“I am getting on the bus to represent the thousands of moms, dads, and grandparents across Maine who are tired of feeling frustrated and powerless about the use of dangerous chemicals in products our children come in contact with every day,” said Megan Rice, a mother of two from the town of China. “And when I get to Washington, I intend to ask our Senators and Representatives if they are standing with the chemical companies, or with Maine families and businesses, because Maine moms aren’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer.”

The moms are traveling all day Monday to join the “Safe Chemicals Brigade” on Tuesday, May 22nd that is taking place on the lawn of the US Capitol. Hundreds of moms from around the country are expected to come together to demand action from Congress. Tuesday afternoon, the bus riders are scheduled to meet with Senators Snowe and Collins, as well as staff members for Rep’s Michaud and Pingree.

Since kicking off a one-week signature gathering effort last week, bus riders have used Facebook, Twitter, and email blasts to reach their goal of 2,500 petition signatures destined for the desks of every member of Congress. As of Monday morning they had collected 2,572 signatures on their website, www.MaineMoms.org , and more were still arriving.

The riders are hopeful that their actions will lead to support for the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011. Introduced by Senator Frank Lautenberg, this bill is expected to be considered by the Environment and Public Works Committee later this month. This marks the first time a bill to fix what the moms call a ‘badly broken’ chemical safety system is being considered by a full Senate Committee.

Supporters say the Safe Chemicals Act will set right an upside-down system by requiring chemical companies to demonstrate the safety of their products using the best available science, creating market incentives for safer alternatives, and giving parents the best information possible about chemicals in products that children use every day.

“A jobs bond will give our economy a much needed shot in the arm,” said Rep. Emily Cain, the House Minority leader. “The best way to improve our economy is by making more investments that will help small businesses, job training and public education.”

Maine has lost more than 1,000 jobs since 2011 and was recently rated 50th for personal income growth according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The Legislature approved a total $95.6 million in bond proposals, which Democrats say will create immediate jobs now and set the foundation for economic growth in the future.

The bond proposal includes:

• $51 million for transportation improvements,
• $20 million for research and developments,
• $11.3 million for higher education,
• $7.9 million for water and waste water treatment; and
• $5 million for land conservation.

The proposals will be sent to the voters for approval on the November ballot.

“If we don’t make these public investments now, we will be missing an opportunity to create jobs,” said Rep. Peggy Rotundo, the lead House Democrat on the Appropriations committee. “Public investment will create jobs now and grow good-paying jobs for our future. We have the money to make targeted investments now.”

According to the non-partisan fiscal experts from the Legislature’s Office of Fiscal and Program Review, the state has the capacity to make public investments in bonds for voters to approve. Debt service payments from 2013 to 2015 will decline by nearly $30 million, lowering the state’s payments on debt and increasing the capacity to borrow.

Maine has a track record of conservative bonding and has historically paid down its debt quickly. The state typically bonds for 10 years, not 20 or 30 as other states do. Debt service is typically between 4-7 percent of the General Fund.

“We need real investments that will improve our roads, bridges, and classrooms,” said Assistant Democratic Leader Justin Alfond, who added that Maine voters “deserve an opportunity to decide on the investment priorities for this state.”

Last year Republican lawmakers and Gov. Paul LePage refused to send a bond package to voters despite Democratic pressure for bonds to spur economic development and create jobs.

“It was completely reckless for the state of Maine not to bond last year,” said Sen. Cynthia Dill. “The need for infrastructure improvements was critical.”

According to Department of Labor statistics, Maine has lost 500 construction jobs from February to March this year alone.

“In the last year, Maine people have seen a continued drain on our jobs and income. Responsible bonding is a sure-fire way to get people back to work.” said Sen. Dawn Hill of York, who serves on the Appropriations committee.

Republican’s said they would not approve a bond package that was more than $100 million.

This year enough Republican lawmakers changed their position on a bond package.

“This is one of the keys to growth in the state of Maine,” said Sen. Chris Rector, a Republican. “I know we all want an economy that’s growing, that’s robust.”

Gov. LePage is out of the state and will review the bond proposal when he returns. If he approves of the bonds it will be up to voters to decide in November.

The informal discussion will highlight our evolving understanding of the ocean and the role of science in future ocean policy, and will focus on the consequences of environmental change, both in the Gulf of Maine and throughout the global ocean.

Know Technology is sponsoring a reception at the theater following the talk, with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. The event is free and open to the public.

Before becoming Executive Director of Bigelow Laboratory in 2008, Graham Shimmield was director of the Scottish Association of Marine Science and the Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory in Scotland. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and was Chairman of the European Census of Marine Life Program. As a marine geochemist, his research includes identifying indicators of ocean and climate change, and examining human impacts and contamination in coastal and deep seas.

Author and reporter Colin Woodard is an investigative journalist and commentator for The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram and a member of Bigelow Laboratory’s Board of Trustees. He worked as an award-winning correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor, reported from more than fifty foreign countries and six continents, and lived for over four years in Eastern Europe. He is a member of the Sea Space Symposium, an association of leading ocean and space explorers, scientists, policy makers, and philanthropists.

Know Technology is a Camden- and Portland-based company providing network system design and IT solutions, security, and support services for medium-sized businesses in New England and throughout the United States.

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences conducts research ranging from microbial oceanography to large-scale ocean processes that affect global environmental conditions. Recognized as a leader in Maine’s emerging innovation economy, the Laboratory is spurring significant economic growth in the state through construction of a major Ocean Science and Education Campus in East Boothbay

“While the health care jobs have been an economic driver over the course of the recent recession, the state’s efforts to reduce spending on social services, especially Medicaid, may reduce future growth prospects for that sector,” wrote Moody’s Investor Services, Maine’s credit rating agency, in a press release.

This was one reason why Moody’s dropped Maine’s bond rating to AA negative from AA positive. The agency said the negative outlook “reflects Maine’s recurring challenges on the spending side of its budget, primarily in the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes Medicaid.”

Some economists have said that the downgrade is a warning to the state to review policies that might endanger job growth. From 2002 to 2010 job growth occurred mainly in healthcare, manufacturing and innovation sectors.

Moody’s also saw problems with the lack of funds in the state’s rainy day fund— the minimal budget stabilization fund balances. The agency sited a, “weak general fund liquidity position reflecting the lack of reserves.”

Standard & Poor’s also served notice in the past eight months that Maine’s rating is in jeopardy because of tax changes that widen revenue gaps and deplete reserves.

The nearly $500 million in unfunded tax cuts for the wealthy passed by the Republican majority in the legislature and LePage during the past eighteen months has caused concern among these credit rating agencies.

During the Baldacci administration substantial cuts were made largely with consolidation efforts and the state still managed to increase the rainy day fund until the recession hit.

During an interview with WGME when Gov. Paul LePage first came to office he was asked about the state’s rainy day fund.

“On Jan. 5, when I was inaugurated, there was not enough money in the rainy day fund to buy dinner,” he said.

In reality the fund balance was $25.4 million when LePage took office, according to budget numbers posted on the Legislature’s Office of Fiscal and Program Review website. After the first quarter of the budget year state revenues were in the black by $5.9 million, boosted by continued corporate profits far higher than projected.

Those corporate profits, in many cases, were directly related to Baldacci’s Pine Tree Development Zone (PTDZ) initiative, which encourages companies to move to Maine or expand in the state by giving them tax incentives, and the removal of the BETR equipment tax.

• There are twelve corporate companies headquartered in the state of Maine were included on the 2010 Inc. 500/5000 list of the fastest growing, privately held companies in America. To qualify, the companies had to have revenues of at least $2 million in 2009.

• According to the Maine Development Foundation, from 2007 to 2008 the state of Maine experienced greater growth in per-capita personal income than the nation—3.9 percent compared to 2 percent. Then the Great Recession hit. Still, from 2009 to 2010, Maine’s personal income grew by 3.5 percent.

• According to the Maine International Trade Center between 2002 and 2008, Maine exports rose over $1 billion. In 2010 Maine became the 5th fastest growing state for exports. During the Baldacci administration Maine companies brought in $60 million in export sales as a direct result of trade missions and trade shows.

• MITC said that the 2009 Trade and Energy Mission to Spain and Germany was the most successful trade mission to date, with over $21 million in sales and contracts reported by the Maine companies.

• During the Baldacci year’s 310 companies have located to Maine or expanded their businesses here, because of PTDZ incentives. They represent a total investment of $873 million, with an annual payroll of $341 million. That’s 8,206 jobs.

Despite the recession when Gov. Baldacci turned the state over to Gov. LePage the state was in the black with a rainy day fund.

Moody’s report stated that “A rating downgrade could be triggered by: the emergence of further significant budget gaps in the current biennium or future fiscal years; the absence of a clearly articulated plan to achieve meaningful improvement in the state’s available reserve position in the near term; cash-flow strain stemming from reduced liquidity; or a slower than average economic recovery that hinders revenue growth.”

LD 849, a bill sponsored by Senator Jon Courtney and passed by the legislature would put Maine’s credit rating at risk. According to the nonpartisan fiscal office of the Maine Legislature, full implementation of LD 849 as written would cause losses to Maine schools, roads, bridges, and towns totaling over $1.2 billion per biennium. This is because the TABOR measure lowers taxes, which would leave state programs in need of funds. The state would be forced to cut back on programs. And municipalities would be forced to raise property taxes to make up for the lack of state funding.

“We’ve heard loud and clear from the credit agencies that this bill puts Maine’s credit rating at risk,” said Rep. Seth Berry, who has opposed this TABOR like measure. “This is nothing short of an unfair and unfunded tax shift onto middle class families who are already paying enough in property taxes.”

Analysis by Maine Revenue Services shows the Republican bill, would give an average tax reduction of only $1 to the bottom 20 percent of income earners. By comparison, the tax cut would give an average reduction of over $21,000 to the wealthiest 1 percent of Maine residents.

“This isn’t a tax cut. It’s a tax shift, and it’s a sham,” said Sen. Philip Bartlett II, during debate. “This is nothing more than credit card politics.”

In February, Fitch Ratings Inc., one of the most influential credit rating agencies, changed its outlook for Maine’s creditworthiness from “stable” to “negative.” Fitch warned that their rating “is dependent upon the state’s ability to … meaningfully rebuild reserves depleted during the recession.”

After nearly two years, Republicans have made it harder to live and work in Maine.
I want to tell you a short story about three Maine people today.

These are Mainers who will probably sound a lot like people you know. They might even sound like you.

The first story is of a 50 year old man living in Franklin County. He’s worked hard his whole life, putting in long shifts on his feet all day just to keep dinner on the table, warm clothes on his kids and to save up enough for a rainy day.

Thanks to laws passed by the Republican majority, he’s going to have a harder time. His health insurance is probably going to get far more expensive. The roads he drives to work will be in bad shape and do damage to his truck, sending him to the shop more often with bigger repair costs. If he gets hurt on the job, the state will be far less helpful with workers compensation until he’s back on his feet, and will probably cut him off before its time.

If he loses his job through no fault of his own, the unemployment insurance that he and his family have earned and will rely on will come with new strings attached and fewer protections. Families like his in rural Maine will face higher costs, less certainty and fewer options.

Or, how about the 84 year-old grandmother in Aroostook who has worked her whole life just so she could live with dignity in her old age. Now, the meager retirement she saved up just isn’t enough to help cover the cost of her heart medication and she has to choose between heating oil or paying for groceries. Because of new laws passed by Republicans, she won’t be able to live the life she worked or planned for.

The last story is about a Maine mom from Hancock County working two jobs just to make ends meet. Because of the new laws passed by Republicans in Augusta she will have to pick between keeping her pay check or having safe child care for her infant.
Now, add to her worries that the cost of going to the doctor or paying for medicine for her family just keeps growing. Instead of standing up for her, Republicans have sided with the insurance companies. She and her family deserve a family doctor not insurance companies telling her what’s best.

Democrats believe Maine people should be working their way into the middle class not getting pushed out. Everyone working and living in Maine knows it gets a little harder every day. The last thing we need is for the state to make it worse.

Unfortunately, we’ve seen one bill after another attacking working people and middle class families, and not a single one will create jobs or get our economy back on track.

Maine has lost more than 1,000 jobs since 2011 and was recently rated dead last in the country for personal income growth.

In these recessionary times, Republicans eliminated and reduced health care for tens of thousands of Maine seniors, children, and people with disabilities. Make no mistake the cost shift will fall squarely on middle class families who are already struggling to make ends meet.

Aren’t we all already worried about rising property taxes and increasing health care costs?

It’s time we tax fairly and cut wisely, not tax the middle class and cut services to our children, seniors and public safety.

We believe our Republican colleagues are leading our state down the wrong path. Their solution for fixing Maine’s economy isn’t working. This fend-for-yourself economics is leaving middle class families behind.

Instead, Democrats have a vision for making Maine a place where we can all raise a family and prosper. We believe the best way to improve our economy is by making common sense investments that will help small businesses, job training and public education.

We want good American jobs, wages, and benefits for a hard day’s work. We should all be able to recoup the American dream we grew up believing in.

In a vote of 128 to 4, state lawmakers in the Maine House voted to gave final passage to a measure that would protect students from bullying in Maine schools. The bill nearly passed into law in 2011 but was sent back to the Education Committee at the last minute in the face of opposition from the Christian Civic League.

“This is an incredible victory for Maine students,” said Morrison, who sponsored the bill and has strongly advocated for it after hearing from hundreds of students and parents in his district. “We have sent a strong message to students and parents across Maine: Bullying in our schools is unacceptable and we won’t tolerate it.”

The bill, LD 1237, “An Act to Prohibit Bullying and Cyberbullying in Schools,” requires the commissioner to develop a model policy to address bullying and cyberbullying for use in Maine schools. A copy of the model policy must be sent to each school administrative unit in the State and posted on the publicly accessible portion of the department’s website along with any training and instructional materials related to the policy.

In 2010, there were at least 14 suicides resulting from bullying nationally.

The National Education Association estimates that 160,000 children miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by other students. 71 percent of students report incidents of bullying as a problem at their school, and 56 percent of students have personally witnessed some type of bullying at school.
The bill is expected to be approved in the Senate and must be signed into law by the governor.

“We’ve heard loud and clear from the credit agencies that this bill puts Maine’s credit rating at risk,” said Rep. Seth Berry, who has opposed the TABOR like measure that threatens funding for schools and towns across the state. “This is nothing short of an unfair and unfunded tax shift onto middle class families who are already paying enough in property taxes.”

The bill and the nearly $500 million in unfunded tax cuts for the wealthy passed by the GOP in the past eighteen months has caused concern among the credit rating agencies. A down grade of Maine’s AA+ credit rating could result in higher interest rates and loss of investor confidence.

Analysis by Maine Revenue Services shows the Republican bill, would give an average tax reduction of only $1 to the bottom 20 percent of income earners. By comparison, the tax cut would give an average reduction of over $21,000 to the wealthiest 1 percent of Maine residents.

The original proposal used 20 percent of one-time surpluses that would typically be put in the state’s reserve funds to make permanent cuts, without paying for them in future years. The surplus only pays for the cuts in the first year.

In February, Fitch Ratings Inc., one of the most influential credit rating agencies, changed its outlook for Maine’s creditworthiness from “stable” to “negative,” putting the state on notice that our high AA+ rating is in danger of being downgraded. Fitch warned that their rating “is dependent upon the state’s ability to … meaningfully rebuild reserves depleted during the recession.”

Moody’s Investor Services and Standard & Poor’s, the other two major credit rating agencies, have also served notice in the past eight months that Maine’s rating is in jeopardy because of tax changes that widen revenue gaps and deplete reserves.

In an effort to make it more palatable to the credit agencies, Republican lawmakers on the Appropriations committee introduced an amendment that would put more money in the state’s rainy day fund before allowing the ratchet down to go into effect.

Democrats and leading Republicans in the LePage Administration shared concerns that the bill uses one-time money to pay for ongoing cuts , and could impact the state’s bond rating.
Democrats have said this is as irresponsible as taking on a car payment after winning a $100 on a scratch ticket.

According to the nonpartisan fiscal office of the Maine Legislature, full implementation of LD 849 as written would cause losses to Maine schools, roads, bridges, and towns totaling over $1.2 billion per biennium.