Report from Augusta: Lawmakers focus on tax reform, health care, education issues

Piscataquis County’s delegation to the 128th Maine State Legislature has been busy this session.
“I am mostly focused on the budget,” State Sen. Paul Davis (R-Sangerville) said. “I have heard from many folks about the governor’s proposal, increasing the lodging tax and homestead exemption are big concerns.”
“I also am very concerned about how the legalization of marijuana affects highway safety and safety in the workplace,” he said.
State Rep. Norm Higgins (R-Dover-Foxcroft) said his key areas are “1. Ensure that property taxes are the first priority for tax reform. 2. Education funding to reflect the needs of rural schools. 3. Protect our rural health clinics and hospitals from proposed reductions in reimbursements. 4. Support initiatives to support seniors with adequate housing, transportation and in home telehealth monitoring.”
Higgins is sponsoring several bills, including a $10 million broadband bond to provide funding for community internet service based on extensive planning. He said Piscataquis County has a grant of $120,000 to engage communities in identifying needs and potential actions.
Another bill concerns drug abuse prevention. Higgins said a model program has been proposed for the county in collaboration with the Maine Medical Association and the Drug Prevention Task Force. The model would demonstrate the ability of schools, law enforcement, medical providers and community groups in coordinating services and programs to address the drug abuse epidemic.
A third bill of Higgins’ would fund the start-up costs for a therapeutic medical senior day care center at Central Hall in Dover-Foxcroft.
A competitive energy proposal of the representative would cap the costs to residential customers to not exceed the standard rate established by the PUC. He said a Bangor Daily News report found that consumers have paid an extra $35 million due to the competitive energy program.
Higgins is also working on biomass, the commission he belongs to submitted its report last week. Several bills are being developed and will be submitted next month.
He said a recent PUC ruling on net metering has clarified residential solar. Higgins and others are working with solar advocates to create new legislation to support community and municipal opportunities.
Rep. Paul Stearns (R-Guilford) said he has several key bills with one being wind. “I want to tax every kilowatt of electricity that is generated by windmills in Maine and sold out of state,” he said. “We have an excess of power generated in Maine. The people looking to cash in on huge federal subsidies are taking advantage of legislation passed in 2007 to expedite approval of projects in our unorganized areas. In case these towers continue to pop up, and hundreds more are in the pipeline, I want the tax revenue to go directly to the citizens of the towns and townships that will lose tourism dollars.”
Another bill concerns the education commissioner. “Our state is in desperate need of steady, qualified consistent leadership in education,” Stearns said. “My bill would have the commissioner of education be appointed by the state board of education, in consultation with the governor, and confirmed by the legislature. The commissioner would serve a 3-year term, and the state board would have the option of extending that term by one year after an annual evaluation. The governor appoints state board members to 5-year terms and that would not change. Our students, teachers, administrators and school board members deserve to have some consistency.”
Stearns’ third bill is for teacher pension. He said, “Teachers in Maine do not get Social Security. In 1942 the legislature set up a state teacher pension system. Teachers pay a portion of their salary into the system from each paycheck and the employer puts money in as well. The employer contribution is called the normal cost of retirement In 1950 the state had the option of putting state employees and teachers into Social Security. Maine chose not to. Unlike Social Security, the amount that teachers put in is significantly more that the amount that the employer puts in.
“Since 1942 the employer for the purposes of retirement has been the state. After 70-plus years the 126th Legislature decided to pass that obligation on to the local property owners. The program was started by the state, it is operated by the state, it can only be changed by the state — but is now paid by the locals. This year that is estimated to be $44 million This results in $44 million not being available for general purpose aid to schools.”
“It will be an uphill battle for us to see any tax money for our wind,” Stearns said. “The commissioner bill will be interesting. Neither party will want to relinquish power, however, and partisan power will usually trump good policy. The teacher pension bill will probably pass but not get funded. In other words a great idea but no relief to property owners who continue to take it on the chin.”

15069863 : Sen. Davis

18974635 : Rep. Higgins

18974635 : Rep. Stearns