AMFTony Payne, a lifetime political and civic activist, is the Executive Director of the Alliance for Maine's Future. He has over 30 years experience in Maine's business community including service as Vice President of Underwriting & Marketing for Maine Employers' Mutual Insurance Company as well as the New England Region Vice President for Communications at OneBeacon Insurance. In addition, he was President of Maine Media, Inc. and has been honored with the Edward L. Bernays Award for lifetime achievements by the Maine Public Relations Council. He currently serves on the Town Council in Falmouth where he and his wife are raising three sons.
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Bowling, Mandates & TABOR Money
Oct 27, 2009 09:11 AM
Categories: Economy, Government at Work
This past week, State Senator Justin Alfond and a business partner announced plans to build a bowling alley in downtown Portland - good for business, good for kids and families, good for the community. A private investment that will create jobs. That's a ten-strike in this economy. We hope they bowl a perfect game.
At nearly the same time as Alfond's announcement, President of the Maine Senate Libby Mitchell rolled a gutter ball in the minds of Maine's small business owners. She wants to impose a new mandate on Maine businesses. Sen. Mitchell wants to force Maine businesses that do not already do so, to provide PAID sick leave in anticipation of a swine flu epidemic. Large employers (more than 25 employees) would be forced to allow six days and small employers would have to allow three days of paid sick leave annually. Apparently, the flu must be less severe if you work for a small employer.
This isn't about the swine flu. If it were, then the bill would have a sunset provision. Mitchell, a candidate for governor, wants to make this an accrued benefit during every year and include time off for mental illness and domestic violence. She makes no mention of having government pay for these days so that would mean this is another unfunded mandate on the back of Maine workers and their employers.
What a contrast. Alfond is demonstrating the power of private investment to create jobs and grow the economy. Mitchell is demonstrating her government-knows-best approach by using fear to unreasonably regulate small businesses and undermine the state's private sector.
If the swine flu hits Maine hard, businesses of every size are going to have huge challenges keeping their operations staffed. As usual, Maine people will pull together and do what's right and necessary to get through a crisis without the heavy hand of Sen. Mitchell's unfunded mandates on small family businesses.
If this is a preview of how Libby Mitchell might govern, then Maine now has much more to worry about than the swine flu.
Follow the Money in TABOR II
Campaign funding reports have been published for those supporting and opposing TABOR II which is question #4 on the November 3rd ballot. As of the most recent published filing, proponents of the spending and tax limitation law had raised $217,523 while opponents had raised $1,695,895 (plus more than $190,000 from in-kind contributions).
David-the-Conservative meet Goliath-of-Government.
Below are organizations and individuals who have made cash contributions greater than $10,000 to either defeat or support TABOR II. Click on links to their campaign reports for further details.
Contributions >$10,000 to defeat TABOR II
Citizens Unified for Maine's Future PAC: $1,695,895 in cash received from the following organizations and one individual.
National Education Association, Washington, DC (teachers union) $25,000
S. Donald Sussman (investment fund principal) $370,000
SEIU, Washington, DC (public employee union) $100,000
AGSCME, Washington, DC (public employee union) $70,000
Citizens Who Support Maine's Schools (click here for complete list) $557,600*
Maine Education Association (teachers union) $92,400
Maine Municipal Association (town governments) $140,000
Pike Industries (road contractor) $20,000
Sargent Corporation (road contractor) $10,000
MSEA (state employee union) $10,000
Build ME PAC (contractor PAC) $10,000
* Largest contributors to Citizens Who Support Maine's Public Schools PAC that then contributed $557,600 to Citizens Unified for Maine's Future PAC:
National Education Association, Washington, DC (teachers union) $600,000
Maine Education Association (teachers union) $40,000
Maine Municipal Association (town governments) $10,000
Contributions >$10,000 to pass TABOR II
TABOR NOW PAC: $159,096 in cash
Sam Adam's Alliance, Chicago, IL (conservative PAC) $40,000
Richard Kurtz (retired, Cape Elizabeth) $20,500
Elm Venture Fund, LLC, Freeport $15,000
Contributions were also made by Maine Leads: $16,387 and the Maine Heritage Policy Center: $42,040
Conclusion
It appears that 80% of the money raised in opposition to TABOR II has come from organizations or individuals who rely upon government for their employment or revenue. In the case of the Maine Municipal Association, their funding comes from local taxpayers and vendors to municipal government.
As for the proponents, it appears that no tax dollars are being spent to pass this particular ballot question.
Tony Payne
Executive Director
Alliance for Maine's Future
PO BOX 645, Augusta, ME 04332
www.changeformaine.com
At nearly the same time as Alfond's announcement, President of the Maine Senate Libby Mitchell rolled a gutter ball in the minds of Maine's small business owners. She wants to impose a new mandate on Maine businesses. Sen. Mitchell wants to force Maine businesses that do not already do so, to provide PAID sick leave in anticipation of a swine flu epidemic. Large employers (more than 25 employees) would be forced to allow six days and small employers would have to allow three days of paid sick leave annually. Apparently, the flu must be less severe if you work for a small employer.
This isn't about the swine flu. If it were, then the bill would have a sunset provision. Mitchell, a candidate for governor, wants to make this an accrued benefit during every year and include time off for mental illness and domestic violence. She makes no mention of having government pay for these days so that would mean this is another unfunded mandate on the back of Maine workers and their employers.
What a contrast. Alfond is demonstrating the power of private investment to create jobs and grow the economy. Mitchell is demonstrating her government-knows-best approach by using fear to unreasonably regulate small businesses and undermine the state's private sector.
If the swine flu hits Maine hard, businesses of every size are going to have huge challenges keeping their operations staffed. As usual, Maine people will pull together and do what's right and necessary to get through a crisis without the heavy hand of Sen. Mitchell's unfunded mandates on small family businesses.
If this is a preview of how Libby Mitchell might govern, then Maine now has much more to worry about than the swine flu.
Follow the Money in TABOR II
Campaign funding reports have been published for those supporting and opposing TABOR II which is question #4 on the November 3rd ballot. As of the most recent published filing, proponents of the spending and tax limitation law had raised $217,523 while opponents had raised $1,695,895 (plus more than $190,000 from in-kind contributions).
David-the-Conservative meet Goliath-of-Government.
Below are organizations and individuals who have made cash contributions greater than $10,000 to either defeat or support TABOR II. Click on links to their campaign reports for further details.
Contributions >$10,000 to defeat TABOR II
Citizens Unified for Maine's Future PAC: $1,695,895 in cash received from the following organizations and one individual.
National Education Association, Washington, DC (teachers union) $25,000
S. Donald Sussman (investment fund principal) $370,000
SEIU, Washington, DC (public employee union) $100,000
AGSCME, Washington, DC (public employee union) $70,000
Citizens Who Support Maine's Schools (click here for complete list) $557,600*
Maine Education Association (teachers union) $92,400
Maine Municipal Association (town governments) $140,000
Pike Industries (road contractor) $20,000
Sargent Corporation (road contractor) $10,000
MSEA (state employee union) $10,000
Build ME PAC (contractor PAC) $10,000
* Largest contributors to Citizens Who Support Maine's Public Schools PAC that then contributed $557,600 to Citizens Unified for Maine's Future PAC:
National Education Association, Washington, DC (teachers union) $600,000
Maine Education Association (teachers union) $40,000
Maine Municipal Association (town governments) $10,000
Contributions >$10,000 to pass TABOR II
TABOR NOW PAC: $159,096 in cash
Sam Adam's Alliance, Chicago, IL (conservative PAC) $40,000
Richard Kurtz (retired, Cape Elizabeth) $20,500
Elm Venture Fund, LLC, Freeport $15,000
Contributions were also made by Maine Leads: $16,387 and the Maine Heritage Policy Center: $42,040
Conclusion
It appears that 80% of the money raised in opposition to TABOR II has come from organizations or individuals who rely upon government for their employment or revenue. In the case of the Maine Municipal Association, their funding comes from local taxpayers and vendors to municipal government.
As for the proponents, it appears that no tax dollars are being spent to pass this particular ballot question.
Tony Payne
Executive Director
Alliance for Maine's Future
PO BOX 645, Augusta, ME 04332
www.changeformaine.com
rdesroc says,
Barry Poulson, an economics professor at the University of Colorado, said TABOR has shielded Colorado from troubles other states have. States such as California have turned to federal bailouts to keep functioning, he said.
“Fortunately, Colorado has avoided becoming a bailout society, and the reason is TABOR,” Poulson said.
Colorado’s TABOR amendment is the strongest in the nation, says Poulson.
The SEIU mentioned above should be noted as: "SEIU and ACORN’s “corporate campaigns,” thinly veiled but apparently legal extortion attempts to get big companies to unionize. "SEIU, along with its partners… stage disruptive demonstrations, place derogatory ads, hand out offensive flyers, send defamatory letters, and pressure politicians…. All of these actions are designed to irritate everyone in the community and hopefully focus the unrest on the employer, not SEIU. And, in the end, it’s all about money – union dues extracted from workers….writes Breitbart's Big Government. (You remember Breitbart who helped expose the investigative reporting by the Pimp & The Hooker taking on ACORN).
http://biggovernment.com/2009/10/06/is-seius-purple-brand-fading-to-pink/#more-13194
SEIU supports TABOR financially $$$$ in Maine ...enough said!!! $100,000. Corruption taking roots in Maine under the support of some "notables" mentioned in recent stories under Maine news-mastheads. Ignorance is no excuse. Do the research and make an informed VOTE, forget Politics. They all work for U IN AUGUSTA, NOT VISE VERSA!!!
Oct 27, 2009 05:45 PM
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