We're #1 - Again (Portland, Augusta: low income, eyeglasses, car insurance)

[broadbill]

Originally Posted by dmyankee

Happy Days are here again. Viva LePage!

Its interesting that for all of LePage's "tough talk" on the campaign trail about fiscal responsibility that his submitted budget called for a spending INCREASE...where is the outrage from the Repubs, Tea Party, etc on this?

Viva LePage indeed...

[leedspaddy]

It sounds to me that Maine maybe shaking off its socialist/ democrat tax and spend philosophy by electing republicans.........can you guys have a wee word with the liberals nuts in my state of Vermont. I am looking forward to escaping Vermont for the second and last time.........destination is ME/NH

[dmyankee]

Originally Posted by broadbill

Its interesting that for all of LePage's "tough talk" on the campaign trail about fiscal responsibility that his submitted budget called for a spending INCREASE...where is the outrage from the Repubs, Tea Party, etc on this?

Viva LePage indeed...

This is going to take the entire 8 years of the administration; undoing 30 plus years of Democrats and their spending spree.

The wagon pullers in this state are exausted. The wagon riders are going to be falling off the wagon, or get pushed off.

[mensaguy]

Originally Posted by broadbill

Its interesting that for all of LePage's "tough talk" on the campaign trail about fiscal responsibility that his submitted budget called for a spending INCREASE...where is the outrage from the Repubs, Tea Party, etc on this?

Viva LePage indeed...

How do you cut the budget by spending more money?

Originally Posted by leedspaddy

It sounds to me that Maine maybe shaking off its socialist/ democrat tax and spend philosophy by electing republicans.........

Where did you get that idea?

Originally Posted by dmyankee

This is going to take the entire 8 years of the administration; undoing 30 plus years of Democrats and their spending spree.

The wagon pullers in this state are exausted. The wagon riders are going to be falling off the wagon, or get pushed off.

Spending more that last year would indicate that it will take much more that 8 years to reverse something that has been going on for 30 years.

(Of course, I'm not a mathematician, but that's the way I see it.)

[broadbill]

Originally Posted by dmyankee

This is going to take the entire 8 years of the administration; undoing 30 plus years of Democrats and their spending spree.

So he is going to reverse the Dem's so-called spending spree by increasing the budget and spending MORE money than they did....how does this work again????

[broadbill]

Originally Posted by mensaguy

How do you cut the budget by spending more money?

My point exactly....

[RMoore007]

I haven't read the budget numbers but is it a slower rate of increase than before? Or the same old add a couple hundred million?

Here are the actual budget/expenditures over the past decade and more. Looks like we've doubled since 1997.
1997 $3.9 (in billions)
1998 $4.2
1999 $4.4
2000 $4.7
2001 $5.1
2002 $5.4
2003 $5.7
2004 $6.2
2005 $6.3
2006 $6.7
2007 $6.7
2008 $6.9
2009 $7.5
2010 $7.7
2011?

If we are just talking a hundred million then maybe we're alright but if we are talking $2-4 hundred million then our tax burdens will never get lowered in my lifetime. And we'll just never get out of this fiscal mess. Time will tell I guess. Until then, living in the worst first state is still better than the alternative, away.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

We owe the hospitals and doctors over $400 million. This isn't some suggestion. It is a debt. We will now pay the hospitals for current care they provide and we will pay down the debt we owe. We will pay it down quickly. This is not Washington, DC. It is Maine and we frown on people and parties that don't pay their bills. During the age of endarkenment, Augusta raided the pension funds of state workers and teachers. They blew it on extravagant programs and they took more kids away from families per capita and kept them longer than any other state. Maine does not have the worst parents in the nation. It will take time to dig out of this moral bankruptcy, but we will get it done. The repairs will be expensive, but it is a debt owed.

[dmyankee]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

We owe the hospitals and doctors over $400 million. This isn't some suggestion. It is a debt. We will now pay the hospitals for current care they provide and we will pay down the debt we owe. We will pay it down quickly. This is not Washington, DC. It is Maine and we frown on people and parties that don't pay their bills. During the age of endarkenment, Augusta raided the pension funds of state workers and teachers. They blew it on extravagant programs and they took more kids away from families per capita and kept them longer than any other state. Maine does not have the worst parents in the nation. It will take time to dig out of this moral bankruptcy, but we will get it done. The repairs will be expensive, but it is a debt owed.

Yup, the state of Maine is famous for removing kids and animals from what they consider to be undesireable homes. Absolutely shameful! The entire welfare state needs to be dismantled. The foster care state needs to end. The nanny state has driven this state into moral depravity. The end is near!

[Jellybean50]

Just read in our local paper today, that for the third year in a row - NJ is first in us paying out the highest percentage of our income in state and local taxes among the 50 states.

Sounds like another bad #1 to be to me.