Maine legislators are considering a bill to spend $300,000 of our tax dollars to fund a financial feasibility study for a private toll road across Maine which would have major consequences for Mainers. On March 12, the Senate passed LD 1671 by a narrow vote of 19 to 15. The House vote could come very soon followed by a second Senate vote.
Our tax dollars should not be used to fund a financial feasibility study for a private toll road. While investors would profit from building the toll road, it would be a raw deal for the people of Maine. Rather than creating economic stability for Mainers, as proponents of the toll road argue, it will harm local economic development in Maine. Here’s why.
It will become a northeast gateway for Canada, not Maine communities, tourists or local businesses.
Canadian businesses and truckers will benefit from a short route across Maine and be willing and able to pay the high tolls, not Mainers or tourists. In a recent MPBN broadcast, Peter Mills from the Maine Turnpike Authority said the toll may cost $100-$200. Second, according to Cianbro President Peter Vigue, the project will only have two interchanges, one north of Dover-Foxcroft to allow containers to be exchanged and one at Route 201.
There will be diminished local economic opportunity and community vibrancy.
A financial feasibility study ignores potential environmental impacts, particularly impacts to Maine’s water and forests if the highway encourages the export of water and wood chips by transnational corporations. This kind globalization leaves communities in poverty because they no longer have value in their land to sustain themselves. Instead, the Legislature should support local economic initiatives, small business and community vitality.
A short-lived increase in jobs isn’t worth a long depression.
The road will depress local land values, decrease tourist appeal, increase pollution that makes the land less viable for farming and other local land use.
Public money will be used for private profit.
Our tax dollars should not be used to fund a financial feasibility study for a private toll road that will benefit investors and Canadian energy and trucking companies, but not the people of Maine.
Taxpayers will be signing a blank check.
If the study requires more than the $300,000 in the bill, the amount can be increased without any further vote. That is not all. The state of Maine would have to rebuild the border crossing station at Coburn Gore to meet Department of Homeland Security requirements. And who will pay the expense to patrol the highway?
Eminent domain will hold sway. With the precedence of legislative support and under the auspices of a “public-private partnership,” private investors may collude with the state to acquire land along the route through eminent domain by arguing it’s for the public good.
No public voice portends an environmental and community disaster. The financial feasibility study opens the door to one of the most significant landscape and cultural transformations Maine has ever seen, yet there is no provision for public input from Mainers. This is a huge infringement on individual rights and local control.
Even more fossil fuel will burned. Climate change is upon us. Building a major highway primarily to truck Canadian goods across Maine for export is going in the wrong direction.
The highway would be a supercorridor for natural gas, and what else? New information that the highway might create a corridor for a natural gas pipeline from Canada’s gas fracking fields in Quebec and New Brunswick to ports in its maritime provinces and for liquid petroleum gas to be trucked to the fields to use for a new gas fracking technology, adds to the urgency to stop this bill and to conduct a thorough study of what this highway might really entail. In fact, Peter Vigue has stated that his goals for the highway include a corridor for utilities and communications.
The east-west highway has taken multiple forms over the past couple decades. Now it is before us in the most dangerous way ever: as a private project. The concept of using public money to fund a study for private investors is unethical. The threat to local control is unprecedented. The toll road will only increase economic inequality in Maine as it benefits private investors and Canadian corporations. We need our legislators to provide a long-term vision for Maine’s economy and Maine’s people, not spend our tax dollars to benefit Canadian exporters.
Chris Buchanan is a grassroots organizer with Defending Water for Life in Maine and lives Belgrade. For more information, visit www.defendingwater.net/maine/.
The Governor calls public funding of MPBN, which in some areas of the State is the only television available to citizens, corporate welfare. What is The State of Maine funding a financial feasibility study for a road that would be owned by private interest called?
He is all for {Corporate Buddy Welfare} and MPBN is a potential news source to Expose it!
Go Fiquere!
LD1671 is not passed yet ..”we the people” still have a say.
At the moment, Maine has no stutory authority for privataization of our highway infrastucture. I am always astonished at how casually commenters refer to this aspect of the “PrivateEast-west Toll Highway”
What “private east west toll highway” means is
the state will essentually turnver the public right of way for youte 9 east and route 2 to a private constructor/operator..it appears cianbro assumes this be a soul source deal with no competitive bidding
the state will give thi sprovate operator eminent domain toclaims whatever land it needs to widen, bypass, create entry and exit ramps etc. (there is no part in this where there is a public determination of the route and the number of exists, tolls etc.)
The construction will be without any public bidding.by operators chosen by the operator, presumably Cianbro
The ongoing maintennace and repairs and toll operators etc. are also all non bid jobs ..whoever the operator wants to hire
The state will give this operator state entitlement funds or subordnate them to the private debt involved in the highway.
the private operator alone will determine rates and fees. according to a recnt newspaper article end to end may cost $100 to $200
The state will have to spend its own funds ( your miney, mine) tofacilitate this by improving the Coburn Gore border crossing to accomodate the big logging trucks and incrased traffic..(they comleted the Calis one in 2009)
The state’s own previous round of statutorily ordered “feasibility” studies for the Esstt HighWay concluded that it would not have apositive impact on Maine tradewise because Vanada doesn’t need anythig from us and doesn’t buy anything from us and that it wasjust bareley economically feasible as a two lane hi way within the existing roadways of 2 and 9 but that two lane hi ways are not wise ( meaning..a proper toll way could not be built within the contsraints of the existing right of way..they will need much much much more land which will be available under eminent domain)
Now should we spending $300,000 to study a privatized version of this?
DOT is already doing the study so we are alreday paying for it. Pubblic ocmment there closed March 9 so with or without our consent it rolls forward.
Another lame-brained mess you’re getting us into Mr. Goobernator!
Another Earthfirst left wing loonybird fighting to destroy the economy of rural Maine in order to further the socialist agenda of converting private property into federal parkland.
Go away, back to where you came from, and take your socialism with you.
How is the author of this article trying to destroy the economy of rural Maine if there are only going to be two interchanges?
Do you REALLY believe there will be only two interchanges?
Do you REALLY believe everything these highly paid enviroterrorists say?
These people will say ANYTHING to further their agenda.
Can you point me in a direction that will tell me where the other interchanges are going to be located? As far as believing anyone until I have evidence to refute what they are saying I give them the benefit of the doubt. So if you know where these other exchanges are going to be please tell us.
It’s pretty simple.
They LIE.
Go to any one of the myriad enviro websites.
This issue is a hotbutton item for them because it will actually add to the rural economy instead of destroting it as they are and have been trying to do for decades.
How does saving millions of gallons of fuel for Canadian trucks create more carbon?
How does burning natgas which could replace fuel oil as our heating source of choice create more carbon?
It’s not about carbon induced global warming, it’s about creating a national park out of the northeast forest.
My question was if you knew where I could find information that would refute what the author stated. You came back with a bunch of canned cut and paste garbage. Do you or do you not have evidence that refutes what the author says about there only being two interchanges?
Give me a source for the two exchange sceniario.
I agree with 4mermainer…cite a reputable source that disputes this author on this issue. Name calling, circling the direct question, and asking questions back is not answering the question, it’s trying to play politics Since you’re the one calling this author a liar the burden of proof is now on you. So please, cite reputable information that refutes the author and shows how this will be good, overall, for Maine, especially since this study is comming out of our tax money!
Something tells me that Jesus will be walking down Main St. in Bangor before nopark answers what would seem to be a relatively simple question.
I don’t believe what this environmentalists says has their land buys , wind power , nature trails , eco-tourism created any job????. Because if their ideas are the solution Maine would not be dead last in nearly everything. The Democrats are so full of themselves they are out of touch with reality they have no idea how to build an economy. All they know how to is to create Welfare Programs.
Amen very well stated its about creating jobs, expanding infrastructure growing our economy. Not Wind Power, National Parks, and Welfare.
When you Google Defending Water for Life in Maine who Chris Buchanan is a grassroots organizer you have the following returns
#1 – http://defendingwater.net/maine/category/features/
#2 – http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/water/
#3 – http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/
Take a look at the three sites and you might learn about the agenda being pushed by these groups.
Really is that why the economy here in the 2nd District is in the toilet because the environmentalists have run wild. The fact is the majority of us want this highway and the others that have been proposed the last 50+ years. Not only this highway will bring jobs to the 2nd District, but it will help save in costs for shipping goods, save fuel and save on the abuse form the big trucks on the rural roads. Their is nothing but positives this highway will bring . The Liberals want us to have that stupid park that won’t do anything but be a huge taxpayer boondoggle.
Hey DC have a good weekend did you? So I take it you think it is alright to have the State, you know the one you and your big bud LePage keeps telling us is broke spend $300,000 for a financial feasibility study so that a private enterprise can build a highway? If that isn’t corporate welfare just what is it? I actually think the highway is a good idea, but the State of Maine spending 300 large for a study that will benefit the private sector when we are broke doesn’t sound like a good idea to me. If it is such a great idea why aren’t the investors paying for the study? I do agree with you that the economy in the Second District needs to improve and that keeping large trucks off rural roads will result in less destruction to the roads, but do you really want your hard earned tax dollars paying for someone else to make money? Corporate Welfare is wrong DC that is not what tax dollars are for.
Well I don’t want my tax dollars given to Angus King, Kurt Adams, Dennis Bailey, Juliet Browne-Hinck (Rep. John Hinck’s wife). So they can reap huge financial benefits for Wind Power. That isn’t right either.
The Interstate Highway system was funded almost entirely by federal tax dollars and is, by your dubious definition, a massive socialist program. Every car owner enjoys our system of socialized parking. But go ahead and scream about national parks; I’m sure you would rather see Acadia and and the Grand Canyon covered with condos.
The smartest use of the east-west corridor would be to upgrade the rail lines that are already there and move all that Canadian freight off of inefficient trucks and onto a system of intermodal transport.
People who care about the natural environment and the efficient use of resources are not “loonybirds.” They are your fellow citizens and neighbors.
Rail Roads screwed themselves. They once held a monopoly on commerce in this country. They threw it away and fought trucking tooth and nail all the way. Instead of upgrading their system to meet the 21st century they let it fall apart and their rolling stock along with it. They can’t deliver on time and lose freight all over the country. They charge for a siding and you have to beg them to come move a rail car out of the way in order to move freight.
The interstate highway system has been a godsend for this country. Allowing businesses to get out from under the yoke of the RR’s. They no longer have to have huge warehouses to store product and raw materials to keep their production running. Trucks allow them to run their plants much more efficiently.
The author lives in Begrade and is quite handy to I-95 and I-295. I would bet that he takes full advantage of the convenience afforded to him by using these corridors frequently.
The only thing I agree with is that the East-West highway should be built by the government. Maybe as a toll road but it should be a government owned and operated toll road.
I agree with just about everything you said. I would be out of business if I had to rely on the RR to deliver my product. Them and the post office.
My only real area of disagreement would be a public operated highway. That will never happen. They have played with the notion for over 40 years to no end. At this time their is just plain no public money… and lots of maintenance to do on existing highways and bridges.
If we would as a nation stop spending money supporting the puppet govt. of Afghanistan and bring our troops home we could build the highway with the cost of 2 days of warfare. For another days warfare we could maintain our highways for the next 10 years. This country has plenty of money. The supper rich have got the money they have but don’t seem to want to re-invest in this country.
Such hate! Socialism is the only way the citizenry can rise above the poverty that exists in rural Maine; I can’t imagine how providing jobs and increasing the standard of living is such a “bad” thing but then you are so full of hatred. Go back to where I came from? My ancestors have been here for some 12,000 years, what about yours? And I will continue to press socialism in the name of progress for the common good of all Mainers.
You don’t get out much do you?
Some school district is going to be missing $300,000 if that bill passes.
More likely produce revenue for many school districts for decades.
I’m really dubious. We’ve had this conversation before. I still don’t see what, of any consequence can develop. Maybe there is an I’m just missing it.
You are missing it.
I was talking to Cheesecake. We were about to have an adult conversation before you interrupted.
Cheesecake might have added something to the conversation, but……………….
Like most private enterprises the investors will be taxed on their profits. Furthermore there is likely to be some agreement for a portion of the toll money right up front. That’s the way these things normally work.
My least favorite business (Hollywood Casino) was compelled to strike a similar deal. It is doing fine and we are building an Events Center as a result. There were any number of feasibility studies for that, state funded.
This state needs to widen its revenue base. It can’t continue to tax the rest of us and still expect revenue growth.
I can understand the various sources of tax revenues that would be possible but the highway is being sold as an engine for development in parts of rural Maine and I just don’t see where that development is going to come from, especially if it has only two exits and is mainly being built for Canadian traffic between Montreal and St. John. Is something being developed in either or both of those cities that would increase truck traffic enough to pay for 200 miles of limited access roadway?
This article is the first I’ve heard about it being a limited access highway with only two interchanges. I know Vigue promised not to put one in rural western Maine. This is the first I’ve heard about none elsewhere. Not having one at 95 doesn’t make sense.
It is my understanding that there are currently 400 trucks per day minimum making the run from St John to Quebec via the Trans Canada Highway. The new highway would pick up the bulk of that business by cutting three hours off travel time. There would be less oil used and fewer diesel emissions as a result.
There may be other uses by making use of this corridor. At least along part of the proposed route (the stud mill road) there already exists a natural gas pipeline from Canada. Maybe they intend to count that as part of the revenue stream. Makes sense really.
That sounds good for a private company. But the original purpose was economic development for Maine.
I am with you on that…. I would have hoped that expanding infrastructure would do that. Maybe we need a public financed non-partial study to determine the benefits to the state in addition to the additional tax revenue.
I have been driving around the country for over 50 years and remeber what many areas looked like prior to the Interstate highway system. I have had to see the same areas a few years after their completion. You would have to be blind and in a bubble to not see the rise in revenue and industry as a result of the Interstate Highway system.
The east-west road should be built by the Federal Government and be designated I-98.
This is an International Highway and needs to be done by the Feds if it is feasible!
It is a National Security Issue!
National security? So far Canadian trucks have turned over and dumped a load of tar on Maine roads, a truck load of bees, a bunch of lobsters and a load of logs. I’m thinking tar, lobsters, logs and bees don’t threaten our security overly much.
The state should pay for the study so it can have the right questions asked. If private parties funded the study the results would have no credibility. As to the rest of this opinion piece, it is exactly that. Before we lynch yet another economic development proposal let’s first have a study and public debate about any specific benefits an E/W Highway might bring to Maine.
So send in your cash to save the State from the big bad boogie men…….
What the writer fails to state is the money for the STUDY is from the FED and can not be used for ANYTHING but studies!! So even if the study is not done the money can not be used for something else.
Aside from that I agree we do not need nor do we want such a road. Canada would profit far more then we would as the road would be used to take our wood and other resources across the border as the liberal leadership of the past 40 years has made it unprofitable for them to accomplish the same work in Maine at a profit.
…and the FED gets their money from the tooth-fairy?
What people seem to forget is that this will be the third study paid for by taxpayers in the same number of years. Two previous studies of this route found it was a net loser for Maine. It would be a big positive for Canada. If Canada wants to buy the land for this road (some already owned by the Irving family) and build it, I have absolutely no problem with that. I have a big problem paying even a fraction of one penny for another “study.”
Can you provide a link to the “Two previous studies of this route” which said it was a net loser for Maine, Mr. Snyder? Or the results of any other studies of an E-W highway for Maine? Many of us have opinions about whether or not we want such a highway, but few of us have any accurate information on which to base those opinions.
For example, it would be very helpful to know if there is any actual proposal about where interchanges would be. Where did the info about 2 interchanges come from. If such a highway were built, it would seem ridiculous for it to cross I-95 without an interchange.
The state should do the study to protect the integrity of the study however the private investors in this road should pay the state for the study
If Canada wants a corridor road in Maine, they should pay for it.