Area Legislators Weigh Costs of Local Control
ELLSWORTH — Area legislators answered questions about the Brookings Institution’s GrowSmart report and Maine’s future Saturday at City Hall. Regionalization and the lack thereof in Maine, as well as regional growth planning, were two topics covered during the forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters.

Hancock County residents ponder legislators’ comments on the Brookings Institution report, “Charting Maine’s Future,” at a meeting at Ellsworth City Hall Saturday.— STAFF PHOTOS BY JENNIFER OSBORN

Sen. Dennis Damon (D-Mount Desert) and state Reps. Bob Crosthwaite (R-Ellsworth), Rob Eaton (D-Sullivan), Ted Koffman (D-Bar Harbor) and Hannah Pingree (D-North Haven) participated.

“We’re dealing with hugely complicated problems,” said Pingree.

Regional service delivery is the most challenging question, she said. The Governor took a “huge political risk” with the consolidation plan but the plan at least has gotten towns talking to each other, she said.

Incentive funds are a possibility, the more towns work together the greater the funds received, she said.

Rep. Hannah Pingree

“Every town’s come up with their own solution and it’s costing us a lot of money,” said Pingree.

Damon spoke about Mount Desert Island being home to three high schools when he was younger. The schools were intense rivals, particularly about basketball.

Based on the outcome of a game, the towns had bragging or complaining rights until the next game, Damon said.

“That’s no small thing to take away from a community,” he said.

Yet, those three schools were consolidated into one, he said.

“How closely can we hang on to local control and what is its cost?” Damon asked.

Rep. Ted Koffman

“Maine is going to face significant challenges in the next 25 years,” said Koffman. The U.S. population is expected to increase by 100 million. “We’re going to see growth. We’re already seeing growth.”

Koffman said housing is one issue that could be dealt with regionally. Many residents of Lamoine, Trenton, Otis and Waltham are commuting to jobs on Mount Desert Island, he said.

Affordable housing near employers is a “justice issue,” said Koffman. “It’s an economic issue.”

Addressing regionalization of services, Rep. Eaton said, “we must somehow find efficiencies in the way we do things.”

Rep. Rob Eaton

Rep. Crosthwaite said there has been a push for more county government control but that county government is not set up for those responsibilities.

“We need to talk about how to do things in a cooperative way,” said Crosthwaite.

The GrowSmart report recommends four funds to support Maine’s economy and revenue sources to pay for them.

Sen. Dennis Damon

Eaton said increasing the lodging tax from 7 percent to 10 percent would put another $20 million in revenue to the state.

Koffman said he would support a broadened sales tax and a local option tax on lodging.

Pingree said a legislative committee was looking at serious tax reform this year to make Maine’s tax system broader and fairer.

“I think we need to start investing in Maine in a significant way,” said Pingree.

Damon said Maine needs to invest in “building blocks” such as transportation, infrastructure, energy and information technology.

Rep. Bob Crosthwaite

Crosthwaite said he likes the Brookings suggestions that Maine needs “to cut to invest.”

“We can’t continue with the mentality that we can spend our way to prosperity,” said Crosthwaite. “We need the savings dollars to be banked before we start writing blank checks.”

Limit unsustainable programs, such as Dirigo, and put that money towards economic development, said Crosthwaite.

Koffman said Maine’s tax system is “antiquated.” The state needs to broaden its sales tax and rely less on property tax.

Pingree suggested the problem was not high taxes but low incomes.

“We need to figure out how to lift people’s incomes,” said Pingree. Expand the sales tax and lower the income tax, she said.

A copy of the Brookings report, “Charting Maine’s Future: An Action Plan for Promoting Sustainable Prosperity and Quality Places,” is available online at www.brookings.edu/metro/maine. The plan includes a section profiling Hancock and Washington counties and emerging trends here as well as implications of those trends.