Maine: State House

AUGUSTA, Maine — Public testimony on bills aimed at reforming Maine’s welfare system, placing further restrictions on public smoking, and prohibiting the purchase of soda and snack foods with food stamps kept the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee busy Tuesday afternoon.

Two Republican-sponsored bills seek to restrict Maine’s public assistance programs, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and General Assistance.

LD 254, sponsored by Rep. Richard Cebra, R-Naples, proposes a five-point reform of welfare programs. It would require a 90-day residency in Maine for general assistance, provide a new-hire tax credit for employers who hire welfare recipients, increase the required hours of participation in Maine’s welfare-to-work program, adjust benefits to reflect earned income and impose a lifetime cap of 60 months on TANF benefits.

AUGUSTA, Maine — Democratic leaders in the State House are gearing up for a major debate over tax reform next week on their proposal to collect fewer taxes from Maine residents and more from out-of-staters.

Lawmakers are considering a variety of tax-reduction measures this session dealing with everything from levies on new cars and trucks to the amount the state treasury skims from individuals’ paychecks.

At 1 p.m. Thursday, the Legislature’s Taxation Committee will hear public comments on a plan to replace Maine’s four-tier income tax structure, which has a top tax rate of 8.5 percent, with a flat tax of 6.5 percent. The bill’s authors predict that with the numerous tax credits built into the proposed system, most Mainers would pay substantially less than 6.

AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. John Baldacci jokes that the source of his new haircut must remain “anonymous.”

With buzz-cut side borders highlighting his wispy-haired but mostly bald pate, the governor has moved from a standard male pattern balding look to someone who appears fresh out of the police academy.

Since getting the haircut a few days ago, the new ‘do has generated double takes at a time when talk of the state capital typically features meatier issues such as the annual budget.

Baldacci insists the new style simply shows he’s serious about a stepped-up training regimen so he can make a good showing in this summer’s TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10-kilometer road race in Cape Elizabeth.

AUGUSTA, Maine — Jobs will be saved, others created and Maine hospitals will be able to expand some facilities as a result of the state sending the first of two payments that will total $373.7 million for past-due bills owed them by the state.

Gov. John Baldacci signed a financial order Tuesday in the Hall of Flags at the State House to applause from lawmakers and hospital officials that will make $163 million in state and federal funds available within weeks to hospitals as a result of the stimulus package.

“This is a good day,” he said in an interview. “This fulfills a promise made to the hospitals to pay them what is owed and help save jobs and create jobs.