AUGUSTA, Maine — Lawmakers expect to learn more next week about the reasons for a budget shortfall at the Department of Health and Human Services, but they may not get final answers to lingering questions about the size and nature of the gap.
After abruptly canceling a meeting scheduled for Friday, the Legislature’s budget-writing committee is expected to reconvene early next week to dig into Gov. Paul LePage’s proposal to trim $220 million from the DHHS budget by overhauling MaineCare. A date for the meeting has not yet been set.
Lawmakers said Friday’s meeting was called off after it became clear that officials from DHHS and an independent office reviewing the department’s budget would not be ready to answer questions.
The nonpartisan Office of Fiscal and Program Review has been working with DHHS to confirm the size of the shortfall and determine how much of the red ink is due to one-time costs versus ongoing expenditures. Questions remain on both issues, though DHHS staff have largely addressed why the state is paying more for some MaineCare services than originally projected, according to Grant Pennoyer, the office’s director. Some of the reasons lie with miscalculated federal match rates for MaineCare recipients who also get Medicare benefits.
Friday’s meeting was intended to put the question of the shortfall’s exact size to rest, he said.
“We weren’t necessarily prepared to do that on Friday,” Pennoyer said.
DHHS staff made a presentation to the Office of Fiscal and Program Review, but the office needed more answers to move forward with its independent review, he said. “They, in a couple of days, pulled together an amazing amount of data,” Pennoyer said.
Excellent progress has been made on nailing down MaineCare spending to date, and the next step will be using that information to project costs for fiscal year 2013, he said. LePage’s proposal seeks to close a $120 million shortfall in this fiscal year and a projected $100 million gap next year.
Pennoyer said the $120 million estimate is in line with spending trends, but he doesn’t have much confidence yet in confirming the $100 million figure.
“I think there will still be some questions there” next week, he said. The office must first get a handle on which expenditures are one-time costs that won’t resurface in the 2013 budget, Pennoyer said.
MaineCare is the state’s version of the federal Medicaid health insurance program for the poor.
The Appropriations Committee canceled its Friday meeting to allow members more time to sort through the volumes of information they have received in recent days regarding the MaineCare proposal’s more than 30 initiatives, according to co-chairman Sen. Richard Rosen, R-Bucksport. “It’s probably the accumulation of that [information] on our end” that led to the meeting’s delay, he said.
Democrats were none too pleased to see the meeting called off.
“We are now three weeks into the budget process and we still don’t have the answers we need to move forward,” Rep. Mark Eves, D-North Berwick, said in a press release. “The most important thing is that we work to get the figures right and assess which costs are ongoing and which ones are on one-time. It is irresponsible to rush to pass this harmful proposal. ”
The timing of deliberations is at the forefront of lawmakers’ minds. Members of the Appropriations Committee have said recently they need more information from the department before continuing deliberations on the proposed cuts. But a looming deadline remains.
During the second session of a Maine Legislature, a two-thirds majority of lawmakers needs to approve a bill in order for it to be enacted immediately. If a bill passes with only a simple majority, it doesn’t go into effect until 90 days after passage.
The governor has said that money for MaineCare will run out April 1, which would be before the 90 days are up.
The Appropriations Committee has had since November to review the DHHS budget figures, said Adrienne Bennett, a spokeswoman for the governor. “The information has been accessible to legislators all along,” she said. “The [DHHS] commissioner has been very transparent and accommodating.”
LePage’s sweeping proposal calls for tightening eligibility requirements, eliminating services and repealing coverage entirely for thousands of MaineCare recipients to bring Maine’s program closer to national averages. An estimated 65,000 Mainers are slated to lose heath coverage under the proposal.
“It became clear that officials from DHHS and an independent office reviewing the department’s budget would not be ready to answer questions.” Two possibilities here. 1. LePage and crew haven’t gotten their “Story” to sell to us straight yet (Good lies take time). 2. LePage and crew is even more inept then anyone could have thought possible. It’s been a year and they don’t even have meaningful numbers to open a discussion! I guess that means it will be at least 2-3 years before they even consider actually DOING anything. Absolutely pathetic!
Read the facts…”They were set up for epic failure by Good Ole’ Boy Baldarchie”… just don’t get too many tears in your cereal bowl. :<)
Baldacci caused the Lepage minions to be bad at math and accounting?
Wow, our former governor is sure a powerful man!
I am by no means a Lepage supporter. in fact I would never vote for him, but if you knew how screwed up DHHS was, you might reconsider your post.
They had a billing system, MeCMS, that never worked and the majority of bills submitted to the State never got paid. In the transfer to the replacement billing system (one that works very well), they deleted all of the rates and “past dues” associated with the bills never paid, so they have no idea what is owed out.
They requested everyone with past due billings to submit them manually in a short time limit that was no where near enough time for agencys to pull the thousands of bills outstanding together, so most just went for the biggest amounts.
All of this data needed to be processed manually, individually verified, to get paid from the Feds.
The realty is, if providers were able to submit for everything owed, and if some had not gone out of business waiting, DHHS would have a much greater shortfall.
It will take a year for them to get to the actual number, given the hiring freeze.
The “funny” thing is that the State broke it’s own rules when it procurred the MeCMS system (right from an employee of the purchasing divisions mouth), and if they followed the rules, they “cheap” software they bought never would have been purchased, and the millions wasted would not have been.
The Lepage administration has made all of the issues you note much worse by firing key employees with knowledge of the systems and then demonizing public employees so much that record numbers have quit or retired.
The sheer number of ads for state employment for financial and accounting positions in the last few months are incredible. I have never seen anything close to it in my professional life. Every week new positions are advertised. these are not new roles, they are to fill vacancies from the continuing exodus of competent personnel who just plain do not want to work for Mahew or Lepage.
“Democrats were none too pleased to see the meeting called off”…..”It is irresponsible to rush to pass this harmful proposal”….really?? Leave it to a politician to make two totally opposite comments about the same thing…..it seems that unlike our federal elect, who have rushed at times to pass legislation without full disclosure, this process has taken some time to gather pertinent information so hopefully as much as possible can be explained and clarified before decisions are made…..sensible gov’t process….who would have thought it……
I agree the Liberals have had more than enough time to get information and ask questions all they are doing is stalling. These cuts should have been made 10 years ago. It is time to cut the government in half and start eliminating most of these programs, start to dismantle DHHS, cut the waste in Education and other departments. It is time to make all of the Welfare crowd job hunting mandate them going to the career center. If they refuse start bussing them out of here. It is time to put businesses, working folks, retirees and the Maine taxpayer first.
you don’t have a clue, you’re just defending LePage at all costs, no matter how egregious, outrageous, incompetent or dishonest. Your blind loyalty gives you absolutely no credibility!
Just like the above posters who referenced the MHPC multiple times.We all know their agenda.Divide,lie and conquer with out of state funding.
Just like all of the stupid liberals who keep beating the drum that we should keep subsidizing everyone. Well too bad the liberals can’t keep tapping the ‘money trees’ anymore because their is no more money to give away to the Welfare Crowd.
second that!
The Democrats have had nearly 2 months to get the info they need and answer questions what have they been doing sitting their on the computer using the internet on the chatlines. These Liberals are stalling because they know they are toast if they go with these cuts which they will have to do. So they are doing everything they can to keep these Welfare Bums on the dole as long as they want. These cuts have to be made you can have more than 60% of the population collecting Welfare and Unemployment it’s not sustainable. That is why we have massive shortfalls because this state has been an Anti-Business, Anti-Worker , High taxed haven for Welfare Bums. The people who support this all must be on welfare well time for you folks to go find new sugar daddies to go mooch off of. Time for all of the welfare cases to march down to the career center and get jobs. If they refuse LePage should start bussing them out of here. Working people and Businesses should come first.
60%???or maybe 70% or 80% or 100% how far will Republicans go to exaggerate, lie and misrepresent just to blindly support a failed ideology.
Incompetent Tea Party / Maine Heritage Policy Center “government” at work.
When they said they could run the state like a business – they were right – they run it like a bunch of scofflaws with two sets of books and “creative accounting”.
Maine voters will put an end to this nonsense next November.
Yessah
“The Appropriations Committee has had since November to review the DHHS budget figures,” said Adrienne Bennett, a spokeswoman for the governor. “The information has been accessible to legislators all along,” she said. “The [DHHS] commissioner has been very transparent and accommodating.”If that in fact is true why is Commissioner Mayhew having such a hard time providing both the committee and The Office of Fiscal and Program Review with the numbers? Sooner or later wouldn’t it be a good idea for the LePage Administration to actually have numbers to back up their claims of the sky is falling, the sky is falling. It seems they have done everything with the exception of providing facts to back up LePage’s claim that a crisis exist. LePage claims to be a businessman. What business operator in their right mind would make a financial decision without first having verifiable numbers to review? Something is starting to smell.
Do Your Part to Clean Up, Reduce Costs by Reporting Fraud in Maine
Allegations of fraud or attempted fraud involving funds, including Food Stamps,
administered by the Department of Health and Human Services should be sent to:
Fraud, Investigation and Recovery
11 State House Station
Whitten Road
Augusta, Maine 04333-0011
Phone numbers for DHHS Fraud office are:
1-207-287-2409 and 1-800-442-6003
Further questions and suspicions can also be submitted by e-mail.
Fraud.Dhhs@maine.gov
Contact the Office of the Attorney General
Phone: 207-626-8800
Mailing Address:
Office of the Attorney General
6 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
http://www.maine.gov/ag/contac…
Do All three, Phone, E-mail and send a Letter.
Follow-up in 30 days with a Certified letter if no response.
Send a letter Directly to the Governor’s Office, that should get their attention.
Keep a written log of actions and attempts to notify. Hold them Responsible!
OK- you’ve made your point, ad nauseum. Go take your axe and grind it elsewhere.
At least he is tackling the problems unlike Democrats and idiots like Baldacci and King. All these folks would do is kick the can down the road with false budget figures that never reaches any of their targets. Then instead of doing their jobs working to come up with solutions. They take the lazy way out of things by raising taxes and borrowing to pay for these bloated programs. Well the Maine people are fed up and they can’t stomach anymore tax increases. These 1% that you libs always complain about like the Baldacci family , Both Liberal sets of The King’s (Angus & Mary , Steven & Tabitha) etc. should be paying more taxes instead of those of us they claim to represent.
So I take it you like making financial decisions without knowing what the numbers are?
It’s Too much.
CUT !
I agree it is too much and it is time to cut. It is too much bluster on the part of LePage and it has to stop. This isn’t a playground it is the Maine Legislature and they are attempting to solve a serious problem. In order to solve the problem they need information which has to be provided by DHHS which is under the control of Paul Richard LePage. You are right it is time to cut. It is time for the Governor to cut his posturing and to provide whatever the committee feels they need to make a decision. It is his job and responsibility to do so. If he can not or will not then he is not doing the job he was elected to do. If he and his administration are unable to perform the duties that they are charged with under the Maine Constitution then perhaps he should turn the reins of Government over Kevin Raye.
So having 16 years of false numbers , projections that never met the targets that came from King , Baldacci and the Democrat Legislature is good for our state. Look where it got us dead last in everything . Our roads and bridges are pathetic, our schools are failing and crumbling. We drove out all of our businesses, jobs, young people and retirees. Only to be replaced by everyone who is mooching off of the taxpayer with the Nanny State added in. Libs call that “Moving Foward”. I think I will take the change from LePage and the Republicans at least they are giving us hope for a brighter future. Unlike Democrats who will do everything to have the last person turn out the lights when they leave for better opportunities out of state.
He’s tackling the problem? How is he tackling the problem by not cooperating with the committee’s request? He’s not tackling the problem, he is part of the problem. He doesn’t want Mayhew to go the Fiscal office because he knew she wouldn’t be able to provide the answers.
If he isn’t willing to entertain other ideas, I have absolutely no problem with the Appropriations Committee playing a little hard ball right back. Good for them, at least we know as a group, they aren’t compromising their principles and letting this governor know that there are 3 branches of government. Have you seen BDN’s poll results? He isn’t even close to 38%, which is what he got when he won.
No the Democrats are stalling because they know their supporters will be angry if they have to go along with the inevitable cuts. They have to go along with the cuts because some of the cuts require their votes. It is time for these cuts to be made and it’s time to start dismantling these stupid programs that do absolutely nothing but waste our money. Time for LePage to require these folks to get jobs and make them responsible like everyone else. BDN poll haha who cares about their polls they are useless. So Liberals now care about internet polls from the BDN hahaha. It’s pretty sad for you Libs because LePage has momentum on his side. He and the Republican Majority is fixing the problems that the Democrat’s have neglected to fix for decades. He is doing the work the people who put him in office told him to do.
Man,do you live in a fantasyworld, where only things you believe are facts and where everyone is on your side. WOW!
You can hold on to your fantasy as long as you want, but the reality of the entire situation is that in order to come to any real decisions reasonable people need facts. In this case the facts are in the form of numbers. Numbers that the LePage Administration has either not been able to come up with or if they have come up with them are hiding them from the committee. I know you like to talk about how bad the democrats are and kicking the can down the road. Those are all great talking points but what this committee is going to decide will mean , in some situations , the difference between life and death for some people. You can spout all your radical right tea party BS all you want, you can repeat what you have heard on talk radio all you want, you can blame the “Libs” all you want for past problems and you might even be correct. However we are not living in the past we are living in the present and for the future and in order to do their job properly the committee can’t just go on the word of a man who frankly has shown an inability to tell the truth. It isn’t about polls, it isn’t about political ideology it is about human beings. You can say that the republican majority is fixing problems but as far as this particular problem is concerned it first has to be determined if it is in fact a problem, then there has to be a consensus on what needs to be done to fix the problem. Pouting, bullying and the Governor trying to take over the job of a separate branch of government is not the answer. Perhaps if you would spend more time demanding that the LePage Administration do their job and provide the committee with the facts that are needed to make a prudent decision this could be resolved. Until then the committee has a responsibility to all of the people of Maine, not just the radical right wing of the republican party, to make a good decision and that decision can not be made without facts.
In most of your posts you preach…get jobs, get jobs, get jobs. What jobs are you talking about? All the jobs your great governor has created for us? Get real. He gave a $200 million tax break to his rich pals, and they pocketed it. Very few new jobs, very few new businesses. The jobs are overseas thanks to your great Republican leader Ronald Reagan, and they’re not coming back. Open your eyes and take a look at Detroit or the Katahdin region. How about all the shoe manufacturing jobs in Central Maine? Hathaway Shirt company in Waterville? Gone!
Best post I’ve seen in a long time.I wish it weren’t true but it is-every word.
And the 6 TRILLION our current President has “processed” is treating you well oldboy?
Maybe not us, but I’m sure the thousands of workers at GM who still have jobs thanks to Obama are pretty happy. Not to mention all the hard work our senators do in keeping Bath Iron Works busy. GM paid the money back, how much has Haliburton paid back of the billions it got from Bush spending trillions to fight wars that didn’t need fighting? Can we have Clinton back? At least back then the economy was good and politics were entertaining instead of waking up and having to ask, “How is Washington scr@wing us today?”
Most of the six trillion was passed on from the Bush-Cheney useless wars in Iraq and Afgan.
I would have responded to you but Dane & unbeebeevable already said everything I would have.
Man I hate to say this, but I don’t think the jobs are coming! I don’t think they were ever coming. I think it has all been a smoke and mirrors show, it’s a carrot being dangled from a string over our heads while they keep the money flowing up to the top. It’s misdistraction, the penguin tells us he’s working on it while he does everything in his power to make life easier for his friends while he throws the rest of us under the bus. And the one thing he’s got going for him is a large portion of this state is too stupid to know what is happening, so they cheer while being thrown to the wolves. Prepare yourselves, because we are in for three more years of, “don’t worry about it the jobs are coming soon” while these crooks figure out how to squeeze every dime and nickel out of the pockets of Maine people, and make the rich richer. IF you think I’m crazy, you need only look at the penguin’s actions thus far. People need to stop listening to the penguin and simple observe his actions and it will tell you everything you need to know about his motives.
Is that why Baldacci and his wife are living pretty from the Verizon-Fairpoint deal. Is that why Kurt Adams was making millions from stock in wind power companies and other companies while in office which is illegal by law. Dennis Bailey having free reign to do what ever he wanted while no being held accountable. Angus King continuing to live off taxpayer handouts and paychecks while living here in Maine. Democrats are good for one thing ripping people off, filling their pockets at the expense of Maine people. Them crying that the sky is falling when they are the ones who caused the problems. Blowing smoke and buying votes to keep them in power they are about as useless as a paper bag.
I think the point was that Lepage is no different than the politicrooks you mention. He’s lining his pockets like his predecessors did. The fact that his predecessors did it does not excuse his dishonesty – especially since he promised he would be different.
Just like Nobama bailed out everyone from Chellie Pingree-Sussman’s Multi – Billionaire husband Donnie Sussman, Car Companies, Big Banks, Wall Street, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Solyndra and Siga both of which are under federal investigation etc. Obamacare a huge failure that will destroy our economy. The Emperor now wants to raise taxes on the rich which we all know in the end will end up raising taxes on everyone. He now wants to raise the debt ceiling by 1.5 trillion dollars. His stimulus plan was nothing more than a bailout for states that most of the money went into expanding welfare even more. So how is that all working for you because it sure as heck didn’t benefit me or anyone esle. I don’t need to go on about Maine Dems time in Augusta because anyone with common sense knows how bad they were for the working Maine citizen , retirees and business people. Too bad Paul LePage didn’t come into office sooner.
Another greedy pig who’s afraid of giving up a few dollars to benefit others.The new healthcare law will benefit everyone(although it should be single payer)Even someone like you that doesn’t deserve the benefits of SS/Medicare will still get it.If you are so concerned about the budget,give it back.
All I can say is that Adrienne Bennett is something else. But she’s just the spokesperson for the governor who is beyond something else. Bennett said “The Appropriations Committee has had since November to review the DHHS budget figures.”
WRONG. I know from listening to the Appropriations Committee meetings that in November, several members asked the DHHS Commissioner for clarification about the reasons for the shortfall. Mayhew said that it was because some accounts were overspent and there were one-time unexpected expenses. They asked for data to clarify the one time expenses and overdrawn accounts.
In December, several members of the Appropriations Committee once again asked the DHHS Commissioner for the data (that was requested in November) and she said she didn’t have it. I’m paraphrasing here, but she said that it was very challenging to sort out. And so did the Office of Fiscal and Program review representative. But at least that guy said he’d look into it and would come back with something in January.
So how the heck are members of the Appropriations Committee supposed to make decisions that could affect many, many Mainers without knowing how big the deficit really is. Some people will say that Appropriations Committee members should just trust LePage and his Commissioner. But that is a huge mistake as he is far from trustworthy. If the deficit projections include one-time expenses (projected forward), the overall deficit is hugely inflated. Until the answer to this question is understood, the Appropriations Committee should probably not waste gas (or their time) driving to Augusta every day.
You would think that Bennett would be frustrated at having to make excuses for her boss’s behavior, who, by the way, isn’t excused.
The Appropriations Committee has known since November?……….doesn’t she understand that there are more republicans on that committee than there are democrats? But yet both are asking for more information……you see, these people on the committee have constituents too, and they are doing their job.
She gets paid to make excuses and lie for the governor. Wonder how she sleeps at night.
The Maine Hreitage Policy Center are masters at manipulating and massaging data to support their tea party agenda. Lance Dutson, CEO of the Center appeared on Maine Watch on Dec. 15 to discuss the cuts “representing” the Governor. The only thing trustworthy of this administration is that you can’t trust them!
Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic
answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past.
Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.
John F. Kennedy
The Libs had enough time to get information and ask questions. It is time to work without them and start making cuts and start eliminating these programs. It is not Republicans fault you have stupid ignorant dolts like Emily Cain, John Martin, Cynthia Dill , Justin Alfond, Peggy Rotundo in Augusta. These folks are Anti-Citizen and Anti-Business they would do everything to protect those who vote for them. These folks need to be cut off entirely they have destroyed this state. They are lazy mooching bums who don’t want to earn their way in life they want us to pay for them well too bad I and the rest have had enough. We have subsidized everybody from Welfare Cases, Enviros, Liberal Special Interest Groups, Liberal Politicians (Kurt Adams, Angus King, Dennis Bailey, Ethan Strimling, Rep Hinck’s wife Juliet Browne). It is time for these folks to find new sugar daddies because the money trees has gone dry.
But you and your side are OK with Republican tax giveaways to millionaires that caused this “crisis.
I believe it was the Republican majority that cancelled Friday’s meeting due to the fact that they didn’t have their actual data yet. Either that or the Heritage Center hadn’t told them what to say yet.
Rant much?
A few *Forgotten Facts* to them *Dems.* Read it and WHINE !!! ;<) Google Mr. Baldacci.
In 2004, Baldacci signed executive order 13 FY 04/05 titled "An Order Concerning Access to State Services By All Entitled Maine Residents", which, among other things, prohibited state employees from inquiring about immigration status when people apply for public assistance or services. Due to this executive order, his political opponents have labeled Maine a "sanctuary state" for illegal immigrants.
Following info courtesy of, The Kennebec Journal…October 10, 2010
Maine’s welfare system offers one of the most generous benefits packages in the nation.
Almost 30 percent of our population receives some form of benefit. Between 2003 and 2010, Maine’s welfare enrollment grew 70 percent (from 226,000 to 381,000), according to a report from the Maine Heritage Policy Center, a conservative think tank.
Is that really “Maine, the way life should be?”
Maine ranks second in the nation in all three major welfare programs: Food stamps, cash public assistance (TANF) and in Medicaid enrollment as a percent of total population, according to the Maine Heritage Policy Center
Gov. John Baldacci’s executive order in 2004 effectively turned Maine into a sanctuary state. According to the last census in 2000, Maine’s population of illegal immigrants ranged in the thousands.
How many may be currently accessing our tax funded welfare system? How can we possibly know? Maine employees are prohibited from inquiring about immigration status.
A residency requirement could save our state hundreds of thousands of dollars paid in benefits to illegal immigrants as well as immigrants who aren’t qualified to receive benefits under the federal umbrella
Recovery begins one step at a time. Let’s take our first step toward protecting Maine people by empowering Maine employers to ask for immigration status before asking, “What can we give you?”
LePage and crew is shown to be either playing games with facts and figures again to support their own agenda or just plain incompetent (A YEAR and they still can’t give us some factual numbers to work with!) and all you can do is DEFLECT the conversation to your version of what may or may not have happened in the past. Sad, folks who think as such deserve to have LePage. The rest of us would like to get some figures and get to work TODAY making life better for the people of Maine…and that ain’t just some campaign slogan that we’re willing to ignore like Mr. LePage.
I am not “DEFLECTING” ANYthing !
I stated some FACTS ! & and You apparently just don’t choose to deal with the TRUTH.
These Facts are The Undeniable TRUTH !!!
Try somethin Different For A Change….B4 You make such an absured statement…” all you can do is DEFLECT the conversation to your version of what may or may not have happened in the past.”… do some Homework,,,, Search online about the BALDarchie Administration and There you WILL find these “DEFLECTIVE” FACTS for yourself.
“Crede sed proba” Look it up…you MIGHT learn something?!?!
Peace & Love … 357
Right…this State’s current economic downturn is the result of John Baldacci. This contention is what I call the great “John Baldacci Deflection.” To believe it you must acknowledge that the economic woes of nearly EVERY state in this great country between 2000 and now is the result of the actions and behaviors or our former Governor. Or could such a downfall be due to poor decisions elsewhere by people with greater influence and power. No, it couldn’t be!!! Okay I’m kidding, of course it was. So sorry, unless you can come up with something more plausible than the “John Baldacci Deflection” I don’t think I’ve got much to learn from you.
Funny,,,,,,,,,,”John Baldacci Deflection.” YOU should run for office !!! ;<)
Thanks for hearing me out and tolerating my reasoning about the "Baldacci" issue. :<)
Well, I guess the point which I attempting to offer for your consideration is this..now bear with me please.
The Main reason for the Whole Economic catastrophe is what transpired during the 2008-2009 World Stock/Dollar"Crash". Believe me on this because my place of employment would have had to do a Major layoff had they not introduced a new product line to Mfg.
Now, contemplate this for a moment.. when a prior administration introduces bills that change or enact New laws, those changes don't happen overnight…Right? So, how can Mr. Baldacci get a free pass on what we are dealing with now, specifically the Immigration issue which I backed up Factually, when He is the only one responsible for Implementing the absured Law to start with?
Does that make any sense at all? It sounds logical to me, but then again, I voted for Pres. Carter in my young and foolish days and look where THAT got us… ;<) …OH WELL !!!
Til' next time,,, DON'T DRINK ANY KOOL-AID !!!!!
I’m not sure I’m following you here. Are you suggesting that the entire problem with Maine’s economy is the result of John passing a law that prohibited state employees from inquiring about the immigration status when people apply for public assistance or services? As I recall (But wasn’t all that interested at the time) this requirement was to keep Maine in line with Federal laws (i.e. Was unavoidable thus not very controversial or interesting). Don’t follow the laws and don’t receive any Federal assistance. That wouldn’t have helped our economy out much. I also have heard others claim that there were swarms of undesirable people who want to milk our welfare system rushing to Maine for free handouts but seem to recall a report not too long ago that demonstrated that claim to be largely untrue. Do you have a State or Federal source to back up your “Swarm” assertion? I’d dig around and find the study I read but it’s getting late and this minor issue doesn’t really strike my interest very much. I left the Kool-Aid in aisle 10 at the WTVL Marden’s store where Paulie used to hang out. I heard that red dye #5 in the strawberry creates the need for Mansiers…or was it “Tiny Beards?”
Do Your Part to Clean Up, Reduce Costs by Reporting Fraud in Maine
Allegations of fraud or attempted fraud involving funds, including Food Stamps, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services should be sent to:
Fraud, Investigation and Recovery
11 State House Station
Whitten Road
Augusta, Maine 04333-0011
Phone numbers for DHHS Fraud office are:
1-207-287-2409 and 1-800-442-6003
Further questions and suspicions can also be submitted by e-mail.
Fraud.Dhhs@maine.gov
Contact the Office of the Attorney General
Phone: 207-626-8800
Mailing Address:
Office of the Attorney General
6 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
http://www.maine.gov/ag/contac…
Do All three, Phone, E-mail and send a Letter.
Follow-up in 30 days with a Certified letter if no response.
Send a letter Directly to the Governor’s Office, that should get their attention. Keep a written log of actions and attempts to notify.
Hold them Responsible!
Hey the “Fraud Man” is talking to me! After seeing this post to others a half dozen times I’m honored. I saw on your Disqus account where you once posted a variation of the comment above by suggesting that “All fraud is bad and should be reported.” Tell me, if like that fella from Forbes I come up with another example of Mr. LePage committing fraud against the public again is there some number I can call to report such fraud?
Now don’t tell me Charlie Summers because after his and Mr. Webster’s whole imagined voting scam debacle I highly doubt he’s the best man to be trusted to take meaningful action. Can you help a citizen out on this matter? Please Lmk.
Contact the Office of the Attorney General
Phone: 207-626-8800
Mailing Address:
Office of the Attorney General
6 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
It is getting kinda late to be trying to solve all the worlds (states) problems, but the Immigration thing really didn’t help us out alot when it comes to try and balance the books now did it?
The Immigrant/Welfare/ Budget solving issue(s) are just the tip of the iceberg, so I’ll let it rest for now. I’m quite sure that these and many others will surface before these have even begun to be resolved.
In the meantime, keep your head up and your powder dry. Thanks for the chat…. 357 ;<)
Keep throwing up spam, eh? ‘seem to recall’, now there’s a fact we can believe in, NOT!
You got nothing; not even Marden’s would hire you….try advertising mattress sales on Broadway!
Many that use the deflection you describe cry foul and act very offended when others point out that Bush’s policies contributed greatly to the economic conditions we all face under Obama’s watch. The intellectual dishonesty would be humorous if it wasn’t so widespread.
So when you lose the DHHS debate on facts; you do a ‘bait n switch’ over to the ‘current economic downturn is the result of John Baldacci’. You’ve got the staying power of a rubber ball in a dog park!
where are the JOBS???????? If there were a sufficient amount of jobs in Maine that paid LIVABLE wages………….this would all be a moot point!!
You evidently have this post saved so that you can paste it into any news article somehow remotely related. I have seen it in other places. Maybe you don’t even use the “remotely related” criterion. It could go anywhere.
With regard to Baldacci’s “order concerning access…”, the US Supreme Court that certain “fundamental rights” under the Constitution cannot be restricted by residency requirements. Welfare is one of these fundamental rights. (Shapiro v. Thompson, 394 U.S. 618, 89 S. Ct. 1322, 22 L. Ed. 2d 600 (1969)). The overriding consideration here is “personal liberty”, an American value. I realize that in your post (post, post, post again), you refer to inquiring about immigration status, but the issue of eligibility, again from the view of the US Supreme Court, makes this issue not as simplistic as you evidently believe it to be.
As difficult as it may be now to see matters in a charitable, humane perspective (we seem to prefer the root-hog-or-die paradigm), we could look to Christianity for some guidance – Matthew 25:34-36 – “Then the king will say to those at
his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was
hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me
clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you
visited me.'”
I can’t help but throw in another quote. “I have been forced to support the establishments I have mentioned
through taxation and God knows they cost more than they’re worth.” – Ebenezer Scrooge.
Wow !!! I AM Impressed !!! :<) Someone has actually taken the time to do some research about an issue rather than just spouting off some incoherent personal attack type rant.
Thank you Pat T. Riot !! I am serious. Maybe there is hope out there for some rational discussion concerning topics that we all need to consider come next election season.
I'll sincerly consider your response and reflect on my observation concerning this touchy subject about Immigration.
Thanx & God Bless. ;<)
It’s people like you that impose religious dogma on the affairs of state who were the object of Constitutional separation of Church and State. Forcing the government to take over where Christianity has failed is a violation of the Separation clause, yet you persist in bring church dogma into government and urge us to ‘look to Christianity for some guidance’.
Shapiro decided that the fundamental right to travel and the Equal protection clause forbid a state from reserving welfare benefits only for persons that have resided in the state for at least a year.
AFDC (TANF) was a Federal/state program so Federal law imposed a ‘shopping’ rule that prevented States from setting residency requirements. It did not negate any imposition of citizenship requirements, so when Baldacci opened up the doors to all comers, Maine was flooded with illegals seeking driver’s licenses etc.
Spent part of yesterday walking along Lisbon St. in Lewiston. There are at least a dozen Shabiz type markets and other African Immigrant service bureaus filling abandoned stores and nearly empty bldgs. All advertised different ways to ‘send’ money back to Africa.
A segregated MECCA? sure looks like it; we were among the few White people on the streets where no English was spoken over a six block walk.
But, do you have a job?
Most likely that would be No that this person doesn’t. That is why the Libs are defending keeping their handouts. They know that their days of being subsidized by us are coming to an end. All the Liberals can do is use scare tactics, insults and personal attacks because they have no ground to stand on. They know they are in a losing battle that people are fed up with them and that we are demanding real change.
blah blah blah same old GOP lies
You work in public service? Garbage truck?
Q: How can you tell Bennet or Laplague are lying? Or any repug for that matter.
A: Their lips are moving.
Wow!
How did you come up with that one, genius?
WOW,,, Stop the Hate already. nothin’ personal…..just Bizness !!! ;<)
Stall then deflect,repeat.
Liberal/Dem politicians have been forced into this tactic not By Lepage or the Republicans but by their own,failed, policies . They are responsible for what has led us to this point.They know full well that there is a shortfall here, a huge one, and to address that short fall in a meaningful, responsible manner would mean admitting their past mistakes. That is all this is about, Stall and then deflect. Rinse and repeat.
wouldn’t it be easier to have the legislators pay back the 23 million that they gave to themselves, their wives business or their own companies last year????????
Ready, fire, aim!
There are way too many hold overs from the socialist baldacci government still in the DHHS system. Fire them all and start over.
There are more open positions in state finance than any time in recent memory.
The problem is with the new people brought in by Lepage. They can’t figure their way out of a wet paper bag.
Really?? How would a socialist be able to figure this out on his own without the dem commisar telling him/her what to say?
This is what happens when our prior Governor and Legislature expanded Medicaid beyond federal eligibility standards. It became unsustainable. So now, people who now have coverage are going to lose it because we don’t have enough funding. I’d love to see everyone have health insurance or at least ability to get basic healthcare. To do so will require thinking way outside the box but there are ways to pull this off. An example of this could be a 24 hour hotline for basic answers for minor medical problems that would have ended up in an inordinately expensive emergency room visit at a cost of 600 plus dollars.
To supply this service would require easing of liability for the hotline operators -so they can do the best they can and have some advice for basic medical care.
That’s right keep on firing low term employees who have knowledge and forcing long term employees to retire in order to keep their Health Insurance. Stupid $#$%^&&^%$#$’s
Exactly!
cut!!!!
C U T ! ! !
Mary Mayhew is totally incompetent and ought to be sent packing. Because of her mismanagement we have no idea what the actual numbers are, yet the Governor is planning to wreak havoc on the lives of 65,000 people, myself included. I think it’s criminal that the Legislature is even considering these cuts, based on bogus figures. I don’t hear anyone calling this administration out for the half-***ed manner in which they put together their budget. I wonder how many people know that, because of this incompetence, Maine lost $29.6 million in federal matching funds. That is inexcusable!
I almost think they are trying desprately to hide something that they have found or try to figure a way to spin it. I mean a whole year and they seriously expect us to believe they still can’t make heads or tails of the budget. Come on!
Good to hear that there’s bipartisan skepticism on these Draconian measures.
Mr LePage claims that the DHHS has a 200 million dollar shortfall. Supposedly he would have data from the employees ( Ms Mahew ) to support this claim. As such why hasn’t he gone to the appropriations committee with it instead of them waiting 70 days for the employees ( Ms Mayhew ) to provide data she seems unable to find.
Got to love those campaigon slogans — Maine people before politics.
It seems pretty simple to me, if I knew that last year that day care cost me xxxx amount of dollars, and I decided that ok this year we will only spend xxx amount of dollars, well guess what I am going to come up short. Now if on top of that I paid my lawn mower guy xx amount of dollars more than the year before, guess what we are even more in the hole, then on top of that I gave my rich friends a tax deductible contribution to their campaign , well thats ok. Most people with common sense would say that my priorities are whacked. Well welcome to the Tea Party!
Pardon the repeat of this comment posted about the proposal to close the Hampden Postal facility … but it’s the SAME story – this is a direct product of the “fractional reserve banking” monetary agenda (that “financial – so-called – crisis” – creating a global currency / multinational, global political control).
(NOTE: consider Patrick Carmack’s and William Still’s 3-hour documentary, “The Money Masters”.
This PREDICTED the housing bubble crash – released in 1996. People STILL aren’t paying attention !!!
Campaign for Monetary Reform – not all this phony “puppet-monkey” (election) CHARADE (same story in the Blair House: will NOT address the CAUSE of the problems: the DIRECT need for monetary reform).
The Charade
Of course if we could dump the Federal Reserve USURY banking cartel (from manufacturing the Debt-Slavery-based money supply) then our country could have about twice as much (interest-free), Treasury-issued money, INSTEAD OF those Corporate Pirates raking it all in (all the while shaking their war-mongering FISTS in the world’s face).
TAKE NOTE:
How about addressing the -cause- of the financial “crisis” (agenda) instead of nit-picking over the symptoms – hey Rack’o-Rama, Bam-Bam-Wamma (the -current- Corporate Puppet-Monkey)? (and all others beginning their Presidential Election [debauchery] campaign – CHARADE)
Oh really, they’re busy winding up the next WAR (sanctions, saber-rattling, shutting down the financial transfer utilities to other countries, since two countries (Iraq and Iran) who had announced their urge to
sell oil in Euros instead of Dollars.
That’s when the (political/war) heat turned up high – not the “weapons of mass destruction” (I-rack) or the “nuclear” processing (I-ran), but when “they” announced that they (their country) needed to pull OUT of the Dollar Prison, so that they could have sovereign nations – instead of the corporate petroleum-pimps’ slavery.
ANY politician who will not directly address monetary reform (all the way down to local “Select”men) are not worth the cost of the paper ballots their names are printed on.
We’re running out of time and options here. WWIII is building – now – while people are distracted – dis-informed – by the Wizard behind Oz’s curtain (the mainstream media, the election charade, etc.).