Although most legislative committees are just starting to meet, the Appropriations Committee has already been busy reviewing the Governor's Curtailment Order. In addition, the Governor released his proposed 2-year (Biennial) Budget for Fiscal Years 2014-15, as well as a Supplemental Budget that would affect the current fiscal year. All of the budget bills are posted here.

BUDGET REVIEW. These proposed budgets contain some drastic cuts. For example, all revenue sharing to towns -- money that pays for firefighters and other services -- is eliminated for two years, and funding for Drugs for the Elderly eliminated. This is on top of cuts in the current budget year to the Medicare Savings Program, which helps more than 5,000 seniors pay for drugs in the "donut hole" and other medical expenses. The Legislature's budget review is just starting, and the Appropriatio ns Committee will be holding many days of public hearings. You are welcome to participate in these hearings, as well as to forward any written comments you may have to the Committee. I will do whatever I can to insure that any budget we pass is a fair one that provides essential services and also positions Maine so that we can have a forward-looking economy and society. Feel free to contact me to express your views and to make suggestions. See the article below for more on the Governor's proposals. I have also provided some background information on Medicaid and hospital payments, two budget issues about which there can be a lot of misinformation. Read "Budget Myths & Facts" to learn more.

TRANSPORTATION MEETING. Last week, more than 50 people showed up at a meeting I hosted at the Cohen Center in Hallowell to discuss how we can improve transit so that whether you are old or young, disabled or able-bodied, have a driver's license or not, you can get to work, participate in community events, shop, get to medical appointments, and simply live a full life.  It was a very interesting meeting with lots of good ideas and interest in connecting up fixed-route services such as KV Transit with volunteer drivers and other services.  We didn't come out of the meeting with a master plan, but I will be submitting legislation. Other legislators participating included Rep. Mick Devin (Damariscotta), Rep. Gay Grant (Gardiner), and Rep. Matt Pouliot (Augusta). You can read more in this article in the Kennebec Journal.

Some of the participants in the transportation meeting last week

KEEPING UP WITH THE LEGISLATURE. This week and next, most committee will be having orientation and meeting with agency staff and stakeholders, with public hearings later in the month. If you want to see the hearing schedule, it is POSTED ONLINE along with many other meetings and events at the Legislature. Many public hearings and also some work sessions on bills are streamed over the Internet.  All printed bills are available online and the bill search function is pretty ea sy to use.  I have it linked to MY WEBSITE and its also easily accessible on the LEGISLATIVE WEBSITE.  If you can't find something you are looking for, by all means EMAIL ME.     

Sincerely,

PS, check out the "Scam of the Week" - make sure you aren't taken in! Also, there are some fun events around the district - see the Lecture on Skiing History at the Hubbard Free Library. Let me know of other events of interest for future newsletters!  

MYTH: MaineCare is welfare and enrollment is out of control.

FACT:  MaineCare is a health care program. It provides health insurance and prescription drug coverage for the elderly, disabled, mentally ill and the poor.  Seventy percent of enrollees are either children, seniors or individuals with disabilities.  MaineCare payments go to hospitals and health care providers to provide services not directly to eligible individuals. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the total funding for the MaineCare program has been largely flat since 2006. Last year, enrollment in the program was cut in the budget. MaineCare caseloads have increased since 2002.. Growth in enrollment was largely been linked to the recession and from enrolling nearly 20,000 seniors and people with disabilities getting prescription drug help paid for with all state funds to the Medicaid program in 2007, where the state gets the b enefit of federal matching funds.

MYTH: Maine has been failing in its duty to pay off its debt to hospitals.

FACT:  The state has been steadily and increasingly paying down hospital debt, with the largest payment made in 2009. In 2009, we changed the way we pay hospitals to a pay as you go system to better manage our debt. The change was began to be implemented in 2010. Over the last two years, we paid the hospitals $276 million in settlements for prior debt plus ongoing expenses.

Hospital Payments: Settlements and on-going expenses

MYTH: Tax cuts pushed by Republicans are helping everyday Mainers.  

FACT:  The tax breaks in the biennial budget passed in 2011 only provide the average middle-income Maine family with  $119. The top 1 percent, however, could get back almost $3,000. The top 1 percent in Maine have an adjusted gross income of $356,608 and up and get an average tax cut of $2,810. The tax cuts, which largely benefit the wealthy, contributed to significant portion of the shortfall, accounting for over $400 million, or nearly 45 percent, of the structural budget gap. The changes cut the top income tax bracket rate from 8.5 percent to 7.95 percent.