Gratwick a strong leader
I want everyone in Hermon to consider Democratic Sen. Geoff Gratwick in November as he runs for re-election to represent District 9 in the Maine Senate.
Gratwick has worked endless hours to help Mainers on many fronts. In particular, I am grateful for his work in attempting to improve health care access for uninsured people. He also prevented Gov. Paul LePage from taking excise taxes Hermon receives from trucks for state coffers, saving the town about $1.2 million. Our town budget can’t take anymore losses.
Gratwick has shown that he has the skill necessary to tackle tough problems and work to form coalitions to get things done in Augusta. We have seen too much rancor and divisiveness in our state government. As voters, we need to make our votes count.
Please vote wisely. Vote for Gratwick. We need strong, smart leaders in Augusta now more than we ever have.
John Lorenz
Hermon
Alzheimer’s awareness
We all have a reason to end Alzheimer’s disease, and I’m participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s because I’m committed to raising awareness and funds in the fight against the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death. My inspiration for participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s is my husband, Roland, who died Thanksgiving Day 2010 after suffering from the disease for more than 10 years. As his caregiver, I strongly support Alzheimer’s awareness and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.
Roland was 63 when he was diagnosed, and he still was working in his aviation business as a pilot. He also served in the Maine Army National Guard for 35 years. The disease took a proud, intelligent man to a helpless individual who had become my child and was totally dependent on my care and, later on, his caregivers at the nursing home. This disease not only affects its victims, but it also affects their families emotionally and financially.
Waterville is the new location for the Kennebec Valley Area Walk to End Alzheimer’s this year, as it had been held in Augusta for many years. Please join me and many other supporters Oct. 8 in Waterville either by walking or by making a donation at alz.org/mainewalk or call 772-0115.
This walk is imperative to raise funds to find a cure for Alzheimer’s, as early-onset Alzheimer’s is on the increase and numbers are rising in all aspects of the disease.
Elizabeth Martin
Advocate
Alzheimer’s Association, Maine chapter
Winslow
Keeping elder Mainers at home
I want to call attention to an important omission in a Pew Stateline article in the Sept. 7 edition of the BDN about state tax credits for home modifications to keep older adults in their homes. Referring to an income tax credit for modifications to make a home accessible, the article states “this year, legislators in more than a half dozen states … considered tax credit measures [for home modifications]. None were approved.”
In fact, this year a strong bipartisan group of Maine legislators worked with advocates to enact such a tax credit for our state. Maine residents can thank their legislators, as they unanimously overrode the governor’s veto to make this become law in July. The program will provide an income tax credit — on a sliding scale — for modifications to make a home accessible. Look for details toward the end of this year.
The bill, LD 365, was introduced by Rep. Arthur Verow, D-Brewer, in collaboration with a coalition representing seniors and people with disabilities. Representatives of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, AARP Maine and Alpha One have been working with Maine State Housing Authority since July to establish the rules of this program, slated to debut with the 2017 tax year. Details on how to access the credit should be available toward the end of this year.
Robin Steinwand
St. Albans
Improve road safety
On a late night recently, I had to drive from Portland to Spruce Head in the combination drizzle and pea-soup fog we often get around here. On Interstate 295 and the divided part of Route 1, the white line on the right side of the road was frequently the only thing I could see at all. On the two-way roads, the white and yellow lines had often faded or washed out — on many parts of Route 73, especially — or were never there in the first place. I have 20-20 vision and no night blindness, but going 15 mph or less I still ran onto the shoulder or veered across the center several times, unable to see the curves in the road. I was lucky to get home alive.
White lines on the right edge of roads have been shown in numerous studies to prevent crashes and save lives. Given our weather, they ought to be mandatory on all Maine roads other than private driveways. Mayors, town councils and Gov. Paul LePage should do something about this.
Joanne Omang
Spruce Head
Don’t tax muni bonds
Our nation faces fiscal challenges, including the need for investments in roads, bridges, schools and other critical infrastructure. For Madison Electric, our community-owned, not-for-profit utility, these are investments that will keep electric power delivery affordable, safe and reliable.
To meet these challenges, state and local governments have an incredibly powerful financing tool: the municipal bond. Municipal bonds finance more than two-thirds of the nation’s infrastructure projects, ensure low borrowing costs for projects and keep investment decisions local.
Fortunately, Rep. Bruce Poliquin understands this, and he is standing up for municipal bonds in Washington. Of concern is that other policymakers are considering an unprecedented federal tax on municipal bonds. Such a tax would increase the cost of financing infrastructure investments, with local residents forced to shoulder the additional cost. It also would upend more than a century of “reciprocal immunity” under which bonds issued by states and localities are exempt from federal taxation, while federal debt — all $13 trillion of it — is exempt from state and local taxation.
Our nation faces tough choices. As policymakers consider critical infrastructure investments, we urge them to join Poliquin in taking a stand for local control and efficiency, for reliability and affordability — for municipal bonds.
Calvin Ames
Superintendent
Madison Electric
Madison