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Efficiency Maine funds eyed by LePage if LIHEAP cut

By Eric Russell, BDN Staff

Posted Nov. 05, 2011, at 12:14 p.m.
Last modified Nov. 06, 2011, at 10:09 a.m.

Robert F. Bukaty | AP

Gov. Paul LePage

AUGUSTA, Maine — If Maine doesn’t receive its full allotment of federal heating assistance funds, Gov. Paul LePage said this week he would ask the Legislature to take from Efficiency Maine to bridge that gap.

At an event Thursday at Colby College in Waterville, LePage was asked how he planned to address expected cuts in Maine’s share of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds.

His response was to dip into Efficiency Maine, a quasi-state agency that is funded through electricity bill surcharges and various federal dollars. The group’s mission is to promote energy efficiency and offer incentives to home and business owners. Over the next two years, the agency is funded at $53.5 million

LePage said the cuts to LIHEAP could pose an immediate need whereas Efficiency Maine’s programs are largely long term, but he hoped that an alternative would not be necessary.

“The federal government needs to get its priorities straight. In Maine, we put our people first. The federal government needs to put Americans first,” he said. “Some of our most vulnerable, including our seniors, depend on LIHEAP funding to help keep them warm through the long winter season. This drastic reduction will put additional financial burdens on our local towns’ general assistance programs. Mainers just cannot afford to take on these added costs right now.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently notified MaineHousing, which distributes the state’s LIHEAP funds, that it should expect to receive $23 million to fulfill its progam obligations, down from $55.6 million last year.

According to MaineHousing, last year, approximately 64,000 households received LIHEAP assistance. Slightly more than half of the households included seniors or disabled persons. The average benefit was $804.

LePage joined MaineHousing Director Dale McCormick and all four members of Maine’s congressional delegation in opposing the cuts, but it’s not clear yet what Congress will do.

Rep. Jon Hinck of Portland, the lead Democrat of the Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, said he doesn’t think the Legislature should consider shifting Efficiency Maine funds and criticized the governor for suggesting it.

“I think he’s hostile to energy efficiency efforts for whatever reason,” Hinck said. “It doesn’t sound as good to him as a nuclear power plant or expanding natural gas. But efficiency creates savings that are cheaper than any other form of assistance. Why doesn’t he talk about that?”

A recent report conducted by the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, or NEEP, examined states that are leading and those that are lagging in capturing cost-effective energy efficiency to help meet energy demand.

While many Northeast states have been leaders in energy efficiency innovation, Maine is struggling in this area, in part because Maine legislators have failed to fully fund Efficiency Maine, according to the report.

“Efficiency Maine is doing some tremendous work in helping residential and business customers wring more out of their energy dollars, and this brings many positives to Maine as a whole,” said Natalie Hildt, manager of policy outreach at NEEP. “We hope this report will help more folks in Augusta and across Maine see what’s possible when everyone’s rowing in the same direction with regards to energy efficiency policy.”

Efficiency Maine has been under scrutiny by the state’s Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability, largely because it acted as the fiscal agent for the failed Maine Green Energy Alliance.

Maine Green Energy Alliance was awarded $3 million in federal grant funds for home energy audits and weatherization improvements but spent only about $500,000 before folding.

OPEGA determined this summer that the Maine Green Energy Alliance operated under weak oversight that likely led to questionable costs but the agency did not misuse funds.

Hinck said he’s just as concerned as the governor about LIHEAP but said that program has been in jeopardy before, which makes energy efficiency efforts all the more important.

“It’s a narrow view of the governor to take money from Efficiency Maine for emergency heating when we gave much more in tax cuts to people that are quite warm,” he said.

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Anonymous

It’s amazing that the Federal Government can send billions and billions of dollars to help foreign countries and yet turn their backs when that money could be put to good use right here at home! Ok, Mr. President, isn’t it time to help out the people who put you in office?
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Q4AP5EYCYRCGZGIJGWI6TLIUEA Tom

Will Granny have to take a drug test?
Anonymous

Efficiency Maine is a Democrat slush fund set up by Baldy and his cronies and should be scrapped in favor of the immediate need of our lower income seniors.
Anonymous

LePage is all for slashing and burning welfare programs, but now he seems to be chastising the
Feds for not giving enough welfare to Maine. It reeks of contradiction.
Anonymous

Hinck is against this, therefore he wants needy people in Maine to freeze, no other way to look at it. Just another attack on our Governor.
Anonymous

The Governor is right on this one.

It seems like this is going to be necessary or people will freeze this winter, or at least there would be plenty of illness and discomfort from the cold. I think the Governor is doing the right thing in this case. Just wish he would be more reluctant to cut other necessary humane programs and services.
Anonymous

This is unreal. Penguin is going to steal from a fund set up to promote the installation of energy efficient equipment, which will reduce our exposure to future energy problems, in order to resolve a short term energy problem? Maybe if this clown and his tea-drinking friends would think about generating some new revenue, by taxing the rich, then we wouldn’t be in this pickle. How in the world did we get stuck with such an incompetent governor?
TeaParty_aka_AmericanTaliban

File your complaints with the Tea Party controlled congress who threatened to destroy the US and world economy entirely unless programs like these were cut while also protecting the billionaires from having to pay taxes on the millions they earn through investments.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=5823658 Jared Sawyer

Random drug testing for LIHEAP recipients?
Anonymous

Yep, just like “eating your seed corn…”–forget about next year!

So many many homes are poorly insulated in Maine!

We could have jobs galore, and building suppliers could flourish too with some foresight.

But, not with this crew….
Anonymous

Today You Voted

While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies.
His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

“Welcome to heaven,” says St. Peter. “Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we’re not sure what to do with you.”

“No problem, just let me in,” says the senator.

“Well, I’d like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we’ll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.”

“Really, I’ve made up my mind. I want to be in heaven,” says the senator.

“I’m sorry, but we have our rules.”

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down.. down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.
They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.
Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises

The elevator goes up, up, up, and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.

“Now it’s time to visit heaven.”

So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

“Well, then, you’ve spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity.”

The senator reflects for a minute, then answers: “Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell.”

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and he’s in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage.

He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above…

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder.

“I don’t understand,” stammers the senator. “Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there’s just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?”

The devil looks at him, smiles and says …..

“Yesterday we were campaigning.”

“Today you voted.”
StillRelaxin

Yep, don’t blink or you’ll miss Mr. LePage telling the Feds that they can all go to the same place he stated he’d tell our President to go. Such contradictions are the signature of a man who is either “Winging it” on a moment to moment basis or is simply expressing thoughts supplied to him day by day by others. With Mr. LePage I suspect both are the case.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MWFPOA5XX4TUQDWSFMPMIAGTWY Carole

And even some who did not who did not vote for the current President. I think it is about time the government of the United States got back to basics on what is being spent.
Anonymous

Time to stop depending on government to heat your homes.
Working and making money seems to solve these problems.
Please line up the buses and get these deadbeats out of our state.
The libs have ruined it, at least the governor is fixing it.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Q4AP5EYCYRCGZGIJGWI6TLIUEA Tom

“Tea Party controlled congress”?

Out of 435 Representatives, it has 62 members.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Q4AP5EYCYRCGZGIJGWI6TLIUEA Tom

The original decision to slash LIHEAP emanated from the White House in February 2011 as part of the President’s budget.

That $500,000,000 he gambled (with our money) on Solyndra would have purchased 143,000,000 gallons of heating oil.
Anonymous

I appreciate what our governor has done to weed out welfare waste, and yet actually help those who are really in need.
Anonymous

I thought your ilk’s idea of “fixing” was “cutting until it hurts”. So, if he is giving them more money, shouldn’t you be angry that your favorite governor has given in to all those “deadbeats”?
Anonymous

BUT…….if you apply for any assistance, you have to have a drug test first.
Anonymous

where does the money for all this drug testing come from?
Anonymous

Aren’t you supposed to ask permission from the Tea Party higher command control before making such public statements? Your risking your party membership and will no longer be allowed to VOTE when you want. Or, even become such as Senator Snowe has, an embarassment to what’s “Truth, Justice…..and the Unamerican way!….up.up and awaaaay!”
Anonymous

Great story, I read the whole thing eagerly.
Anonymous

He is not looking to who made the cuts it was the republican party during the raising of the spending cap.. These cuts were made to reach a deal to raise the spending cap that the republicans took so much time dilly dallying around with for so long that it ruined our credit rating.. But oh yes it is the presidents fault and the democrats for making the cuts to try to save social security and military pays and pensions.. If left to the republicans we would not have social security the military would of been stranded there with no funding to get them home and we would of lost welfare amongst other things.. We should be glad that we ended up with what we have.. I for one will never vote republican again..
Anonymous

What has he done to weed out corporate welfare? That’s where the majority of revenue is wasted.
Anonymous

The President can only request funds. Only the congress can appropriate funds. On this one you might want to talk to Eric Cantor and Paul Ryan.
http://twitter.com/Shreknangst Bill Schreck

This has a warped logic to it, if we spend money to cut energy consumption — thereby extending American security by slowing depletion of oil & gas resources — but Congress feels it should punish Maine for bad weather and increases in energy costs due to their wasteful policies, it follows that the national priorities are not rational, and it is irrational for us to do our part when Congress is failing to do theirs… So we’ll underwrite fuel and compensate for the increases caused by Congress. Maine has a long history of adjusting for Federal Government incompetence … why should it stop now?

The key here is LePage statement: “the cuts to LIHEAP could pose an immediate need whereas Efficiency Maine’s programs are largely long term”
Anonymous

I can’t comment on corporate welfare waste, but our Governor has done a lot more good for the Katahdin region in less than one year than either Baldacci or Michaud have ever done.
Anonymous

I’m glad to read Governor LePage is making the well being of the poor his priority. I’m waiting to see if staunch Republicans will deem this use of the “Efficiency Maine” funds as socialism. They’ll soon scream the poor are getting yet another entitlement.
Anonymous

I agree with you , can’t let folks freeze this winter. You’ll also notice all the rage here about the Governor should of had programs to insulate all the homes, etc. Aren’t these the same homes that have never received any insulation? From one year to the next it’s LePage’s fault.
Anonymous

So many many homes were poorly insulated long before Paul LePage. Where was your outcry then!!!!!!!
Anonymous

You’re absolutly right. Let’s let them poor folks you’re always worried about freeze to death! And if you didn’t see the results from most of the previous installations of energy efficient equipment by Efficiency Maine, it cost much more than it saved!
kcjonez

It was our outcry then that established Efficiency Maine. There is no single way to save energy more cost efficient than insulation.
Anonymous

The Gov. don’t have to worry about this winter, ’cause Penguins never freeze!
Anonymous

Very true, but they spent most of the funding on solar panels, heat pumps, etc. that were poorly designed for our area or installed improperly to be cost saving.
Anonymous

The liberals will be blaming LePage long after he is out of office just as their favorite line is….’It’s All Bush’s Fault’, falling in line with their leader Obama.
Anonymous

He is no longer taking money from the Feds. That is what we stand for.
If some get hurt or go without, there are other states they can move to.
Anonymous

Eric Cantor and Paul Ryan….nuff said!
Anonymous

Oh my gosh….what are we coming to…..that is a very disturbing thought.
Anonymous

So let me get this straight. Most of the posters on here are in favor of letting and old lady freeze so that someone making 100 thousand dollars a year can get a rebate?
Anonymous

Really good one. Thanks for sharing that.
Anonymous

I applaud the governor for this. At least someone is doing something to keep people warm this winter. You know it saddens me that the Democrats are doing nothing about this.
Anonymous

Lies lies lies.
Anonymous

Well, its time for the Gov. to step up to the ”John Boehner Plate” and tell him to “Kiss his butt”!

“Republicans have refused to accept tax increases that Democrats insist must be enacted in exchange for cuts in entitlement programs such as Medicare, the health-care program for the elderly and disabled.”

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/11/04/bloomberg_articlesLU45NQ1A74E9.DTL#ixzz1cslzzblu
Anonymous

I’ll have you know that I DO work….full time. I also have NO health insurance….can’t afford it! I also cannot afford to heat my home……Not everyone who receives fuel assistance doesn’t work….a great many do! I make just enough to pay my rent, electricity, water and gas in my vehicle to get back and forth to work….and doctors bills and prescriptions if someone in my family gets sick…..and food. My parents, as a present to me, pay my internet service, so I can keep in touch with them by email. If the fuel assistance program has cuts, I don’t know how I am going to heat my home……I’m scared!
Anonymous

Most people cannot AFFORD to move! Maybe you should go talk to people who have a hard go of it. You might change your tune! Not everyone is looking for a handout……just some help! Maybe if the government stopped sending money to other countries, stop supporting worthless wars, and support their own, there would be more money to help those who really need and appreciate it!
Anonymous

Yeh right! I am 72 years old Bub. Last winter I DID apply for a bartending job, ( I’m experienced & good) but the 6’4″ YOUNG GUY got it! Or house painting….would YOU hire the old lady to paint your house? ( I’m experienced and good at THAT too……….) I am now carrying 2 gal cans of $4.00 a gallon diesel fuel from the gas station & pouring it into my heater tank to keep warm…………..until they get their act together in DC.
Anonymous

You are lynne-L-4 the other one is lynne-1-4. Would you like some cheese with your wine?
Anonymous

This is not lynne14. (see the difference in one of the digits. This unhinged ____ did this in the past.)
Anonymous

He has done it before. They have now blocked him.
Anonymous

Impersonate much?
Anonymous

I say that we make the Governor pay for his own Blaine House heat, and …why not grab some of the legislative salaries to defray some of the costs there as well. I bet the governor would be waddling his penguin butt up to Waterville every night. As he says, every body has to sacrifice…
poormaniac

I think you should get honest about Lepage , he is all for slashing and burning WELFARE ABUSERS, not the system. At least he’s looking for a way to help fund this program without raising taxes !
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NXPTPFL746OV2VGR5WBOEUF6W4 Roger

Ok let me get this straight 64 thousand people in Maine live in homes they can not afford to heat? Maybe people need to get homes they can afford to heat? If you buy a car and can not afford gas to get to work you sell that car and get a better one maybe car pool maybe ride a bike but you do not say hey that person makes more money then I do take 60 bucks a week from them and give it to me for gas do you? Though I bet there are people out there who think that is the way it should be. Why is it every time someone makes a bad decision ie committing to something they can not afford they want to take money from someone who does pay there own way to fix there mistake?

At what point do we ENOUGH! You broke it you fix it..

For those who will undoubtedly say but this is just to help them I say how many folks got this FREE ( IE paid for by those who earned enough to pay there own way in life instead of mooching off others) last year and the year before? This along with all the other welfare programs do not help they create a dependence. All welfare should be banned. If you want something EARN it.
Anonymous

Jeez,…..I read that the Millinocket area is pretty hard up. Hope that none of the folks up there need any help, I know that you won’t offer any.
poormaniac

Judging by Obama’s latest ratings , Lepage is not the only one telling him to go to he……
poormaniac

I think it’s cute…..
Anonymous

We will get through this……one way or another.
poormaniac

I for one voted for him and would again. By the way , are you willing to give up your fuel assistance ?
Anonymous

Silly…..it comes from the savings on welfare cuts. You know, those folks that are going to need help, oh crap, hang on…..the governor has to speak at another business council function so as to discuss how terrible people are that ask for help. And ridicule those towns that don’t kiss their $sses!
Anonymous

Well, he has been blocked so it shows you for the sad lil individual you are to think something like that is “cute.” Oh and btw…..I would not waste my time directing any posts to me in the future as they will not be answered.
poormaniac

From the savings the welfare system will realize. That’s a simple one !
Anonymous

It has started up again. Recall in the past (the same thing, at least twice.) The same multiple. The BDN has blocked the lastest incarnation and will remove his comments tomorrow or soon. What a disturbed person he must be. (many times on the other thread.)
poormaniac

Meanwhile , Exxon-Mobile posted a recent quarterly profit of over $10 Billion dollars. Support the protestors. Occupy something !
Anonymous

Yep,….and I’m sure that LePage’s ratings are based upon the real numbers. And besides, Obama doesn’t run Maine…..what’s his ratings have to do with LePage’s, in fact it’s Obama’s administration that cut the funds, now LePage needs to scramble and try to use funds designed for heat conservation, not human preservation.
Anonymous

I hope so. I have already applied for fuel assistance. It takes about a month to have your application processed, but no money has been been released yet…….a friend of mine applied in September and she called the other day to inquire about the status of her application, and she was told that the government is holding onto the money til they feel it’s time to release it!! If we lived in a third world country, the money would have been released before the ink was dry on the agreement!
Anonymous

A wolf in sheep’s clothes. Must want others to think he/she can emulate your capacity to think.

Cheers my colleague~~
StillRelaxin

Ha! Judging from his competition, I’d say the GOP/Tea Party can do little more than run up a white flag right now.

Cain appears to be a Clinton wannabe. Newt is on what, his third (Apparently a hard man to live with) wife? Mitt provided President Obama the blueprint for National Health Care and conservatives are too conservative to consider his religion a religion. Ricky is a complete goofball who is a lot like Bush, only dumber. And lets face it Michelle is just plain nuts.

Have you got someone else hiding under that white….flag?
Anonymous

Thanks. He is a deranged……well, you know. And the posters who gave him “likes” (and I know who they are; over time, it is easy to pick up on) are also very low individuals.

Peace, and good wishes.
Anonymous

I WORK!! INCOME GUIDELINES DICTATE THAT I QUALIFY FOR FUEL ASSISTANCE! People need to stop ASSUMING that everyone who receives fuel assistance is on welfare…..hey, tell ya what…..can I have, oh…..I don’t know……$1,000 to heat my home this winter??……I have rent, electricity, water, clothes and food to buy……and if someone in my household gets sick, I need to pay for the doctors visit and meds……and gas to go back and forth to work. The government is to blame for all this atrocity that’s going on……no jobs, low minimum wages, pumping money into drug programs, cutting from schools, high gas prices……and the list is endless…..
Anonymous

If you don’t like it vote for the democrats and their handouts. As of now the republicans are in control and we will be for the foreseeable future and we have had enough taxing.
Anonymous

You seem to have enough money to converse on this site.
If it is between a computer, internet, or heat, we can all see what you choose. Sometimes people just need to close down rooms and put on an extra jacket.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_G7TM2WWUSPPTO2SNDBEXTLHSRQ Confucius

You obviously have not been looking at the polls. There was even an article today in USA Today explaining why it does not matter whom Obama faces, it will be a tight race. Don’t burry your head in the sand.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_G7TM2WWUSPPTO2SNDBEXTLHSRQ Confucius

Go cry somewhere else
Anonymous

Then YOU move!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NXPTPFL746OV2VGR5WBOEUF6W4 Roger

” FUEL ASSISTANCE” is welfare!!

If your job does not pay you the money you need then YOU need to get a better job. There are plenty of jobs in Maine. If one is not enough then you get two and if that is not enough you get three. I myself worked three jobs while I was starting out I works at a hotel restaurant during the day I worked driving a tow truck at night and I worked as a security guard on the weekends I did this for 3 years in order to pay all my bills and save enough money to start my own business. I have NEVER taken a dime. I do not even claim the discount as a home owner in Maine.

If people are happy not willing to work for what they get that’s fine but accept it is your own fault and there is nobody else to blame. The big part I dislike is those of us who work very hard to get what we have are punished by much higher tax rates to pay for those who do not. Why do those that work the hardest get punished by “fines” while those to lazy to either get the better job or the extra job or even go to school and get the education so they can make more?

At some point the people that do work hard and are taxed to hell for it are going to say screw it and give up. When there are more people getting gov checks then paying into the system then what?

Personally I could not look my wife or daughter in the face if I was unable to provide for them. I was raised with a work ethic and the adage if you want something EARN IT!!
Anonymous

Oh yes, I just did the calculations , at $3.75 per gallon………..If I give up my internet connection with Fairpoint ( @ $20.00 per month) I will have saved enough money to meet my oilman’s minimum delivery quota by Sept. 2012! ( My computer was a gift from a friend, didn’t cost a penny).
I advise you to revise your thinking process, because it is so antiquated, it is what has to go in this CHANGE OR DIE, society we find ourselves in. You have had your day for the past 30 or more years, time to step off the stage!
Anonymous

Compassion/empathy………………where are they? You have yours; good for you. YOU are the reason 25% of our high school kids are hungry! Have you mentored a kid? Have you given ANYTHING to anybody recently? How lonely you must be.
Anonymous

That’s disingenuous to a ridiculous extreme. LePage is all for press that makes you guys lather up. He’s against making the monied pay their equivalent in taxes to us working stiffs. He’s for slashing programs that keep families together and children in school. The mental midgets just have a slanted view of reality, and everyone collecting any from of welfare is a bum. Good grief.
Anonymous

“Occupy something !”

How about a ballot booth and vote for someone that will do something about it rather then voting the party line that so many “loyal” Democrats and Republicans do.
Anonymous

You made your bed and must lay in it.
Don’t look for your neighbor to make up for your life mistakes.
Republicans have worked hard for their money and the dems want handouts. Pretty much cut and dry.
Anonymous

You ARE closed minded!
Have you worked 24/7 hard physical labor? I HAVE for the past 37 years…………………….I am NOT SEEKING $ from my neighbors they have BEEN SCREWED TOO.
I am looking for money from the oil companies, weapos companies, Raythin, Blackwater, the Walmarts, AIG’s BOA Wells Fargo etc etc, ………..Koch Bros Neil Bush with Silverado heist, Scuzzy Newtie Gaigrich, Grover Norquist, Rev SUN YUnG MOON, Richard MELLON SCAIF……….If YOU are still standing now, you WON’T BE SOON unless you educate yourself and blame the guilty parties, and join in the effort to unseat them!!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NXPTPFL746OV2VGR5WBOEUF6W4 Roger

I agree occupy a JOB and quit whining your not getting enough welfare and the rich are not taxed enough to pay for all you want. Occupy yourself a job full time and either a second job if needed of a classroom to learn what you need to know to get a better job that pays more money. That way you can become successful and pay super high tax rates for those who can not be bother to work or educate themselves.
Sidney Bob

LePage is simply proposing a tried and true Republican solution. Steal from tomorrow to provide for today. Efficiency Maine lessens heating costs by insulating homes…. pay once and receive continuing rewards. LePage wants to give money now and it (literally) goes up in smoke. No different than two Bush wars that were never paid for, tax cuts with no corresponding spending cuts… Why would anyone be surprised at this response?
Anonymous

I think this is a great idea. Wasn’t the Democratic party behind some slush fund with state energy efficiency a bit ago?
poormaniac

Who says you have to answer any posts ?
AionNV

Yup. Pretty sad. Good for the energy sales business, though !
AionNV

What does this have to do with THAT issue ?
poormaniac

$20.00 a month will buy about 4 gallons of oil. That should be enough to heat your home for at least a week maybe more. It is one way you can save and the local libraries offer internet for free.
AionNV

Are you ?
AionNV

Are you kidding me ? Maine gets 1.40 + back for every 1.00 paid to the fed, delusional much ?
AionNV

Generalize much ? Lie much ? Troll much ?
poormaniac

I was self employed for close to 40 years ,worked 50-60 hours a week, had a good retirement invested and saw it eaten up by wall street bonuses. I am now living on ssi and it’s not fun. I’ll back those protestors any day.
AionNV

With a net of zero.
AionNV

People are still waiting for the jobs the repubs said they’d create.
poormaniac

Show me a leader ! By the way I’ve never voted straight party lines. I’m starting to think that both the Dem’s and the Rep’s don’t have a candidate worth the trip to the polls. The US is in sad shape.
AionNV

Plenty of jobs, hahahahahaha
Anonymous

I liked Lynnel4 better.
Anonymous

Plenty of jobs???? Then why are there so many people on unemployment?

And you’re chastising me for even having a job and supporting my family? It’s not like I’m a druggie, leeching off the system! You can kiss my patutie!
Anonymous

Right on!!!! My favorite post of the day!!
Anonymous

YOU call my dealer and ask him to deliver 20 gallons of oil. HIS LIMIT is 60 gallons…………Ask yourself WHY fuel costs almost $4.00 a gallon and WHO is profiting from it. THAT IS THE ISSUE!
Sorry the local library isn’t open in the evening, or weekends, it isn’t compatable with my Macintosh computer, it DOESN”T HAVE Graphic design software CAN”T DO WHAT I NEED TO DO THERE. ….INTERNET IS MY WORK, even if it isn’t bringing in a profit, I am grooming potential buyers around the world………………….. should I just give up & not try??? Then I WILL be that welfare MOMA that local short thinkers resent so much. Lying around home on the take!
Anonymous

Thank you………….
Anonymous

“what you need to know to get a better job that pays more money”. Yes like all those PHD
‘s who are unemployeed these days!
Anonymous

It is time to give up this republican/ democrat thing…………BIG MONEY MEN are buying both parties! GET IT?
Anonymous

LOL…and that extra $0.40 comes from where? Oh yeah, we borrow it from kind-hearted, freedom loving folks like the Chinese…talk about delusional! Becoming more independent as a state and not looking to the Feds to bail us out at every turn will prevent situations such as these, where the feds say, “well, we can’t afford to fund that this year…so too bad”. Dependence on the federal government for funding is less compassionate and more destructive to the poor and destitute than becoming independent as a state and working to prevent these situations in the future. Your argument is irrational and simply foolish.
Anonymous

if you actually want government money to stop flowing overseas, vote Ron Paul, as he is literally the ONLY one who will make changes to bring the troops home…ALL of them…and stop providing foreign aid. The republican and democrat establishments have zero plans to effectuate such changes.
Anonymous

I totally agree, but these people most certainly don’t have to move, they need to lean on their governor to continue pushing back against the feds and moving toward a system where the state supports itself in these matters without reliance on the feds. The governor’s idea to utilize efficiency maine funds in place of LIHEAP is a step in the right direction toward a more independent Maine.
Anonymous

“The federal government needs to get its priorities straight. In Maine, we put our people first. ”

When has our illustrious Governor ever done this? It seems to me that he puts people last and business first.
Anonymous

Ok, what did Baldacci or Michaud do to restart the mills, or what did either do to stimulate small business development?
The answer to both is not a thing!
Anonymous

Actually, I do help those in need
Do you help out in your community?
Anonymous

Yes, vote for Ron Paul and stop shopping at WalMart. We are into the Chinese for over a trillion now and every time you walk out of WalMart with another bag full of cheap Chinese crap our debt goes up a little more. We are selling our souls to the Chinese to benefit the top 1% and no one else.
Anonymous

This is what you voted for. Cause and effect folks! You wanted social programs cut. Here you go. Grandma freezes. This tea party is over and the ignorant can go back to their little delusional small short sighted lives and please take the governor with you.

Let’s not forget to cut taxes more on the 1% who have your savings, mortgage, pension, 401K and they are headed for your kids and grand kids education.
Anonymous

If Lepage’s friends in the GOP recinded the Bush tax cuts, there would be money for LIHEAP
Anonymous

The hope and change administration cuts the funds to a state, and the governer of that state makes an attempt to care for those affected. How strange that a governer would not just sit back and say “oh well”.
Interesting how when he does his job, he still gets bashed by the lefties.
Anonymous

Exactly like all the shovel ready jobs the hope and change guy is still talking about.
Anonymous

Sage advice Roger. But you are a little misguided when you say occupy A job. One would need to occupy several minimum wage jobs ( all there are available in Maine at the moment) if you want to be able to support yourself. Education can be a solution, but there are many people in this state with college educations who are “occupying” minimum wage jobs too. We really need to fix things from the ground up and get the wages back into this century so people who go to work everyday can afford to pay for their own oil to stay warm. Their employers can keep them warm or we can, the choice is ours. We need to stop subsidizing these corporations by allowing them to pay cooley wages and foist the needs of their employees on the tax payers while they stack up billions. Believe me, I am not advocating the “Robin Hood” approach, but I work for a living and pay taxes, just like most Mainers do, and I am getting a little sick of carrying people who go to work everyday because their greedy employers won’t. The governor is intent on making political hay out of the 5% of people in this state that may or may not be abusing the system. They are a much easier target than the real abusers, big corporate America. We are the only industrialized nation in the world that allows this to happen Roger, it is time for a change. Not the kind of change Obama is talking about or the Republicans either, but a real change that will benefit the average American, for a change.
Anonymous

In Maine everyone who makes over $20,000 in taxable income pays the same rate, so your claim that he’s against making the monied pay their equivalent in taxes is ridiculous.
pbmann

Obama only loses to a generic Republican 48% to 46% but only Rommy has a chance to win when the Republican is named in the poll. I am not sure Romney will be the Republican nominee because he belongs to, in the words of Christian Fundamentalists, “a cult”.
Anonymous

Instead of insulating homes, the failed Baldacci regime was more concerned with providing a plush landing pad for failed Democrat politicians to get hack jobs living off the taxpayers. Time to shut down one more slimy, corrupt failed legacy of the failed Baldacci administration.

Like this failed Democrat hack that we’re still paying to waste tax money…

http://bangordailynews.com/2010/12/21/news/stateinstalled-energy-systems-fail-to-pay-way/

“Only two of the 10 solar installations had an SIR of one or better.
Five had less than one and two others could not be measured because the
proper data were not collected by the vendors.

In half of the households, energy use increased while the panels were in use.

“The quality of many of the solar hot water installations did not meet industry standards,” the report states.”
Anonymous

Maybe Loopy could drug test needy applicants to weed out chizzlers and weak sisters who are afraid of a little cold? They could be the control group in Loopy’s social engineering project. We will wait to see if they make it through the winter!
Anonymous

And for 38 years Maine was controlled by Democrats. The veneer covering 38 years of Dem rule is slowly being stripped away and the slime underneath it is disgusting. Shut down these incompetent, bloated, hack agencies and start building a government that is concerned with bettering the state of Maine and not with providing hack jobs for unqualified political hacks.
Anonymous

Hey I agree, if something is not working stop doing it–but do not throw out the baby –well insulated Maine homes–with the dirty bathwater!

And: I am not a DEM, never voted for the Bald one…
Anonymous

LaPage has a clear and emphatic record on stating that he does not want federal money.

So now the pigeons have come home to roost.

LaPage didn’t want assistance from the Feds,

and now many Mainers will go without this winter.

What are you complaining for Governor,

isn’t this what you wanted?
Anonymous

Thank the last 8 years of the failed Baldacci regime whose vision for Maine was to find a way to leverage every dollar possible from the federal government so they could continue to fund Maine’s bloated government class while doing everything in their power to drive business out of Maine. How’s that creative economy and quality of place working out for Maine?

Maybe we can get Baldacci to provide the poor Mainer’s who won’t have enough oil this winter to give them each a big steaming pile of quality of place.
Anonymous

exactly, I thought the object was to save some money here. Drug testing costs between 60 & 80 dollars per person and we’re going to start testing roughly 10% of Maine, And that’s if this is even constitutional. Idon’t think its practicle and I certainly don’t think it’s going to save the state any money.
Anonymous

If all of you whiners on here had not listened to the stupid leftist policies that prevented Maine from utilizing even 5% of our potential hydroelectric resources we would be a more prosperous state. Using clean, reliable, cheap hydro would be like giving a tax free check for $20-30 a month to every household in Maine. Instead we have the failed Baldacci administrations gift of unreliable, expensive wind power to look forward to. And unlike wind, the hydro would be developed with private investment. The savings from hydro power would have freed up the funds for each Maine household to buy nearly 100 gallons of oil.
Anonymous

There you go LePage, just steal from one government agency to pay the other government agency. No Frozen Mainers. Maybe you can drug test the applicants too, eliminate them from getting free Federal Heat.
Anonymous

Maybe 64,000 Mainers should move to a warm Southern State if they can’t afford to heat their homes in a cold climate state like Maine.
Anonymous

You and your right wing friends wanted government spending cut.

This is the result.

Why don’t you accept responsibility instead of cowardly blaming others?
Anonymous

Sure Roger…

Why don’t the 14 million Americans who are unemployed just go get a job?

Of Course!

I mean what’s wrong with all those people
for not thinking of that themselves!

Thanks for solving that problem Roger.

Hey everyone, Roger says just go get a job!

Problem solved!
TeaParty_aka_AmericanTaliban

Those members refuse to cooperate with the rest of the GOP members, so the others cater to them.
Anonymous

“LePage said the cuts to LIHEAP could pose an immediate need whereas Efficiency Maine’s programs are largely long term,”

That’s a problem though. I wouldn’t consider this a punishment for thinking long-term, but it isn’t exactly promoting it either. We should be encouraging foresight and discouraging these quick fix “common sense” solutions. Our problems aren’t simple — we need good ideas, not money shuffling.
Anonymous

Why don’t you occupy a book? You obviously are the one who is uneducated. There are 5 job applicants for every job opening. 1/3 of all those unemployed have been searching for a job for over a year.

Taxes will never go down without a strong middle class. Keep fighting for cuts for the rich and see what happens. It doesn’t trickle down, it just concentrates the wealth.
Anonymous

No, like the jobs the Republicans said they’d create, but instead quickly went to working on fireworks and whoopie pies.
Anonymous

If fuel assistance is welfare, than I’d say getting unfunded tax cuts, credits and loopholes also constitutes welfare.

There are 14 million unemployed. 5 for every job opening. There are not plenty of jobs. Want to live in dreamland? Fine, but don’t spread your misinformation.
Anonymous

Ew, you’re a disgusting person.
Anonymous

“you and your right wing friends “wanted government cut’”.

why is it that the left cant understand the idea that our government is way too big, and totally out of control. and that “tea baggers” and ” righties” are trying to cut back on the government machine. i relize that its easy to blame rebublicans for these cuts, but these are not the cuts that anyone expects to solve the problem. can’t dems figure out the whole departments need to go. (education) that others like the state dept needs to be reigned in to reasonable levels. any federal dept. that loans or grants money needs to be cut back, these are the type of cuts we need and are looking for.

the dems are willing to cut these types of programs because it presents opportunities for foolish comments like yours.
Anonymous

hey sidney, how much good would it do to have a nice well insulated home if theres no heat to keep inside?

kind of like spending our way to prosperity.
Anonymous

This seems like a short-sighted approach – rather than better insulating and weather-proofing houses, we are simply subsidizing big oil by artificially buoying high prices with public coffers. I believe efforts should be made to assist those less fortunate but let’s do it in a manner in which those dollars spent benefit them (and taxpayers) for years to come rather than simply being exhausted as soon as that fuel is consumed.
Anonymous

You got it again!
Anonymous

And don’t forget murals and non-existent voter fraud, etc etc.
Anonymous

Sounds like you are a bit out of touch with reality.
Sidney Bob

So let’s just give money to the same people year after year and what? expect a different result? That’s the definition of insanity. You really are a BIG Government advocate budsview… keep spending the money without trying to fix anything. Teach a man to fish, don’t give him fish. And by the way, spending to prosperity hasn’t worked… nothing trickles down from the wealthy who keep getting all your tax breaks.
Anonymous

The libs are having a bad day. Our Governor has done more for this state in 8 months then your guys did in 50 years. If you want better jobs, less taxes, vote republican. If you want to beg, borrow and steal, vote for the dems. It takes time to clean up the mess the libs have caused to this state so quit complaining.
Anonymous

Think it’s cold now? Wait until December, when Congress shuts off your extension benefits. China is where all the jobs are; shoe manufacturers, wood mills, textile mills, you know what I mean, the jobs that used to be here. You may want to consider relocating you and yours to “Peking Duck”. But I need to warn you, in China, there are no rules, regulations, welfare or unemployment; hummnn, now that I think about it, no illegal immigration either. Oh well, maybe next time…
Anonymous

Miantonomoh, READ THIS EVERY WORD…….. this is the truth, how we got where we are….I was there, watching as it happened. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-moyers/occupy-wall-street_b_1071288.html
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NXPTPFL746OV2VGR5WBOEUF6W4 Roger

If making ends meet requires working two jobs do that I myself worked three when I was young that how I got the money to start my own business.

No jobs! Help wanted signs all over downeast! We had a severe shortage of blueberry rakers this year! People think manual labor is beneath them!

As for reading I read and have read allot. I started with nothing built up my business to 34 employees all good paying jobs and though I sold the company in 02 almost 90 percent of the employees I hired still work there.

As for welfare I am against ALL of it. if you do not earn it then imho it is welfare. Be it corporate private or whatever.

If there is not a job that pays you what you need to survive move get a better education get two or more jobs. Whining that somebody else has more then you do so you should be able to take what they have to make up far what you do not is wrong morally.

I give you a very wise old adage. Give someone a fish feed them for a day. Teach someone to fish feed them for a lifetime. Simple and concise.

This is Maine we as a people have always been self reliant and proud to be so. We need to heat our home we cut wood and pile it up all summer. We need to eat we grow out gardens and can what we grow so we have food all winter. We hunt and fish to have meat on the table all year. What happened to those days where we where proud to be who we are and a hard days work was everyday life. These days people think they are owed a check and a food card to live off of. Simply suggesting that someone who is getting money should have to WORK to pay it back is thought of a barbaric and inhumane. Denying a person welfare is evil but demanding they go out into the fields and pick blueberries for a few weeks to earn there own money is even more horrifically evil to even suggest!

Whine all you want complain all you want advocate stealing from those that have all you want. The fact remains until people take responsibility for there own actions and life all the welfare food stamps and other program’s will fix NOTHING.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NXPTPFL746OV2VGR5WBOEUF6W4 Roger

So you worked hard and earned a good enough living to retire with the funds set aside to do so. That said why would you choose to invest your money in a insecure way. There are countless thousands of safe investments yes the yield is far less but here is also no risk.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NXPTPFL746OV2VGR5WBOEUF6W4 Roger

I agree completely. The government should not be in the hand out business in any way shape or form. Money should be earned not taken or given.

When there are all these folks on unemployed and we can not even get people to get out and pick blueberries the problem is clear to see. It is not a lack of jobs to a lack of willingness to WORK for pay.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NXPTPFL746OV2VGR5WBOEUF6W4 Roger

Either you are self sufficient and can care for your family or you can not. Either you earned it or you did not. Very simple premise.

Again there are always going to be those with less then you. How much of your hard earned money would it be ok for those with less then you to take from you? If a government employee came to your door and said the family down the road has less then 10 percent of what you have so you are going to have to pay a additional 30 percent tax on all your income to go to the family down the road. Would that be ok with you? Would that be fair?

When is enough enough?
Anonymous

You live too far in the box! You need to come out of it and look at how hard alot of people have it. If someone has to work 2 or 3 jobs and they have children, most of their wages are eaten up in child care. Alot of people don’t have wood stoves……Pull off those rose-colored glasses and talk to REAL PEOPLE who have every day obsticles….much more complex than what you think! Everything isn’t black and white. You act like you’re the only person who works and pays taxes. If you’re tired of paying taxes, move to New Hampshire! :P
Anonymous

“Either you are self sufficient and can care for your family or you can
not. Either you earned it or you did not. Very simple premise”……….Tell that to the elderly couple living down the road from you…….or the Veteran…….or a handicap person trying to make it on their own……
Anonymous

And all the other states that fuel assistance is supposed to help….we’re not the only ones…..just sayin
Anonymous

Where did I advocate stealing from the “haves”? I am talking about us having to subsidize the corporations that put profit in front of people. You can not live on $7.50 an hour in 2011 America and they know it. When someone earns minimum wage they are eligible for every program there is, as they should be. We have to foot the bill for that Roger. I too had my own company for years and paid my employees well. But I had a conscience, and it sounds like you did too. These big corporations have none. The majority of people who depend on LLIHEAP go to work everyday Roger, they are not the lazy lay abouts that our governor likes to vilify. They just work for very greedy people who are not interested in their well being or how much of a burden their cooley wages puts on the tax payers. Pay people a living wage and let them buy their own oil, just like we used to do. my father raised a family of 5 on the salary from driving a bread truck. Try that today. The biggest problem the middle class faces today is the failure of wages to keep pace with inflation. It is killing our economy, our families, and the American dream. Please do not be fooled into defending the 1%ers Roger. They have seen their piles of gold explode by 300% in the last 20 years alone, while the rest of America has seen their standard of living slide right into the toilet because of “free” trade and wages that are stuck in the 90′s. The middle class is the economic engine of this country and the top 1% have poured sugar in our gas tank, with the help of both parties in Washington. Most of the “evil” welfare recipients are single mothers just trying to get by. Would you have them go out into the woods with an ax to chop up their firewood? Or rake berries between their jobs at WalMart or McDonald’s? Calling that whining is very dismissive and elitist Roger. We screwed up when we sent our manufacturing jobs off shore and no one in Washington seems to give a tinker’s damn about anyone but themselves and their buddies. It is time for some changes.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SHNOU64ZBOBIKWUF5IM6WSH7WA entitled4life

“I think he’s hostile to energy efficiency efforts for whatever reason,” Hinck said

I guess Mr Hinck wants the elderly and poor to freeze to death this winter – geez, I thought democrats were all about taking care of peoples needs, guess I was wrong.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SHNOU64ZBOBIKWUF5IM6WSH7WA entitled4life

So from your perspective, LePage should let people that need LIHEAP help freeze this winter? And you call him a contradiction? I’ve read your posts enough to know if LePage says something or submits something, you are against it even if you would be for it had a democrat submitted it. Would you call that partisan? I would.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SHNOU64ZBOBIKWUF5IM6WSH7WA entitled4life

I knew it wasn’t you, you would never say that it was good that LePage was keeping people warm this winter, he’s a darn republican.
Anonymous

You bombed again….not surprising. I have approved of a few things that LePage has proposed…..not many but some. I spoke up in favor of his putting more awareness on the critical matter of domestic abuse and violenc.e
Of course you see just what you want to see. Afraid you flunked. Perhaps you and your cohort who came on here with a phony handle are the same type of people. Yes, I would be quite sure.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SHNOU64ZBOBIKWUF5IM6WSH7WA entitled4life

Thank you, sorry to offend you.

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