Since it is OUR tax money being used in the first place, and since we in Maine have so many areas in desperate need, the public probably "deserves an honest explanation" in a whole lot of areas the Governor/Legislature would probably just as soon we knew nothing about - which is about as much as they are willing to explain.

how about some solar panels tosave even more tax money in the future. remember the sayig...as maine goes sogoes the nation. it's time to bring it back!!

how about paying the hospitals the millions of dollars the state owes? every day, our healthcare providers care for patients who have no insurance or MaineCare which only pays a portion of what the service iactually costs to provide. Who is looking at how this money is being spent? What other businesses have tprovide services to people who can't pay their bills? I can't hire a painter and tell him I'll pay him when I get the money in five years, but please do the work now.

Our roads are despicable. Who wants to visit Maine if their car is going to fall apart while driving down the road? How many flat tires do residents have to get before something is done?

More waste - thanks Stimulus Collins!

"Gentzel said Snowe will be carefully monitoring the use of the funds as the project continues to move forward.'..........How can a person who voted for the economic stimulus bill without even reading it be trusted to "carefully monitor the use of funds"?

Move everything to the empty Home Depot, Shaws, and/or soon to be empty Walmart on Springer Drive. The Taxpayer should be able to lease two of these buildings for 53 million for a long time. Then implode the building and haul of the rubble.

$53 million to rehab a building of that size tells me that the finished results will be much more lavish than they need to be, or else there's going to be a lot of people making a lot of money on this project .... probably a combination of both.

Isn't the Post office leaving that building too. The nation wanted stimulus, this is what you got.

53 million to fix one building; no wonder the country is broke.

Just build a totally new one. The bones of the building would be a lot newer.

allknowing what a GREAT ideal.

How is this suppose to help US? They'll hire someone from out of state to do the work. The only thing wrong with this government building is, it's not new. Please go to a Tea party and protest.

Most of the money will be stolen. That's how Snowe and Collins repay their 'contributors'.

Sounds like a bunch of politicians and contractors clamoring for almost-free money. Give the money to a more deserving project. That building looks just fine. The courtroom alone would be impressive to royalty. Not kidding! I've never seen anything like it - huge vaulted, beautiful ceilings - excellent workmanship. It doesn't need renovations. The stimulus mentality seems to be 1. Grab the money while you can and 2. Think of any excuse at all to spend it.

How about that "parking lot" across the st. from the fed bldg. how about using some fed $$$ to prosecute the bonehead that dreamed that one up !

Put Mainers back to work? How about build the auditorium for that fee and put MORE Mainers to work. Have availability for more venues and now were really tolking about putting Mainers back to work and with continuous work. Repairing a building is putting a few Mainers to work for a project, not for long term employment so pleeeeeeeeease try and find another excuse to blow that much money. Now when you open this bidding process up if you do are they all in state contractors buying from Maine companies using mostly Maine made materials and suppliers?

You feel this will make it safer? Or just more esthetically pleasing to work in? Have you seen the schools which the children learn in? crumbling walls, chipping paints, no energy efficient anything? Over packed and unsafe but we have 53 million to make this a better place. For who?

Seems a new energy effient building could be built for that amount of money or less. Someone had a great idea. Use one of the empty big box stores with those large parking lots. Help get rid of traffic congestion downtown. Maybe sell off the current building to someone who could make it into rental units, business or residential. Lets not make the same mistake the State has in building in a flood zone. Using one of the big box stores would do away with elevators, ADA problems. All kinds of ways to spend the cash rather then spending more than the building cost to build.

That is right, "BangorInsider"...the USPO is expected to vacate this building, in all or in part, in the upcoming future. The Hampden facility will be handling the mail. Although the USPO consolidation efforts are occurring all over the US, not in Bangor alone, there is a bigger picture happening than what may be under your noses.

The Internet services have literally taken over some kinds of service the USPO enjoyed; that being that (I Can say for myself) bills from my water, electricity, telephone, house and car payments, are coming to me via my computer (and including amortization attachments, details of billing, etc). I also pay some of those bills through my computer by use of an electronic account system established with the particular creditor, the Internet service and my banks. No USPO involvement at all. Could this be the upcoming on-the-horizon new face of sending "mail"?

But, in my estimation, what has paint got to do with employing people, as Snowe reported? The job to do the painting should be short-term only. Depending on what will be painted. No long-termers here. There is a new Sheriff's and municipal building to go up on the waterfront soon. Tell me, what is the problem of not putting this "stimulus" funding into escrow accounts and when something is drastically needed - such as road repair for instance - then the money is available. Why "get it and spend it as fast as you can"? Sounds like the guy who wins the lottery and spends it on a new home, a new car, educational plans and new furniture and some sports items; this is considered a "One-Day Millionaire", where I live.

All these above-related comments were posted by thinking people, it is obvious. How come we do not hire or vote-in thinking people to do the job we thought they could do (and as they said they could do) in the first place.

It makes me very sad to read stories such as this. I had visions of all this stimulus money being used to produce actual long term jobs. Whether it be enticing companies to open new factories or enlarging some we have, which is very few, this would actually give people a job they could depend on for the long term. Rennovation is nice if you have extra funds, but I see this as putting a few to work for the short term and more than likely it will not even be Maine residents who get the jobs. I am luckier than most to have a position in the medical field for the time being. The poor hospitals and the providers need to be paid also. This will ensure jobs for the long term if we pay our debt. The local residents desperately need help but not a handout. Help provide them with a means to support their families and retain their pride. Give our children a reason to want to stay.

rip off rip off rip off rip off maine sucks

Re 9:08 pm, nova04401 wrote a wonderfully succinct description of how stimulus funding is intended to work, under the Milo Man Loses Flags Contract article on 7/4/09 at 2:32 PM.

http://www.maineville.com/detail/109963.html

$53 million, fifty-three million, that's $53 million for a "renovation," . . ., not $3 to 5 million, but $53 million, FOR WHAT? That's absurd, is this 'renovation,' going to rival Jerry Seinfeld's mansion, $53 million I don't get it? Umm, for what? Golden PO boxes? Ummm, I know, is there an indoor swimming pool ?! $53 million, what else could the state, let alone Bangor do with $53 million . . . I think of many other things, . Besides, the building is fine. Millions for marble floors, whatever you got planned, not worth $53 million. Put that to better use elswhere, roads, bridges, roads, bridges, a new auditorium.

Yes, MattClough.....53 million and the post office is being relocated to another "undesclosed " location......Is it Snowe or Collins that are soon to be moving their office to the new renovated bldg.....If it is Snowe. I hope she doesn't get too comfy......she may get a big surprise in her next run for re-election.

I think it may have been a misprint and they meant 3-5 million to renovate (oops...right it was the federal government...everything is like 10X the cost). I agree that it will be mostly out of state contractors that benefit in the "greedy grab"....they will hire some locals that actually do a job for their pay. The local economy will benefit but it is a hefty price to pay. I agree with Broundy...this also makes me sad....but it is not a new phenomenon.

I agre with you ladyslipper Snow and collins have got to go. They should have never voted for the stimulus bill. It's not a job if it only last a few weeks to a few months. It temporary work.

OMG!!

$53 Million would pave a hell of alot of roads that need to be paved. WHO THE HELL IS MAKING THESE DECISIONS WITH THE TAXPAYERS MONEY??

PLEASE STOP SPENDING FOOLISHLY!!