Area projects left out of budget

The state's supplemental budget proposal that was passed unanimously by the legislature's Appropriations Committee on March 21 leaves out key Washington County priorities, including funding for the Boat School in Eastport, the Downeast Heritage Museum in Calais, the Sunrise County Economic Council, the Incubator Without Walls program and the Downeast Institute at Beals Island. The budget now goes to the full House and Senate for votes over the next week or two.

Senator Kevin Raye of Perry says he will continue the fight for several funding requests that he believes crucial to Washington County's economy and received the endorsement of the Washington County Economic Development Task Force. "I am profoundly dismayed by this outcome. In the end, it was impossible to overcome the fact that Governor Baldacci failed to include any of these Washington County priorities in his supplemental budget proposal," says Raye. "He let us down. He was not there as an ally."

"The governor must show leadership in using the power of his office to ensure this funding between now and the end of the legislative session. Otherwise, his creation of the Washington County Economic Development Task Force will have been a farce. I certainly hope that is not the case," says Raye.

Raye took issue with the decision to put $29 million into the state's Rainy Day Fund, bringing the total of that account to $100 million, which was a key priority for the governor. When Governor Baldacci took office there was a zero balance in that account, which is meant to be used when the state is facing tough economic times. Baldacci said, "This budget is a promise kept to the people of Maine." But Raye comments, "It's raining cats and dogs in Washington County and he seems not to notice. We can't get $1.5 million for the county."

"Given the enormous value of Maine's boatbuilding industry, and the broad support from boatbuilders along the entire coast, I am especially amazed that it is proving so difficult to secure the state's commitment for a modest $350,000 for the state's only public post-secondary boatbuilding program to provide the trained workers that this industry so desperately needs," says the Washington County senator. Pending legislation sponsored by Raye and other members of the legislative delegation can still result in needed funding. Raye will seek support for that between now and the end of the legislative session next month. A hearing by the Appropriations Committee on the bill is scheduled for Tuesday, March 28, at 1 p.m.

In addition to the Boat School funding, Raye is pushing to have the following Washington County-related items funded this year: $300,000 each year for five years for the Downeast Heritage Museum; $100,000 for the Incubator Without Walls small business program; $500,000 to complete the endowment fund of the Sunrise County Economic Council, and a one-time allocation of $100,000 for operating funds; and $15,000 for the Down East Institute for Applied Marine Research at Beals Island.

The budget does include $300,000 to help improve the state's response to red tide. In addition, it includes up to $46 million for higher education and K-12 education, bringing the state to 50% subsidy for the cost of local education. The governor also pointed to more money for the Brewer mill, research and development and high performing small schools.

Another nearly $50 million will go to health care, including funds to cover the added costs of the federal Medicare Part D prescription drugs program and to pay down on Maine's obligations to hospitals for past settlements. The budget also includes more than $20 million to make up for federal budget cuts to services in Maine. House Speaker John Richardson said more than 10% of the supplemental budget had to be spent on things the federal government should have picked up.

"We could have finished Saturday, I suppose, if we were willing to break negotiations and go our separate ways," said Senate President Beth Edmonds. "That's not what we wanted, and not what they wanted. And frankly, it would have been silly to break over this budget, which has more to agree on than any budget I can remember C education for kids, health care for seniors and the poor, paying our bills to the best of our ability, what is there to disagree on?"

However, Raye pans the lack of funding for the priorities established by the Washington County task force. "For seven months, we who serve on the task force created by the governor have been working on a bipartisan basis to come up with meaningful proposals to help strengthen the county's economy. Governor Baldacci knows the priorities we established. We have taken this effort very seriously, and now it is time for the governor to step up to the plate and do likewise."