THANK YOU CRAIG

Spotted Craig Russell from the Eddington Fire Department out along Route 9 this morning taking down the flags from the utility poles. Kind of sad to see the flags coming down but better than to see them whipped to shreds by the all-too-soon-to-be bad weather. I'll just look forward to when they go back up next Spring - although I hope the Annual Report will be updated as to the people who donated to the flags purchased. I noticed the absence of several names in last year's report. :-(

The weather reports of wet snow in Bangor Tuesday afternoon (for about 10-15 minutes) were valid. I drove down from Orono in some of it and heard some of the sales staff at the Target store say they'd watched it fall in their parking lot. At least it left almost as soon as it arrived but - Good grief! There are still tons of leaves on the trees that haven't fallen. (And then there was that multi-car mess on the black ice over on Wilson Street/1A in Brewer yesterday.) Should we be thinking this will be a bad or early winter? At least the loons are still here which should be some kind of a good sign. I'm listening to them as I write so I'm going to think it is.

And last but not least - what are you thinking about all these negative ads re: the Ballot Questions for November 3? With the exception of the campaign for "No on Question 1", it seems the rest are all basing their arguments/positions on fear and negativity. I look for the issue and what seems right versus wrong - fair versus unfair. What seems to be good government versus more government. And I read A LOT - from as many positions as possible in order to be as informed on the issue as possible. I've never found basing my vote on my emotions to be as wise as basing it on facts and right v. wrong etc.

But what about Question 3? I haven't heard or seen any media ads on that issue at all - and that Question has to do with whether or not be should repeal the mandate of school consolidation. From what we saw here last year, the one option that was offered was certainly not more cost effective than what we have right now. In fact, we could cut some of our existing central office costs without consolidating with any other district by at least $20,000. Just ask me how.

And many of the larger towns like Bangor or Brewer were not required to make any changes. Granted, the more rural areas don't have as many voters as the large towns and cities, but consolidating distant rural areas isn't necessarily better for the children if they have to be up at 4:30am in order to be on school buses for a couple of hours just to get to school. Children, up through their teen years, need 8 hours of sleep each night. That's not my opinion; it's been proven through scientific studies. So how can children learn or stay healthy when they're not sleeping like they should, riding on school buses for 3-4 hours a day to/from school? And what's the condition of their minds, their attitude toward school, and the impact on their parents - the bus drivers?

Maybe, like in so many things that have come out of Augusta in recent years, ideas need more thought and research before there are mandated changes and unreasonable promises and expectations. Maybe cultivating an environment that would bring more businesses to the rural areas would bring more jobs = more families = justify districts staying where they are. It ALL starts with business growth.

I think the news burps with our Governor the last two days are insulting. NOW that the income revenues are even worse than previously projected - to the tune of $200 million less income to the State - the Governor thinks that State government needs to "tighten its belt along with the homes and businesses that have been cutting back because of these difficult economic times." I want to say, "Give it a rest, Governor." How bad does it have to get in this state before state government gets the message that Maine State government is too darn expensive - too big - and spends too much of the taxpayers money? Maine state government already said it was cutting back $90million in education funding in 2011. Maybe this will increase the decrease. To justify the threats of Question 4 not matter how the vote goes - do you think???

State government supposedly cut back last Spring to bring in the constitutionally required "balanced budget." The "balancing" cut back even more on voter-mandated education funding even after it used the federal stimulus money to pay a portion of the state funding. The "balancing" took over county jails, which were running just fine, to help run the state prisons which weren't running so well - and the result of which is now the county jails are being undercut by the state and that need for additional county jail funding being passed down to local property tax increases.

So - remember how the Governor said consolidating state corrections with county corrections would PREVENT an increase in property taxes - AND consolidating school districts would prevent property tax increases? Is this not similar to the argument being used for Question 2 regarding the Excise Tax? Apparently Maine state government and the proponents of the new Excise tax and the opponents of TABOR II think all they need to do is to tell the voter to do - or not do - something in order to not increase their property taxes and Pavlov's dog (us, the taxpayers who own property in this state) will roll over automatically.

I said earlier, I don't respond well to threats and fear.

I just march to the voting booth and VOTE. Sure, people can vote Absentee Ballots but Why unless they're going to be out of town? (And that's something else I don't understand. Bangor has shut down all polling places except the Civic Auditorium. It used to be there were polling places every 10 blocks or so. That's the way it is in most places I've lived. And the places are staffed by volunteers. (Of course the voting booths usually have machines to take care of the ballots and do the counting, too, which cuts down on the time it takes to know voting tallies. Here in Eddington, at least, we have 12 hours to vote at the Town Office and there are only 1600 of us registered. I'll bet there will be fewer than 400 that will vote on Nov. 3 - absentee ballots included. A pathetic example for our children.)

So, have you done your research? Made up your mind? Gotten your absentee ballot from the Town Office or plan to be marching in there Nov. 3rd? If so, good for you. If not, better get going. It's one of those American responsibilities that comes with those flags that Craig's taking care of today.

Tomorrow: Is Question 2 - the repeal of the new Excise Tax Law - well written. Pros and Cons.