2013 Election (Nov. 5) (Portland, Lewiston, Auburn: sales, employment, colleges)

[JoulesMSU]

Apparently there is a vote tomorrow, although I've heard very little about it.

State wide there are 5 proposals which would incur up to $182.38 million worth of debt.

Looking at the proposals...

#1 looks like an obvious NO - why does military need any more money than they currently have? If any they should lose funding, not ask for more!

#2, #4, #5 are all related to improving colleges... I'd like to see some more specifics aside from "improve employment and educational opportunities". Okay cool, HOW? #4 is the only one that specifies what the money is going to be used for (building a new science lab).

#3 is also very vague, just says it will help improve infrastructure. Sounds nice, but it looks pretty costly (67% of the costs from this vote would come from just this bond).

Thoughts?

Here is the whole ballot:

[Bydand]

Don't worry about it MSU, you are new to Maine, get used to all bonds passing no matter how vaguely worded or expensive. I lived there 20+ years and can't remember any bond issue NOT passing. There may have been a few, but none I can recall. There seems to always be at least one for highways and bridges, but don't get your hope up for seeing much improvement on these structures... just the way it is, and always has been as far as I can tell.

Not knocking the State in any way, I have family and many, many friends still living there. It just always astounded me how many bonds issues there are and they all seem to pass. Compared to where I am now (and from) and where MSU is from, Maine has 3 or 4 times the State level bond issues on the ballot as Michigan usually. It just takes a person by surprise when you see that many on one ballot and how badly some are worded.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Some of these wish lists are good projects, but none are good enough for the legislature to pass. That's why they go to referendum. We are in debt up to our ears already. We were so far in debt that we could not even pay our hospitals and doctors until last year and these bonds would just push us over the brink into that black hole of debt again.

If the state wants to raise some money in a hurry, sell some of their land.

[mainebrokerman]

maine seems to pass most all bonds...

dont know why,,,but we do..

[MadJack]

Vote NO on all... WE'RE BROKE!
The state just up-ed the sales tax, stealing 50% of casino's profit, taxing cigarettes 8 times what they tax hard liquer... and they just keep pissin it all away.

Like drugs in the 1990's, JUST SAY NO!

[Submariner]

They will pass. Maine voters always vote to increase our taxes.

I will vote 'no' on all of them. I do not want increased taxes.

However I suspect that all of them will pass, because as everyone else has stated bonds always pass. Our debt always goes up.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by Submariner

They will pass. Maine voters always vote to increase our taxes.

I will vote 'no' on all of them. I do not want increased taxes.

However I suspect that all of them will pass, because as everyone else has stated bonds always pass. Our debt always goes up.

I always felt the exact same way.

I never understood why they all passed all the time until I was talking to an old timer in The County. He mentioned he always votes for every bond to pass because it is "free money for Maine." He didn't understand that is is NOT free money for the State and that every bond means more taxes to pay for them. Refused to even discuss it further. He wasn't an isolated individual that held that idea I was to find out over the years.

[birdinmigration]

I'm what you would consider a liberal, but I cherry-pick what I think should be funded. For instance, #3 sounds like it would be of benefit to the entire state, not sure about the other ones though.

But you're right, we don't get enough info about all of these bond issues, thanks for bringing it up.

[MadJack]

If you re-read what #3 will be used for, aviation & rail being the last listed will receive the majority of the money. Both are PRIVATE businesses!

In any case, can we afford 100 MILLION dollars with an empty bank account?
Just like the 90 million dollars we spent on walk-paths for a few... paid for by the majority of Mainers...
Or ALL Mainers paying for Portland's sewer issues a few years back...
Or All Mainers paying for the rehab of Lewiston/Auburn...

Would you take money out of your wallet to pay for your neighbor to live better with no benefit to you???

[namder1]

You are right Mainebrokerman. I think it's because the state is mostly Democrat/Progressive......spend, spend, spend.