AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. John Baldacci is ordering nearly $80 million in curtailments in state programs, with education and human services programs absorbing the bulk of the impact.
The curtailments announced Wednesday are to make up for more than half of a budget shortfall of about $150 million through the end of June. Baldacci says a budget revision package he’ll present by Dec. 15 will account for the rest. He’s also promising yet another round of cuts in the next two-year budget.
Baldacci says Maine, like other states in New England and around the country, is feeling the impact of a national recession.
The cuts affecting education will take a toll on state school subsidies, which could cause layoffs, overtime holds, combined bus routes and fewer field trips. Most of the human services cuts are reflected in accounting adjustments.
On 11/19/08 at 2:47 PM,
Tikitorch wrote:
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Just keep cutting and cutting Gov Baldacci, pretty soon there will be nothing left to cut, then maybe we will get to get a whole new state government! Done the logical way!!! ":-(
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This is what we get for electing a dem for Gov! I am at fault too... I voted for him! BAD ME!
On 11/19/08 at 3:04 PM,
pjramsay wrote:
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At this point, I don't see a correlation between a failed economy and being a democrat. Based on that statement, and the way the republican's have handled the federal budget, we would be cutting $300-million if we has a republican governor.
On 11/19/08 at 3:13 PM,
Tikitorch wrote:
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THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FEDS AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE STATE. ANGUS KING WAS NEITHER PARTY... HE DID AN AWESOME JOB AND LEFT $$ IN SUPRLUS!! IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH HIS LIBERAL VIEWS....
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PLUS THE DEMS HAVE BEEN IN POWER ON THE FED END TOO AND THEY WANT TO HAND OUT BIG $$ TO BUG BUSINESS.... I SAY LET THE CAR COMPANIES FILE BK... THEN THEY CAN REORGANIZE AND GET RID OF THE LIBERAL BACKED UNIONS THAT ARE COSTING BILLIONS AND BILLONS OF DOLLARS, THEN THEIR CARD WILL BE COMPETITVE WITH FOREIGN ONES.... THE AVG LABOR PRICE FOR GM IS $88/HR.. COMMON.. GIVE ME A BREAK ARE THESE PEOPLE WORKING THAT HARD OR ARE THAT EDUCATED TO RECEIVE THAT KIND OF MONEY?
On 11/19/08 at 3:29 PM,
usafbangormaine wrote:
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i agree 110% tiki minus the political aspect because i think the unions would be demanding the money they did regardless of if they were liberal or conservative...it was pressure from the bottom of the pyramid...and 88 bucks an hour it completely accurate yet rediculous...im all for a BKO....why bail them out? its either pay now, or pay later and then some...or dont pay at all......
On 11/19/08 at 3:41 PM,
mpt1964 wrote:
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Angus King said it himself, someone off the street could have run the state when he was Governor. Prelude to the dot.com BUST was a dot.com BOOM. All he had to do was make the sure the books balanced.
On 11/19/08 at 3:43 PM,
jdboys wrote:
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I can see cuts in things that are lame.... But, cutting education... Also, DHHS..... Crazy!!!!!! And I voted for you..... What was i thinking????
The state wounders why young people move away to other states... Ok,ON the things your cutting back on... Where's that money going to???
Ok, yes the state wanted to add a couple of cents tax to soda and berr, ect.. on ? #1.... alot of people voted yes so it wouldn't happen...
This was for health care and DHHS...... people don't think about that.... OH< but now they bitch....
The 2 things getting cut right now...ARE the last things they should cut..... Why should KIDS HAVE TO GO WITH OUT!!!!???? REALLY WRONG!!!!!!
On 11/19/08 at 3:52 PM,
vichet wrote:
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Does anyone know what accounting adjusments are? Does it mean we spend it, but it doesn't really count? Or we are going to spend it but arent going to count it until next year. Does this mean its off the books entirely? What are these "adjustments"?
On 11/19/08 at 3:59 PM,
JWBooth wrote:
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Yeah, right. DHHS had something like a $32-million "accounting adjustment" a couple years ago -- The money disappeared and DHHS claimed to have NO IDEA who it went to.
On 11/19/08 at 4:01 PM,
CeeBlue wrote:
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And it goes further than this: read Tikitorch----as we 'speak' 3 buffoons who flew into Washington in 3 private jets {Ford/G.M.and Chrysler} are asking us to reward their failures with a 'bridge loan'.
Please contact our congressional Reps. and tell them 'No'!
Republicans, Democrats ---their is enough blame to go around; but it will be our fault if it continues - we need to find and support individuals who honor fiscal responsibility.
Yes: it is time for change -- and it must [by it's very nature] be painful.
Are we going to leave this place better than we found it---I really x 1000000000 hope so.
On 11/19/08 at 4:09 PM,
downbeat wrote:
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I am suprised we did not hear from a Moonbat blaming Bush for all the states and world's ills...DHHS has been poorly run, spents millions on a bogus computer system that did not work, cannot document where millions of dollars have gone, and the people in charge keep their jobs...all dem appointees by the way...Baldacci did not fire them.. and we keep voting them in...our own fault...time to quit bitching and start getting involved in some fashion..
On 11/19/08 at 4:22 PM,
rubysal wrote:
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It's always the kids that suffer when the Governor has to make cuts. why don't you cut all the spending that you politicians do? They can't have a good education because there are too many freeloaders out there that could be working. I work for a living, I don't see why others with out disabilities can't do the same. If you stand and talk and walk then you can work.
On 11/19/08 at 4:54 PM,
nothernFF wrote:
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We need to stop electing these idiots cut cut cut that’s all he can do. Well at least the kids can have there free laptops to use on the longer bus rides.
On 11/19/08 at 5:35 PM,
anonon wrote:
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Ok Governor,
It was reported that over 90 billion was spent for ilegals in one year for education,in food stamps,medical,and they have even scammed into the social security benefits,How about we stop helping the outsiders and start taking care of our own for a change? If the ilegals have it so bad where they come from and they want to be legal people of the US then have them serve 3 years minimum to prove that they want to live in this country and reap the benefits. I and so dam tired of going into stores downeast and seeing them with 4 grocery baskets full of food, their kids wearing Tommy Hilfiger clothes and paying for their food in Maine food stamps and then unloading them into a brand new SUV with 14 day paltes, then they go to another counter and send their paychecks back to Honduras. I can't even afford those expensive clothes for my kids and we live paycheck to paycheck and are very limited to what we can buy for food and I work 6 days a week. I believe in helping others when disasters happen, but when the ilegal people are getting all the assistance from Maine and then in turn send all their money back to Honduras, it really burns my butt. Do something about that and you will settle the budget problem.
On 11/19/08 at 6:53 PM,
JJHampden wrote:
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Charity Begins at HOME.
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On 11/19/08 at 7:56 PM,
Cookie wrote:
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THERE ARE TO MANY PROGAMS FOR THE FREE LOADERS THAT ARE TOO LAZY TO WORK AND ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING FOR NOTHING, IF YOU WANT SOMETHING GET OFF YOUR LAZY BUTTS AND GO TO WORK. THEY HAVE MORE THAN THE WORKING PEOPLE, THERE IS NO MORE PRIDE IN THIS COUNTRY.
On 11/19/08 at 10:28 PM,
overtaxed wrote:
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$80 million that's it? Just take a look around at all the government outreach programs! Everyone is some kind of a victum and needs some sort of government benny... New builds going up all over the place for more cushy jobs. Start with all Maine State sponsered business like Care, Wings, Fame and all these bogus organizations that are about jobs and not a service! Get it!! The more state jobs the larger your voting base!!!! What the Tool needs to do is cut people just like a for profit company would need to do..... you will never see that happen with a dimocrat! This state is doomed!
Foolish posters why do you think the young move away? Why stay?
On 11/19/08 at 10:32 PM,
hrdwkngmom wrote:
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Careful what you say cookie..Mainah_mom will tell you that your children need and deserve a better mother like she did me....I stated my opinion that my tax dollars should be used for my children's education rather than to waste them on food stamps and people who "choose" to buy junk....She calls me a goody and says I am a bad mother.....This arcticle proves my point 100% Education for our children is cut......DHS gets administration cuts....This makes sense does it not?
I guess it makes me a bad mother that I HOPE that SOMEDAY...MY tax dollars go to educate my children....
On 11/19/08 at 10:57 PM,
RevGerald wrote:
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And the war in Iraq which the governor supports costs $5 billion a week...........
On 11/20/08 at 8:26 AM,
Bangorean wrote:
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Johnny Boy, READ MY COMMENT: CUT ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS FIRST and leave useful programs alone.
On 11/20/08 at 9:44 AM,
Bangorian wrote:
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Angus King was the governor during a time when the national economy was booming. There is no comparison between what Gov's Baldacci & King faced when managing the State budget.
On 11/20/08 at 9:52 AM,
hrdwkngmom wrote:
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It has recently been proposed that the children's school week be cut to 4 days a week instead of 5 to save on gas prices...I think this is a great idea and would not only help the State's budget but also parents pockets for the children would be in School from 8 am to 4:30 pm..It would help tha parents to not have to pay for after school child care and it wouls also be beneficial to the children for those whom parents can't afford after school care..They wouldn't be left home un attended for 2 1/2 hrs...
I think it would also be beneficial if they started a Busing car pool..Designate areas around towns that all children be picked up at..Saving the bus driver from having to go to so many spots...Most moms wait with the small ones at the corner for the bus..It wouldn't be much different to wait at one spot.
Just a thought...I just think that the citizens of this State have many ideas that would help the State Budget and a lot of them are intelligent thoughts...Maybe because the citizens are the ones who suffer from the cuts that don't benefit anyone but the books..
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