AUGUSTA, Maine — The immediate issue was funding $36,000 from the Highway Fund for part of the cost of a forensic chemist in the state police crime lab, but it triggered a far broader debate in the Legislature’s Transportation Committee over use of the fund for purposes outside of roads and bridges.
“I absolutely object to taking any portion of this out of the highway fund,” said Sen. Doug Thomas, R-Ripley. “If this is needed, it should come out of the General Fund.”
Public Safety Commissioner John Morris explained funding for most state police officers and support personnel are funded through a cost sharing agreement set four years ago after a cost allocation study was done. The Highway Fund pays 49 percent of the cost and the state General Fund pays 51 percent — the split used to be 60 percent Highway Fund and 40 percent General Fund.
“The real issue is to do DNA, we need to have two chemists that do the test because that is what the courts want,” Morris said. “We need this position to do this work, we can’t do it with just two, we need the three.”
He explained the money for the position had previously come from the Fund for a Healthy Maine, which comes from the annual payments the state gets from the big tobacco companies for 1998 settlement of the lawsuit against them for the health problems caused by smoking. Col. Robert Williams, chief of the Maine State Police, was blunt in his assessment of what will happen without the position.
“To the state police, without this position, a third of the work in the lab is not going out the door and that means a third of the cases that law enforcement in Maine does will not be solved,” he said.
Thomas said he understands the importance of the position, but that the funding should not come from the Highway Fund.
“I agree that this is an important position and we should have it,” he said. “But there are a hundred places where the money for this should come from before it comes from the Highway Fund.”
Rep. Rich Cebra, R-Naples, co-chairman of the panel, shared Thomas’ concern. He said the Highway Fund is already subsidizing the General Fund by about $7 million a year. He said an Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability study found that at most, the Highway Fund should be paying for 33 percent of the state police budget.
“It is this committee that is now again placed in a position where we have to decide,” he said. “I would even say our back is to the wall where it’s where we are not going to be doing the function of the crime lab if the Highway Fund doesn’t pick up the tab for it when in fact I am not sure the Highway Fund should be picking up the tab for this.”
Cebra said the Highway Fund is already subsidizing a number of state police activities that are not related to enforcing traffic laws. Thomas agreed and reminded committee members that fuel taxes are dedicated by the state constitution for highway-related uses.
“It was important enough to people so we put it in our constitution,” he said. “You don’t pay for nonhighway-related things with the highway fund.”
Rep. Ed Mazurek, D-Rockland, the lead Democrat on the committee, said he shares the concern of using Highway Fund dollars for something that clearly is not highway related. But, he said the position is so important it should be funded.
“To put the lab in a position where two people have to do the work of three is unfair to the people of Maine and to law enforcement that depends on the lab,” he said. “I can’t support not funding it.”
Mazurek suggested they fund the position just for the rest of this two-year budget and tell the state police they will have to seek General Fund dollars or other funding sources in future years.
Morris said he did not know how lawmakers could accomplish that goal, given that a new Legislature elected in November will decide the next two-year budget.
The committee voted to fund the position, but several members said they would be looking to find a funding item in the budget on which to “take a stand.” The panel is scheduled to resume work on the Transportation budget Monday afternoon.
Highway funds should be spent on roads. Period.
It would be ok if 49% of fines collected went back into the Highway fund, but that all goes to the general fund.
This will just deplete the highway fund a little more and give further reason to push yet another bond on Maine citizens to fix our roads.
That is what the Liberals want to deplete the highway fund and blow it on useless programs so they can hoodwink their voting block into justifying voting for more bonds. It is more of the same failed ideas that Baldacci and King used to do to get more Welfare Programs going. Take money out of the Highway fund and bankrupting it so DOT has to go to the voters with massive borrowing. But everytime the bonds pass where did the money end up in DHHS AND WELFARE Expansion. Just Say NO to more Bonds and other Maine Democrat Party scams and gimmicks. Those who rely on Maine Democrats social progams and spending (Special Interest , Welfare Bums, Enviros etc.) should suffer from not getting one more cent of Maine Taxpayer’s dollars.
Take a look at the article. This proposal is from the Public Safety Commissioner, appointed by LePage. He is proposing the new position, he is suggesting the funding, not the democrats. This is an administration bill……straight and to the point. You are bordering on pathetic with your rants and raves and clearly don’t research.
You don’t seem to understand, the funding is shared, at the federal government’s urging, in order to spread out costs. Do I agree with this particular proposal?……..no. But for vastly different reasons then you. Once again, the governor knew that this was coming up in the supplimental budget, they just “found” 14 million dollars in revenue, pay for the position out of their findings (it’s not much) OR wait for the next funding round. Don’t just rob Peter to pay “Paul”. How much digging and scratching, paving and maintaining can be done with $36,000 ? Not much, but it should stay where it is!
and the enforcement of the roads as well…
Absolutely.
“Maine’s rough roads hurt our economy
By Ed Mazurek, Special to the BDNPosted Sept. 22, 2011, at 3:19 p.m.
It is never a good sign when a contest to find the worst road in Maine generates hundreds of photos and stories of collapsed bridges, failed culverts and gaping potholes.While the contest launched by the Maine Better Transportation Association strikes a lighter tone, it sends a serious message about the state of our roads and the policies we must adopt to fix them.A safe and strong transportation network is the foundation of a growing economy. Our small businesses rely on our roads and bridges to move their products across the state and our working people depend on them to get to their jobs. Problems with roads can damage our cars, block trucking routes, and — more seriously — cause fatalities.”
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2011/09/22/opinion/maine%E2%80%99s-rough-roads-hurt-our-economy/
Who is really weak on crimes, or supporting small business, when they can’t support doing
both but do cut taxes ?
Perhaps if the stateies would enforce the speed limits at the actual speed limit the increase in income from fines would do one of two things : fund the department’s highway related activiies or eliminate the need for so many policemen.
“Staties”. Must be from Mass. No one in this state uses that term. Go home.
Problem with that is fine money goes to the courts not to the department that writes the ticket. Increase in fines does nothing to fund the officers.
7 million going into the general fund from the Highway fund, waht else are we paying for that is not highway related. This lab job sure isn’t highway related, can’t even make a case for it.
Why bother with budgets, if the funds are moved from one to another at will. It’s like having one big ol’ bucket of money with nothing earmarked, just grab what you need when you need it. Please, set budgets by department and stick to them. No more moving funds around if one department comes up short, and another has a surplus.
Nice (name) handle.
Ripley’s right. Listen to him. How could there be an argument. If money is needed take it out of the Gov’s driver/limo fund. That is a waste, not just by Lepage, but the Bald…guy, too.
maybe different labs could bid on the work?
especially labs that were not owned and operated by the state police. Maybe if there were a lab that did not have a conflict of interest? And a lab where the workers were not state workers with garunteed pension, retirement and benefits, even though the workers only put in a few hours a week.
I don’t think I would want to put a high profile case in jeapordy by depending on the low bidder for the DNA evidence presented at a trial. In the end what does it matter where the money comes from, It all comes from my empty pocket.
sounds like it is an internal police problem that they have to find the funds to have what is required to effectively run their crime lab. Maybe it’s time to retire some of the troopers that have or 35 or more years with high salaries to cover the cost they need in their department.
Ya, right,it’s the veteran troopers who are to blame, they probably belong to the union , and use some of their salary to pay those dues, too.They must all be just ROJ, not doing anything, so we should just kick them to the roadside.Maybe we should begin to act like the Spartans and just set the old and infirm out in the elements to die, that way they won’t be a burden on the state by collecting their pensions either.
I agree with you about the troopers, however, if you are at all familiar with Nobama Care, it reads like the history of the Spartans. The old and the infirm will be put on the bottom of the list.
Spoken like someone who knows nothing of what they speak of
Highway funds for highways only. This is a no brainer.
Where does the Highway Fund money come from, general revenues or gasoline taxes or somewhere else?
Easy call….Issue 36,000 in Speeding tickets to raise the money. Piece of cake… At 200 a pop it would only take 180 tickets. Should be able to knock that out in an afternoon if the cops put their mind to it.
Yeah….I know that cash from traffic tickets don’t go directly to the State Police, but imagine if they did.
Then you would be complaining that all the tickets written by the police were bogus and only used for raising revenue.
“Mazurek suggested they fund the position just for the rest of this two-year budget and tell the state police they will have to seek General Fund dollars or other funding sources in future years.”
So, we know it isnt right, but lets just do it for now. (It’ll be someone else’s problem after that)
If the item is that important, there must be hundreds of less important things that are lower priorities funded from the General Fund. You prioritize, then start at the top and some things at the bottom dont get funded. That what the priorities are for. If everything gets funded, everything is #1 priority?
No wonder our spending is out of control.
I never understand why those in government always have to take money from the police, fire, schools or roads to fund things why not end the WASTEFUL things first? Get rid of DHHS would free up millions. Ending all welfare woudl free up billions. We could fund the things we NEED and cut taxes at the same time.
Funny the BS. I what put through by DHS made me take a DNA to prove I was not the father . They wanted 17 years back child support. Well turned out I was not the father. What about the hell I was put through. Time of work , lawyer fees . The emotional distress. Wanting all this back pay for I time I would have been cheated out of. Oh I forget I owed them the money till I could prove I was not the father. DHHS is such a joke they not in the best interest of kids it most about money than anything.
Maybe we should begin to act like the Spartans and just leave the old and infirm, the poor and all everyonethat DHHA helps, out in the elements to die.That would be the best way to handle things and then we wouldn’t need the DHHS at all!
It does seem to be the GOTea Party plan.
IF YOU wish to help them that is great. However FORCING the general public to fund it is not.
So John Baldacci decided to use transportation funds to support other departments then ask the public to vote yes on bonds for the transportation dept… who would have thought???
If the State Police needs funding for personel then why isn’t it in their budget.. When you submit a budget it should be included, if it is a full time position in the department
Lets use the money that the PUC members get indirectly from the wind projects to fund this.. I never could figure out how someone on the PUC could afford to buy a magizine company if that was there only job.. Let not pay the PUC board and funnel that into the Police Dept. If you think about it they seem to make enough without a salary.
Get rid of the uniformed trooper whose only job is to stand outside the governors office, and hire a chemist instead. Honestly governor, you already have security staff and drivers made up of troopers, isn’t posting a uniform outside your door a little over the top anyway?
No, if you need an extra guard , it means you’re a VIP! He now has a new status symbol.
Remember that armed people are walking around in there now. AND we need an extra cop? Sounds like the rest of us are paying for some folks right to keep and bear arms.
Ill bet the police have all kinds of places they could cut costs instead. Ill bet they have all kinds of inefficiencies and waste they covent
Governot lopage has more security than President Obama.
You are wondering why because you are Liberal minded and Liberals wonder why. The rest of us get off our butts and go out and do something about the problem. In reality, and you can check this on SNOPES, Obama has more security than any other standing President because of all the threats leveled at him. Don’t like it here? Leave.
Racism is very costly.
When someone that has tremendous assets and is guilty than they need to pay the cost of the trial instead of the tax payers. Now, this money could be used. What happens to drug money and assets taken, I have never seen an auction for anything ? Who gets this stuff ????? and the money from the sale ????? The public needs answers not loss of more tax money until all audits are made public.
and you wonder why our roads are nothing but potholes…….
C’mon. You need $36,000? Raise our taxes by $36,000. I think we can swing it.
Really when is enough enough. How much more money do you folks need to blow on foolish programs and bloated government that none of which have ever worked. I am sorry but its time for programs and government to be cut. Maine Taxpayers need a break.
Put the hiring off for a year and in the meantime, budget for it. We don’t need the position filled right now.
Maine roads need repair work. The Highway Fund needs every penny. Why not take the money from the Prison System. I would think the 20% that inmates who are on work release are charged ….. should directly go to funding the Crime Lab . Simple!
Highway money subsisting the State Police? Is the answer to that question eluding our legislature, how ridiculous? Our roads and the total infrastructure is in great need of support right now, greater than the need for a lab tech.
Lets take money out of school funding for it, then bond for school funding,, I’m sure the public will fall for it.
Maybe since the tax cut we can’t afford this position. It seems as though the highway fund is not the place to take the money from.
You would think additional funding to Law Enforcement would be unnecessary with our new Stand Your Ground Law. Seems we could reduce or eliminate completely the need for police. After all the Stand Your Ground Law implies our law enforcement isn’t doing their job, we’ll all be armed anyway making us all safer than the current system provides, plus save the tax payers a bunch of money, Right?
-Sarcasm-
Why bother with a State Constitution, if we are going to allow some fools to do whatever they want? The Court would serve us much better trying to find a way to comply with our Federal Constitution where it mandates ‘Equal Justice’ for all. What we have today is total corruption.
The Court could also busy itself with trying to find a way to help about 85 %, of sexually molested Children, who are not protected by their Mothers, when they report this abuse, and its the current live-in, or a family member, for fear that she will be blamed for allowing it. This abuse factor has been known for years, but nothing has been done about it. Why? Are these Children not important, to those we put in power.?