Local legislators outline priorities
Local legislators outline priorities
By Lucas Knowles
Editor
Scarborough’s newly elected members of the State House of Representatives and State Senate are looking ahead to the upcoming legislative session and their priorities range from tax reform to promoting economic development.
State Senators Lynn Bromley and Phil Bartlett both were re-elected to their posts. Bromley, a Democrat, was elected for a fourth consecutive term representing South Portland, Cape Elizabeth and part of Scarborough, while Bartlett, a Democrat, is being sent to Augusta for his second term representing Gorham, part of Westbrook and part of Scarborough. Representatives-Elect John McDonough and Peggy Pendleton both won in close races and will be going back to Augusta after a layoff. McDonough, a Republican and former representative from Portland, will represent the eastern half of Scarborough, while Pendleton, a Democrat a former state house and senate member, will be representing the western half of Scarborough.
The Leader asked the legislators what their top three priorities for the next legislative session will be.
McDonough outlined his top priorities for the next legislative session as property tax reform, investigating Maine’s school funding formula and health care reform.
McDonough said he would like to “freeze property tax rates for all Maine homeowners at current levels.”
“The citizens of Scarborough expect the legislature to solve the property tax dilemma,” McDonough said. “I would recommend that when the property is sold, the sale price would determine the new tax rate. Prior to that event, a procedure needs to be developed that would allow a property owner to defer payment of a portion of the increased taxes until the property is sold or ownership is transferred. This would include properties owned as second homes.”
McDonough said he wants to work “to insure that Scarborough schools get their fair share of school funding.” He intends to not support a budget that does increase funding to Scarborough schools based on the increasing student population.
McDonough also wants to take a hard look at the DirigoHealth program.
“If Dirigo is going to work, we must find a way to make it attractive to all small businesses so they will join the program,” McDonough said. “I believe more competition in the health care industry would reduce health care costs and would encourage more providers to do business in Maine.”
Pendleton said her top priorities for this legislative session are tax reform, investing in education and trying to provide “quality health care for all citizens.”
On taxes, Pendleton said she wants to “reduce reliance on the property tax and lower the income tax burden for Maine families.” To achieve that goal, Pendleton supports reducing the income tax, removing certain exemptions, stipulating that a certain percentage of state aid is used for property tax reduction in municipalities, expanding the Circuit Breaker program and capping valuation on primary residences.
Pendleton wants to see higher education “being more affordable” in Maine and to “grow the skills of our workforce to create a broad-based social and economic starting point for a prosperous Maine.” She supports increasing funding for the Maine Community College System, an increased state tax credit for education and increased tuition waivers and scholarships.
Pendleton plans on studying proposals for health care reform and believes investing in health care is vital to the state’s future.
“We must work to grow jobs that pay well and jobs that will stay in Maine,” Pendleton said. “A common sense approach to this would include jobs in the health care field. Smart investment in this area could create good-paying jobs and help the economy in the long run.”
Bartlett outlined his top priorities as “significant, responsible tax reform,” “the implementation of policies to address soaring health insurance costs” and “strengthening our economy through strategic investments in research and development, a renewed emphasis on higher education and the reduction of energy costs by promoting renewable energy and improving energy efficiency.”
“These priorities are vital to increasing incomes and improving the quality of life in Maine,” Bartlett said. “All of these issues are interconnected and a comprehensive strategy is needed to move Maine forward.”
Bromley listed her top priorities as “economic development, economic development and economic development.”
“I know there is a lot of energy around tax reform and that needs to be a major focus of this legislature, but part of the problem is the fact that Maine's per capita income is low,” Bromley said “We're always going to be in the soup of ‘not enough revenue’ – to do all that we must make a sustained and strategic priority of growing a 21st century economy.”
To reach that goal, Bromley believes the state must increase access to higher education and invest in research and development, connectivity (roads and bridges, high speed internet, etc.) and energy.
According to Bromley, the Joint Select Committee on Research, Economic Development and the Innovation Economy, a group which she chaired, will introduce legislation to support existing programs like the Maine Technology Institute.
The first regular session of the 123rd Maine Legislature is slated for Dec. 6. Democrats hold an 89-seat majority in the house and a one-seat majority in the senate.
By Lucas Knowles
Editor
Scarborough’s newly elected members of the State House of Representatives and State Senate are looking ahead to the upcoming legislative session and their priorities range from tax reform to promoting economic development.
State Senators Lynn Bromley and Phil Bartlett both were re-elected to their posts. Bromley, a Democrat, was elected for a fourth consecutive term representing South Portland, Cape Elizabeth and part of Scarborough, while Bartlett, a Democrat, is being sent to Augusta for his second term representing Gorham, part of Westbrook and part of Scarborough. Representatives-Elect John McDonough and Peggy Pendleton both won in close races and will be going back to Augusta after a layoff. McDonough, a Republican and former representative from Portland, will represent the eastern half of Scarborough, while Pendleton, a Democrat a former state house and senate member, will be representing the western half of Scarborough.
The Leader asked the legislators what their top three priorities for the next legislative session will be.
McDonough outlined his top priorities for the next legislative session as property tax reform, investigating Maine’s school funding formula and health care reform.
McDonough said he would like to “freeze property tax rates for all Maine homeowners at current levels.”
“The citizens of Scarborough expect the legislature to solve the property tax dilemma,” McDonough said. “I would recommend that when the property is sold, the sale price would determine the new tax rate. Prior to that event, a procedure needs to be developed that would allow a property owner to defer payment of a portion of the increased taxes until the property is sold or ownership is transferred. This would include properties owned as second homes.”
McDonough said he wants to work “to insure that Scarborough schools get their fair share of school funding.” He intends to not support a budget that does increase funding to Scarborough schools based on the increasing student population.
McDonough also wants to take a hard look at the DirigoHealth program.
“If Dirigo is going to work, we must find a way to make it attractive to all small businesses so they will join the program,” McDonough said. “I believe more competition in the health care industry would reduce health care costs and would encourage more providers to do business in Maine.”
Pendleton said her top priorities for this legislative session are tax reform, investing in education and trying to provide “quality health care for all citizens.”
On taxes, Pendleton said she wants to “reduce reliance on the property tax and lower the income tax burden for Maine families.” To achieve that goal, Pendleton supports reducing the income tax, removing certain exemptions, stipulating that a certain percentage of state aid is used for property tax reduction in municipalities, expanding the Circuit Breaker program and capping valuation on primary residences.
Pendleton wants to see higher education “being more affordable” in Maine and to “grow the skills of our workforce to create a broad-based social and economic starting point for a prosperous Maine.” She supports increasing funding for the Maine Community College System, an increased state tax credit for education and increased tuition waivers and scholarships.
Pendleton plans on studying proposals for health care reform and believes investing in health care is vital to the state’s future.
“We must work to grow jobs that pay well and jobs that will stay in Maine,” Pendleton said. “A common sense approach to this would include jobs in the health care field. Smart investment in this area could create good-paying jobs and help the economy in the long run.”
Bartlett outlined his top priorities as “significant, responsible tax reform,” “the implementation of policies to address soaring health insurance costs” and “strengthening our economy through strategic investments in research and development, a renewed emphasis on higher education and the reduction of energy costs by promoting renewable energy and improving energy efficiency.”
“These priorities are vital to increasing incomes and improving the quality of life in Maine,” Bartlett said. “All of these issues are interconnected and a comprehensive strategy is needed to move Maine forward.”
Bromley listed her top priorities as “economic development, economic development and economic development.”
“I know there is a lot of energy around tax reform and that needs to be a major focus of this legislature, but part of the problem is the fact that Maine's per capita income is low,” Bromley said “We're always going to be in the soup of ‘not enough revenue’ – to do all that we must make a sustained and strategic priority of growing a 21st century economy.”
To reach that goal, Bromley believes the state must increase access to higher education and invest in research and development, connectivity (roads and bridges, high speed internet, etc.) and energy.
According to Bromley, the Joint Select Committee on Research, Economic Development and the Innovation Economy, a group which she chaired, will introduce legislation to support existing programs like the Maine Technology Institute.
The first regular session of the 123rd Maine Legislature is slated for Dec. 6. Democrats hold an 89-seat majority in the house and a one-seat majority in the senate.
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