thankful that our men and women in uniform have been so willing to serve our nation?even to give their lives?to protect our liberty.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

We will never forget the sacrifice, courage or commitment to our nation of our men and women in uniform.

The members of our Armed Forces have courageously defended our country for more than 250 years and continue to do so to this day. It is fitting to set a day aside to pause and remember those who left the security of their home and family to serve their country, some never to return.

This Memorial Day and throughout the year, Ann and I are proud to honor and remember the incredible group of patriots who have answered the call. We also remember and thank those they left behind?their families, who serve our nation through their loving support of the person called to duty.

Every day of the year, we must care for the men and women who have so bravely fought and sacrificed to defend the freedoms we share.

Sadly, during the Vietnam War, our members of the Armed Forces endured negative treatment upon their return home from overseas despite having answered the call of their nation and serving with honor and bravery.

Although this treatment was undeserved, these men and women have made the nation understand that we, as the beneficiaries of their sacrifice, must do all we can to demonstrate our appreciation for those who served our nation.

I hope that the example of our Vietnam Veterans? service and endurance will continue to help heal our country. They are true heroes.

Those who have served in uniform since Vietnam have been treated more respectfully and with greater gratitude and understanding because we have learned from these experiences, and for that we are thankful.

Maine has the second-highest number of veterans by population of all states, and their active presence in our communities reminds us of the need to give back as they have given and continue to give to us.

Therefore, I once again urge our gold-star families, veterans, and the families of our active-duty service members to take advantage of the services available to you through the federal and state governments. These programs are not charity, they are the tangible thank-you from a grateful nation.

Whether it is a job, a gravesite, a state park pass, or free tuition, you deserve to access what you have earned. And know that, while some of these programs are small, we are also tackling the big issue of veteran suicide.

For the past two years, the Maine Bureau of Veterans? Services has been on the front line of several innovative undertakings ? one of which was recently demonstrated while serving as host of the Suicide Prevention Symposium this past December.

In 2014, 55 Maine veterans committed suicide and only 6 of them were known to the VA Maine Healthcare System. The Maine veteran suicide rate was 10 percent higher than the national rate and 30 percent higher than our state general population suicide rate.

The Bureau brought together hundreds of community partners to discuss ways to address the veteran suicide epidemic, and the event was so successful, the program will be used as a best practice model across the country to bring awareness to suicide prevention efforts.

Maine has a strong heritage of dedication and service to our country and we take great pride in our troops. They have fought for us and died for us, and there is no way to repay them for what they have given.

On this Memorial Day, let?s show that we are grateful for all of our fallen heroes.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Candidates should focus on what really matters to the Maine people

May 31, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

As the political season heats up, I have a news flash for the candidates: I am not on the ballot in November. You are not running against me.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Some candidates think that criticizing me is the pathway to victory. If they want to attack me, that?s fine. I?m used to it. But they should at least be honest about it.

I had to call out Attorney General Janet Mills for using false information to attack me in one of her TV ads. Like a true politician and the cagey lawyer she is, she only changed one word in the ad. It?s still misleading.

Now young Jared Golden from Lewiston is calling me out in one of his TV ads. Golden is running for a seat in the United States Congress, yet he is leading the ad with comments about me.

News flash: I am not running for Congress, and he is not running for governor.

His ad doesn?t illustrate his vision of how Maine will be better off with him in the House of Representatives in Washington. Golden criticizes me, instead of telling the people of Maine what he will do in Congress.

Golden says the Marines taught him to always get the job done. I have no doubt that he made a fine Marine, and I thank him for his service to our country.

But in Augusta, Golden has not gotten the job done?not by a long shot. As assistant majority leader in the House of Representatives, Golden has been part of Democratic leadership team that has failed the Maine people over and over again.

The Democrats failed to protect the elderly from getting thrown out of their homes, and they failed to give tax reductions to hard-working Maine families by refusing to conform to federal tax reforms.

This same failed leadership team shut down state government because they put socialist ideology over the best interests of the Maine people.

I?m on my way out of office, so candidates can waste their time attacking me all they want. But that doesn?t tell the voters what they will do if sent to Washington or Augusta.

Good policy is good politics. As Governor, my focus has always been on doing what is right for the people of Maine. I don?t shy away from making the tough choices, and I will stack my record of achievement against those of the candidates attacking me any day. My list of accomplishments is long, and the Maine people are better for it.

This political season, I encourage all candidates to do what really matters: spend their money and their air time explaining how they can truly improve the lives of the Maine people they hope to represent.

Focus on the future, not the past.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: There Are Important Issues to Consider Before Going to the Polls

June 6, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Each June, Maine voters go to the polls to elect local officials and vote on school budgets. The addition of the gubernatorial and congressional primaries, as well as the referendum question on ranked choice voting, make next Tuesday an important day for every voter, not just those enrolled in a party.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I urge all voters to let their voices be heard on June 12. As you head to the polls, there are several important issues I encourage you to consider.

First, I would like to talk to you about clean elections funding.

When I ran for Governor in 2010, I had the least amount of money of any of the other candidates in the Republican primary?but I did have a message.

The amount of money my opponents had did not have any bearing on the final standings. I won because I had a message that resonated with voters.

If you have a strong message, you do not need the taxpayers to fund your campaign for Governor.

Proponents of clean elections funding say that it levels the playing field for candidates who otherwise would be unable to get their message out.

If you have a strong enough message, it will get out. It takes hard work, consistency and commitment, but it gets out.

Clean elections supporters also argue that taxpayer funding prevents candidates from being ?bought off? by special interests or big donors.

If a candidate has personal integrity, he or she will not be able to be bought-off by individual donors.

If you want to be Governor, you will need to stand up to not only big donors, but all the special interests lining the halls of the State House.

Believe me, until they ban PACs, unions and lobbyists with their big money from out-of-state donors, money will never get out of politics. Clean elections funding doesn?t touch these sources of cash at all.

All we can do is vote for the candidate who will do the right thing even when it is hard. Vote for the person who will put good policy above politics.

Another issue to consider for next Tuesday is the Ranked Choice Voting referendum.

This system tries to ensure that office-holders are elected with a majority, meaning 50-percent-plus-one-vote, in races with three or more candidates.

Ranked Choice Voting works on the assumption that there is something special about being elected with a majority rather than a plurality.

The greatest president we?ve had in our nation?s history, Abraham Lincoln, was elected with less than 40 percent of the popular vote in a four-way race in 1860. I think that plurality worked out just fine.

A plurality of votes is sufficient. Ranked Choice Voting overcomplicates a simple process: one person, one vote.

Here?s where these two issues come together: progressives pushed clean elections to get more candidates on the ballot. They succeeded.

Now, they argue we need Ranked Choice Voting to deal with all the candidates because no one is getting elected with a majority.

Here?s an idea. If we got rid of clean elections, we would have fewer candidates, but only those whose messages resonate with the public. With fewer candidates, there would be a greater chance of a single candidate winning with a majority, if you believe that is important.

If the voters do want a winner with a majority, rather than use a complicated mathematical algorithm, we could amend the Constitution to allow a runoff election.

No matter the method, what I believe is important is that we elect people of integrity to public office, period.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The Legislature's Coming into Special Session To Take the Easy Way Out

June 14, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

A year ago, House Republicans shut down state government to make sure bad policies did not pass. Now they are giving in because it's an election year.

Hello, I'm Governor Paul LePage.

Augusta politicians are proving once again that they're unwilling to make the right choices. As the session neared its end, Democrats sat on their hands, hoping voters wouldn't notice that they avoided voting on important bills.

They didn't vote on tax conformity or Medicaid expansion, and they didn't vote to increase the reimbursement rates for direct-care workers who are usually paid based on the minimum wage.

Those who care for people in nursing homes or in the client's homes are essential workers, and we don't have enough of them. But the market should set their pay rates?not the government.

This one-size-fits-all minimum wage law is hurting small businesses, and it will hurt our economy?but most of all, it will hurt the elderly living on fixed incomes.

To keep up with the law, the state needs to increase reimbursements to non-profit healthcare agencies. So the Legislature will come back to pass an increase in the reimbursement rates.

However, this won't resolve the ongoing pressure to raise wages. Every year, these non-profits will need more money to keep pace with the pay raises required by law.

Our businesses and our state budget will face significant challenges when the minimum wage rises to 11 and 12 dollars an hour over the next two years because of the pressure it puts on everyone's wages.

I've asked the Legislature to slow down the rate of increase to the minimum wage to ensure that direct-care workers do not have their pay cut on July 1.

Three factors drive this request. First, our labor shortage. We don't have enough people. Employers need the flexibility to pay market rates to attract workers.

Second, to address the labor shortage, I sent a bill to the legislature that would eliminate the work-permit requirement for the summer school vacation. This would allow our 14- and 15-year-olds to enter the workforce more quickly.

But Democrats tabled the bill, effectively killing it. If 30,000 teens could get to work right away, this would ease some of the pressure on wages and help our summer tourism industry.

Third, existing employees will want raises on par with increases in the minimum wage. When a new worker gets the higher minimum wage, the existing workers will expect their paychecks to go up too. Our small businesses cannot keep up this pace.

Many will have to cut back. An employer with 10 employees may now get by with six. Or the employer may close a couple hours earlier each day?or even close one day a week. As a result, workers lose jobs and pay. Progressives don't want to admit this, but studies have already shown it to be true in Seattle.

And in Maine, employers already testified to the Legislature that they will cut hours and raise prices if the minimum wage continues to increase at this rapid pace.

A 3 percent inflation rate cannot absorb a 10 percent increases in labor costs. This is basic math.

But legislators are not interested in protecting people on fixed incomes, like the elderly, from being hurt by rapidly rising prices. They are only interested in getting re-elected.

So they will just take the easy way out?again.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Medicaid Expansion Activists Will Hurt People Who Need Help Just To Prove a Point

June 21, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Medicaid-expansion advocates plan to bring busloads of able-bodied adults to DHHS offices on July 2 to enroll in MaineCare. But the Legislature has not provided any money to process their applications or to pay their medical bills.

Hello, I'm Governor Paul LePage.

Medicaid expansion is the law, it is my responsibility to implement it, and I will. However, the Executive Branch cannot commit to hundreds of millions of dollars in ongoing costs without an appropriation to pay for it.

We are appealing the lawsuit that compels DHHS to expand Medicaid with no funding. The activists suing the state believe that, by enrolling busloads of able-bodied people on July 2, they'll commit the state to Medicaid expansion.

These activists at Maine Equal Justice Partners want the state to spend tens of millions of dollars in unappropriated money in the next fiscal year alone?and then hundreds of millions of dollars over the next two budgets.

Some of these people who will show up on July 2 can be covered by subsidized insurance on the exchange. But they will give this up to get "free"? healthcare from the taxpayers.

Robyn Merrill, the executive director of the Maine Equal Justice Partners, is willing to put the truly needy, such as the elderly and people with disabilities, at the back of the line while her agency floods DHHS offices with able-bodied adults.

So here's what happens if thousands of people show up on July 2 to enroll in MaineCare.

Between 70,000 and 90,000 additional able-bodied adults are likely eligible for coverage under Medicaid expansion. Let's say only 25 percent of them, about 20,000 people, apply for coverage in the first month?that is more than twice as many new applications that DHHS gets for all benefit programs each month.

DHHS staff must review each applicant's records and conduct interviews to ensure the person qualifies for the program. We need this type of oversight to prevent welfare fraud. It's only good management.

It will be impossible for DHHS to handle these applications without hiring new staff. But the Legislature has not provided funding to hire them.

If DHHS does not determine whether a person is eligible for Medicaid within 45 days, that person becomes entitled to full coverage?regardless of the merits of the application.

This will force DHHS to simply deny all applications they don't have time to review. We have to avoid putting the state on the hook for medical bills of potentially hundreds and even thousands of people.

While this is going on, people who need to have their benefits recertified, like a single mother with young children, will be bumped to the back of the line. Because DHHS won't have enough staff to get to their application, these truly needy will risk losing their SNAP or TANF benefits.

Progressives just want chaos at DHHS offices. They want sensational headlines. They are putting politics before people.

My administration will continue to prioritize the truly needy over the able-bodied. This is about effective and appropriate management.

Good management does't make headlines, but it does make for good government.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Medicaid expansion and paying home-care workers must be done in a fiscally responsible manner

June 29, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Medicaid expansion is the law, and I am committed to implement it. But I am forced to veto LD 837. And home care workers need better pay. But I am forced to veto those bills, too.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The Legislature has passed bills to implement Medicaid expansion and reimburse home-care workers, but they did it in a fiscally irresponsible manner. We cannot allow bills to move forward that will harm the economy.

That's why I have no choice but to veto these bills.

At least $50 million in the first year, and an increasing amount each year is necessary to cover the state's share of Medicaid expansion costs. The initiative could have included a funding mechanism, but it did not. Funding was left up to the Legislature's ordinary appropriations process.

After failing to even pass a bill during the ordinary legislative session, the special session produced a hasty, ill-conceived bill drawing upon two unsustainable budget gimmicks.

Legislators want to use one-time money from the state's tobacco settlement, and they want to divert one-time dollars that are part of the State's surplus. This will not cover costs on a continuing basis. It's just another move by Speaker Gideon to look like they're funding Medicaid expansion. But they aren't.

The Legislature needs a sustainable method of funding to cover the hundreds of millions of dollars the state will be responsible for in the coming fiscal years. We cannot afford to return to the days of out-of-control spending on Medicaid and a $750 million debt to our hospitals.

There are ways for the Legislature to fund Medicaid expansion in a fiscally responsible manner. So I ask them to recall the bill and fund it properly. Let's avoid vetoing a bill that otherwise can be funded properly and help all Mainers.

Two other bills I must veto are LDs 924 and 925. These bills provide funding to increase the reimbursement rates for workers who care for the elderly and people with disabilities in their homes or in nursing homes.

I agree that something needs to be done. Our seniors and our people with disabilities need more direct care workers, home health services and nursing facilities. Rate changes are necessary to attract and keep quality workers to provide care.

Here again leadership wants a short-term fix. I want to fix the underlying conditions that, if not addressed, will hurt the elderly and small businesses and destroy the economy.

The need to increase reimbursement rates is mostly due to the mandated increases in the minimum wage, although some of the need is being driven by the tight labor market--especially in Southern Maine.

The rising minimum wage is decreasing employers' flexibility in attracting workers. Workers across the pay scale expect the same wage increases as their co-workers earning the minimum. It's causing employers to cut services and raise prices. It's forcing elders on fixed incomes to pay these higher prices.

Money to pay workers must come from someplace. This is Economics 101.

I agree we need to pay workers more, but we must slow down government-mandated increases.

Eleven- and 12-dollar minimum wages will increase the cost of goods and services, hurt our economy, hurt the elderly, and hurt our businesses.

But the Speaker ignores the plight of the elderly. She just wants to be re-elected.

They have proved their lack of care with my bill to protect the elderly. My bill prevents municipalities from foreclosing on the tax liens of a senior citizen facing a financial or health crisis and keeping all of the senior's assets.

This is a shameful practice. If we don't allow banks to kick the elderly out of their homes and keep the proceeds, why should we allow our towns to do it?

But this is the problem. Politicians choose bad policy over what is the right thing to do for the Maine people because they think it's summer and people have stopped paying attention.

I vow to pay attention to what they do and call them out on it for the rest of my term.

And I will remind all our elderly right through the November election.

Thank you for listening and have a good Fourth of July.

Radio Address: Let's work together and do the right thing for our seniors

July 6, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Over the last seven and a half years, the Legislature and I have had many disagreements over process, policy and approach to governing. But the true value of our republic is that, although we disagree, we can still move our state and our country forward.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

While differences on tax reform, welfare policy and economic development may create friction between political parties and branches of government, there is one area that I hope and believe we all share a similar passion--care and compassion for our elderly.

I sent a letter this week to the legislative leadership asking them to work with me to protect our seniors from losing their homes.

We will not always agree on what compassion looks like, but I believe that ensuring seniors can remain in their homes is something we should mutually agree on.

Currently, on the table in the Senate, there is a Governor's bill, LD 1629 An Act To Protect the Elderly from Tax Lien Foreclosures, that is of extraordinary importance for low-income, elderly Mainers who own their own homes outright and experience a change in circumstances.

This bill will protect seniors who, usually because of a health crisis or death of a spouse, have not been able to keep up with their property taxes.

Under current law, municipalities can foreclose on them, selling the house for just the taxes owed, or even selling the house at a profit, and the municipality keeps the entire amount of the sale.

We don't let banks do this. Banks must sell at market value and return any remaining proceeds over to the homeowner. I want our towns to be held to the same standard because it is the right thing to do.

I will not pretend this bill resolves the challenges, but it's a valuable and a necessary move forward.

As I have talked about this issue, I have received several calls in the last few months alone from constituents seeking my assistance to help them avert a potential foreclosure on their home or from constituents whose homes have already gone through foreclosure.

These are real people losing everything. Some lose just their home, other have lost not only the home, but all their possessions in it. This is not the way we should be treating our elders.

What I propose will ensure municipalities receive all monies owed them and the elderly individuals will receive the remaining equity in their home.

I know many small towns already are compassionate in circumstances where they face foreclosing on an elderly resident. This bill should not be an affront to towns and town officials who do it right--it should be welcomed by them.

This bill is meant for those instances where compassion is not being exercised. This bill does not prohibit the foreclosure of any property, it just requires a more thoughtful approach.

It is the right thing to do, and I urge the Legislature to pass the amended bill when they continue the special session next week.

I encourage you, the listener, to call your legislators and urge them to pass the amended bill as well.

None of our elderly Mainers deserve to lose their home, their life's equity, and their dignity over a few thousand dollars. We can fix this.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Democrats hold a double standard when it comes to protecting vulnerable youth

July 11, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Last week I vetoed a controversial bill, LD 912, "An Act to Clarify the Scope of Practice of Certain Licensed Professionals Regarding Conversion Therapy." I'd like to tell you why.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

LD 912 defines conversion therapy as "any practice or course of treatment that seeks to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity including ... any effort to change gender expression or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender." The bill prohibits the use of conversion therapy by licensed mental health personnel, licensed medical personnel, and many other licensed individuals.

LD 912 was overbroad and bad policy.

It attempted to regulate professionals who already have a defined scope of practice and standard of care under Maine's licensing laws.

Any abuse is already illegal, and I strongly agree that young people should not be physically or mentally abused if they come out to their parents or guardians because they have experienced sexual or romantic attraction toward an individual of the same gender.

However, as the bill was written--"any practice or course of treatment"--can call into question a simple conversation. This is so broad that licensed professionals would be prohibited from counseling an individual even at the individual's own request.

We should not prohibit professionals from providing their expertise to those who seek it for their own personal questions like, "How do I deal with these feelings I am experiencing?"

The Democrats won't let a 14-year-old start the workday before 7 a.m., but, under this bill, a medical professional could not have open conversations with minors considering hormone therapy about the potential and irreversible effects of delaying puberty.

There are other issues. Per recent rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court, regulations on the content of clinical speech may violate the First Amendment. The bill could also be interpreted as a threat to an individual's religious beliefs.

No evidence was presented during public hearings that indicates licensed professionals in our state are practicing conversion therapy as described in the bill.

Because their standard of practice already prohibits any therapy amounting to physical or mental abuse, what LD 912 attempts to regulate are private, consultative conversations with a client.

This session, my bill, LD 1904 to criminalize the cultural practice of the physical mutilation of young girls in Maine, posed similar circumstances to this bill but failed to pass on a party-line vote in the House.

My bill would ban "female genital mutilation," a heinous procedure involving partial or total removal of female genitalia for cultural or religious reasons. The practitioner is often not a medical professional and the cutting doesn't usually follow sterile guidelines.

These girls are mutilated for life but are unlikely to report their parents or the cutters to law enforcement.

The Cumberland County District Attorney spoke in strong support of this bill, arguing the state must send a message that this is not tolerated and allow the DAs to prosecute it here in our courts. Like murder and many other crimes, FGM is outlawed on the federal level, but we cannot rely on the overburdened federal justice system to prosecute parents.

Sadly, legislators who wouldn't stand up and outlaw the permanent mutilation of young girls' sexual organs with razor blades want to outlaw clinical conversations. This is a disgusting double-standard.

The sponsor of this bill recently tweeted: "Shame on the politicians who elect cowardice over courage." I agree. Cowardice is bowing to political correctness and voting against banning FGM, as he did, along with the majority of House Democrats.

I thank the members of both parties who had the courage to support protecting our young girls.

I believe we should apply consistent standards when passing legislation to protect our vulnerable young people.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Democrats are holding tax conformity hostage to fund their elections with taxpayer dollars

July 19, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

It's summer in Maine. We should be enjoying it. Instead, at the State House, "it's deja vu all over again." This Legislative session just won't end.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Baseball legend Yogi Berra coined that phrase, and it's never been more apt than during this revolving door of a session.

Speaker Gideon cannot manage to wrap it up, and keeps adjourning for a few days with work left undone.

Last week they came back, passed a couple bills, and dealt with vetoes. But they'll have to return for more vetoes and remaining bills.

This is July; the session was supposed to end in April. This tells us that the Democrats were never serious about getting the necessary work done. They are only concerned about getting reelected -- on your dime.

Here's where we're at. The Democrats refuse to pass a tax conformity bill unless the Republicans agree to pass Clean Elections funding.

This sends a clear message. Democrats know tax conformity is a critical issue for every Maine business and person. They're holding it hostage to get taxpayer money to fund their fall campaigns.

That's right. Democrats are willing to make businesses keep two sets of books, force people who took medical expense-deductions in 2017 to file amended returns, and create absolute chaos when you go to file your income taxes next year without software -- all so they can get welfare for politicians in a game of high-stakes chicken.

Aligning the state to the federal tax code usually requires minor fixes. But because the federal tax reform was comprehensive, we must make changes in a way that does not increase Mainers' taxes. This requires the Legislature to pass a conformity bill.

The Legislature has known they must address this since January. I put in a Governor's bill to make it easier for them, and the state's financial and tax experts gave them significant guidance.

Yet the Democrats kept trying to use tax conformity in their quid-pro-quo, back-room deals. I thank the House Republicans for refusing these bad deals for Mainers. The Democrats in Augusta disregard taxpayers' time and money.

These politicians are willing to inconvenience you so they do not have to inconvenience themselves by raising money with their message instead of a government handout. I cannot in good conscious enter my last six months in office without at least trying to ensure that the state is not without a way to collect tax revenue. I believe in low taxes, not tax chaos.

During my time as Governor, we've put the state's fiscal house in order. I will do what I can to make sure that we reduce the havoc Speaker Gideon's willing to wreak on our tax system.

This forces me to create a new state income and business tax bureaucracy, although it is the last thing I want to do.

Add tax conformity to the list of issues that required real action this session. They failed to pass a bill to fix the municipal tax lien foreclosure process so our elderly are not thrown out of their home without the equity they have built over decades. They failed to address the minimum wage. They failed to find a sustainable way to fund Medicaid expansion, although we gave them a sensible funding plan.

The Democrats have squandered six months and failed the Maine people, again.

"It's deja vu all over again."

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: We're reforming our child welfare system to protect our children

July 26, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

The tragic deaths of two little girls under the watch of DHHS is spurring needed reforms to Maine's child welfare system. This summer, I will call a special session of the Legislature to put the safety of our children first.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

First, let me stress, if you suspect child abuse or neglect, please call 1-800-452-1999--that's 1-800-452-1999--immediately to make a report. We cannot act on what we do not know.

The priority of Maine's child welfare system should be doing what is in the best interests of the child.

I have personally experienced the trauma of an abusive home, and I want to ensure that we all do what we can to prevent future tragedies.

I've personally reviewed the case files of the two girls who were killed, but I've also reviewed many other cases that haven't made the news.

We cannot eradicate evil; but we can do better to protect children.

I want to assure the people of Maine that not only will a child in a crisis be provided the utmost protection, but also that abusers will be held accountable.

Based on my review and internal DHHS reviews, we've already begun to make needed reforms.

We've made changes to policies and procedures and will be recommending measures to improve staff training, reduce turnover, and prevent burnout of caseworkers.

Some of the most critical reforms require statutory changes.

The best reform we can make is to change the law to place the priority on what is best for the child, not family reunification.

Prioritizing family reunification forces DHHS and courts to repeatedly attempt to keep vulnerable children in dangerous situations--when the best decision would be to remove the child.

Government shouldn't force a parent who is unable or refuses to take on the challenge of parenting to be responsible for a child. This leaves the child vulnerable to neglect and abuse.

Changing the law doesn't mean that DHHS will no longer reunite families. But current law requires repeated attempts to keep kids with their parents to demonstrate to the courts that rehabilitation and reunification are not possible.

Folks, how many times must reunification or rehabilitation fail before the system determines it's "not possible."

We've seen the tragic results when those attempts fail. This must end.

Let's change the law so that reunification is secondary to the best interests of the child. Let's give DHHS and the courts flexibility when deciding the appropriateness and effectiveness of reunification on a case-by-case basis.

Then our system can always put the best interests of the child first.

In addition--for the second time in my administration--we will ask the Legislature to criminalize the failure to comply with the mandatory reporting statute.

Mandatory reporters must not hesitate or second-guess whether they should report. Making the failure to report a class-E crime provides an additional incentive to act promptly and perhaps save a child's life.

As we continue to examine Maine's child welfare system, we'll bring more bills forward.

I won't allow a bill to protect our children to become a political soccer ball like so many other things this session.

When the Legislature wraps up what should have been completed months ago, we can move on to the critical work of protecting our children.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Where have the state employee unions been when it mattered

August 1, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Last week I spoke to you about the reforms we are proposing for the child welfare system, including better staff training and better support for our front-line caseworkers. Suddenly, a lot of organizations want to take credit for these reforms, including the state employees' union.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

This is not about sharing the credit or the blame. Reforming our child welfare system is the right thing to do. However, I take exception to the union's sudden interest in this issue.

Based on internal reviews at DHHS, a number of changes have already been made in how child welfare cases are handled. We have also been gathering suggestions from DHHS's employees.

However, the state employees' union director, Alec Maybarduk, told the media last week that the union does not think DHHS workers' concerns are being addressed. As Governor, I am troubled by the response of the state's unions.

I have heard from the state employees' unions about the closure of the Downeast Correctional Facility in Washington County. But I have not heard from these unions about how I should prioritize funding to train child welfare caseworkers.

The state employees' unions have no trouble asking the Legislature to allow state workers to put their children on MaineCare instead of the state's health insurance plan. They have blocked sensible workplace drug-testing reforms in the midst of the opioid crisis and the legalization of marijuana.

Yet when it comes to helping state employees protect the most vulnerable members of our society--young children in abusive homes--never did any representative of the union attempt to meet with me to bring these needs to my attention.

It is reasonable to expect that the union would advocate for better training, more support services and modern technology to improve their members' work experience. But they have not brought it to my attention.

Some of the temporary changes we have made at DHHS have increased staff workloads, but it is because we are putting children first. I will always put the life of a child first.

There will be additional reforms in future bills, including adding staff, once robust training is in place and improved supports for caseworkers.

It's a curious coincidence that the state employee unions are suddenly moved to advocate on behalf of their employees now that the elimination of fair-share dues was just made permanent by the U.S. Supreme Court.

It is disgusting that the union's need for dues money is finally motivating them to take an active interest in supporting our state workers in the child welfare system.

Maybe if the unions had partnered with management, we would have already made many of these needed reforms.

It must be an election year.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The Legislature has one last shot to get things done

August 8, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Here we are in August. It's the dog days of summer, and the Legislature is supposed to come back to wrap things up. I hope we can believe them this time.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

We need to move three very important sets of legislation forward to get the people's business done.

I had hoped the Legislature would have completed its business by now and adjourned sine die so I could call a special session to deal exclusively with the reforms to the child welfare system.

I had wanted to protect those critical bills from being held hostage in a political battle of wills in the Legislature.

However, we cannot continue to wait while the Democrats dilly-dally by holding tax conformity hostage so they can get taxpayer-funded Clean Elections money to run their campaigns.

So I decided to submit several bills that will improve our child welfare programs. I hope that when the legislators come back, they will take the opportunity to pass my two other priorities: tax conformity and reforming the municipal foreclosure process to protect our elderly.

When it comes to conforming state law to the new federal tax code, the Legislature's delay will likely force people who took tax deductions for medical expenses in 2017 to have to file amended returns.

Aligning the state to the federal code usually requires minor fixes. But because the federal tax reform was comprehensive, we must make changes in a way that does not increase Mainers' taxes.

Speaker of the House Sara Gideon and other Democrats just don't get how critical tax conformity is for our businesses and Maine people. They've left businesses in tax limbo for more than seven months.

Businesses thrive when their regulatory environment is predictable and stable. Knowing how to pay your taxes and what rate you will be taxed at is a critical part of that. Yet, Democrats keep our business climate as unstable and unpredictable as possible.

Not conforming will force businesses to keep two sets of books this year--one for federal laws, and one for state laws. It will cause chaos next January when individuals and businesses have no ability to file state taxes.

But Speaker Gideon and the Democrats still have time to avoid the major filing headaches for businesses and families next January. And time is of the essence. If they do not act now, we will be forced to create a whole new layer of bureaucracy just to collect the different set of taxes.

As you go about enjoying summer in Maine, I encourage you to take a minute to reach out to your Legislators and ask them to pass child welfare reform, tax conformity and my proposed amendment to the elderly foreclosure bill.

If the Legislature can't do that this summer, you will know what to do when you go to the polls in the fall.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The Universal Home Care Referendum will be disastrous for Maine's economy

August 17, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Ballot Question 1 is another benign-sounding, feel-good referendum. In reality, it's one more in a long line of over-simplified referendums with a real downside for Maine's economy.

Hello, I'm Governor Paul LePage.

Like the minimum wage referendum, which also changed how restaurant servers are paid, and the people's veto question on ranked choice voting that was completely misleading, Question 1 lacks essential information.

It asks, "Do you want to create the Universal Home Care Program to provide home-based assistance to people with disabilities and senior citizens, regardless of income, funded by a new 3.8% tax on individuals and families with Maine wage and adjusted gross income above the amount subject to Social Security taxes, which is $128,400 in 2018?"

Of course we want to take care of our seniors and people with disabilities and keep them in their homes. But this referendum's backers are disingenuous.

They haven't supported my bill to reform the municipal foreclosure process for our elderly. Neither have they provided a way to eliminate waitlists for our people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Instead, these socialists have come up with yet another scheme to tax Mainers and funnel it to unions. They'll make Maine the highest-taxed state for all households whose combined income totals more than $128,400, no matter the source.

The question's wording leaves out essential information, like the establishment of a massive bureaucracy with no state oversight. The new system will require the state turn over the names and contact information of any person with a disability who may receive any in-home care as well as our seniors over 65 to any person who wants to run for the board and any union. This is a massive violation of personal and medical confidentiality.

But there are more risks. The Office of the State Economist has modeled the impacts of the 3.8 percent tax.

Right now, our economy is doing well, but there are circumstances out there that can tip the balance. Passing this referendum will send our economy over the cliff.

The State Economist projects passing this referendum will, by 2023, result in a loss of $1.4 to $2 billion of Mainers' total personal income. It will have significant negative effects on Maine's population, labor force, employment and gross domestic product.

We already know that to grow our economy, we need more people. Passing Question 1 will not only drive high earners out of the state, couples who both work are at risk of having their income tax skyrocket.

Here's the conservative estimate of the dangers of this referendum:

  • In the first year of the tax, Maine's population would fall by between 1,200 and 1,700 people.
  • In the first year, our Labor Force would fall by 1,300 to 1,800 workers.
  • Nonfarm Employment would lose between 2,600 and 3,800 jobs.
  • Cumulative losses in total personal income by 2023 would be $1.4 to $2.0 billion, and cumulative losses in our real GDP would be between $643 and $916 million.

Our economy is growing in all of these measures. In 2017, Maine's population grew at the fastest rate in more than a decade and private non-farm employment reached a record high. Wages are growing at the fastest rate in two decades.

I want Mainers to prosper. Our economy is finally helping so many hard-working families get ahead. Now is not the time to pass a first-in-the-nation tax scheme theoretically to support in-home care for our elderly but that has no restrictions on income to qualify, no residency requirement, that violates confidentiality of our most vulnerable and that authorizes putting seniors and people with disabilities on even more waitlists.

In other words, a wealthy summer resident like Martha Stewart could qualify for this program while your elderly, ill aunt on a fixed income sits on a wait list, and you suddenly pay the highest income tax in the nation.

Question 1 is a bad deal for Mainers.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The Right to Vote Is for Citizens

August 22, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

People don't value the things they get for free. Giving legal residents who are not yet citizens the right to vote devalues becoming a citizen of our country.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Portland Mayor Ethan Strimling recently proposed that the City amend its charter to allow non-citizens to vote in Portland's municipal elections.

I've written a letter to the mayor advising him that allowing non-citizens to vote is a clear violation of state law.

First, Maine law specifies that any person registering to vote must be a citizen. It states "[a] person who meets the following requirements may vote in any election in a municipality." [Title 21-A ss. 111]

It then lists citizenship as criteria number one--quote: "the person must be a citizen of the United States."

In addition to this clear, basic statement, other state laws stipulate that Portland cannot exempt local municipal elections from these registration criteria by amending the City's charter.

In other words, "home rule" does not apply to voting laws. [Title 30-A ss. 2501(2)]

Furthermore, state law allows any voter or election official to challenge a cast ballot, and lists the improper registration of a non-citizen as grounds for a challenge. [Title 21-A ss. 673]

About 10 years ago, a bill to allow municipalities to extend voting rights to non-citizens overwhelmingly failed in the 124th Legislature.

Rather than pursue yet another politically correct boondoggle in his constant attempts to attract media attention, I asked Mayor Strimling to focus on real issues where municipalities and the state can work to prevent people from getting hurt.

A recent example is my bill, LD 1629, to modify the municipal foreclosure process to keep vulnerable elderly from being thrown out on the street because their fixed-incomes cannot keep up with rising property taxes.

In a municipal foreclosure, when a senior citizen owns the home outright, there's no requirement that the municipality sell the property at market value and no requirement that the balance of the equity is returned to the homeowners, whose home's value is their only savings. Solving this problem would be an excellent use of the mayor's time.

There's a clear path to earning the right to vote: become a citizen. The right to vote is a major and compelling incentive to become a citizen. Our laws should further this incentive, not remove it.

If the government gives non-citizens everything it gives a citizen, like welfare and voting, why should newcomers become citizens? Is welfare all we have to attract newcomers?

I believe good-paying jobs will attract people from across the country and the globe to Maine. Once they are here, we should incentivize them to become citizens and to live and work in our state.

I agree with President Theodore Roosevelt when he wrote shortly before his death, "In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American . . . There can be no divided allegiance here."

This was true 100 years ago, and it is true today.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Let's Keep Our Economy on the Right Path by Attracting More Workers

August 30, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

The Maine Department of Labor recently released its projections for job growth for the next several years.

The media has focused on its prediction of a net increase of only 100 jobs by 2026. As usual, they missed the real story.

Hello, I'm Governor Paul LePage.

There is a saying that "demography is destiny." It means the size and ages of your population determine your future.

As the oldest state, we must put forth policies that ensure our population includes enough younger people to replace the baby boomers who are retiring.

The Labor Department's prediction is an important call to action about our population and workforce. It echoes the call I made when I introduced legislation this spring to attract younger workers to Maine.

As I testified on my bill: "Our businesses need young people here to fill the jobs that will help keep our economy growing. We need young people to settle here and have families. We need them to buy houses as our retirees downsize to keep our communities vibrant.

"The longer we can keep a young person here after graduation, the more likely they will make a long-term commitment to living here and starting a family in Maine. This should not be a partisan issue."

Unfortunately, the Legislature failed to pass my bill because they are short-sighted. The Legislature needs to make investments in attracting people in the same way we focus on attracting businesses.

Not only did the Legislature refuse to pass my bill, they did not advance any other initiative to address our aging population. So the economists at the Department of Labor had to make their predictions based on the Legislature's lack of vision.

The report indicates what could happen - and is likely to happen - if no changes are made and existing economic conditions remain fairly steady. No one can predict the future. But we can turn this around.

The Labor Department's report concludes: "To maintain our workforce, it will be increasingly imperative that we pursue policies and initiatives that reduce barriers to employment and that encourage young people to stay or to move here. If we do not, the challenges employers already face attracting staff will increase."

This is a call to action. We do not need to attract hundreds of thousands of people, and we do not need to change the Maine quality of life we treasure.

In 2016 and 2017, we reversed the trend of out-migration, and we started attracting more people to move here. We've proven this can be done.

If we work to attract an additional 2,000 working-age people a year for the next 10 to 15 years, that would be at least 30,000 new workers.

That would be a game changer if they choose to make Maine their permanent home.

This is achievable - but we must act now. We must implement initiatives that provide student debt relief, lower taxes, reduce the cost of energy and improve our schools. These policies will signal to workers that we welcome them and we want Maine to become their permanent home.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Maine Will Be Restarting Our Program to Lower Your Health Insurance Costs

September 6, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

My administration passed a bill to lower health care costs in 2011, but Obamacare halted it in its tracks. The Trump administration is allowing us to implement the Maine Guaranteed Access Reinsurance Association again, and this will lower your health insurance premiums.

Hello, I'm Governor Paul LePage.

MGARA is known as Maine's "invisible high risk pool." It was one of the centerpieces of our 2011 healthcare-reform legislation. It had a proven track record of success, lowering individual health premiums by approximately 20 percent. In fact, it became a national model.

In 2012 and 2013, MGARA collected about $26 million in premiums and $41 million in assessments, while paying out about $66 million in reinsured health insurance claims. It kept premium increases about 20 percent lower than they otherwise would have been. That is money in your pocket.

The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, passed shortly after MGARA was implemented. There was substantial overlap between the federal and state programs, so MGARA's was suspended.

As we know, Obamacare is really the "Un-afforable" Care Act. Here in Maine, as in many states, we have seen health insurance premium costs skyrocket. In the past two years alone, rates in Maine have gone up each year by more than 20 percent.

This is unacceptable, as well as unaffordable.

Reinstating MGARA will allow us to provide much-needed premium relief to Mainers who do not qualify for subsidies, without changing the benefits provided in any way.

Last year, the Legislature enacted a bill authorizing the reactivation of the invisible high-risk pool.

Insurers are prohibited from denying individual health insurance coverage or charging higher rates based on medical conditions, claims experience or other health risk factors.

MGARA is called an "invisible" pool because it does not affect the status of the individual who receive insurance through it in any way - they receive exactly the same coverage for exactly the same price from the same insurer.

MGARA is subsidized by a $4 per-member-per-month assessment on Maine's entire health insurance market, so it has provided significant premium reductions in the individual market.

Industry experts predict that MGARA's reactivation in 2019 would lower premiums by approximately 9 percent. Anthem, which had left the exchange in 2018 and minimized its presence in the off-exchange market, had announced that it would come back to the exchange if MGARA was reactivated.

This would raise the number of carriers in Maine's exchange from two to three. All of this is good news for consumers.

Experts predict that some consumers will see the individual market premium fall by about 9 percent in 2019, the first year of MGARA's reactivation. We will also see the number of uninsured reduced by between 300 to 1,100 per year, all with no change in benefit coverage.

We want to ensure that Mainers have the most health insurance options at the lowest cost. It's the right thing to do.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Businesses beware: higher unemployment taxes are on the horizon

September 13, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

In this tight labor market, we must use every tool at our disposal to encourage laid-off workers to search for work and to take the jobs they are offered.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Unemployment is insurance, not an entitlement. It is a safety net - not a means of subsidizing one employer's payroll on the backs of all other employers. Yet, the Legislature doesn't understand the basic principles of the unemployment system.

They voted for a bill that attempts to turn this insurance program into an entitlement: LD 700, "An Act to Give Flexibility to Employees and Employers for Temporary Layoffs." This new law grants a six-week waiver from the work search, provided an employer gives a recall date.

It effectively takes these workers out of the labor market while they collect benefits, despite our acute workforce shortage.

I vetoed this bill with good reason, but the Legislature overrode it. The goal of unemployment insurance isn't just to provide temporary wages. It keeps workers connected to the labor market so they are more easily and quickly re-employed.

The work-search requirement is critical to that goal, and it is a discretionary tool to manage an employer's workforce during fluctuations in unemployment cycles. LD 700 eliminates that discretion. Folks, that is just plain, old bad business.

Those who look for work and take temporary jobs while collecting unemployment are better off financially, and they provide tremendous help to our employers who are trying to find workers in this era of record-low unemployment.

Waiving the work-search requirement is equivalent to a free pass, and it does nothing to further these positive outcomes. Without the requirement to search for work, many - if not most - seasonally laid-off workers will not bother to look for work. Some will decide not to work at temporary jobs.

Know this. Employers who have the highest use of unemployment in their slow season are already socializing their costs across the system. This law does nothing to change that process; in fact, it incentivizes it.

Now, hundreds of able-bodied Mainers will temporarily disappear from the labor market - some will probably take subsidized vacations to Florida using benefits other employers have paid. These workers will have zero responsibility for the benefits they are drawing from the unemployment system. This is unacceptable.

I believe we will all begin feeling the effects of this ill-informed bill as oil dealers struggle even more to find drivers to deliver your fuel this winter. The Legislature's misguided notion is that this bill helps laid-off workers.

But that, ladies and gentlemen, is a sham. When laid-off employees look for work, they are exposed to new opportunities that will benefit their career and their family's finances.

And when businesses have to compete to retain and attract those workers, wages rise.

Maine businesses deserve the opportunity to compete for these workers, especially when their unemployment is being subsidized by your taxes.

LD 700 is an assault on the basic principles of unemployment. Coupled with record low unemployment and Maine's rapidly rising minimum wage, it will be a recipe for disaster for Maine businesses.

Thanks for listening.

Radio Address: Smart investments in marine terminal have opened new markets to Maine companies

September 19, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

A decade ago, the International Marine Terminal in Portland was nothing more than a derelict ferry dock in an overgrown, empty lot. Yet, in the 1800s, that same lot was booming with hundreds of ships and trains. We have brought this port back to life.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

When I became Governor, MaineDOT Commissioner Dave Bernhardt laid out an ambitious vision for the IMT. Our administration secured investments that would transform the IMT back into a bustling, multi-modal freight facility.

By 2013, federal, state and private investments in the port led to Eimskip's decision to make Maine its North American headquarters, positioning our state for a new era in the global shipping industry.

The new International Marine Terminal has opened countless new trade and economic development opportunities in the Arctic and the North Atlantic for Maine businesses.

Business through the port has increased steadily over the last five years. The business growth prompted Eimskip to increase ship calls to Maine by more than 40 percent.

This shipping connection to has led to even more innovation: the Maine Beer Box. The Beer Box is a refrigerated shipping container that highlights our craft beer industry. It has 78 beer taps and a fully contained draft system made by two Maine companies.

This idea started right here in Maine, between the Maine Brewers' Guild and Eimskip. The Beer Box is filled with craft beer from our brewers and sent to another country to market them. The Beer Box is then filled with beer from that country and sent back here where it will be shared with craft beer lovers.

This is part goodwill trade mission, part economic development and part marketing of Maine as the top craft beer destination in the United States.

In 2017, the Maine Brewers' Guild joined forces with Eimskip to take Maine's craft beers to Iceland. This first exchange provided our brewers the opportunity to explore new markets, collaborate with fellow brewers and establish relationships overseas.

Last week, the Beer Box participated in the 2018 Global Brewers' Trade event at Leeds International Beer Festival in the United Kingdom with beer from more than 60 of Maine's breweries.

The festival is one of the highlights of our UK and Ireland trade mission this month, where we are developing new markets for our lobster, forest products and other industries--all made possible in part by our new shipping capacity.

For decades, businesses looked at Maine as too far from markets in terms of miles. But investments in our shipping infrastructure have reduced the cost for Maine businesses to reach those markets.

This has opened new opportunities for Maine businesses, like our brewers. It can cost the same or less to ship beer to another country than it can to travel by truck to Florida.

Maine businesses now have access to North Atlantic and European markets that were once cost-prohibitive and out of reach. This is bringing more job opportunities to our state. Smart investments in infrastructure pay off.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The Legislature Fails To Make Our Elderly a Priority

September 27, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Nothing is more important than keeping our elderly in their homes. I am disappointed the legislature significantly watered down my bill to help them.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Legislative leaders caved to the Maine Municipal Association and watered down my bill. While the new law adds protections for the elderly, municipalities can still sell their homes and keep the equity.

Sadly, it appeared our elderly were not a priority for Democrat or Senate Republican leaders. And we know they are not a priority for the Maine Municipal Association.

We have been trying all year to get my bill passed to prevent municipalities from foreclosing on the homes of elderly citizens who have fallen behind on their tax bills.

It was a simple, innocuous bill that would not burden municipalities, and it would keep our elderly in the homes they worked so hard to buy.

Many of our senior citizens are on fixed incomes, and they are struggling to pay rising property taxes.

But municipalities were allowed under the law to foreclose and sell the property for the amount of taxes owed.

Homeowners have many protections if a foreclosure involves a mortgage. When the bank forecloses, it sells the house and pays the homeowner any remaining equity after all debts are paid.

However, in a municipal foreclosure, when a senior citizen owns the home outright, those protections disappeared. There was no requirement that the municipality sell the property at market value, and there was no requirement that the balance of the equity is returned to the homeowner.

These are elderly people living on fixed incomes. Their home's value is their only savings.

My bill required when a municipality forecloses on a homeowner age 65 or older, the property would be sold by an independent broker at market value. All of the town's expenses and the broker fee would be paid from the proceeds of the sale, with the balance refunded to the former owner.

This makes the town whole, while at the same time providing the senior with the rest of the home's equity.

But legislative leadership didn't support my bill as written. Senate Republican and Democratic leaders supported a watered-down bill. Our elderly have some protections now, but they can still be forced out of their homes without any guarantee of receiving the equity.

It's unfortunate that Democrat and Republican leaders didn't fight for our elderly. Instead, they would rather side with the Maine Municipal Association, which argued this simple bill would somehow hurt municipalities.

Our bill takes no revenue away from towns. But towns should not get one more penny from a senior--or any other taxpayer--than what is owed, and seniors deserve the equity from their own home.

Democrat and Republican leaders still don't seem to understand the plight of the elderly. I will keep reminding them that they must do right by our seniors.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The Numbers Tell the Real Story on Education Funding

October 4, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

It's the political season and a lot of misinformation is flying around. I want to make sure you have the facts. In Maine, teachers are underpaid and over-worked, while school administrators are under-worked and overpaid.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I've worked for eight years to put Maine's fiscal house in order, and we've been successful, for the most part. The State's finances are in the best shape they've been in decades.

Getting here, however, required discipline and living within our means. But despite good management, referendum questions, coupled with the Legislature's love of spending and failure to address needed reforms, will leave the next Governor with a big hole to fill, although I wish it were otherwise.

This week, the Budget Office reported that Maine's incoming Governor will inherit a $504 million General Fund structural gap, what we are required to spend by law versus our projected revenue. The three main factors driving the gap are Medicaid expansion, costing $180 million; the increase in revenue sharing from 2 percent to 5 percent, costing $213 million; and the 55 percent state funding requirement for general purpose aid to schools, costing $147 million.

The growth of the structural gap is entirely caused by referendums passed without an identifiable and sustainable method of paying for them.

The loose, incomplete and vague language of these referendums lead to misunderstandings at best and bad policy at worst.

Today, I want to discuss the 55 percent requirement to fund education passed by referendum in 2003.

There's a major problem with this referendum: the bill never defined what should make up the 55 percent. The language was so loose that 55 percent can never be achieved in a sustainable, ongoing manner.

Why? Because the state does not generate the budget based on available resources. Local superintendents each set their own budgets annually.

In Fiscal Year 2013, this totaled 2-billion, 66-million dollars. The next year the new budget totaled 2-billion, 140-million dollars. The goal posts move each year. And, if you don't give them all they asked for, they still call it a cut, even when you give them more than you did the year before.

In reality, with an ever-growing budget over which the state has no say, it's virtually impossible to fund 55 percent because there's only so much money.

In fact, the Legislature has never been able to reach 55 percent.

Despite 15 years of failure to meet the goal, the legislature has never set a clear, well-defined standard. There's no way to measure 55 percent.

During my administration, we've put more funding into education every year. We've also tried to reduce administrative costs to direct more money into classrooms and less into overhead.

Here are the real facts.

Maine spends the least amount per pupil on instruction in New England.

As a share of per-pupil costs, we contribute less to instruction than the national average--despite spending 22 percent more per pupil than the national average.

Since I took office in 2011, per pupil spending has increased 21 percent, yet student enrollment has declined 7 percent.

In fact, education spending has increased $243 million under my watch.

Know this: Maine spends 59 cents on the dollar for instruction. The New England average is 63 cents.

I have worked to ensure we continue to send resources to Maine students, but more must be done to ensure that money goes to the classroom, where it makes a difference.

The Legislature needs to stop letting superintendents move the goalposts, and set a single, sustainable, statewide standard.

Our kids and teachers deserve it.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Question 1 on November's Ballot is Bad Policy

October 10, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

There are so many bad policies rolled into Question 1 on November's ballot that it's hard to know where to begin. I'm going to highlight what I consider to be the most dangerous.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Question 1 attempts to create a "Universal Home Care Program" that purports to provide home-based assistance to people with disabilities and senior citizens.

In reality, it creates a new 3.8 percent tax on individuals and families. It will create a new, massive bureaucracy with no state oversight, and it will put people on waitlists. It will also violate patient confidentiality, and will it hurt our economy.

This new tax will drive high-income earners out of the state. But don't be fooled. It won't just affect the wealthy. Hard-working couples will be hit too.

Maine will be the highest-taxed state for households with combined incomes over $130,000. It will also tax other income, like rent, interest, and capital gains.

The Office of Tax Policy estimates that 58,355 Maine families will, on average, have a 30-percent tax increase in 2019 if Question 1 passes. Approximately 3,650 of those families include a school teacher.

Here are a few examples of how it will affect real taxpayers:

  • A teacher who makes $66,000 and a police officer who makes $95,000, including overtime. When they file their state taxes, their combined income of $161,000 will make them subject to the 3.8 percent tax. They will pay an extra $1,150.

  • Another example is a couple who works as a sales manager, making $125,000, and restaurant server, making $30,000. Their combined income of $155,000 will make them subject to the 3.8 percent tax. They'll pay an extra $925.

  • A self-employed person running a small business with income of $140,000 will also get hit. The amount above $130,800 would be taxed at 3.8 percent. The self-employed person will pay an extra $350.

Question 1 isn't just taxing the wealthy. It will hit hardworking Maine families.

The State Economist projects that Question 1 would cause Maine to miss out on up to 3,800 jobs and, by 2023, see a loss of $1.4 to $2 billion of Mainer's total personal income.

We have worked hard to bring prosperity to Mainers, and now, when wages are rising, Question 1 will send us backward. But Question 1's bad policy isn't limited to taxes and our economy.

Question 1 will require the state turn over the names and contact information of our seniors over 65 and any person with a disability who may receive in-home care to any union and any person who wants to run for the oversight board.

The goal of this colossal violation of privacy is to badger the person's caregivers--their friends and family members--into joining a union and paying dues.

A union won't improve the working conditions of a mother who cares for her adult child with autism in their own home. It's their home! And she should NOT have to pay union dues for the privilege of caring for her own child.

Our seniors and people with disabilities deserve privacy, not exploitation.

Question 1's supporters are pushing a dangerous political agenda using vulnerable people who are dependent on the care of family and friends. They should be ashamed of themselves.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: The Attorney General Does Not Place a High Priority on Fighting Fraud

October 17, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

One of my proudest accomplishments has been the dramatic reduction of fraud in our welfare and unemployment systems. Unfortunately, the Attorney General does not consider fraud a high a priority.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

The anti-fraud efforts of the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services have produced results. DHHS has been aggressively cracking down on welfare fraud. In 2011 when I first took office, DHHS only sent 32 cases to the Attorney General for prosecution. In 2015, we sent 105.

To date, we've sent 488 welfare fraud cases for prosecution. Of these, 137 are still pending. Democrats used to say that fraud in the welfare system is just anecdotal. You don't hear that anymore - 488 cases in eight years isn't an anecdote.

The volume of cases DHHS refers has forced the AG's office to only prosecute felony-level cases with fraud allegations in excess of $5,000.

We should prosecute every case.

The Department of Labor identifies hundreds of fraudulent unemployment payments each year. But only the few cases where people haven't cooperated or repaid the money are sent for prosecution.

That's good, because once it's identified for prosecution, there's no guarantee it will be prosecuted. The year I took office, DAs refused all 23 unemployment fraud cases.

Since 2011, Labor's identified more than 350 cases for prosecution. As of early October, the Department had 139 fraud prosecutions pending action on DA's desks - some sitting there for two years.

The involvement of DAs and threat of prosecution are critical in fighting fraud. Recently, a DA's involvement resulted in a fraudster paying $45,000 in restitution back to the Department of Labor.

Yet, since 2011, DAs have refused to prosecute about 10 percent of the 350 fraud cases. Even worse: in two counties the DAs won't prosecute fraud cases; the others take so few that another 65 cases are simply in limbo. The Attorney General is authorized under both state and federal law to supplement the District Attorneys' prosecution of unemployment fraud with her staff. Apparently, it's OK by her to let these crimes go unpunished.

Now, the Attorney General will tell you that her team can't prosecute more cases because I refuse to pay her bills.

The truth? Yes, my administration has refused to pay her bills since May of 2018. It's because we've asked repeatedly for a transparent billing process, and she has refused.

When you hire an attorney in the private sector, you know exactly how much time the legal team is spending on your case. You get billed in six-minute increments.

However, the AG sends bills to state agencies with only lump sums and no detail. The agencies and taxpayers paying these bills should know exactly how much time the AG's staff is dedicating to the various legal issues they handle.

It only makes sense, and it's what other states have done for years.

When you see hundreds of fraud cases waiting years for prosecution - while at the same time, the AG's office is joining dozens of lawsuits that directly contradict the policies of our executive branch - you have to wonder what the AG's staff are doing.

Fraud isn't a victimless crime. These con artists waste taxpayer money that should go to our neediest. Prosecuting fraud sends a strong message that we won't tolerate abuse of the system.

In the fight against fraud, Janet Mills has been a follower, not a leader.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Our Seniors Have Much To Consider at the Polls

October 25, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

One of the most reliable groups of voters are our senior citizens. Their life experience gives them a perspective many other voters don't have.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I have consistently fought the Democrats on issues critical to protecting the elderly in our state. This week, I want to speak directly to our senior citizens.

First, thank you for all you have done for our great state. You've worked hard, raised families, given back to your community and helped your neighbors in need. It hasn't been easy.

You've seen many changes to our industries: the loss of textile and shoe manufacturing; the exponential rise of our tourism sector; and the boom, bust and resurrection of our forest-products sector.

Many of you worked hard your entire lives to pay off your home so you could live debt-free in your retirement. But when the jobs left, you saw your children and your grandchildren move away.

Now your pension and Social Security leave you on fixed incomes, while your town's taxes continue to rise. You struggle to pay the bills as the minimum wage drives up the cost of items you use each day.

As your Governor, I have worked hard to place the needs of our seniors first. I have worked to eliminate waitlists, to remove the ability of municipal governments to sell your home out from under you if you get behind on your property taxes, and to keep the rise of the minimum wage from raising prices too high.

I have also worked hard to keep the cost of electricity low and to expand heating assistance programs so you can keep warm each winter.

Finally, I have fought the Democrats in the legislature, as well as referendums funded by wealthy, out-of-state socialists, to keep taxes low so we can bring new jobs and new businesses to Maine. These new jobs will keep your families here, and they will attract our young people back home.

This isn't just good for our families. Our population growth means that when you want to sell your home, there will be a buyer willing to pay market value. You can then care for your family with the equity you have built up over a lifetime.

When you go to the polls this November, I ask you to consider which candidates in Maine have looked out for your interests. The Democrats in the Legislature haven't voted to fund waitlists for our elderly and people with disabilities.

They consistently refuse to fund nursing home facilities adequately or to identify a path to help rural facilities keep their doors open. They did not vote to slow the growth in the minimum wage.

Legislators did not vote to attract more young people to our state by helping them with their student debt.

Instead, the progressives in our Legislature did vote to tax high earners, driving doctors and other professionals out of state.

Democrats want to send our state backward. They vote for the high-tax, big-spend policies that drive our jobs and people away.

I ask you to vote for the candidates and the policies that will continue to carry Maine into the future. Vote for the candidate who will create the state you want your grandchildren to inherit.

That is what I'll be doing.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Question 1 is a Shell Game

November 1, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Question 1 plays on voters' emotions to pass policies that will hurt the very people it's supposed to help.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

There are five questions on the ballot next week. I support Questions 2 through 5. These are bond questions that will make much-needed improvements in our transportation infrastructure, keep our water clean, and make strategic investments in our universities and community colleges to better train our workers and keep our young people in Maine.

Question 1 is another story all together.

We have seen these over-simplified referendum questions before. They are backed by out-of-state interests, and they sound great on paper. But the devil is in the details.

Of course, we want to take care of our seniors and people with disabilities and keep them in their homes. But the progressives backing this referendum are not being up front with the Maine people.

Question 1 is an extremely complex piece of legislation that will make Maine the highest-taxed state for all households whose combined income totals more than $128,400.

Hard-working, middle-class families will foot this bill. But there's more to it than just a tax.

Question 1 does nothing to alleviate the waitlists for our elderly and people with disabilities. People living in nursing homes or group homes will be ineligible for assistance from this program.

Question 1 will create a massive bureaucracy with no state oversight. Neither the Governor nor the Legislature will have the ability to remove its board for malfeasance.

It will turn over the names and contact information of people with disabilities and our seniors over 65. This is a massive violation of personal and medical confidentiality.

The State Economist projects that Question 1 would have significant negative economic effects. Our state will lose jobs and people.

Passing Question 1 will not only drive high earners out of the state, but couples who both work are at risk of having their income tax skyrocket.

Question 1 has no restrictions on income to qualify and no residency requirement. It violates the confidentiality of our most vulnerable. It would put seniors and people with disabilities on even more waitlists.

If Question 1 passes, a wealthy summer resident like Martha Stewart could qualify for this program while your elderly, ill neighbor on a fixed income sits on a waitlist--and you are suddenly paying the highest income tax in the nation.

If the progressive backers of Question 1 really wanted to help, they could have proposed to use a smaller tax to shore up our existing programs. But that isn't what these progressives really want to do.

Quite simply, Question 1 is a scheme to tax Mainers and send it to unions so the unions can then use that money to pay for political campaigns to elect even more progressives.

It's a shell game, and they are using your money and our most vulnerable as the bullseye.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: We Must Always Appreciate Our Veterans

November 9, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

This year, Veterans Day marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, which ended on the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918. It changed the course of the Twentieth Century.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

World War I was a new kind of warfare, a global conflict fought with new technologies, like airpower and chemical weapons. The war that was fought to make the world "safe for democracy" forever changed the way we fight.

But the essential element of that fight to defend our freedom is our people. Veterans Day is the day we pause to remember those who have fought in every American war, both before World War I and since.

During the past eight years, the First Lady and I have made supporting our military, their families and our veterans a priority.

We've met thousands of Maine veterans, and each of them has touched our hearts.

Our men and women in uniform are dedicated to protecting the freedoms we share today. They put their lives on the line and make many sacrifices to keep our nation free. Many members of our Armed Forces have made the ultimate sacrifice, and for them we are truly grateful.

We also thank the families of our veterans and of our active-duty service members, as well as our Gold Star families.

We can never repay our veterans, but we can honor them and treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve. My administration has made veterans a priority. Jobs, education, state park passes and taxes are just some of the areas where Maine demonstrates our appreciation for our veterans.

Our veterans returning from World Wars I and II and Korea were welcomed home with much appreciation.

But our Vietnam Veterans were not extended the same warm welcome, despite having served their nation with honor. The dignity, service and endurance of these heroes reminded us that we must do all we can to show our appreciation for those who served our nation

As a result, the members of our Armed Forces have been treated more respectfully and with greater gratitude and understanding. It was a difficult lesson to learn, but we have taken it to heart.

Maine has the second-highest number of veterans by population of all states, and their active presence in our communities reminds us of the need to give back as they have given and continue to give us.

For those veterans and their families who want to take advantage of any service we provide for veterans, please contact the Bureau of Veterans Services. The Bureau is there to help, and their website provides information to assist you and your loved ones.

On this Veterans Day, Ann and I call to mind all our heroes who bravely fought in World War I and the joy they must have experienced to know that the terrible war was over at last.

And we thank all our veterans for their selfless devotion to our nation. We will always be in your debt.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Our Next Governor's Success is the Success of Our State

November 15, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Last week, the Maine voters cast their ballot to elect Janet Mills as their next Governor, and the first female Governor of Maine. I wish her well in her new role.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

I love Maine, and I have worked hard to leave the state in better shape than when I found it. My administration has been successful in doing so.

Over the past eight years, our administration has eliminated red tape, cut taxes, reformed welfare and created charter schools. We've improved Maine's infrastructure, created new trade relationships and reformed health insurance to lower costs--to name just a few of our accomplishments.

In 2018, Mainers are experiencing strong, record-setting economic growth. Maine has a record-high number of employers, a record-high number of private-sector jobs, record-high revenues for the state, record-low unemployment and the fastest net-earnings growth in New England.

Our poverty rate has declined to the lowest it's been since 2005, and we have the fewest number of children in poverty in the past 17 years. Maine's economy is the best it has been in decades, and our people are benefitting.

This is the state and the economy that Governor-elect Mills will inherit upon her inauguration. I want to see this prosperity continue.

The rainy day fund is approaching $300 million. That money is the state's safety net in an economic downturn or if an emergency befalls the state. If there is a decrease in revenues because of hard times, it helps avoid having to slash programs and use budget gimmicks to balance the books.

It will be very tempting to many new and returning legislators to spend this money. They will want to fund pet projects.

I urge the incoming Legislature and the Governor-elect to avoid giving in to temptation.

Governor-elect Mills has stated that she plans on expanding Medicaid on day one of her administration. I note two cautions. First, the state must have federal approval of the state plan amendment before expanding. Otherwise, the state is on the hook for 100 percent of the expansion costs--there won't be any 90/10 match.

Second, the state must find a sustainable way of paying the bill. I have suggested the hospital tax, which not only is how many states have funded it, but hospitals will be reimbursed for a large part of the cost of that tax by the federal government. This is sustainable in the long term, and it protects our general fund and the rainy day fund.

If Janet Mills succeeds as Governor, all of Maine will be successful. But part of that success will require that the incoming officials maintain the fiscal sanity I brought to Augusta.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Let Us Give Thanks for Our Abundance and Freedom

November 21, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

In 1981, in his first Thanksgiving proclamation as president, Ronald Reagan stated, "America has much for which to be thankful. The unequaled freedom enjoyed by our citizens has provided a harvest of plenty to this Nation throughout its history. In keeping with America's heritage, one day each year is set aside for giving thanks to God for all of His blessings."

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Today, as we did then, Mainers have much to be thankful for.

We are blessed to live in a beautiful state. The bounty of the sea and the great productivity of our farms provide an incredible variety of food. It not only sustains us, but attracts people from all over the world.

But it is important to remember that despite this incredible food environment and our growing prosperity, there are still people who need help.

That is why Ann and I held our eighth and last food drive earlier this month to assist our fellow Mainers who are food insecure.

Since we began the food drive in 2011, we have collected thousands of pounds of food for pantries and shelters across Maine. And again this year, Peter Vigue of Cianbro has donated 100 turkeys.

Each year, the Good Shepherd Food Bank takes the donations and distributes them to the communities they have identified as most in need.

Our family has been blessed, and we have appreciated this opportunity to give back in a meaningful way each year during my time in office.

It is heartwarming to see our neighbors, friends, co-workers, students and various groups like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts dropping off donations year after year. Giving back to your community is an important part of being a good citizen and a good neighbor.

Generosity comes in many different forms. It can be donations of food or clothes, money, or time.

I have seen people with very little make a point to donate their time or items they no longer use, telling me that there are others more in need. We honor their commitment to their communities.

That's what being a Mainer is truly all about.

This Thanksgiving, we are grateful for the generosity of the Maine people, the selfless sacrifice of our veterans and military families, and the freedom and abundance we all enjoy in this state and nation.

The First Lady and I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Budget Recommendations for Critical Investments Make Sense for Mainers

November 30, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Last week I sent Governor-elect Janet Mills my administration's recommended budget proposal. I called her attention to key measures I believe we must take to maintain the state's fiscal health, to drive economic growth and to be good stewards of the state's property.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

A new Governor has only a few weeks to craft a budget proposal. Our development of the next biennial budget should be useful to the Governor-elect and her team.

The state's cash pool has grown substantially since fiscal year 2012, from approximately $500 million to nearly $1.5 billion today. During that period, Other Special Revenue--typically generated by licensing and fees--has quadrupled to more than $400 million.

These balances are due to sound financial management and a strong economy. Now our state should put the money to work on behalf of all Mainers.

Our most important recommendations address the big-ticket items that drive most of state spending and currently create the structural gap.

First, we recommend introducing a hospital tax to pay for Medicaid expansion. Costing about $100 million annually, the Legislature has not yet identified a sustainable means to fund Medicaid expansion.

Since the hospitals stand to benefit by at least $100 million from expansion, and because the federal government will reimburse them part of the tax, these revenues would more than cover any new tax. The hospitals would still come out ahead.

I also recommended to Governor-elect Mills that Maine invest in broadband expansion using $75 million from Other Special Revenue accounts and following the State Broadband Expansion Plan. This investment will have a big payoff.

My next recommendation centers on the state's physical plant. When I took office in 2011, the state campus in Augusta was falling into disrepair.

Our Administration invested in revitalizing older, decaying buildings and constructing new ones. But more needs to be done. Our budget allocates $40 million to continue upgrading the Capitol Complex.

The plan would include demolishing an older parking garage near the State House and building a new parking garage near the Cultural Building.

The plan also calls for a new DHHS building built on the old garage's lot, completing the consolidation of the department's Augusta office for efficiency.

Last, the plan would make significant upgrades to the neglected Cultural Building, which houses the State's Museum, Library, and Archives.

This much-needed improvement of the state campus will make our Capitol Complex more functional, energy efficient and visitor friendly.

When I took office, state employees' pay had been curtailed. Our Administration restored regular pay raises, and these should continue. We can afford them if the next administration continues to drive efficiencies and maintain disciplined financial management.

Lastly, Maine is now well-positioned to make a major improvement to our pension system. We've crafted legislation that builds on the efforts of the State and Teacher Retirement Plan Working Group, directing them to include pension portability as a required component of its legislative proposal. MainePERS supports this meaningful reform.

I've also made recommendations for tax reform. We have record-breaking revenue surpluses. It would be wrong for the State to use these funds as a windfall to fund pet projects with no sustainability if--and when--the economy contracts.

My Administration is working collaboratively with the Governor-elect's transition team to ensure that the needs of Maine's people remain the number-one priority.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Our Revenue Surplus Should Be Returned to the People Through Tax Cuts

December 6, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

Over the next three years, the State is projected to collect more than $362 million than budgeted. Maine can--and should--return this money to the hardworking people who earned it.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Now that we have restored fiscal sanity to Augusta, we need to ensure that legislators and the new administration make wise choices that continue to drive prosperity for Maine people.

The Biennial Budget recommendation I have provided to Governor-elect Janet Mills does this in two critical ways. First, instead of using the budget surplus to fund Medicaid expansion, we included an increase to the hospital tax to provide sustainable funding for these ongoing costs.

The hospital tax is how the federal government envisioned states would pay for their share of the costs of Medicaid expansion. In Maine, we estimate this to be about $100 million per year.

Since expansion revenues to Maine hospitals are expected to well exceed $100 million, this hospital tax makes sense.

The second major recommendation in the budget is to cut taxes by an additional 20 percent. My administration has already lowered taxes by 20 percent for more than half a million Mainers.

Cutting taxes for Maine families has proven to be an excellent policy decision. Despite this cut, we are taking in record tax revenues. That's why I've recommended to Governor-elect Mills that she return surplus tax dollars to Maine families in the form of new income-tax reductions.

We are seeing higher revenue in almost every tax category--sales and use tax, individual income tax, and corporate income tax.

We must always remember that the revenue we receive in taxes is due to the hard work of Maine's people. That's why I'm advocating for accelerating the tax cuts contained in our budget proposal.

Those tax cuts would reduce Maine's income tax burden by another 20 percent. Our strong economic growth and rising wages reflect Maine's strong economy. Cutting state income taxes means the money you would have paid stays in your wallet.

Democrats stated they want to use surplus money to fully fund revenue sharing at 5 percent, rather than the 2 percent the towns have received for the past 6 years. There is no guarantee that your local government will cut your property taxes, never mind dollar-for-dollar if revenue sharing is increased.

The people of Maine and the municipal balance sheets would be better off if the state cut income taxes and allowed municipalities to collect property taxes or service fees from non-profits to supplement the local property taxes.

Everyone should contribute to the operation of local community governments. Eighteen billion dollars of property value has been taken off the tax rolls over the past 20 years. Hard-working Maine families have to pick up the tab, while wealthy land trusts with millions of dollars continue to take more property off the tax rolls.

My administration's budget recommendations offer a path to sustainable Medicaid expansion funding and strategic investments in needed improvements while cutting income taxes.

It can be done.

During my time as governor, our administration has brought stability to state finances and implemented pro-business, pro-growth policies across state government. The incoming administration is poised to assume a state government that is vastly improved--both structurally and financially--from the one I inherited.

Don't let them go on a spending spree with your money. There is no reason to roll back the tax cuts we put in place in my first term.

I'll be watching.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: George H.W. Bush Was 'Maine's President'

December 12, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

It was with great sadness that Ann and I learned about the passing of George H.W. Bush last week. He was a man who truly dedicated his life to his family and to his country.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

George Herbert Walker Bush served as the forty-first President of the United States from 1989 to 1993.

He was a New Englander, born in Massachusetts and growing up in Connecticut. He spent every summer at his family's home in Kennebunkport. Walker's Point was the Bush family retreat for more than a century, beginning with the President's father and mother, Prescott Bush and Dorothy Walker.

Although he moved to Texas to work in the oilfields, his heart stayed in Walker's Point.

President Bush and his wonderful wife Barbara, whom we also lost this year, were active members of the Kennebunkport community.

They put Maine on the international map, welcoming national and international leaders to Maine's coast for many years--as Vice President, President, and during the presidency of his son George W. Bush.

But they also participated in the events that make our small-town way of life so sought after: watching Memorial Day Parades, attending pancake breakfasts and community fundraisers, reading to children at the library, and going to church.

In July 2017, President Bush said Kennebunkport "has always been a part of my life--a place where our big, close family has always come together surrounded by good friends and wonderful townspeople. In that sense, Kennebunkport has been my anchor to windward through a full and challenging life. It has kept me grounded and focused on what is really important."

That is a wonderful compliment to the people of Kennebunkport and Maine.

The Bushes have given so much to our state. Their support of the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center in Portland is a high-profile example.

Having lost their own daughter Robin to leukemia when she was 3 years old, helping children live long and healthy lives was an obvious fit.

Their support of Maine's largest children's hospital has helped thousands of families facing one of life's most difficult challenges, the illness or injury of a child.

For 17 years, President Bush hosted a charity golf event to benefit Gary's House, a program of Mercy Hospital. Gary's House offers a "home away from home" to families whose loved ones are receiving medical treatment in Portland.

This annual George H.W. Bush Golf Classic has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, and brought celebrities, sports stars, and former presidents to Cape Arundel Golf Club.

Barbara's chosen charity as first lady was literacy, and she brought her support home to Maine. The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy has supported reading education initiatives across Maine.

My wife Ann was blessed to have the opportunity to join forces with Barbara to help spread a love of reading in Maine's children.

These are just a few examples of their kindness.

This year, the Maine people have shown an outpouring of respect and gratitude for President George H.W. Bush's great service to our nation.

They also remember him and Barbara as kind neighbors and good friends.

I urge all Mainers, especially our public figures, to strive to be the kind of people and leaders George and Barbara have been. They are the best role models we can have.

We thank the entire Bush family for their support of Maine, our people, and our worthy charities. Know that your parents will never be forgotten in our hearts.

Thank you for listening.

Radio Address: Thank You for Letting Me Serve as Your Governor

December 21, 2018

(Video)

This week's message is a video with closed captioning at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw6RjirKjcM&t=6s .

As we approach the winter holidays, we often look back and assess what we have accomplished and set goals for the coming year. We accomplished much during my administration, but there is more to be done.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As my time in office comes to a close, let me first thank my wife Ann for her service to the people of Maine as First Lady. You have made Maine proud, and our family is proud of you.

I also thank our children. I appreciate my family's willingness to share my time with the duties of being Governor. It's a difficult balance.

As a homeless kid living on the streets of Lewiston, I never imagined I would one day make it to the Blaine House.

I came into office saying I will put people before politics, and I have tried to do that. Politics as usual puts our most vulnerable Mainers at risk.

I shook things up in Augusta and got results.

I promised to pay off the hospital debt, and we did.

I promised to reform welfare and put more Mainers back to work, and we did.

I promised to restore the Rainy Day fund so programs don't have to be slashed when the economy slows down, and we did.

I promised to lower taxes, and we did.

We reduced the size of state government, but at the same time improved services and gave our state employees the benefits they deserve. We reversed furlough days and reinstated their merit raises.

Now all Mainers are experiencing strong, record-setting economic growth. We end 2018 with so many new records:

  • a record-high number of employers;
  • a record-high number of private-sector jobs;
  • record-high revenues for the state;
  • record-low unemployment; and
  • the fastest net-earnings growth in New England.

Our poverty rate has declined to the lowest it's been since 2005, and we have the fewest number of children in poverty in the past 17 years.

This summer, we made critical reforms in our child welfare system.

We've also made investments in fighting the opioid crisis and helping people get rehabilitated.

Maine's future is the brightest it has been in decades: there's more new businesses, more money in your paycheck, and better opportunities for our children.

And that's what it's all about: our children and the future of this great state.

In my Inaugural address, I made a pledge to the Maine people. I said I would:

"put you before politics: The parents trying to make a better life for their kids; The retirees trying to hold onto their homes on a fixed income; The college graduate trying to find a good-paying job; The entrepreneurs with the courage to take a chance on an idea; and The taxpayers tired of footing the bill for a bloated establishment in Augusta. It is time to make state government accountable. It is time to deliver value. It is time to put Mainers first."

Those were the promises I made, and those are the promises I've kept.

It has been the biggest privilege of my life to work on your behalf as your Governor.

I fought for you every day, and it has not been easy. But I would not have had it any other way.

Thank you for listening and Merry Christmas to all.

Radio Address: Medicaid Expansion Must Be Funded Responsibly

December 28, 2018

(MP3 Audio)

When I took office, MaineCare was running biennial budget deficits of more than $200 million, and our state owed the hospitals $750 million in Medicaid debt. I campaigned on paying the hospitals without raising taxes, and I did. It was one of our signature accomplishments.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

My administration has worked hard to bring our state's finances back from a sea of red ink and into the black. MaineCare is now on sustainable financial footing. It has not run a shortfall in years, and the hospitals have been repaid in full--this is a turnaround of nearly one billion dollars.

But our state continues to devote significant resources to healthcare and social services. DHHS funding accounts for 34 percent of General Fund spending, and MaineCare spending alone accounts for 23 percent of the General Fund. It has tripled as a percentage of the General Fund budget over 30 years.

Although our reforms have right-sized the MaineCare program, there are 85,000 more individuals in our state receiving Medicaid benefits today than there were in 2001. One-in-five Mainers is enrolled in MaineCare, and as of September, MaineCare enrollment is 48 percent greater than it was in 2001. But since 2001, Maine's population has grown by only 4 percent.

Now we are facing another Medicaid expansion. The people of Maine voted for it, and it needs to be implemented. But it should be done responsibly, and it should not plunge the state back into that sea of red ink. We have worked too hard to see Maine return to the days of annual shortfalls, voo-doo accounting and one-time budget gimmicks.

If our state were to fund Medicaid expansion using existing General Fund dollars, MaineCare's share of the General Fund would grow to 25 percent--or one-in-every-four tax dollars that Mainers send to Augusta. That would begin to cannibalize other General Fund priorities, just as during the last Medicaid expansion. Healthcare, social services and education expenditures already account for nearly 80 percent of General Fund expenditures. Taking more General Fund dollars for Medicaid means taking them away from other state agencies.

Medicaid expansion can be funded responsibly and without harm to the General Fund. It can be funded via the existing hospital tax. At a cost of nearly $100 million annually, the Legislature has not yet identified a sustainable means to fund this significant new expenditure. If legislators fail to identify another permanent funding source, tax dollars will be required to support expansion.

Tax dollars in the General Fund come from Maine's hard-working taxpayers. They should not have to foot the bill for another Medicaid expansion. Since the hospitals stand to benefit by at least $100 million from expansion, the new revenue they receive would more than cover any tax expense, and the hospitals would still come out ahead financially.

The federal government allows the tax as a reimbursable expense. Therefore, the federal government would reimburse at least 60 percent of the tax at current rates.

I will be leaving office in a few days. But I will be watching. My administration and my staff and so many good people in state government have worked much too hard for much too long to simply sit back and watch a new administration drive Maine's finances and its economy back into the ground.

I wish the new administration much success. But if they start up the financial shenanigans we saw in previous administrations, I will promise you this. I'll be back. Thank you for listening. Have a happy and healthy 2019.