Democrat legislators on Maine’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs (AFA) Committee reversed course on multiple controversial measures following criticism for their “under cover of darkness” tactics during the committee’s previous, early-morning meeting.
During a supplementary meeting of the AFA called to remedy the unpopular spending initiatives pushed in the previous meeting, many of those initiatives were removed or altered.
“I believe that human beings do what they really want when no one is looking. These changes were made in the middle of the night when no one was looking. Once the light of day was shown on these moves, the Majority decided that they would recant and not do these. When asked in Committee what changed from the middle of the night on April 5-6th the answer was formulaic and glib. I believe that we can plan on the Majority attempting to do these things again in the future,” said Rep. Jack Ducharme (R-Madison) in comments provided to The Maine Wire.
Multiple times during the meeting, Democrats motioned to amend one of the unpopular changes that they pushed through in the previous meeting, and Ducharme would ask why they had changed their minds.
“I would like to know why it was a good idea at three o’clock in the morning, and it isn’t a good idea now, that’s my question,” said Rep. Ducharme.
He was not satisfied with the “formulaic and glib” responses he received.
The early morning meeting led to a formal complaint from House Minority Leader calling for the removal of AFA House Chair Rep. Melanie Sachs (D-Freeport) for her conduct.
That request was not heeded by Speaker Talbot Ross (D-Portland), although Speaker Talbot Ross, along with Gov Janet Mills (D-Maine) did call for an additional meeting to undo the harm caused in the previous one.
The supplementary meeting saw Democrats restoring some state funding for dairy farmers, which they had previously removed, although they only allocated $3 million for the purpose, significantly less than Republicans had originally hoped.
Democrats also reversed course on their decision to lower the Pension Deduction, after it drew criticism because it would have increased taxes for retirees.
In the previous meeting, Democrats forced through a motion which would have transferred control of the Liquor Fund from the Transportation Committee to the AFA Committee.
That was reversed on Monday, but Democrats did appropriate an $11 million excess from the liquor fund into the general fund, allowing the Democrat controlled AFA to determine its final use.
According to comments provided to The Maine Wire by Ducharme, if that $11 million had been given to the Department of Transport (DOT), it could have brought in $35 million in federal match funding.
Democrats also reversed their attempt to wrest control of the Highway Budget from the Transportation Committee, which would have put the funds under direct control of the AFA committee, and would have removed $60 million from the DOT.
They did, however, vote to send that measure to the Joint Rules Committee in future in the hopes of a feasibility study supporting their takeover of the fund.
“In the discussion about restoring the Highway budget to Transportation, they talked about referring it to the Joint Rules Committee to see if they could get it changed that way,” said Ducharme to The Maine Wire.
In many ways, Republicans remain unsatisfied with the budget, which still fails to meet many Mainers’ needs.
In the Republican supported budget, funds were set aside for 32 new State Police officers so that rural areas can have police protection, but Democrats reduced the funding to support only 16 new officers.
Republicans are also concerned that the new budget is not fiscally responsible, and will lead the state into disaster in the event of an economic downturn.
“Consider this; if a significant economic downturn occurs and State revenues dry up, the current [Budget Stabilization Fund] BSF contains about 45 days of funding for regular operations of the State given the current spend rate of about $20 million per day,” said Ducharme. “Many in the Legislature believe that the State must provide all the needs of all the people. Others believe in self-resiliency and fiscal responsibility.”
In comments provided to the Maine Wire, Rep. Mark Blier (R-Buxton), he expressed his dissatisfaction with the direction taken by Democrats in their original, early morning meeting.
“This is not bipartisan at all,” said Rep. Blier, “We’re no longer a democracy in our state; we’re into a dictatorship.”
The supplementary budget ultimately passed through both the senate and the house early Thursday morning, at the end of proceedings which began in the morning of the previous day.
Both votes were split largely along party lines, with Democrats supporting the budget, and Republicans standing against it.
Stealing money from DOT is stupid when many of the secondary roads in Maine suck. Use it to repave the roads. All you drinkers should be pissed too. Stealing money from your liquor fund so they can piss it away wherever they want. Oh well, another day (or night) in Disgusta!