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Republican leaders: bond package unlikely this year

By Kevin Miller, BDN Staff

Posted June 12, 2011, at 8:02 p.m.

AUGUSTA, Maine — One issue has been notably absent from all of the budget talk in Augusta in recent weeks: bonds.

For the first time in years, the Legislature will likely adjourn without approving a state borrowing package for road construction, bridge repair, sewer projects and all of the other infrastructure needs typically financed with voter-approved bonds.

Republican leaders say the lack of a bond package fulfills their pledge to focus on shrinking the state’s debt level as the economy continues to struggle. But others warn that even a one-year hiatus could have impacts on road repair and other infrastructure projects.

“It is just a dangerous situation to be in because we are doing far fewer miles of [road] surface reconstruction than we should be,” said Maria Fuentes with the Maine Better Transportation Association, an advocacy and lobbying group largely made up of construction contractors. “Once again, transportation really wasn’t a priority.”

Lawmakers typically wait until the end of the legislative session — after budget negotiations are complete — to decide on what size bond package to send to voters for approval.

Democrats and Republicans have sparred in recent years over whether to propose any additional general obligation bonds before reaching a compromise, often in the final hours of the legislative session.

During the 2010 legislative session, for instance, Democrats failed to pick up a single Republican vote for their original $85 million bond package. The two sides eventually settled on a $57.8 million package able to garner the two-thirds majority votes needed to send the issue to voters statewide.

But Republicans are in control of both chambers of the Legislature as well as the Blaine House this year. And although a number of bond proposals were introduced — including several by Republican lawmakers — they never even made it to the public hearing stage.

“I think it is likely that they will be carried over and dealt with during the second session,” said House Speaker Robert Nutting, R-Oakland, referring to the second year of the legislative session. Nutting said he was not aware of any pressing need to issue new bonds, adding “I’m not worried about holding it over until next year.”

In fact, Maine often has a backlog of bonds that were approved by voters but have yet to be issued or sold on the market.

Case in point: On June 2, Treasurer Bruce Poliquin’s office sold $108 million in general obligation bonds that had been approved by voters during several elections. The bonds will be used for various capital projects, including road construction and rail improvements, as well as research and development.

But general obligation bonds are also used for the popular Land for Maine’s Future program, which provides matching grants to preserve valuable forestlands, farms and working waterfronts. And Democrats point out that Maine enjoys strong marks from the credit rating agencies in large part because the state maintains a fairly low debt burden.

Rep. David Webster, a Freeport Democrat who serves on the budget-writing Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, said he and others on his side of the aisle are strongly in support of a bond package this year.

Bonds are important tool for the economy because they help support good-paying jobs in the construction sector while helping improve the condition of Maine’s roads, sewers, water supply systems and other infrastructure.

“It’s a lost opportunity for the people of Maine,” Webster said of the lack of a bond package.

In the area of transportation, Gov. Paul LePage included $20 million in General Fund support for transportation projects in his budget. But only $3 million of that made it through the budget negotiations.

Rep. Pat Flood, a Winthrop Republican who co-chairs the Appropriations Committee, put forward a proposal that could funnel more money toward both highway and water quality initiatives but not through the typical bonding route.

Under Flood’s proposal, which was incorporated into the budget compromise pending with lawmakers, the state would rebid or renegotiate Maine’s valuable wholesale liquor contract.

Flood’s proposal calls for dividing up those revenues — conservatively estimated at $20 million initially — among the General Fund, Maine’s Rainy Day fund, the state’s highway fund and drinking water programs. But that money would not kick in until 2014, leaving at least a one-year gap in bonds.

For his part, Flood said he is comfortable with the decision to forgo a bond package this year.

“If we can go one year without doing it, that would be good,” Flood said. “But that one year is going to be difficult for some people.”

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http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Q4AP5EYCYRCGZGIJGWI6TLIUEA Tom

Good! No new bonds…if work needs doing, put it in the regular budget!
jbmaine

Typical of the general public and their representatives. When the economy is in a bubble and interest rates are high, borrow. When the economy is flat and interest rates are the lowest in many decades, don’t borrow. The banks love it. The people lose.
http://twitter.com/z_gryphon Ben Hutchins

That really is surprising. I mean, history shows again and again how Nature points up the folly of men – I mean, that the Legislature and the good people of Maine like nothing better than to issue some bonds.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Regina-Hosebeast/100002095287763 Regina Hosebeast

Awesome. Roads are terrible indeed as they are every spring and it will be tough, but money saved is money earned. Our roads would be in much better shape if we had stopped accepting the lowest bid for the last 30 years and spent the extra money to build the roads right in the first place.
Anonymous

Republican leaders say the lack of a bond package fulfills their pledge to focus on shrinking the state’s debt level as the economy continues to struggle.

Brilliant Plan, stop spending on a decaying Infrastructure, when jobs are also much needed.

Reduce the Revenue by lowing taxes when we are in a Budget crissis!

Stop borrowing when Interest rates are Low!

This is what you get when you try to run a State Government like a Family Budget or Buisness, Insanity!

If you borrow money at low rates to fix the infrastructure while in a recession you create much needed jobs to prime the economic pump that will leed to a healthier economy that you can tax to pay for the roads and bridges that you are building . Now is not the time to shrink the debt, wait until the economy recovers and pay down the bills with the increased tax revenue that comes with a healthy economy!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_thrift
AionNV

Who needs jobs, safe roads and bridges, funds for education ?

Leadership we can count on.
Jazz11

Our Maine roads? Welcome to the Appalachia of the North.
Anonymous

Welcome to Maine. We’re “Open for Business!” (Just make sure to bring enough money for new tie-rods and ball joints)
This must be the Republican version of an Anti-Stimulus Bill. How many road construction jobs is this going to cost? Aren’t you Republicans just as proud as pie about your new Governor and his incompetent minions? How many jobs lost so far since he took office? 6000+?? How many created? 150?? Great job Republicans, keep giving us reasons to never, ever leave you in a position to run government. I’m so glad Mr. Flood is comfortable with the decision to forgo a bond package this year that will cost hundreds of jobs and prevent businesses from coming to Maine due to the lack of infrastructure. His comments just fill me with confidence, don’t they you?
Anonymous

Your comment is a non sequitur. And why is Nature capitalized? C’mon Ben, cogent comments please.
Anonymous

History shows that going into the Great Depression in the 1920′s the top tax rates were lowered to 25% and it wasn’t until these tax rates were raised that we started comming out of the depression. After WWII in 1945 the top tax rates were at 91% and stayed at at least 88% until 1963 when they were dropped to 70%. It was during this period of time that our country experienced it greatest prosperity.The top tax rates during the Republican hero’s administration ,Ronald Reagan,were at at least 50% and now they are down to 35% and people are paying less in taxes than they have in the last 60 years and what has been the result. The result is, because of enormous loss of revenues, we are losing the middle class again. I offer you a website to visit which is a time frame for coming into and coming out of the Great Depression. http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/Timeline.htm
Anonymous

And things were just so good under democratic rule. This will be a first Legislative session in many years where no new taxes were thought up to steal from the citizens of this state. We also did not see any more laws ‘to protect us from ourselves”. We also saw welfare overhauled so it will no longer be a life long entitlement. I will say one thing positive about you liberals and that is the sound of your whining has given me many hours of enjoyment! And about the bond packages, if you are broke you don’t borrow. I have yet to hear of anyone spending there way out of debt but I forgot that the democratic way is to just raise the debt limit and than dream up more taxes!
Anonymous

That concept is lost to most democrats!
Anonymous

If the results of a project last many years, then it is appropriate to fund them with bonds. Would you pay for a house out of one year’s budget or over 15 or 30 years? Questioning whether the project should be funded at all is a different matter. We do seem to use our roads quite a bit, and complain when they fall into disrepair.
Anonymous

wow, congratulations, this is good news.. Imagine trying to fit within your means, I do it why can’t the state.
Anonymous

We’re still going to get the bill. What happens when you drive on beat up roads? Your car gets beat up.
Anonymous

What “big business”?
http://twitter.com/TheHumbleFarmer Robert Karl Skoglund

A reader writes: “History shows that going into the Great Depression in the 1920′s the top tax rates were lowered to 25% and it wasn’t until these tax rates were raised that we started comming out of the depression. After WWII in 1945 the top tax rates were at 91% and stayed at at least 88% until 1963 when they were dropped to 70%. It was during this period of time that our country experienced it greatest prosperity.The top tax rates during the Republican hero’s administration ,Ronald Reagan,were at at least 50% and now they are down to 35% and people are paying less in taxes than they have in the last 60 years and what has been the result. The result is, because of enormous loss of revenues, we are losing the middle class again. I offer you a website to visit which is a time frame for coming into and coming out of the Great Depression. http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/Timelin... ”

Aren’t you always suspicious of these comparative economic/political timelines? By the same comparative timeline one could show the similarities between Germany starting January 30, 1933 and the USA starting January 20, 2001.

It is not comforting or even prudent to think of these things and one’s time is better spent railing against folks who lie to collect extra welfare.

The humble Farmer
Anonymous

Wow…finally a legislature that gets it! No new bond issues for our children and grandchildren to pay off over the course of 20 to 30 years. Perhaps our roads won’t be up to par in some parts of the state but slow down and live with what is until the economy improves, not what the Democrats have been trying to impose on us for years.
Anonymous

As the Great Depression coincided with a world wide depression. Any thoughts on why the rest of the world came out of the Depression before the United States did?
Anonymous

Who needs borrowing money we don’ t have to fund projects we can’t afford sticking future generations with the bills they didn’t accrue?
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SHNOU64ZBOBIKWUF5IM6WSH7WA entitled4life

We do a budget every year and nothing is dedicated to roads so we borrow to fulfill that duty except for this year. Thank you republicans for doing the absolute right thing – road repairs should come from the general fund. When enough entitlements are cut from the general fund budget, there will be plenty to fix the roads. After all, its all about priorities.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SHNOU64ZBOBIKWUF5IM6WSH7WA entitled4life

So you are basically saying that if we cannot afford to budget something important to you, borrow the money and do it anyway? Is this how you run your personal life, just get what you want and borrow whenever necessary? Unfortunately, that is the mindset of this country now, borrow borrow borrow. I learned that if you borrow something, you return it but not in today’s world. Borrow, who the hell knows or cares how it will get paid back.
Anonymous

A couple of years ago voters were asked and approved a state highway bond used in part to mow the side of the interstate. I’m not sure the politicians that made that move were thinking long term. If these people can’t be responsible with the money then better no bonds at all.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SHNOU64ZBOBIKWUF5IM6WSH7WA entitled4life

So I guess what you are saying is if we want out of this recession/depression, just raise taxes 15 or 20 percent? Maybe we should go back to 91%? I know that would make my life easier if I got to pay 91%. But if you use your head, for just a minute here’s the truth. The top tax rate for income tax is 35%. The top social security tax rate is 12.4% and medicare is 2.9%. Added together, the top tax rate in this country is 50.3%. I realize this isn’t the 91% that you want to get us out of this recession but 50.3% is a fairly significant tax, wouldn’t you agree?

Social security and medicare were non existent in the 91% days and insignificant in the 70% days. Not only that, the 70% rate never really applied to anyone because there was a maximum tax on personal service income (W-2 income) of 50%. So even if you were in the 70% bracket, this loophole allowed you to drop that top rate to 50%.

Your argument is old and has lost its luster. Adjust everything for inflation and tax rates are as high or higher than ever.
Anonymous

Cheesecake, not being snarky here, but could you provide some backup? I’ve been around the transportation business in Maine for a long time, and that would be an extremely unusual way to use bond money. Thanks, I’m curious.
Anonymous

With my new health care tax of $200+ a year, I beg to differ on the increase in taxes. Call it a fee if that makes you feel better, but it’s a tax to me.
I can’t help those like you that are indoctrinated and are not willing/able to think past next week. The big picture often escapes those with limited ability to understand the complexity of the needs of 1.4 million people. You’ll hopefully gain some understanding after the next election.
Anonymous

Does that mean you don’t fix your car when it needs repair?Everybody who drives a vehicle or uses water in this state pays for it.It’s what I expect to be done with my tax dollars.
Anonymous

Don’t forget this is an end run on breaking the unions as well.The construction jobs are mostly union jobs and R’s would rather starve working families and let the roads go to ##&
than do the right thing.LePage will not get a 2nd term,so why should he care?
Anonymous

Not to mention WS will take notice of our poor legislative decision making.Watch our bond rating drop due to poor management.
Anonymous

Gosh, Didn’t we just spend a trillion dollars in stimulus? Isn’t the federal budget deficit 1.5 trillion this year. That is $2.5 trillion dollars is that stimulus enough or did someone waste in on crony capitalism and paying off political allies?
Anonymous

Tell you what – go ahead and pay 91% and let the rest of us know how that works out. For a realistic depiction of the socialist underpinnings of the great depression, read “The Forgotten Man” by Amity Schlaes.
Anonymous

Tell you what – go ahead and pay 91% and let the rest of us know how that works out. For a realistic depiction of the socialist underpinnings of the great depression, read “The Forgotten Man” by Amity Schlaes.
Anonymous

Tell you what – go ahead and pay 91% and let the rest of us know how that works out. For a realistic depiction of the socialist underpinnings of the great depression, read “The Forgotten Man” by Amity Schlaes.
Anonymous

no new bonds. best news from augusta yet. the government is collecting plenty of our money, they just find stupid ways of spending it , or giving it away.
Anonymous

no new bonds. best news from augusta yet. the government is collecting plenty of our money, they just find stupid ways of spending it , or giving it away.
Anonymous

no new bonds. best news from augusta yet. the government is collecting plenty of our money, they just find stupid ways of spending it , or giving it away.
Anonymous

no new bonds. best news from augusta yet. the government is collecting plenty of our money, they just find stupid ways of spending it , or giving it away.
Anonymous

My memory I’m afraid. Report from the BDN or PPH about 5-6 years ago. I recall it had something to do do with moving money around.
Anonymous

Normal procedure is for the bond money to go to capital improvement projects. I’d be cautious about reports from the papers. I don’t believe they are trying to mislead, but the reporters sometimes get the technicalities bollixed up.
Anonymous

Normal procedure is for the bond money to go to capital improvement projects. I’d be cautious about reports from the papers. I don’t believe they are trying to mislead, but the reporters sometimes get the technicalities bollixed up.
Anonymous

I have yet to hear of anyone spending there way out of debt but I forgot that the democratic way is to just raise the debt limit and than dream up more taxes!

Healthy economies are the basis of revenues ! Healthy economies require spending.

http://www.cfeps.org/pubs/pn/pn0601.htm

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/the-paradox-of-thrift-for-real/
Anonymous

Use the over-charge toll money from the MTA, seems to be plenty to toss around from that account…Bonds just add more debt to us tax payers….Seems as if our new leaders are getting it right for a change.. If you cant pay for it, dont do it……Like every household in the State..
Anonymous

Hey, that $200+/year helps a lot of less-fortunate folks – you should be happy to pay it. I know I will be.
Anonymous

Yep, Krugman is to economics what Al Gore is to rapidly rising sea levels.
Anonymous

The Maine legislature needs to introduce a “Lay-Away” plan as was popular for retail businesses in the 50′s. Need a park, bike path, or another athletic field for the Maine Maritime Academy – plunk down a pre-payment of $10,000 a month for four years.. and then buy, build, and deploy with cash.
Anonymous

This is another step down the path to poverty for Maine. Bond financing is how government funding works and to think otherwise is foolish.

Suppose for example that the state established a “savings account” to put aside money for infrastructure projects. That would require taking tax payer money that would not be used when collected to build a balance needed to do the work. That sounds great, but in reality will never happen. The funds will be either be used for other spending, or more likely used as an excuse to cut taxes. The rationale would be that if the government has money it is not using that it belongs to the taxpayer and should be returned. When that happens, there will be no money to do anything and that will cause more unemployment which will further depress the economy.

The republicans think that this will return Maine to the good old days. They are dreaming.
Anonymous

Since you’ve segued to the national stage, that must mean you have absolutely no argument to support the asinine comments of Mr. Flood? Seems every time there should be a consensus of opinion, all you have to offer is to change the subject. And FYI, no one, absolutely no one, ran up the national debt as much as Georgie Jr. did. Now that Democrats are in the White House, all of a sudden it’s their fault and if they don’t clean it up they must have been responsible for it in the first place? Keeping the cards moving in that 3 card monte game is getting more and more difficult for you and the rest of the paid posters on these pages isn’t it. I think it’s called grasping at straws. Do you get paid by the word or the post from the Heritage Center?? Stay on subject if you’re going to post. This is about Maine and Maine’s issues.
Anonymous

Great! Then you won’t mind paying mine. Make the check out to cash please.
Anonymous

Good news. No bonds to vote against this year.
Anonymous

I understand.
Anonymous

I understand.
Anonymous

Listen jj. I was responding to michaela1947. Whats your issue?
Anonymous

They were because mowing is subcontracted which is a heck of a lot cheaper than having Maine State Employees doing it. Having that money spread out saves in the fiscal year. Same for plowing which is overseen by DOT but uses a lot of subcontractors. It saves money in the long term. Myopia regarding spending can be contagious but it can also be treated.
Anonymous

I never ever vote for a Bond… Things need to be paid for up front!!! People were lead to believe that thats the way it done… Paying interest only increases taxes… We need a project fund.. paying off 2 or 3 billion in bonds consumes tons of money from the general fund…. The Government doesn’t produce full time employment bonding they create debt… If we never bonded anything and saved for projects it would save the State a billion a year..
Anonymous

Like most intellectual economists Krugman was right once and has been living off his laurels ever sense. He has been down-right panicky in his columns recently because Obama has been ignoring his advice.
Anonymous

” Hoarding of the whealth ” is what is at an all time high. The 1% ? Taxem and Tax the daylights out of them! Spend the money on infrastructure to everyones benefit.

Republicans call them the Job Creators but what they are is the Economy Destroyers!
Anonymous

Some countries ,such as the United States, were hit much harder by the depression than others and during the recovery we were dragged into WWII. I don’t believe we we the last to recover ,not sure, but our recovery was slower than some.
Anonymous

You liberals never met a tax hike you didn’t like - as long as it’s on someone else. This fee (tax) on most of us helps the unfortunate and you should be clamoring to pay it.

I’ll send you one of those fake Quirk checks that will allow (only) you to save $2500 on your next new car purchase.
Anonymous

Do you get paid by the word or the post from the Heritage Center?? Stay on subject if you’re going to post. This is about Maine and Maine’s issues.

So is that true? Do you work for the Heritage Center or what?
Anonymous

My taxes to help the “unfortunate” haven’t decreased to make up the difference, so this is essentially a tax on a tax. Your logic is twisted. And I see you recognize a car dealer scam when you see one, so why can’t you recognize a LePage led insurance scam when you see one? Oh, and I buy my cars locally from a Dealer I’ve known since grade school. I save more than that $2,500 every time.
Anonymous

No bond ??? Means NO ROAD REPAIR… 1,000,000 GOP Potholes…..!!!!!!!
Anonymous

I recall the very last statement of my economics proffessor when asked why they even bother to teach economics if there are so many variables with unpredictable outcomes.

“Economics is an inexact Science. All one can hope is to understand how forces are interelated!”

The same goes for world enviromental issues!
Anonymous

My issue is with your constant attempts to deflect and defer from the subject at hand by repeating talking points that have no basis in fact, but sound good to the black and white crowd. Problem is, the world is gray, not black and white. Yours is a tired strategy that sways no one, validates only your like minded peers, and only serves to make any argument you have suspect. Especially in this case, and you know it.
Regardless if you are left/right, repub or dem, this article affects every Mainer negatively. Floods blase’ comments are going to cost a lot of people their livelihoods, at least until the next cycle when it will cost twice as much to do the same work on infrastructure because we are not keeping up with what needs to be repaired now.
Again, myopic thinking is sometimes contagious but it is treatable. Fortunately we will be able to excise the cyst that exists in Augusta next year, clean the wound, and start thinking towards the future of all people in Maine, not just a select few.
Anonymous

It came down to a choice between fix the roads or pay for union raises.
Guess where the money went.
Anonymous

It came down to a choice between fix the roads or pay for union raises.
Guess where the money went.
Anonymous

It came down to a choice between fix the roads or pay for union raises.
Guess where the money went.
Anonymous

Unfortunately, the average politician can’t tell the difference between a Balance Sheet and an Income Statement. Certainly Baldacci couldn’t. In fact, he couldn’t tell income in excess of expenses and a loss as per his decision to sell off the Wholesale Liquor Business, which generated money for the state each and every year, for a one-time infusion of cash… which he promptly dumped into the General Fund for Annual Expenditures. That foolishness was good for one, solitary year, and bad for the next twenty!

That is to say, if I have cash laying around the General Fund, “I can spend it” whether it’s mine to keep, or merely a loan from taxpayers that’ll need to be repaid.

While perhaps not he best decision, it’s rarely a bad decision to stop borrowing money that’ll have to be repaid down the road. We’re all not about to die from falling bridges and huge potholes as a result of this decision.
Anonymous

Unfortunately, the average politician can’t tell the difference between a Balance Sheet and an Income Statement. Certainly Baldacci couldn’t. In fact, he couldn’t tell income in excess of expenses and a loss as per his decision to sell off the Wholesale Liquor Business, which generated money for the state each and every year, for a one-time infusion of cash… which he promptly dumped into the General Fund for Annual Expenditures. That foolishness was good for one, solitary year, and bad for the next twenty!

That is to say, if I have cash laying around the General Fund, “I can spend it” whether it’s mine to keep, or merely a loan from taxpayers that’ll need to be repaid.

While perhaps not he best decision, it’s rarely a bad decision to stop borrowing money that’ll have to be repaid down the road. We’re all not about to die from falling bridges and huge potholes as a result of this decision.
Anonymous

Unfortunately, the average politician can’t tell the difference between a Balance Sheet and an Income Statement. Certainly Baldacci couldn’t. In fact, he couldn’t tell income in excess of expenses and a loss as per his decision to sell off the Wholesale Liquor Business, which generated money for the state each and every year, for a one-time infusion of cash… which he promptly dumped into the General Fund for Annual Expenditures. That foolishness was good for one, solitary year, and bad for the next twenty!

That is to say, if I have cash laying around the General Fund, “I can spend it” whether it’s mine to keep, or merely a loan from taxpayers that’ll need to be repaid.

While perhaps not he best decision, it’s rarely a bad decision to stop borrowing money that’ll have to be repaid down the road. We’re all not about to die from falling bridges and huge potholes as a result of this decision.
Anonymous

Unfortunately, the average politician can’t tell the difference between a Balance Sheet and an Income Statement. Certainly Baldacci couldn’t. In fact, he couldn’t tell income in excess of expenses and a loss as per his decision to sell off the Wholesale Liquor Business, which generated money for the state each and every year, for a one-time infusion of cash… which he promptly dumped into the General Fund for Annual Expenditures. That foolishness was good for one, solitary year, and bad for the next twenty!

That is to say, if I have cash laying around the General Fund, “I can spend it” whether it’s mine to keep, or merely a loan from taxpayers that’ll need to be repaid.

While perhaps not he best decision, it’s rarely a bad decision to stop borrowing money that’ll have to be repaid down the road. We’re all not about to die from falling bridges and huge potholes as a result of this decision.
Anonymous

And where did that stimulus go? Half of it was tax cuts and most of the rest was delivered to the states to help them pay their bills and keep firemen, policemen and teachers on the job. If you think a 9% unemployment rate is high, just imagine if all the states had to lay off all those workers.
Anonymous

That’s a good concept in principal, but will never happen and would not work anyway. Projects would get backlogged and cause all kinds of problems, particularly for any project related to economic development. No business would be willing to wait for years for infrastructrue improvements. They will not build and create jobs or will leave Maine.
Anonymous

Part of it was due to the spending cuts in the mid 30′s and by a stupid belief in the gold standard.
Anonymous

Part of it was due to the spending cuts in the mid 30′s and by a stupid belief in the gold standard.
Anonymous

I agree w/you about the one time payment scenario.Look up Chicago parking meters.They sold 75 YEARS worth of revenue to Goldman Sachs for a relatively small fee.Now commuters are paying double and then some in just the first five years of the deal.And a rainy day fund properly administered is a great thing.
Anonymous

Yeah! Germany Declared War on Everybody!

Or didn’t you notice?
Anonymous

Yeah! Germany Declared War on Everybody!

Or didn’t you notice?
Anonymous

If you think Democrat leadership is responsible for the deficits, then how do you explain Texas and its $16 billion deficit and the hardship it’s creating for their budget? And that’s in a state where the economy is booming!
Anonymous

They would like to return Maine to the good old days.Child labor rollbacks(defeated so far)
lack of health insurance,tax breaks for the rich,war on women,education funding slashed.
Anonymous

If we had NEVER bought on debt,and invested on infrastucture we would be driving on dirt roads with horse and buggies.

Just think if Buisness never invested with borrowed money, we would be still marveling over the steam engine!
Anonymous

If we had NEVER bought on debt,and invested on infrastucture we would be driving on dirt roads with horse and buggies.

Just think if Buisness never invested with borrowed money, we would be still marveling over the steam engine!
Anonymous

If we had NEVER bought on debt,and invested on infrastucture we would be driving on dirt roads with horse and buggies.

Just think if Buisness never invested with borrowed money, we would be still marveling over the steam engine!
AionNV

Don’t spend on maintaining infrastructure.

Don’t spend on education.

Watch business’s rush to Maine !

And put down the angry right wing fox news bottle, rants are not solutions.
AionNV

“future generations” ? Come on, at least be mildly rational. You can do it if you try !
AionNV

You’re barking up a dead tree.
Anonymous

Nope, business person with a lifetime experience like many I suppose.
JJ was upset because I responded to Michaela1947 post. His charges of changing the subject to national issues should therefore be aimed at michaela1947 otherwise it is simple rage.
Millicent

I guess that makes GWB a good democrat, since he raised the ceiling 7 times.
Anonymous

That’s right, but the joke will be on working people who support the republicans when their wages are cut and they try to maintain their current standard of living. They are voting their very lives out of existence.
Anonymous

Not really a surprise they would want to avoid this topic… addressing it means exposing campaign lies. Doesn’t matter if it’s Republicans or Democrats in charge or that they blame each other for all borrowing… the fact is they both do it equally. So no, I’m not even mildly surprised that they want to keep this one low key… they promised deficit reduction and that’s not possible when you’re creating debt.
Anonymous

No more Friggen Bonds…

One of the reasons I voted for LePage was his pledge to get rid of bonds…
Anonymous

True but nobody’s laughing except the Cato Institute,MHPC,Dick Armey and the Koches.I’m sure they never dreamed their scams would work this well.
Anonymous

Republicans promised us they would tax cut us right into economic growth and federal surpluses. Instead we got the worst economy since the 1930s.

I’m thinking they are just greedy antisocial freeloaders with a stunted sense of community who know little about how the economy works.
Anonymous

Is the topic healthcare now??? You do understand that a part of the increase in health insurance premiums over the last year is money to be used to put Obamacare in place. Right?? Do you object to that. ??? Or how about the tax on medical devices in that same bill?? Have a problem with black and white facts?

http://www.medicaldevices.org/issues/Health-Care-Reform%2C-Device-Tax
Anonymous

There is no such thing as simple rage Cheesy, that’s like saying accurate estimate, or a fine mess, or any other oxymoron. I haven’t been in a rage since my mother wouldn’t buy me that must have new banana bike in 1966. I get irritated with your attempts to offer diluted half truths and complete misinformation. There are those out there that will believe what you say and yes, that is irritating to me.
Anonymous

Over the past several years, there has been a bond issue to repair roads, and expand drinking water and the like. One year to just by pass it isn’t going to hurt anyone. If it gets to the point that the government can’t maintain the current roads it has then there is an underlying problem here. Again live within ones means.

With regard to me fixing my car, well, I just change my driving habits to fit the situation, driving 50 miles an hour over a pot hole that I know will cause a flat tire, well slow down.
Anonymous

:0) Didn’t mean to digress, that Milo cat got me going, my apologies.
Anonymous

GW Bush was a big spender. Medicare drugs, war as examples and I don’t know anyone who won’t say that his spending is part of the current problem. That does not mean Republicans shouldn’t use the issue (debt ceiling) as a lever for budget cuts elsewhere.
Anonymous

I am willing to bet that if you go through my posts I generally offer far more links and back up data than most.
Anonymous

I am willing to bet that if you go through my posts I generally offer far more links and back up data than most.
Anonymous

LOL All your posts?? I should live that long. You are funny sometimes.
Anonymous

I think it’s good that business invest with borrowing… You cannot compare, Look at all the money, wasted on land for Maines future, Them bonds didn’t do one thing for people of Maine.. All it did was incorporate the Green Party into Democrats… Lets use the Gas tax, sales tax on car sales and registrations for the roads.. Lets put a $5.00 a month tax on auto insurance for the roads… All that has to be done is save for one year, for the next years projects and we would never have to borrow again… Public works has a budget to maintain the roads…

Or I could have misunderstood you, and what you really mean’t to say was lets borrow like the federal government until we have to start borrowing just to pay down what we owe!!!!! Sort of like getting a cash advance on your credit card to pay the credit card Bill.. I see how that has worked so will with so many people!!!
Anonymous

I think it’s good that business invest with borrowing… You cannot compare, Look at all the money, wasted on land for Maines future, Them bonds didn’t do one thing for people of Maine.. All it did was incorporate the Green Party into Democrats… Lets use the Gas tax, sales tax on car sales and registrations for the roads.. Lets put a $5.00 a month tax on auto insurance for the roads… All that has to be done is save for one year, for the next years projects and we would never have to borrow again… Public works has a budget to maintain the roads…

Or I could have misunderstood you, and what you really mean’t to say was lets borrow like the federal government until we have to start borrowing just to pay down what we owe!!!!! Sort of like getting a cash advance on your credit card to pay the credit card Bill.. I see how that has worked so will with so many people!!!
525_44

road construction, bridge repair, sewer projects and all of the other infrastructure needs…
____________
It’s time to fix the roads and have a sound infrastructure in place to attract businesses not make it worse.
Anonymous

Tax-funded bonds do not “create” jobs. The Governor proposed $20 million from the General Fund to go towards Transportation…the final budget coming out of Appropriations pared that number down to $3 million.

Transportation/infrastructure is certainly going to be crucial to Maine’s future development. We really need to spend hundreds of millions on an East-West highway.

However, being that transportation is one of the actual priorities and responsibilities we should be prioritizing it in our budgets-not loans. It is too bad that our thinking has gotten to the point where we will fund so much else and then borrow for such a fundamental expense as transportation.
Anonymous

Tax-funded bonds do not “create” jobs. The Governor proposed $20 million from the General Fund to go towards Transportation…the final budget coming out of Appropriations pared that number down to $3 million.

Transportation/infrastructure is certainly going to be crucial to Maine’s future development. We really need to spend hundreds of millions on an East-West highway.

However, being that transportation is one of the actual priorities and responsibilities we should be prioritizing it in our budgets-not loans. It is too bad that our thinking has gotten to the point where we will fund so much else and then borrow for such a fundamental expense as transportation.
Anonymous

Absolutely correct! Infrastructure is one of the fundamental responsibilites of government. We have forgotten that in our society. Entitlements don’t come first.
Anonymous

True to form you are. Are we still staying on topic or are we all excused today? Just checking in.
Anonymous

True to form you are. Are we still staying on topic or are we all excused today? Just checking in.
Anonymous

True to form you are. Are we still staying on topic or are we all excused today? Just checking in.
Anonymous

I have come to expect your simplistic view of history. The reasons are much more complex than you believe.
Anonymous

I have come to expect your simplistic view of history. The reasons are much more complex than you believe.
Anonymous

Sure you did.
Anonymous

Sure you did.
Anonymous

Sure you did.
Anonymous

Neither are lies about not spending on education or infrastructure. Maine spends most of its money on welfare and seniors but some actually does get earmarked for education and roads, just not as much as should be because we are worried about that safety net. Go back to the left wing MSNBC news bottle and listen to the liberal rants.
Anonymous

Then it goes to show .. that maybe the projects were not all that important anyways, but more a question of forced impulse buying of promotional schemes hyped by connected insiders.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Edward-Lachowicz/100000535475609 Edward Lachowicz

Yes, FDR took some bad advice to try to balance the budget during the end of the depression, and started cutting taxes and attacking the deficit. We sunk back into depression in 1937 as a result.

Which is exactly why I’m so ticked at the GOP right now — FDR proved tax cuts are not economic stimulus. Knowing your history is important.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Edward-Lachowicz/100000535475609 Edward Lachowicz

Good spin, but actually, those people already had insurance before the GOP decided to shift them over to their own state-run plan that will enable the insurance companies to only keep healthy people on their rolls. LD 1333 is a giant check written out to Anthem, and you fell for it.
Anonymous

Did you pay for your house with cash or your car? How about your college education? No, you got a loan and paid them off with interest. Government works the same way as your own finances do, only on a larger scale. Basic economics.

States that don’t borrow to invest in their infrastructure or future are not going to attract ANY businesses. Bonds, like your own personal loans, are necessary. You just have to be smart about which ones are imperative and which ones can be postponed for consideration at a later date.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Edward-Lachowicz/100000535475609 Edward Lachowicz

The cost to repair roads rises exponentially without repairs, not the same amount each year. Delay now and the cost will be more than double later. Ask anyone who builds roads. Pick a conservative if you want. No bond package now means deeper pain later.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Edward-Lachowicz/100000535475609 Edward Lachowicz

Will help make the Dems make some money off their “Got Potholes? Vote Republican” stickers, that’s for sure. I guess in that way, not fixing the roads could be considered a stimulus package for the Maine Democratic Party…
Anonymous

This is a good explanation that only appeared in the biased media only after the bill was passed.

http://bangordailynews.com/2011/06/09/opinion/separating-fact-from-fiction-on-insurance-reform/
Anonymous

“It’s a lost opportunity.” Are you kidding me? This is great news! The State…THE PEOPLE…can’t afford to borrow anymore money! Finally, no bonds. I’ve been voting them down again and again and again. Time to live within our means.
Anonymous

“It’s a lost opportunity.” Are you kidding me? This is great news! The State…THE PEOPLE…can’t afford to borrow anymore money! Finally, no bonds. I’ve been voting them down again and again and again. Time to live within our means.
Anonymous

Well it really is all that simple, everytime the whealth gets disproportionatly distributed and the working class gets fed up with the corruption, all hell breaks loose. when the dust settles there is a new beginning. Sometimes good sometimes bad.

It happens over and over and over again, look what is going on in the middle east!

You can over anilysis the details in order to justify your position but the facts are that unregulated capitalism or fascisim leads to unequal whealth distribution which leads to revolution!

And when the spending comes back the prosperity comes back.

If only Free Market Capitalist realised that the biggest move to socialism is caused by the inequities of its own existance.
Anonymous

Well it really is all that simple, everytime the whealth gets disproportionatly distributed and the working class gets fed up with the corruption, all hell breaks loose. when the dust settles there is a new beginning. Sometimes good sometimes bad.

It happens over and over and over again, look what is going on in the middle east!

You can over anilysis the details in order to justify your position but the facts are that unregulated capitalism or fascisim leads to unequal whealth distribution which leads to revolution!

And when the spending comes back the prosperity comes back.

If only Free Market Capitalist realised that the biggest move to socialism is caused by the inequities of its own existance.
Anonymous

I beg to differ. Our current president, in his first 20 months in office, increased the country’s debt as much as our past president did in his entire 8 years in office. I’m not saying President Bush didn’t run up debt…we were in a war, it happens…and Congress was in a spending mood for everything (a Democratic Congress, I might add). But let’s not keep our heads in the sand…President Obama is spending more than his fair share and he had a Democratic Congress too!
Anonymous

I beg to differ. Our current president, in his first 20 months in office, increased the country’s debt as much as our past president did in his entire 8 years in office. I’m not saying President Bush didn’t run up debt…we were in a war, it happens…and Congress was in a spending mood for everything (a Democratic Congress, I might add). But let’s not keep our heads in the sand…President Obama is spending more than his fair share and he had a Democratic Congress too!
Anonymous

No thats not how it works, GWB is NOT a Democrat, the ceiling is really irrelevant other than something to hold hostage by the Republicans. They will threaten to drive the car off from the cliff in order to drive the Social Security off the cliff!

GWB spent like crazy and lowered taxes on the Whealthy and then the GOP could claim the Democrats caused the Budget Crisis that would require more Tax cuts for the Whealthy and the end of Social Security so that whealthy buisness owners wouldn’t have to pay in to Social Security for its Employees which is another Tax Break For The Whealthy!
Anonymous

No thats not how it works, GWB is NOT a Democrat, the ceiling is really irrelevant other than something to hold hostage by the Republicans. They will threaten to drive the car off from the cliff in order to drive the Social Security off the cliff!

GWB spent like crazy and lowered taxes on the Whealthy and then the GOP could claim the Democrats caused the Budget Crisis that would require more Tax cuts for the Whealthy and the end of Social Security so that whealthy buisness owners wouldn’t have to pay in to Social Security for its Employees which is another Tax Break For The Whealthy!
http://twitter.com/z_gryphon Ben Hutchins

OK, apparently after 16 ounces, your ability to recognize pop-culture references declines; good to know. :)
http://twitter.com/z_gryphon Ben Hutchins

OK, apparently after 16 ounces, your ability to recognize pop-culture references declines; good to know. :)
Anonymous

Beg all you want. Georgie raised the debt limit 7, that’s seven, times. And Dems were only in control of congress the last two years. The bulk of spending took place prior to that. If you would like I will find you all the links you need to make in informed decision. No one added more employees to the Federal roles than Georgie either, in all of history per capita including FDR.
Anonymous

I see you avoided commenting on the part about how much President Obama (I always refer to our presidents with respect, as opposed to you) and the Democratically controlled Congress ran up the debt. Interesting…and so typical. Avoid the truth, criticize what is in the past.
Anonymous

Yes, the debt ran up because he caved to Republicans and let the tax cuts extend. I have not forgotten or forgiven him for that, or for remaining in Gitmo, ramping up in Afghanistan or going into Libya. He’s been far too busy picking up the soap for Boehner and not spending enough time being the Democrat I helped elect. And please don’t equate 2 years out Dem control to 9 years of Republican control. The numbers do not favor the Republicans. That is the truth.
Anonymous

Pop culture is an oxymoron.
Anonymous

Democrats promised us they would tax us right into economic growth and federal surpluses. Instead, we have the worst economy since the Carter administration.

I’m thinking they are just greedy socialist freeloaders with a grandiose sense of social
justice who use the economy and the tax code for political gain.
Anonymous

Democrats promised us they would tax us right into economic growth and federal surpluses. Instead, we have the worst economy since the Carter administration.

I’m thinking they are just greedy socialist freeloaders with a grandiose sense of social
justice who use the economy and the tax code for political gain.
Anonymous

9 years of Republican control? Can’t quite figure that one out. Since 1945, Congress has been under Republican control for only 14 of those years. Democrats have had control of Congress for 44 of those same years! Out of those 44 years, 20 of them also included a Democratic president, but only 4 years for a Republican President and Congress. The remaining years Congress was a split. I would actually say the numbers don’t favor the Democrats, nor the Republicans. Neither party is showing me much. And this President can’t make up his mind on most things until he sees which way the wind is blowing.
Anonymous

Although shooting the proles would be the best solution, a flat tax on everyone from CEO’s to welfare recipients to ExxonMobil would wipe out the national debt and build plenty of infrastructure.
Anonymous

“Although shooting the proles would be the best solution,”

You need to get some help!
Anonymous

Don’t confuse jj with actual informtion. He will say that you are “repeating talking points that have no basis in fact.”
Anonymous

I am not sure where you got your tax cut information in 1937 information, taxes were raised. This is real good primer for those that want to know a little about that era.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-06/what-paul-krugman-misses-about-1937-redux-echoes.html
Anonymous

The states have too many “workers” (well except when it snows and they all stay home with pay). They should have been cut.
Anonymous

at town meeting this year we voted to raise money (through taxes) to fund road maintenence projects. we did not take out a loan to do this .
to argue that we all use loans to pay for large expenditures is foolish in we dont buy a house ever year.
the state should be doing the same thing, supporting the roads with existing tax dollars. a couple of years ago the dot developed a plan to maintain and expand the states infastructure. it determined that 60 million per year in loans was needed as a foundation for funding. shouldn’t they be spending this years taxes instead of constant loans?
Anonymous

do you buy a house every year?

basic economics.
Anonymous

if government was doing JUST what it should do the money would be used for its intended purpose. we need to reduce the things our government does. it should provide all things for everyone.
Anonymous

Does Maine only have one road or bridge to be repaired each year?
Anonymous

Bond money cannot be used for personal services – so I am pretty certain that it didn’t go to raises. Perhaps you have further insights.

These type of comments get laughs, but they don’t really inform people – they just reinforce (incorrect) ideas about how things are done.
Anonymous

Bond money cannot be used for personal services – so I am pretty certain that it didn’t go to raises. Perhaps you have further insights.

These type of comments get laughs, but they don’t really inform people – they just reinforce (incorrect) ideas about how things are done.
Anonymous

Bond money cannot be used for personal services – so I am pretty certain that it didn’t go to raises. Perhaps you have further insights.

These type of comments get laughs, but they don’t really inform people – they just reinforce (incorrect) ideas about how things are done.
Anonymous

Bond money cannot be used for personal services – so I am pretty certain that it didn’t go to raises. Perhaps you have further insights.

These type of comments get laughs, but they don’t really inform people – they just reinforce (incorrect) ideas about how things are done.
Anonymous

Bond money cannot be used for personal services – so I am pretty certain that it didn’t go to raises. Perhaps you have further insights.

These type of comments get laughs, but they don’t really inform people – they just reinforce (incorrect) ideas about how things are done.
Anonymous

Bond money cannot be used for personal services – so I am pretty certain that it didn’t go to raises. Perhaps you have further insights.

These type of comments get laughs, but they don’t really inform people – they just reinforce (incorrect) ideas about how things are done.
Anonymous

You suggest that we save for one year, and all will then be golden. Let’s keep the numbers simple. Say we spend $100 per year on capital improvements, and that $100 is enough to spend to keep us on the proper cycle.

Year 1, we save $100 and spend nothing.
Year 2, we spend the $100.
Year 3, we have nothing, so we have to save $100 for Year 4.

We now have done 1/3 what we should have done, because we have said the need was $100 per year, but we have only spent $100. Over time, we’ll improve to spending the $100 every other year, but due to deterioration, which does accelerate after a given point, our $100 will accomplish less and less. So in reality, we’ll probably be closer to the 1/3 mark after a few years.

In this example, we have really engaged in a form of deficit spending – we have let the value of our infrastructure drop by $200 so that we did not need to spend $100 each year. The additional deterioration is the “interest” we pay for this form of deficit spending.

The costs I am outlining are not accounting costs, as money doesn’t change hands, but they most certainly represent opportunity costs. This is basic economics.
Anonymous

Basic economics is if you borrow more than you take in every year for projects, than someday you won’t be able to pay it back.. Lets leave it for our Grandkids to worry about right??? ReMortage your house every year and see how long it takes before you can’t pay for it… and your example you put money in the fund every year for the next years projects, thats what we collect taxes for…
Anonymous

There is a road budget for the dot!!!
Anonymous

There is a road budget for the dot!!!
Anonymous

There is a road budget for the dot!!!
Anonymous

There is a road budget for the dot!!!
Anonymous

Oh, okay. Actual facts can do that to a person!
Anonymous

But we pay bonds back ahead of schedule. We retire bonds every year. One would only think we issue bonds, if one read the posts out here.

I agree that bonds should not be used to pay routine expenses, as that would be similar to paying for your groceries and light bills using a credit card and just running up the bill. But that is not what is done with highway bonds. They go to capital improvements, not for maintenance, and they are financed long term. And they get paid off.

Social Security is a pay-as-you go system. What kind of financial shape is it in? The Federal Highway Trust Fund is basically a pay-as-you-go system, and it is broke.
Anonymous

Yes, there is a road budget for MaineDOT, and normally, it includes some bonding to finance long term improvements.

I keep hearing, do it with just taxation. Fine. Let’s then raise the fuel tax to what would be needed to do it that way. I’ll go to the refrigerator and crack open a nice cold Coca Cola, while I wait for the hue and the outcry about how outrageous the gas tax is.

The gas tax basically allows a user to rent the highway for somewhere around $1 an hour, which is extremely reasonable (I challenge you to tell me what you can rent for that price), and yet most posters would think a fuel tax increase would be very unreasonable.

Methinks that we think we can have it for free……….
Anonymous

If the gas tax would go to fixing the roads I’m for raising it… Nobody knows what happend to all the road money over the last 16 years.. I think someone robbed Peter to Pay Paul…. or to buy land for not for Maines future.
Anonymous

If the gas tax would go to fixing the roads I’m for raising it… Nobody knows what happend to all the road money over the last 16 years.. I think someone robbed Peter to Pay Paul…. or to buy land for not for Maines future.
Anonymous

The Federal Government I’ll call it stole all the Social Security Money, Now they are borrowing from China to pay back a years balance on what they owe Social Security… They distroyed SS themselves. on both sides.. I just don’t want want the State of Maine to borrow where it is not needed… I remember back when Angus had a surplus the first years he was Governor, It was like 150 million.. equal to about 500.00 million today. There was a battle on both sides on how they could or should spend the money… They could not leave it alone. It got spent real quick on pet projects…. Go up to Eagle Lake and look at the roads, They’re great!!!
Anonymous

The Federal Government I’ll call it stole all the Social Security Money, Now they are borrowing from China to pay back a years balance on what they owe Social Security… They distroyed SS themselves. on both sides.. I just don’t want want the State of Maine to borrow where it is not needed… I remember back when Angus had a surplus the first years he was Governor, It was like 150 million.. equal to about 500.00 million today. There was a battle on both sides on how they could or should spend the money… They could not leave it alone. It got spent real quick on pet projects…. Go up to Eagle Lake and look at the roads, They’re great!!!
Anonymous

The Federal Government I’ll call it stole all the Social Security Money, Now they are borrowing from China to pay back a years balance on what they owe Social Security… They distroyed SS themselves. on both sides.. I just don’t want want the State of Maine to borrow where it is not needed… I remember back when Angus had a surplus the first years he was Governor, It was like 150 million.. equal to about 500.00 million today. There was a battle on both sides on how they could or should spend the money… They could not leave it alone. It got spent real quick on pet projects…. Go up to Eagle Lake and look at the roads, They’re great!!!
Anonymous

The Federal Government I’ll call it stole all the Social Security Money, Now they are borrowing from China to pay back a years balance on what they owe Social Security… They distroyed SS themselves. on both sides.. I just don’t want want the State of Maine to borrow where it is not needed… I remember back when Angus had a surplus the first years he was Governor, It was like 150 million.. equal to about 500.00 million today. There was a battle on both sides on how they could or should spend the money… They could not leave it alone. It got spent real quick on pet projects…. Go up to Eagle Lake and look at the roads, They’re great!!!
Anonymous

must not be any pet projects the dems want to fund through road bonds.If the bonds actually went to roads rather than bike paths and walkways we would have better roads.
Anonymous

if mowing is cheaper subcontracted then what about ditching and culverts.Why is our mdot renting excavators to do this work. While contractors are looking for work.
Anonymous

who was handling the purse strings? i do believe nancy had alot to do with spending.
Anonymous

Couple of years with lepage we may finally have those things in maine.Thirty years of entitlement spending is hard to break.
Anonymous

i do not go to the bank and borrow money to fix my car when i am unemployed and broke.Expecting someone else to pay it back.
Anonymous

Great question. Would each culvert and each ten miles of road to be ditched require a bidding process? Don’t know the answers but I like the question.
Anonymous

Great question. Would each culvert and each ten miles of road to be ditched require a bidding process? Don’t know the answers but I like the question.
Anonymous

Great question. Would each culvert and each ten miles of road to be ditched require a bidding process? Don’t know the answers but I like the question.
Anonymous

Great question. Would each culvert and each ten miles of road to be ditched require a bidding process? Don’t know the answers but I like the question.
Anonymous

Great question. Would each culvert and each ten miles of road to be ditched require a bidding process? Don’t know the answers but I like the question.
Anonymous

Great question. Would each culvert and each ten miles of road to be ditched require a bidding process? Don’t know the answers but I like the question.
Anonymous

Great question. Would each culvert and each ten miles of road to be ditched require a bidding process? Don’t know the answers but I like the question.
Anonymous

I give up. Uncle.
Anonymous

You pay into the Highway Fund when you fuel your vehicle. The money goes into the Highway Fund as dedicated revenue. There is a small portion that goes to the State Police, as part of their funding for enforcement and emergency response. Otherwise, it goes to the roads, for longer term improvements, not for short term stuff. And the bond monies are not used to pay salaries.

You seem to think that “no bonds” means that road repairs will come from the General Fund. That is not so. The revenues will come from the Highway Fund. On capital improvement projects, much of the money will come from the Federal Highway Trust Fund, which you also pay into when you buy motor fuels, with the State portion again coming from the State Highway Fund. Routine maintenance activities will be funded with monies from the State Highway Fund – not the General Fund.

Bonds are a legitimate way to fund a long term improvement. Businesses use bonding as appropriate.

We have equated “bond funding” with “living beyond our means”. Yes, it is possible to live beyond our means, but in this case, it is simply not true. The State of Maine routinely pays its bonds off ahead of schedule, and has an excellent rating. To read most of the posts out here, one would think that Maine only issues bonds, and never pays them back. It is simply not true.
Anonymous

i asked MDOT about cost and was told there was a big savings using DOT over subcontracting.I do not know how they can save money with contractors equipment sitting not registered,not paying taxes,not burning fuel.I also wonder if they are taking into consideration of production.Driving down I95 I noticed the DOT is now using trailer dumps.Is this what we want our DOT to be doing while contractors are searching for work?DOT i would think has enough to do with cleaning up from winters mess and preparing for next winter without being in the construction business.

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