Tuesday, April 26, 2011

From Midcoast Democratic State House Member Bruce MacDonald:

Dear Fellow Lincoln County Dems: 
I need your support and help! I am asking you to come to Boothbay High School Auditorium for a public meeting, 7-9 pm, next Wednesday evening, May the 4th to discuss the Governor's proposed budget, and the process we are going through to respond to his extreme proposals. I need you to be there to counter a possible turn-out of the Tea Party Republicans who may try to hijack the meeting. Since the press will be there, it's important we counter any such possibility. 
I would not be at all suprised to have Sen. Trahan and Rep. McKane show up to this. I will in fact invite Sen. Trahan since he is the Senator for our district. I will do this even though Sen Trahan didn't even let me know about a similar meeting on tax issues he held in Boothbay last week. 
Lincoln County has some of the most hard core Tea Party Republicans with lots of time on their hands so I assume they might try to flood this even though they aren't necessarily from my district. They are pushing the local R's hard to support the Governor's budget and tax shifts. Thanks for whatever you can do. 
Meeting will be at Boothbay Region High School auditorium on Wed., May 4 at 7 p.m.
Here's the text of a press release we sent out today to announce this:
Rep. MacDonald invites constituents to discuss the proposed State budget
Meeting will be at Boothbay Region High School auditorium on Wed., May 4 at 7 p.m. 
BOOTHBAY— Rep. Bruce MacDonald, D-Boothbay, announced that he is hosting a public meeting for community members to discuss Governor LePage's proposed biennial budget. The meeting will take place at the Boothbay Region High School auditorium on Wednesday, May 4 at 7:00 pm.
“This budget has far reaching implications for every citizen of the state,” said MacDonald. “I want people to take this opportunity to ask me about the budget process and to make sure their voices are heard and Maine’s values are truly represented in the final state budget and state public policy.”
The proposed budget would cut take home pay for tens of thousands of retirees and Maine families who work in schools and for the state and would raise property taxes for most, if not all, property owners through cuts to municipal revenue sharing, the property tax and rent rebate program and school funding. It also includes new state spending of over $500 million according to the legislature’s Office of Fiscal and Policy Analysis. This spending will be added to the over $800 million revenue shortfall and subsequent cuts or tax shifts will be needed to balance Maine’s biennial budget as required by law.
“People have been contacting me at home and when they run into me around town to express their concerns about many issues including job losses, the cuts to Mainers' income and seniors' prescription drug coverage as proposed in the governor's budget,” said MacDonald. “As state elected officials we need our constituents to give us their input.”
As always you can email Rep. MacDonald with any questions at bmacdon@roadrunner.com , or call at 633-0570.
I plan to be there with bells on.


Thursday, April 14, 2011