In a response to Ralph Leonard's letter on 6 September...whether you increase Maine's minimum wage, or increasing the average wage for the State of Maine, don't you realize the economic value of wages that go on the increase, also increase the cost of consumer goods and other items? Where is your lesson learning ability, sir, as the facts all over the US reflect this trend. A wage increase by any other name is still an increase in wages. Maine will not lower its tax base for zonal taxes, sales tax or anything else, Mr. Leonard. No state in the union will do that. They historically increase. Maine's workplace environment has been limited, and will be limited to certain enterprises. Generally, the "mon and pop" businesses and other family-owned establishments or national chains that offer a mid-size market potentiality. One problem is the transportation issue into and out of the State. Plus, who would want to operate a business where the winter is 6-months long, and sometimes, workers cannot get to work for a number of reasons. But, many in Maine have weathered many years of employment there, and business have also operated in Maine for many years as well...but I wished you did more homework and told us how many businesses, and what kinds they were came into Maine, and how many left Maine, and what types of businesses they were, and plot that out over a period of five years. Your last paragraph made some sense, but a higher wage factor is not always the answer to better employees and a good work history. Maine has tried and tested your concept many times, only to their amazement, after four years or so...even longer, the company moves out. Tell me, what happened to ExxonMobil, sir?

Regarding City Council comments: Jennifer - the rules governing traffic calming measures are a sham, created retro-actively to justify the councils mis-guided efforts. The city council needs to stop micro-managing traffic flow and hire someone who knows what they're doing, because whoever is in charge now does not.

Traffic in this town is ridiculous. Try driving down State Street hill for example, the light at the top of the hill turns green and you get to the bottom of the hill in time to meet a red light, where you sit for another 2 minutes. Same deal on Broadway and Stillwater Ave. I agree with you that Kenduskeag Ave is a race track. And it doesn't even have a sidewalk. Someone who understands city traffic needs to be involved with resolving this.

RE A breath of fresh air-- WOW! A being a mother and opposed to abortion are the main qualifications of a VP. That means my mother could be VP. That means thousands of other women in the country could be VP. Because we all know that having absolutely no other qualifications matters. Commander in chief? She is one for the Alaskan National Guard, even though she has NEVER 'ordered' them to do anything. International experience? She is real close to Alaska and did award a natural gas project to a Canadian company. Executive Experience? She was the mayor of a town, even though she had a town supervisor to actual run the town. A fiscal conservative who cuts wasteful spending? She started as mayor with a budget surplus and left it with a 22 million deficit. A reformer? She hired a lobbyist to obtain pork for her town and worked to re-elect Ted Stevens. There is abundant documentation to prove she was all for the "bridge to nowhere" until it became a political nightmare. And even though she used the line item veto as governor to slash the state budget she had to put most of them back when it was explained to her that most of what she cut were actually much needed programs. A true believer in GOD, she has stated that the US involvement in Iraq is a "mission from GOD" and that GOD wanted her to build the gas pipeline in Alaska. She thinks creationism should be taught in schools and that the only birth control taught to our kids should be abstinence ( that works well, right Sarah?) Just what we need, another Bush like politician who believes that GOD lets her know what to do. ( a bit arrogant, no?) Qualified to be a heartbeat away from the most powerful position in the world? Hardly.

Re: Strange bedfellows - At first glance, Mr. Pickens' 'energy plan' would appear quite sensible. And while the elements of his plan are sound (although not necessarily unique), the problem I have with guys like T. Boone is that they hide their elitist agendas under the guise of populist issues. Mr. Pickens has been the darling of media attention on many occasions, and for good political reasons. 'Since 1980, Pickens has made over $5 million in political donations, contributing heavily to President George W. Bush (both terms). In 2004, Pickens contributed to 527 Republican groups, including a $3 million contribution to the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth attacking Bush's rival, John Kerry, and $2.5 million to the Progress for America advocacy group. (Wikipedia). He has been closely tied to many ultra-conservative groups and publications, yet now confesses a fondness for environmentally minded non-Republicans, and has outwardly renounced his Republican affiliations. Such a turnaround is highly suspect to say the least. (Check out Progress for America -- it is operated by Tony Feather, the former political director of Bush-Cheney 2000 and a close friend of White House political adviser Karl Rove.) As chair of BP Capital Management, he takes large stakes in oil and energy giants, and is a master of the big play in absorbing other companies. This positions him well for his current campaign to 'solve our energy crisis.' Pickens owns Clean Energy Fuels Corporation, a natural gas fueling station company (naturally) that is the sole backer of the November 2008 Proposition 10 on California's ballot. Much of the measure's sale of $5 billion in general fund bonds to provide alternative energy rebates and incentives ($9.8 billion after interest) could benefit Pickens' company to the exclusion of almost all other clean-vehicle fuels and technology. I guess all of the above could be viewed as a fine conservative resume by some, along with some bare-knuckled business sense. But regardless of your political stand, our alternative energy program would be better served by developing from the ground up, not from T. Boone on down. And while I don't mind inventive people making a buck, at least tell it like it is. J.P. Morgan once said that there are two reasons a person does something, the good one -- and the real one.

In reference to the "Support for Sarah" letter to the Editor here is a portion of Ann Kilkenny's letter that outlines Mrs. Palin's years as mayor, not as a fiscal conservative, but as a fiscal nightmare. Please, before any more people fall head over heels for this poser do some research, and also realize that not one word of that speech she recited this past week was written by her.

Ann Kilkenny writes:

I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992. Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the residents of the city.

Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a "fiscal conservative". During her 6 years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation (1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they benefited residents.

The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece of property that the City didn't even have clear title to, that was still in litigation 7 yrs later–to the delight of the lawyers involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.

I suggest that before anyone makes their decisions on this years elections, that they try to look beyond all the rhetoric , crafted speeches and cliques and understand that every year we are promised change. Every year we elect the same officials. AND Every year we are disappointed again when all the fanfare subsides. Stop blindly supporting the status quo and start making informed decisions. Then again, who knows if our votes really count anymore. It's time for the sheeple to wake up and hold our elected officials accountable. A good place to start is http://whatreallyhappened.com. An interesting read.

Don't tell anyone, folks...but I think that the City of Bangor will be hiring an outside traffic consultant and a traffic engineer to analyze Bangor's traffic flow situations.

Danwoj and jj16oz. Did someone read the same blog today or what. One simple question, either one of you ever even been to Alaskq in the last 20 years? Honestly.

Duckwa, maybe the same points are made because the truth is always the same. Been to Alaska? No, never been to Arizona either, been to Chicago and Delaware though, does that some how count? You don't need to be in Alaska to research her qualifications, do you? If you do, then maybe only Alaskans should be able to vote for her? Your reasoning is not very sound.

No Danwoj , it just doesn't seem sound to you because your blinded with your contempt for anyone who doesn't agree with you and there for lack the foresight to follow my point to conclusion. You guys didn't "reasearch" Sarah Palin. What you did a nexus search, read old issues of local newspapers, read through public records at the court house? No, I didn't think so. Its just an endless string of "facts" that are bouncing around every left blog. Most of which are taken out of context or are just un-true. Maybe if you did know someone from the area you would know that the debt was from the build of a civic center that was voted on by the local people, has been a huge sucess, and is ahead of pace to pay for itself. Not being from the area and getting your information from a biased blog how could you possibly know what duties the town superviser did compaired to Mrs. Palin. Are we to assume that "town superviser" is a office that she created so she wouldn't have to work. Untrue. So no genious, its not about only people from Alaska can vote. Its more about the context and understanding people from the area know about her performance that you try so hard to dicredit (even in the face of the highest approval rating of any gov in the country. Oh and by the way your contempt for people of faith just because you chose not to believe is very hypocrital. You try to paint her and others as closed minded and arrogant and yet you mock them based on their faith.

I'm sure she's a fine public servant, but Palin's resume can fit on a napkin - thank the Lord above the sheeple (thanks Ronscave, love that word, I'm gonna steal this one) have somewhat of a clue on this one.