Horrified by Republican inaction on LePage
My husband and I are so horrified that the Republican legislative caucuses have refused to take any public action to censure Gov. Paul LePage or request his resignation that we will not vote in November for any Republicans running for state office.
While legislators and the media seem particularly upset by LePage’s voicemail and his claim that he would like to shoot Rep. Drew Gattine “between the eyes,” we remain most deeply distressed by the governor’s obvious racial bias in blaming black and Hispanic people for most of the state’s drug sales.
Republican leaders have justified their inaction by saying it’s a cost-saving move, because a special session would be expensive. We don’t want to be represented by people who think that you only do the right thing when it’s cheap. The Mainers we admire are willing to stand up against bigotry, racism and bullying, even when that comes at a cost — and the decisions of Susan Collins and William Cohen to not support their party’s nominee serve as an example.
We are well aware that there are plenty of reasonable Republican legislators who are as upset by LePage’s unhinged comments as we are. But if the caucuses themselves can’t muster the courage to take action, knowing the governor’s past comments and the likelihood he’s going to make more offensive comments in the next two years, then our only way of showing our condemnation of LePage is to vote in favor of Democrats — and Democrats only — this November.
Jill Piggott
Hope
Re-elect Roger Reed
Towns all across Maine are looking for elected leaders who produce results, because that’s how we measure success in local and state government. But we also want to see integrity and character — yes, that does still exist in our elected officials. So what do you call someone who produces results for its citizens while bringing his character and integrity to the State House in Augusta? In Hermon we call that state Rep. Roger Reed.
In Hermon, we have seen the results of a business-friendly environment resulting in our four business parks, our great school system and a very appropriate property tax rate. Did Reed create these? Of course not, but he does believe in reducing government spending and taxes in order to leave income in the hands of the individuals and businesses who earned it and who can spend it more efficiently than government can. Hermon’s business and community growth shows that philosophy is spot on.
As parents of a large family, we find it difficult at times to find life lessons within our state government that we can use for examples as we raise our kids. In our community, Reed has had a very successful teaching career and a legendary coaching career while raising his children and grandchildren. The citizens in Hermon, Carmel and Etna know that no matter what happens at the State House, Reed has put public service ahead of politics and, that is certainly a lesson we can teach our kids when the headlines get too crazy.
Ed and Barbara Ford
Hermon
Destroyers shouldn’t be celebrated
On Sept. 6, BDN readers could read this article: “Largest US destroyer to leave Maine, head for weapons testing.” As Beth Brogan reported, the USS Zumwalt was due to depart Bath Iron Works on Sept. 7. Thankfully, Brogan reported that the ship is not universally celebrated. She quoted Bruce Gagnon of Bath as saying, “It’s a sad day … [the Zumwalt’s] job is not to defend the U.S.” Gagnon was one of 12 who had been arrested for protesting the “christening” of the USS Monsoor, another of the Zumwalt class destroyers on June 18.
There are expected to be three in the class, with a price tag of over $7 billion each. As one of the “Zumwalt 12” I am in strong agreement with Gagnon.
We 12 are a diverse bunch but share some commonalities. We are engaged citizens who are paying attention to our nation’s conduct. Our consciences demand that we object to and speak out in response to policies we deem contrary to the interests of all people and to the planet itself. These warships would easily satisfy that broad criteria. They are symbolic of a nation run amok.
At our recent dispositional hearing, while suggesting to the state’s attorney that a trial will likely be a protracted, costly proposition, Judge Paul Mathews also acknowledged it would provide the Zumwalt 12 another opportunity to be heard.
We look forward to making the case that America needs a fundamental course correction — away from belligerence and war and toward cooperation and harmony.
Dud Hendrick
Deer Isle
Gateway drugs
In a Sept. 9 letter to the editor, Jerry Perkins claimed that marijuana is a “gateway” drug. Is marijuana the gateway to harder drugs or is the one who is selling it the gateway?
When you go to buy your coffee brandy, is someone there offering a “sample” of meth or heroin or oxycodone? Is the “gateway” really marijuana or the person selling an illegal drug? If you take the pusher out of the equation, will the gateway be shut?
Karl Hill
Brewer
Yes on 2
As a Maine public high school teacher, I support Question 2 on this year’s ballot. By voting yes Maine citizens will finally force the state to live up to the requirement that it fund 55 percent of the total cost of education.
To this day, that funding requirement has never been met. Instead, according to figures from the Department of Education, for the last six years funding for public schools has not kept up with the costs of running those schools. According to the Maine Department of Education, in the 2015-2016 school year, the state paid only 47.5 percent of the total cost of K-12 public education. The cost of education increased by 2.6 percent. Funding did not keep up with that increase.
The state fell $154 million short of reaching the 55 percent funding level. Since 2008, the lack of funding at 55 percent equals a cumulative loss in state funding for public schools of $1.2 billion.
By forcing the state to pay its share, we can finally realize a reduction in local property taxes and begin to shift the cost of education services away from poorer districts. Vote yes on 2.
Elon Firmage
Fairfield