Social insecurity
Mainers who are being impacted by the Windfall Elimination Provision, or WEP, should be aware there is a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that could restore all or some of the reduction of your Social Security benefits. It is HR 5697, filed by Reps. Richard Neal, D-Massachusetts, and Kevin Brady, R-Texas. Both men have top leadership positions on the House Committee on Ways and Means, which is responsible for the federal budget and oversight of the Social Security system.
HR 5697 would repeal the WEP and redesign the basic Social Security formula. Maine retirees along with those in 14 states would see at least one third of their WEP reduction of Social Security benefit restored. WEP was passed in 1982 and was supposed to prevent “double dipping” by public retirees who did not pay into Social Security. Instead it has reduced benefits for those who worked both public and private jobs and paid into Social Security. It is unfair, as only those retirees receiving public pensions from 14 states like Maine are impacted.
If HR 5697 is passed by both the U.S. House and Senate, it will go to President Barack Obama. In his first campaign he said he would support any repeal of WEP. It is crucial for Mainers to flood Washington with petitions, emails, letters and phone calls.
It is not fair to cut Social Security to lower the U.S. government deficit when Social Security did not add one penny to that deficit. The Social Security Administration itself has certified that this repeal of WEP and the change of how benefits are calculated for every citizen in every state is “cost neutral.”
Karen E. Holmes
Cooper
Community college reality
As a long-time faculty member at Southern Maine Community College, I was dismayed by Gov. Paul LePage’s demand that John Fitzsimmons resign as the president of the Maine Community College System. However, I was pleased to read a number of the comments by various BDN posters, most of whom seemed to get it: the community college system works well for a lot of people, and President Fitzsimmons has been an exemplary leader who has brought the system a long way.
I have heard the governor say many times that he is for the people of Maine, so it seemed hypocritical to say he would flat-fund the community college system and that its board would “ feel the wrath” if President Fitzsimmons didn’t resign. Threatening the education of 18,000 students in order to have your way with the board is the governor giving it to the system without, as he once put it, “Vaseline.” His claim that a much-respected, transformational leader is somehow failing and that the community college system is “antiquated,” among other charges, doesn’t pass muster.
I have spoken with many people who have been connected to the community college system for years, and they are similarly shocked and disappointed. Of course, Martin Luther King Day reminded me of the governor’s arrogance at the start of his first term when he declined to accept an invitation to an MLK event. I believe his response was that if they didn’t like it, they can “ kiss my butt.” Although he spared the community college system the same phrase, it appears we’ve been sent the same message.
Kevin Sweeney
South Portland
Not Charlie
I am not Charlie Hebdo. Although I definitely believe in free speech, I think that deliberately poking fun at someone else’s religion is very bad manners. I know that Charlie Hebdo does have the right to print whatever political satire it desires, and I advocate no laws to forbid it.
I abhor the violent actions of anyone who uses murder and terror to protest said political/religious satire. But my mother taught me, long ago, to respect the religious beliefs of others. So, it is out of a desire to treat my fellow humans with respect, not out of fear, that I state firmly, “Je ne suis pas Charlie.”
Pat Carrick
Belfast
Searsport future
I was thrilled to see Abigail Curtis’ Jan. 19 story up about my hometown. I was educated at all of the Searsport schools. It was there that I discovered and refined my talents, which allow me to be gainfully self-employed (in a time when half of my college-educated peers still live at home and have no work).
Even when I was a young student at Searsport, it was blatantly obvious that former MSAD 56, now RSU 20, constantly overlooked what the school — and the incredible staff — had to offer. As the town rallied to invest in economic or political campaigns for or against tanks, development and other agendas, the focus on bringing people to the town inadvertently drove those who had grown up there out of it. Instead of supporting those who were working thanklessly to educate the next generation of thought leaders, the town was consistently forced to look at the school as a problem rather than a solution.
If Searsport wants to be saved, it has to save itself. It won’t achieve that by focusing on the aging population (the wealthy out-of-staters). Searsport is fading fast because the town has always prioritized old money over new possibility in order to stay afloat, and that’s simply not sustainable.
It’s got to look at the next generation, the kids with big ideas and voices that deserve to be heard — because they are the future of Searsport.
Abby Norman
Camden
Nonprofit or for-profit
The governor’s effort to charge property taxes to nonprofits raises questions about those nonprofits that have for-profit affiliates, subsidiaries or parent companies. In the past, nonprofits would have branches that had revenue-generating activities, but now it is common to actually have for-profit corporations affiliated with nonprofits.
A large Bangor hospital can claim to be a nonprofit and yet contract out its financial operations to a massive for-profit subsidiary (no competitive bidding involved). Who owns that private corporation? Is this a way of channeling “profits” to board members of the nonprofit? If it is merely an effort to have control over costs, why make it a for-profit? Who knows?
Likewise, a famous national nonprofit that places fir wreaths on the graves of fallen soldiers was started by the owner of a wreath-making business. A $15 donation buys a wreath (from the for-profit corporation), the wholesale price of which is $5. How much “profit” is channeled from the nonprofit into the for-profit corporation? No one knows.
No one seems willing to challenge the integrity of nonprofits, which are providing jobs and otherwise noble or valuable services to the community. Maybe we should.
Stephen Blythe
Jonesboro