AUGUSTA, Maine — The supplemental budget bill just signed by Gov. Paul LePage does more than cut social services. It also consolidates two state departments into a new Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
The new department merges the state Department of Conservation and the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources. The new department will assume and oversee the duties and responsibilities of both former departments.
By putting the departments together, the administration hopes to have a focused approach to the management, development and promotion of land-based activities throughout the state.
The move is also expected to make more efficient use of scarce resources, reduce duplication and compete competitively for funding. It eliminates one commissioner’s position, with savings of more than $100,000. No other positions are changed.
Merge the state house and state senate into a single Unicameral senate just like Nebraska. Our population is less than theirs, and they get by fine with one chamber with just 42 or so state senators.
Not really. No matter what the senate out there does, they are still in Nebraska.
the less they “get done” the better….
No, recreate the lower chamber, the HOUSE, with short(2 yr) terms for newcomers and where legislation originates; and the upper chamber, the SENATE with long(6 yr) terms for experienced legislators expert in particular policy areas and freed from having to run for office continuously. Legislation would originate in the House and move upwards for sage consideration and consolidation by seasoned legislators.
What you have now is an orgy of bills, thousands every session, so every one running for office has something to campaign one. This results in expensive waste, and endless regulations pasted on top of older regulations which were pasted…..
Merging Agriculture with Conservation to create the new Department of Aggravation.
I would expect that there should be more savings than just a Commissioner’s position.
I’m sure he’ll hire a friend /family to figure that out.
Before long its going to be called the house that Paul built. He is getting DHHS heading the right direction. Know lets see if Lepage can get the gas and oil at a lower price he seems to beable to do everything else.
He has the Get-R-Done attitude.
Oh come on Gomer………………he is throwing people in the ditch without food. Just where he came from………………….NO empathy. I would call someone that behaves in that manner a psychopathic narcicist
There are social service agencies, including food pantries, all over this state in need of volunteers and donations. If you are so concerned about your neighbors in need, I suggest you direct your energies there, and encourage everyone you come into contact with to do the same. We Mainers are tired of your guilt games.
It is past time we reduce the size and scope of the state and federal governments. Well done, Maine Republicans!
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This is a good time to remind people to overplant their gardens, and make arrangements with food pantries to accept the surplus produce or better yet, find ones which will process it for use over the winter.
Liberals always preach localvore rhetoric; now’s the time to live up to it and make Maine self-sufficient in food.
They may preach it but when it comes time to act or set an example few show up to do so, that applies to pretty much everyone I know, but the ones that are pro-active and get out there do so with much gusto.
I find you focus on the poor is exactly where your GOP wants you!! There are many other cuts throughout the state that COST millions more than welfare! Take a look at all the money that has been stolen just by politicians and again………..the 20 million the appropriations committee gave the their own companies in the last two years. Just saying welfare isn’t the problem. GREED is.
This is a vacant rant.
LOL
WHATEVER LePage does is NOT good for MAINE, only his RICH GOP friends….
It is time to move ahead, put the bickering behind us, enjoy the Summer and be ready to vote in November. :)
The merger is long overdue; and as we all can see, the real ‘rich’ people are democrat’s running law firms and non-profits.
less government positions. love it.
Yes. All one of them.
where am i going wrong doing the math here we eliminate one dept.and have such a small savings it must have been a pretty small dept.or we are creating more of the no working middle managers that no one wants to cut because of friends and relatives.
Good move. Next item ought to be to trim the legislature to a representation profile in line with NH’s good example.