DEMOCRATS CALL ON GOVERNOR TO ADDRESS STATE’S PROBLEMS Maine needs problem solving, not same old political rhetoric AUGUSTA—Top Democratic lawmakers today called on Governor Paul LePage to use his State of the State address to offer solutions to the problems facing Maine instead of repeating Tea Party talking points. Additionally, they called for Governor LePage to speak up on the economy, the CDC shredding scandal, mismanagement with MaineCare transportation rides, and incompetence that has made near-daily headlines in recent months. To date, Governor LePage has remained silent on each of these issues. “Governor LePage has divided Maine and pitted us against each other. Hes insulted us and turned Maine into a punch line on the nightly talk shows. Instead of offering solutions to poverty and unemployment, his administration has vilified and shamed working people,” said Senate Majority Leader Troy Jackson of Allagash. “He hasn’t done right by the people, but tomorrow night, he has an opportunity to offer solutions to problems, instead of the same old political rhetoric.” Maine is the third-worst in the nation when it comes to job growth, gaining back only one- third of the jobs lost because of the recession. Wages are stagnating, the income gap is growing and more Mainers are living in poverty. “These are complex problems that require the Legislature and the governor to come together to craft meaningful solutions,” said House Majority Leader Seth Berry of Bowdoinham. “Instead, Governor LePage has offered stale political rhetoric, or remained silent on some of the most pressing issues facing his administration, from the struggles of the middle class to federal investigations to department mismanagement.” Over the course of the LePage administration, the number of homeless children in Maine has grown, drastically increasing between 2010 and 2012. While homelessness is going down nationally, in Maine it’s going up, and according to the annual Kids Count report, nearly one in four Maine children younger than age five is growing up in poverty. In recent months, the LePage administration has come under two federal inquiries for political interference and document-shredding allegations at the Maine CDC and for interfering with unemployment hearing cases. The LePage administration lost $20 million in federal funding for Riverview Psychiatric Center by ignoring federal law, squandered $28 million on a “lame duck” contractor for MaineCare transportation services, and doled out nearly $1 million for a no-bid contract to a political consultant. “There are two federal inquiries looking into the actions of his people at the Department of Labor and the CDC,” added Senator Jackson. “And where does he stand? Who knows? He’s remained silent. Well, he won’t be silent tomorrow night. And he shouldn’t be. It’s time to be accountable.”
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 18:01:46 +0000
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