11/04/16 Governor Paul LePage
Posted by Jake Bourdeau
Maine’s Governor Paul LePage was our guest presenter on Friday and shared his opinions on the 2016 Referendum Citizen Initiatives, which were being put to a vote on November 8th. The Governor’s quick and easy recommendation: Vote No for all the Referendums.
Some of his thoughts on the ballot:
The governor generally thinks the marijuana initiative (Referendum No. 1) may not reduce crime or benefit the tax rolls. If it passes he thinks Maine’s roads could be less safe. Currently, in Maine, and with the exception of large quantities, Governor LePage says that arrests for marijuana possession are generally similar in punishment to receiving a summons for a speeding ticket. He indicated that he spoke with the Governor of Colorado who said that traffic accidents are up in their state due to legalized marijuana use, and that the expected tax base was not observed citing that marijuana can be grown in your backyard (therefore it is difficult to tax). Governor LePage indicated that his larger concerns are for kids and pets which may come across marijuana edibles. He indicated that marijuana could be toxic to some pets.
The Governor indicated that the crackdown on stronger drugs and opiates is the major focus for Maine enforcement right now. With the new rule changes, opiate prescriptions have dropped 50%, and doctors have maintained their ability to prescribe them for pain as necessary.
The Governor discussed the proposed tax increases on couples or individuals that earn more than $200,000/year per Citizen Initiative No. 2. He indicates that Maine is already one of the most heavily taxed states in the US, and studies show that if this tax increase is put into effect, we may lose many people and businesses further hurting our ability to attract business. Governor LePage used the company Airbus as an example of a company who chose to build a half-billion dollar factory in Alabama over Maine, due to the heavy tax burden here. If the referendum is passed, Maine could move up to the second most heavily taxed state in the country behind California. He said that this referendum provides a disincentive for a person to work hard and get ahead in life.
For the firearm background check Referendum No. 3, Governor LePage said that while background checks may be constitutional at the federal level, at the state level, the Maine Constitution says that a Maine citizen has the right to bear arms, and that right shall not be questioned. A background check seems to question that right.
He also said the hourly wage increase Initiative No. 4 is especially hard on Maine’s senior citizens. He said that the 325,000 people who depend on Social Security in Maine are going to be pushed deeper into poverty if voters endorse the increase in the minimum wage proposal on the ballot. That number is compared with the estimated 14,500 people working for minimum wage, of which 8,500 are servers. He indicated that studies show that the increase of $7.5/hr to $9/hr (or more after a few years) is a labor force inflationary factor that has not been seen for 20 years. Some predictions show a 10% unemployment rate could be realized as soon as next year if this referendum passes. Many of the elderly living on social security, or other assistance programs, are living at the poverty level with their benefits, and since about 20% of the Maine’s residents are at or below the poverty level, any upward pressure that increases the costs of goods and services could hurt these large majority of citizens in many unintended ways.
Governor LePage also believes the Rank Choice initiative No. 5 will be challenged in court if it passes because this decides the winning of an election by a majority (i.e., greater than 50% of the vote), whereas the State Constitution decides an election using plurality (i.e., the person with the most votes wins).
(Photo: David Clough, Governor Paul LePage and President Laura Young.)