The Maine Wire: “BDN censors letter critical of UMaine censorship” plus 1 more

(click on headline to read more)

BDN censors letter critical of UMaine censorship

  BANGOR – The Bangor Daily News published a July 5 letter to the editor that criticized an environmentalist non-profit for cancelling a lecture by climate expert David Dilley, but not before removing allegations that University of Maine officials were involved in the decision. Written by Dilley’s wife, a retired teacher and Hiram resident, the [...]

 

Pingree’s Press Herald smears LePage, gives Alfond free pass

In what is becoming de rigueur for newspapers owned by S. Donald Sussman and U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, the Portland Press Herald is out with a new smear campaign targeting Republican Gov. Paul LePage. The smear story is entitled, “Portland schools: LePage wrong about military recruiters“. A fairer headline might read: “Portland schools: U.S. military, LePage, [...]

Telling It Like It Is,,,Governor LePage's: Weekly Message: Protecting the Next Generation

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The following is the weekly message from Governor Paul R. LePage. To listen to the audio visit the Governor's website.

My fellow Mainers, as many of you may know, I grew up on the streets, and I’m a blue-collar Governor. I’m not a politician, and I tell it like it is.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Some say my language is colorful and refreshing. Others say it is rough and offensive. If I have offended anyone, I apologize. But folks, it is time to wake up. Sometimes the only way I can get your attention is to use straight talk.

Over the years, I’ve been criticized for my comments about the President and the dangers of the federal government growing too large and too powerful.

Since then, we have seen an administration embroiled in scandals over the IRS, Benghazi, drones, spying on the press and gun-running. Talk about offensive! And that doesn’t even include the 17 trillion dollars in national debt or a health insurance mandate that will crush the life out of the economy.

Some of my comments about politics in Augusta have also caused outrage. If the Maine people saw what really happens under the dome, they would be outraged too.

Politicians, lobbyists, unions and special interests ignore what is best for Mainers and fight to maintain the status quo. They work overtime to expand welfare and to grow government, and they will gladly increase your taxes to pay for it.

They would rather enact a bad budget that harms Mainers than make the hard choices and face the consequences at the next election. I find that obscene.

I proposed legislation that would reduce electricity costs for everyone, decrease taxes, reform welfare, create jobs and improve education. These proposals would benefit all Mainers.

But politicians work around the clock to kill common-sense legislation, just because I proposed it. They would rather ignore the best interests of Maine people than see the Governor get good legislation passed. That is truly offensive.

Being hateful toward me is one thing. But punishing Mainers just to see me lose is absolutely disgraceful. One Democratic leader told the media that it doesn’t matter what the Governor does because they have the votes to override the budget veto. This kind of obstructionist has no place doing the people’s business. They come to Augusta to keep score for political losses and wins, not to do what’s right for the Maine people.

You won’t see these stories in the media. When the politicians step in front of the cameras, they say they are seeking bipartisan solutions to improve the lives of Mainers. Sounds good. Then they turn around, ignore the Maine people and get back to their score sheets.

Folks, if you believe the status quo is working, then you are sadly mistaken. I might have to use some street talk to wake you up.

Politicians strive to be politically correct and end up doing the wrong things. I’m not politically correct, but we strive to present good public policy.

I worked in the private sector as a successful turn-around consultant for failing businesses. I see our state as a failing organization in need of a turn-around. It will take tough decisions and bold moves to eject Maine from its status as one of the nation’s highest-taxed states and the 50th worse place to do business.

It’s not a job for the weak or faint-hearted. But Augusta is full of politicians who refuse to reduce the size of government. They refuse to improve education, and they absolutely refuse to reform welfare. They won’t consider resources that would reduce the cost of electricity for everyone. They won’t even attempt to lower your taxes.

Yes, folks, this makes me mad. And it should make you mad, too.

I came to Augusta to make a difference in the lives of Mainers, not to count votes and compromise my principles. I’ve told my Cabinet that if we are in Augusta only to get re-elected, we are in the wrong business.

We are not here to get through the next election; we are here to protect the next generation.

CONNECT WITH GOVERNOR LEPAGE:

The Maine Wire: LePage vows to veto Democratic budget, calls for compromise

LePage vows to veto Democratic budget, calls for compromise

AUGUSTA – Maine Gov. Paul R. LePage announced Thursday that he intends to veto the Legislature’s budget proposal and called on Democratic leaders to join him in negotiating a 60-day continuing resolution (CR) to fund state government so a better budget can be crafted. “This budget makes us all victims,” said Maine State Director of [...]

The Maine Wire: “Gov. LePage charges forward with teacher accountability and school choice bills” plus 3 more

Gov. LePage charges forward with teacher accountability and school choice bills Posted: 10 May 2013 04:35 PM PDT AUGUSTA – Gov. Paul R. LePage on Friday continued to roll out his education reform initiatives, releasing a pair of bills designed to increase school choice and educator accountability. The bills are expected to meet heavy opposition from school unions. The first bill, L.D. 1510, An Act to Ensure Statewide School Accountability and Improvement, would [...]

Democrats: Buying junk food with Food Stamps is awesome for Mainers Posted: 10 May 2013 01:49 PM PDT AUGUSTA – In a surprise move, House Speaker Mark W. Eves (D-North Berwick) ordered Democrats on the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee (HHS) to kill a bill from Gov. Paul R. LePage that would allow the state to exclude junk food from eligible food stamp purchases. State House sources said Friday that Democrats’ last-minute [...]

Gang of Eleven defends tax increase Posted: 10 May 2013 12:51 PM PDT AUGUSTA – The Gang of Eleven defended its controversial tax overhaul on Friday during a packed public hearing of the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. “I dare say there’s not a person in this state who does not recognize that our current tax code is antiquated and inadequate,” said Rep. Gary Knight (R-Livermore), lead sponsor [...]

Maine ranks 6th on list of bad places to retire Posted: 10 May 2013 05:18 AM PDT Maine is the 6th worst place to retire, according to a study produced by Bankrate.com that considered a host of variables. “The Pine Tree State can boast excellent access to medical care and a relatively mild crime rate,” the study says. “Yet it ranks No. 6 on Bankrate’s list of bad places to retire for [...]

The Maine Wire: “F” is for Fail: Democrats attack LePage, refuse to answer questions over hazy A-F alternative

“F” is for Fail: Democrats attack LePage, refuse to answer questions over hazy A-F alternative

Posted: 08 May 2013 03:01 PM PDT

AUGUSTA – Top Democrats refuse to say how long the Party has been working on their school evaluation system or how that system will work, but said Wednesday their plan is definitely better than the Governor’s. Sen. Rebecca J. Millett (D-Cumberland) and Rep. W. Bruce MacDonald (D-Boothbay), co-chairs of the Education Committee, announced during a [...]

Maine Democrats Push Massive Middle Class Tax Hike

Democrats Push Massive Middle Class Tax Hike

Bring omnibus tax hike to committee in one day,
multiple bills to raise taxes on hard-working Mainers to be considered

Augusta – The Maine Republican Party is sounding the alarm on an attempt by legislative Democrats to impose a massive middle class tax hike on the Maine people just one day after they punched a series of holes in Governor LePage’s budget proposal, worsening Maine’s budget situation.

“It was clear from day one that Democrats planned to raise taxes, but this is breathtaking,” said Maine GOP Chairman Richard M. Cebra. “Multiple bills to raise taxes on everything from meals and lodging, to income and sales tax and anything else they can find.”

“Even worse,” Cebra continued. “Is that just yesterday they made the budget situation worse by refusing to cut spending.”

In total, Democrat’s massive middle class tax hike bills would take hundreds of millions of dollars out of the pockets of hard-working Maine people over the next two years.
A list of the bills follows this press release.

“It appears that Maine Democrats are much more concerned with appeasing the far left fringe of their base with massive tax hikes on the middle class than in doing what is right for Maine’s taxpayers and economy,” said Cebra.

“One thing we can be sure of is that last year the hard-working people of Maine did not vote for Democrats based on the belief that they would raise taxes on Maine’s middle class, but they are preparing to do just that,” Cebra concluded.

Earlier this year, the average Maine family saw the Obama administration raise their taxes by about $1,000 per year. Increases in Maine state taxes being proposed will take an additional bite out of the budgets of Maine families.

Among the proposals are attempts to raise income taxes by as much as 26%, sales tax by as much as 20%, increase the tax on hotel rooms by as much as 70%, increase the tax on meals by as much as 28% and increase the liquor tax by as much as 28%.

In addition, there are complex proposals like Rep. Seth Berry’s so-called “tax fairness” bill that appear to be administrative nightmares with frightening potential to put Maine in a tax-hike death spiral.

Tax Hike Proposals To Be Considered Today

• LD 692 – “An Act To Provide Funding for Education by Restoring the 8.5 Percent Income Tax Rate for High-income Taxpayers” (Kicks in at about ½ what Obama administration defines as “rich”)

• LD 815 – “An Act To Tax Political Action Committees”

• LD 834 – “An Act To Make The Income Tax More Equitable For Citizens Of The State” (Mirrors Obama administration income tax hike proposal levels)

• LD 1113 – “An Act To Provide Tax Fairness to Maine’s Middle Class and Working Families” (Seth Berry’s dangerous, so-called ‘tax fairness’ bill that would seek massive tax hikes based on a necessarily convoluted new measure and an even more complex reporting system — a better title would be the ‘Class Warfare On Auto-Pilot Reform of 2013’)

• LD 1124 – “An Act To Provide Income Tax Relief” (Actually anything but income tax relief – would put taxpayers on a scale that would change periodically based not on their income, but on their income relative to other taxpayers, effectively creating enough uncertainty to drive taxpayers out of Maine to more stable tax environments, and potentially moving some taxpayers into a higher marginal rate in the future even if they didn’t earn more money than the year before)

• LD 1256 – “An Act To Establish Tax Fairness” (Yet another attempt to raise the income tax – this one has the lowest threshold on income tax hike bills of the day – kicking in the top rate on couples who both work and earn on average $60k each)

Additional Upcoming Bills (Thursday, April 25)

• LD 1141 – “An Act To Increase the Sales Tax To Support Revenue Sharing” (Would increase the sales tax from 5% to 6%)

• LD 1227 – “An Act To Promote Tourism and Economic Development” (Raises the sales tax on hotel rooms from 7% to 12%)

• LD 1297 – “An Act To Provide Funding for Public Education by Increasing the Sales Tax” (Raises the sales tax from 5% to 5 2/3%)

• LD 1314 – “An Act To Allow a Local Option Tax on Meals and Lodging” (Allows for a 2% tax hike on meals and lodging, determined at the local level)

• LD 1402 – “An Act To Amend the Taxes Imposed on Alcohol and Lodging” (Raises the sales tax on liquor and lodging from 7% to 9%)

Bangor Daily News Refuses To Print Charlotte Iserbyt’s Letter To The Editor

Is this another attempt to keep Charlotte’s info from the public?
********

Charlotte’s letter to BDN regarding the Governor’s Education Conference which she attended March 21, 2013.
BDN said it was lost. Charlotte forwarded it again to then it and was never printed.
Charlotte’s latest letter to BDN, Saturday, April 20, 2013:

“Dear Ms. Feulner:

I am, of course, sorry you did not choose to print my article (see attachment above) regarding the Governor’s Education Conference which I attended March 21, 2013.

Perhaps the  article I am forwarding to you (click on link below) will help you understand that the situation about which I wrote is not fantasy and is playing out, in a very ugly manner,  across the nation.

http://www.newswithviews.com/Kepus/diane100.htm

The whole country is in an uproar over Common Core, Chiefs for Change, Jeb Bush, Tony Bennett, MIchele Rhee, et al, but the Bangor Daily News remains silent.

Does Governor LePage and the Republican Party have such control over the media that respecting his position takes precedence over the future of Maine’s teachers and our children?
Please respond.

Sincerely,
Charlotte

P.S.  Perhaps my article went astray, as happened the first time I submitted it.  In that case, I apologize, and I will, if you wish, resubmit it. “

Related, click here. BDN reported “a longstanding battle with upper management over journalistic practices at their Bangor TV stations, when news co-anchors Cindy Michaels and Tony Consiglio announced their resignations at the end of Tuesday’s 6 p.m. newscast.

Why won’t they publish Charlotte’s letter? Please forward this post to your lists.

 http://unmasker4maine.wordpress.com/2013/04/23/bangor-daily-news-refuses-to-print-charlotte-iserbyts-letter-to-the-editor/

Are The Wrong People Representing the Citizens of Lisbon?

CHAIRMAN FERN LAROCHELLE SPEAKS OUT!!

During the latest Town Council meeting, there were some very interesting developments.  First, Chairman LaRochelle allowed Steve Warren, Trails Commission to address the council during Audience Participation.  Mr. Warren provided an update on what the trails commission was doing.  The trail commission was not scheduled as an agenda item as required by the Council Working Rules.  I attempted to address the council and was asked if what I was going to address was pertaining to an agenda item.  My answer was “NO” because I had previously provided the council with eight (8) questions, (over a month and a half ago) the council had never answered during the thirty (30) minutes period prior to the council meeting and none has appeared on the agenda.  I followed the guidelines provided by the council and nothing came of it.  These are the eight (8) questions:

1.            Why did we have a tax increase last year and then a carry forward of over a million dollars?

2.            Why are purchases not charged to the department the purchases are for?

3.            Why did it take six years to file a law suit to recover the misappropriated $32,500?

4.            Why did the town find it necessary to transfer funds right after the beginning of the new fiscal year?

5.            Why does the Chairman of the council NOT have to pay interest and penalties on back taxes owed like ALL of residents?

6.            Why are the people not informed of the “precise nature of the business” being discussed in Executive Sessions in accordance with Maine law?

7.            Why was the old high school sold to Brunswick Housing Authority for $1.00?

8.            Why has there been no work done on the people voting on the municipal budget by departments?

Chairman LaRochelle’s answer was that “the council” did not feel these questions were worthy of being an agenda item.  In others words, “the council” does not intend to answer these questions for the citizens of Lisbon.  So let’s look at these questions:

1.        The town is faced with another budget year and after raising our taxes last year; came up with over a million dollars being carry forward with no explanation as to why this carry forward had not been applied to offset our tax increase.  By the way, where is that money now?

2.       There were three vehicles acquired from the state auction and none of these vehicles were charged to the right account.  One was charged to advertising; one was charged as repair parts; and the final one charged as equipment.  The Communication Center purchased new consoles and charged it to Town Buildings and the Police Officer Reimbursement.

3.       No one will ever know who misappropriated the $32,500 or how deep the cover-up goes.  It only took six years to get the town to file a civil suit to recover the funds.  No one will ever know how bad Chief Brooks botched the investigation.

4.        The citizens will never know why funds are transferred from one account to another with no explanation.  If the funds were not needed in these accounts then why were they budgeted which caused our taxes to go up?

5.       Why is it that Chairman LaRochelle does not have to pay all the back taxes LaRochelle Properties, LLC owed to the town to include interest and penalties like everyone one else has had to pay in the past?  Is the town setting a new presedent for the future?

6.       Do you think the council will ever provide the people with the “precise nature of business “ being discussed in Executive Sessions as required by Maine law?

7.       Are we ever going to know what goes on behind closed doors?  Remember the council sold the old high school on 4 Campus Avenue for $1.00 and with it a $1.4 million dollar federal grant.

8.       But the most important question is why there is no action being taken to allow the people of Lisbon to vote on the Municipal Budget by departments?  The PEOPLE of Lisbon voted two years ago stating they wanted to vote by department on the Municipal Budget.  

This just goes to show how very low Chairman LaRochelle has sunk.  During the workshop that followed the meeting, Councilor Pesce asked for a copy of the Planning Board list of projects for the new year.  Chairman LaRochelle stated he had only seen hand written notes of this list.  I had attended the last Planning Board meeting in which the Chairman passed out the list.  I offered to share my copy with the council and Chairman LaRochelle refused.   Since I exposed LaRochelle Properties, LLC owing back taxes, Chairman LaRochelle will not accept anything from me or allow me to address the council.  This is a true sign of a shallow person.

If “the council” does not feel these questions need to be answered, then we have the wrong people representing us.  In November, we need to make a positive change for Lisbon.

Larry Fillmore

 How Much More DO WE HAVE TO DO GOVERNOR LePage?

Governor LePage, How Much More Must We Citizens Endure?

A DEMOCRATIC FORM OF GOVERNMENT

When our forefathers established the United States of America, they elected a democratic form of government.  They chose this option because of the checks and balances built into the system to ensure a strong government built on integrity and designed to ensure no one or a single group could take complete charge.  It is a system controlled by the people through these checks and balances.  These checks and balances are the cornerstone of a democratic form of government.
 
In 1970 the Maine Legislature passed the Home Rule Enabling Act.  This Act states Maine’s cities and towns can not only exercise these powers expressly granted or necessarily implied but also “any power or function, which the Legislature has power to confer upon it, which is not expressly denied or denied by clear implication."  In other words, this Act eliminated the cornerstone of a democratic form of government by eliminating the checks and balances by the state on municipalities.  This destruction provided municipalities to do as they please without any oversight by the state.

As a result of this elimination of the checks and balances in the democratic form of government, there is a growing increase in corruption, fraud, misappropriations of funds and total mismanagement by municipal officials.  Every day there are reports of municipal officials being investigated, charged or found guilty of corruption, fraud, misappropriations of funds and mismanagement.  This is a direct result of the elimination of the cornerstone in a democratic form of government; the checks and balances established to prevent these events from occurring. 

I believe Lisbon is experiencing the same issues as occurred in Chelsea, Frenchboro, Newburgh, Pleasant Point, and numerous other municipalities in Maine.  Mrs. Fitzgerald, myself and others have requested a forensic audit be performed in Lisbon.  The town council has always refused every time the people have requested a forensic audit.  I wonder why this is and what they are trying to conceal from the people?  

Wouldn’t it be nice to know the truth about how $32,500 dollars that was misappropriated from the town’s Economic Community Development Department and no one was ever convicted and the money never found?

Several individuals in the community have questioned why The Lisbon Reporter and LisbonMaine.net continue to expose negative situations uncovered in Lisbon.   These individuals believe exposing these officials is bad for the community.  My response to them was best said by Edmund Burke “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”.  This is exactly what has happened in our community and many more in Maine.  So many good citizens have been sitting around doing nothing and now the corruption, fraud, misappropriations of funds and mismanagement by municipal officials is running rampant though Lisbon and the state of Maine. 

I believe Governor LePage needs to take a close look into how to resolve this situation.  The state has to reestablish the checks and balances in our government.  The Governor also needs to call for forensic audits when situations like the misappropriations of $32,500 dollars, misappropriation of funds and mismanagement of municipal officials is exposed by the people.  It is not the people’s responsibility to hire an attorney out of their own pocket to resolve these issues.  It is the Governor’s responsibility to protect the citizens of Maine from this abuse.

Larry Fillmore

The Maine Wire: LePage: High Electricity Rates? Blame Wind Power

LePage: High Electricity Rates? Blame Wind Power

Posted: 30 Mar 2013 09:04 AM PDT

AUGUSTA – Republican Gov. Paul R. LePage told Mainers on Saturday that electricity rates in the Pine Tree State are far too high and the state-mandated wind power industry is to blame. “Maine’s energy costs are 10th highest in the nation, and our electric bills are 34 percent higher than the national average,” said the Governor. [...]

 

The Maine Wire: “Media Watch: Liberal Group Pretends To Be Small Biz Coalition, Media Falls For It” plus 4 more

(Click on the titles to read the rest of the story) Media Watch: Liberal Group Pretends To Be Small Biz Coalition, Media Falls For It Posted: 28 Mar 2013 03:37 PM PDT A front group of the Portland-based Maine People’s Alliance (MPA) is back in the news over a report it released on Thursday urging Congress against cutting unsustainable entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. The so-called “Maine Small Business Coalition” (MSBC) released a study prepared by the national Main Street Alliance at a press [...]

Media Watch: Newspaper Reporters Threaten to Stalk, Expose State Workers Posted: 28 Mar 2013 02:14 PM PDT Maine’s Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) provides enterprising journalists a way to dig up dirt on matters of great interest to the public, but state officials say some newspaper reporters have taken their pursuit of public records a little too far. The MAINE WIRE has obtained emails  that show how newspaper reporters have threatened to [...]

LePage to Portland Mayor: Charter School Attacks Unfounded, Inappropriate Posted: 28 Mar 2013 01:53 PM PDT AUGUSTA – Republican Gov. Paul R. LePage on Thursday slammed Portland’s Democratic Mayor Michael Brennan for his “innappropriate” attack on a Portland-based public charter school. “Governor Paul R. LePage condemned today inappropriate activities that Portland’s Mayor has requested of Maine Attorney General, Janet Mills,” the Governor’s Office wrote in a statement. Brennan sent a letter [...]

“Obama Phones” Pushed in Maine Posted: 28 Mar 2013 01:04 PM PDT During the 2012 election, much ado was made over Cleveland resident Michelle Dowery’s rant in a viral YouTube video about her “Obama phone.” Now, a telecommunications giant Virgin Mobile USA has begun an ad campaign designed to encourage Mainers to get Obama phones of their own. “Keep Obama in president… He gave us a phone,” [...]

NRA Targets Angus King Posted: 28 Mar 2013 11:25 AM PDT The National Rifle Association (NRA), the foremost defender of Second Amendment rights in the country, is running ads targeting Maine’s  junior senator. The NRA’s Facebook ad asks Mainers to call Sen. Angus S. King, Jr., the un-enrolled Democrat of Brunswick who replaced former Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) last November, and urge him to oppose the “anti-Second Amendment agenda” [...]

Governor LePage Offers Ultimatum; The Maine Wire: “LePage to Democrats: I’ll give up my pension if you pay the hospitals” plus 6 more

Click on headline(s) to read the rest of the story. LePage to Democrats: I’ll give up my pension if you pay the hospitals Posted: 27 Mar 2013 03:30 PM PDT AUGUSTA – Republican Gov. Paul R. LePage said Wednesday via Twitter that he would give up his pension if Democratic leaders in Augusta would simply agree to his proposal to repay Maine’s hospitals with revenue from the liquor contract. The Governor, who is enjoying his yearly vacation in Jamaica, offered the deal in response to [...]

House GOP: Democrats Deliver Another Blow to Job Creation in Maine Posted: 27 Mar 2013 12:05 PM PDT From the House Republican Office: AUGUSTA – Well, there they go again.  Yesterday, Democrats were telling parents that their kids couldn’t go tanning.  Now, they’re telling struggling small business owners that the wages they offer aren’t good enough. The House this morning voted to advance a bill to further control the wages Maine employers may [...]

Report: Maine’s Majority Founder Quits Posted: 27 Mar 2013 11:36 AM PDT PORTLAND – The Portland Phoenix’s Jeff Inglis is reporting that Chris Korzen, the man behind MainesMajority.org, has quit the Portland-based non-profit group he started. “Not sure who’s empowered to accept his resignation, but it’s as clear as day: Chris Korzen is leaving the Maine’s Majority group he founded,” Inglis wrote in a story on Tuesday [...]

VIDEO: Bruce Poliquin on Hospital Debt Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:25 AM PDT Republican leader and former State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin on Wednesday released a new two-minute video that succinctly explains Maine’s hospital debt predicament and why paying Maine’s bills is the right thing to do. In the video, Poliquin explains how the state managed to accumulate $484 million in unpaid hospital bills and discusses Gov. Paul LePage’s [...]

Maine GOP: Democratic Lawmakers’ Petty Attacks Show Missing Priorities Posted: 27 Mar 2013 08:14 AM PDT AUGUSTA – Maine GOP Chairman Richard M. Cebra said Wednesday that Democratic lawmakers are falling short of lofty campaign promises and are instead resorting to petty, personal attacks on Republicans. The Maine Republican Party released a statement  highlighting what it believes is mounting evidence that Democratic Party is more concerned with pet issues and personal [...]

Lawmakers Ponder Amazon Tax Posted: 27 Mar 2013 07:14 AM PDT Lawmakers on Tuesday considered two items of legislation that would force businesses to collect sales and use taxes on goods sold into Maine over the Internet. L.D. 346, An Act to Require the Collection of Sales Tax by Any Business Making Sales to Persons in Maine, was introduced by Rep. L. Gary Knight (R-Livermore Falls), [...]

Democrats Balk At School Safety Bill Posted: 27 Mar 2013 07:04 AM PDT Democratic leaders in Augusta are using unorthodox parliamentary tricks to prevent the Legislature from considering a proposal to make Maine’s schools safer. State House sources say Democratic leaders have asked for a fiscal note on a bill to develop safety standards for school access before referring the measure out of committee. Typically, lawmakers ask for [...]

Choke Hold On Information Getting To Maine's Governor; Gatekeepers In Maine Governor LePage's Office At It Again!‏

A constituent (a veteran) sent a letter to Governor Paul LePage about our veteran heroes being under attack by our own government and requesting assistance from his office. View response from Patricia Condon, Director, Constituent Services and veteran’s response to Ms. Condon.
 
Read more.

Have you heard yet from Governor Lepage?

Stay tuned for more on state gatekeepers!




 http://unmasker4maine.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/gatekeepers-in-maine-governor-lepages-office-at-it-again/

MHPC: Space is Limited! Special Luncheon Event with Governor LePage, March 18, 2013‏

Please join The Maine Heritage Policy Center for a luncheon event with the Honorable Paul R. LePage.  

 

Governor LePage’s vision for Maine includes bold action to move the state forward.   LePage offers a record revealing a determined dedication to lowering taxes and controlling spending, promoting customized learning, and allowing more competition and transparency in the health insurance and health care markets – all with a goal of creating an environment where Maine people and businesses can thrive.  Governor LePage will discuss his agenda for the next two years and how you can participate in advancing a free market platform in Maine.  

Luncheon Ticket $45 MHPC Member | $55 Non-Member

 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Weekly Message from Governor Paul R. LePage

The Maine WIRE: LePage Blasts Obama Cabinet Secretaries Over Leaks

 U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack (above), a Democrat from Iowa, heads one agency that has leaked sensitive information to the Portland Press Herald.

 Maine Governor Paul R. LePage

Agents of the federal government are conspiring to politically damage Republican Gov. Paul R. LePage by coordinating with his Democratic opponents and leaking sensitive information to Maine’s newspapers. Sound like far-flung conspiracy theory? It’s not. According to documents obtained by The Maine Wire, employees of the federal government have on two occasions supplied communications intended [...]

 Read the rest of this article here: http://www.themainewire.com/2013/03/lepage-blasts-obama-cabinet-secretaries-leaks/

Maine's Governor LePage Addresses Tax Cuts

By Robert Long, BDN Staff

AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage touted state tax cuts that take effect this year and called for more structural changes to make Maine state government more friendly to business in a video his office released Thursday morning.

Titled “The Truth About Tax Cuts,” the five-minute video features LePage responding to questions posed by his press secretary, Adrienne Bennett. Both label the tax cuts enacted by the Republican-led 125th Legislature “the largest tax cut in Maine history.” Democrats have criticized the tax package because it leaves to the new Legislature the task of finding roughly $400,000 in state revenue decreases that the cuts impose in the upcoming biennial budget.

The cuts include reducing the top income tax rate from 8.5 percent to 7.95 percent; eliminating the 2 percent tax bracket, which frees approximately 70,000 households from paying state income tax; higher exemptions for pension income; and a higher income threshold for the estate tax.

The governor also cited the elimination of a tax on meals served in retirement homes, calling the changes “common-sense reform that takes the tax burden off vulnerable Mainers.” He again mentioned Forbes Magazine’s ranking of Maine as the worst state in which to do business for the past three years as justification to consider further tax cuts, which he said stimulate the economy.

Read More: http://bangordailynews.com/2013/01/03/news/state/lepage-addresses-mainers-about-tax-cuts-through-youtube-video/

A Great Informative Interview About Home Foreclosure: Tim Cason, and Brenda Nelson Interview Sheriff Merry

What is a responsible Sheriff?

"There is no lawful authority for Judges and the Courts to direct the law enforcement activities of a County Sheriff. The Sheriff is accountable and responsible only to the citizens who are inhabitants of his County, He is under Oath of Office, and need not receive unlawful Orders from Judges or the Courts. He is responsible to protect citizens, even from unlawful acts of officials of government. He should not allow his office to be used as an unlawful "lackey" of the Courts or Federal agents or agencies." 

"The Sheriff, in unknowing and unthinking acceptance of [the imposition of Equity or Merchant Law], has become the "bag man" for a bunch of private criminals [bankers], and thereby is committing crimes himself, and is therefore a criminal. It is a crime to violate Constitutional Rights and his oath of office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of his own State, it being drafted in conformance thereto, and being secondary thereto. "

Tim Cason, and Brenda Nelson Interview Sheriff Merry 

Citizen Journalist Brenda Nelson interviews Tim Cason and Sheriff Joel Merry on Tim's recent fraudulent foreclosure eviction order. All three give poignant points of view on the issue. We rushed this video out because time is of the essence.

If you really want to learn more about what a real sheriff is like and does simply go to this website.

www.sheriffmack.com

 

Hey Govn'ah, Have A LOOK - SEE: Open Letter To Maine Governor LePage "Get Off The Couch" and Help Lisbon Citizens

OPEN LETTER TO MAINE'S GOVERNOR PAUL LEPAGE

Dearest Governor LePage,

We, Lisbon Concerned Citizens are writing this letter to you to not 

only inform you of Information that YOU as Governor of the State 

of Maine need to know, but are also asking you, “To Get Off The 

Couch” and help “WE” Citizens in Lisbon. We are quite familiar 

with your Political connections to the Crafts family in Lisbon and 

fully realize that they were Big supporters in your Election 

Campaign.

But What you don't know, and we can provide more information 

for you, is that Legislative Representative for District #104, DALE 

CRAFTS, has been DIRECTLY involved with unscrupulous 

actions as a duly elected Public Official when he was a Lisbon 

Town Councilor. He has LIED about activities he was involved in. 

He has used the Internet to belittle and harass former town 

employees that were trying to bring forth the FACTUAL 

INFORMATION to the Public in a FRAUD investigation involving 

STATE and FEDERAL FUNDS. All to be COVERED UP by high 

ranking  STATE OFFICIALS, previous to your taking office.

Now let's get right to this writing. The TOWN of LISBON'S 

VEHICLE REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT has been short 

changing, cheating, or flagrantly under-collecting fees for the 

STATE of MAINE for several years now. There are two town 

councilors that know about this but yet nothing is done and it still 

continues. One has contacted the STATE BUREAU of 

TAXATION, and reported this information only to be told that

“We do not have funding to go after such infractions”. 

Governor LePage, you seem readily eager to make some changes 

in the financial woes of the STATE  and we would just like you to 

understand that LISBON has been CHEATING the STATE with 

their share of OBLIGATED TAXES DUE.

Won't you find a way to conduct a forensic audit in Lisbon and HELP US OUT?

Signed,

 Lisbon Concerned Citizens