Updates from Maine's Premier Free-Market Think Tank
February 15, 2010
In This Update
MHPC launches GreatSchoolsForME.org
E-mail to protect direct democracy
GreatSchoolsForME.org has arrived
Tracking all things education in Maine became much easier last Wednesday when The Maine Heritage Policy Center launched GreatSchoolsForME.org. GreatSchoolsForME.org is a one-stop online education tool designed to present important information in a clear and objective way. Users can find local education spending facts, total district spending for each of 22 cost centers (in dollars and percent), district comparisons to statewide averages, school performance data, parent reviews, up-to-date information on education reform ideas like school choice and charter schools, and more.
Since GreatSchoolsForME.org was launched last week, thousands of Mainers have already visited the site. The site's launch also received prominent news coverage from Maine Public Radio, WCSH/Channel 6, WABI/Channel 5, WVII/Channel 7, the Bangor Daily News, and Maine Ahead. National organizations including Americans for Tax Reform, AARP, and Sunshine Review Blog have also noted the GreatSchoolsForME.org launch on their Web sites. MHPC hopes visitors to GreatSchoolsForMe.org will use the information they find to draw their own conclusions about the performance of their local school districts. GreatSchoolsForME.org can transform the way we think about education, and that is a first step toward positive, student-focused education reform in Maine.
Stop politicians from undermining direct democracy in Maine
This Wednesday, the Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee begins work sessions for three bills meant to curtail our right to directly engage government through the citizen initiative and people's veto. We need to send a message urging opposition to these anti-democratic bills.
LD 1690 (Rep. Seth Berry-sponsor) allows the removal of petition signatures without safeguards preventing fraud. Your name could be removed from a petition by a stranger who sends a letter pretending to be you! Petition signers may also face coercion from employers, politicians or others oppose to the petition.
LD 1692 (Rep. Emily Cain-sponsor) proposes an amendment to the Maine Constitution to require citizen initiative sponsors to identify how proposed spending cuts would be funded. Augusta politicians face no such requirements, yet Rep. Cain and other sponsors are happy to place this costly burden on citizens.
LD 1730 (Sen. John Nutting-sponsor) creates new requirements and penalties targeting citizen petition circulators, but does nothing to reform the petition process for candidates (candidate petition circulators can be under 18, do not have to be registered to vote, and do not have to reside in Maine). The money collected from the new penalties is earmarked for the Maine Clean Elections Fund, so politicians can continue using other people's money to run political campaigns
On Feb. 8, Chief Executive Officer Tarren Bragdon delivered testimony in opposition to these three bills. More than a dozen other Maine citizens joined Tarren in testifying in opposition. Our victory in stopping the Education Committee from repealing our right to vote on local school budgets proves that Maine people united behind a consistent message are a powerful force. Now, we need to use that power to protect our right to the citizen initiative and people's veto. Please take a minute to send a message to members of the Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee that you oppose LD 1690, 1692, 1730, or any other effort to limit our rights to directly engage government.
Sen. Nancy Sullivan - Chair
(207)282-5594
npsullivan@gwi.net
Rep. Pamela Jabar Trinward - Chair
(207) 872-7545
pjtrin@roadrunner.com
Sen. Seth Goodall
(207) 737-4797
seth@sethgoodall.com
Sen. Debra Plowman
(207) 862-4506
debraplowman@cs.com
Rep. Joh Tuttle
(207) 324-5964
RepJohn.Tuttle@legislature.maine.gov
Rep. Linda Valentino
(207) 282-5227
lmvalentino54@yahoo.com
Rep. Michael Carey
(207) 344-3017
RepMichael.Carey@legislature.maine.gov
Rep. Alexander Cornell du Houx
(207) 319-4511
acornell@alexcornell.org
Rep. Diane Russell
(207) 902-0043
RepDiane.Russell@legislature.maine.gov
Rep. Stacey Fitts
(207) 487-5641
RepStacey.Fitts@legislature.maine.gov
Rep. Wright Pinkham
(207) 628-2916
wrightfor88@tds.net
Rep. Joan Nass
(207) 477-2607
RepJoan.Nass@legislature.maine.gov
EVENT REMINDER
"Warning Signs for Maine's Economy: New Evidence"
Mr. Scott Moody, Chief Economist, The Maine Heritage Policy Center
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Seadog Brewing Company
26 Front Street, Bangor
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
DiMillo's Floating Restaurant
25 Long Wharf, Portland
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Dear Eddington News,
ReplyDeleteIt turns out that Maine Heritage Policy Center misread LD 1690. As written, voters would be able to retract their signature in complete privacy.
The bill would do 3 things to empower Maine voters:
1) let you know who is being paid and who is paying for your signature,
2) let you be sure the Secretary of State's count of valid names is in fact accurate, and
3) let you retract your signature if lied to by a signature gatherer.
I know the Heritage Policy Center is busy, but I am a little disappointed that they attacked my bill without reading it. If anything, it strengthens our rights as Maine voters to initiate and to veto legislation directly!
Thanks very much,
Rep. Seth Berry
Bowdoinham
Thank you for the information. Sine I will be attending their luncheon at the Sea Dog tomorrow, I will show the speaker your comments and see if I can obtain a clarification. See my posting tomorrow night for the results.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments. I do appreciate them.
R.