News

Statement of the Governor on Transparent Communications between Executive and Legislative Branches 

AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage released the following statement today regarding a letter from Democratic Committee Chairs, who complained about the Governor’s request for transparency in communications between the Executive and Legislative Branches:

“I respect the deliberative process and understand that the legislative committees of jurisdiction request information and attendance of Executive Branch employees from time to time. In fact, my entire Administration and I have worked hard to assure that the legislative committees of jurisdiction receive pertinent and timely information as requested.

“In July and August, I provided letters to Senate President Justin Alfond and House Speaker Mark Eves, asking that all requests for communication with Commissioners or other agency leadership or staff to attend a committee meeting be directed to me or include me as a cc on correspondence to a department.

“I have made no secret of this policy and I will continue this policy because it is a business-like and a professional approach to managing the relationship between two separate but equal branches of government. The previous relationship resulted in an inefficient use of Executive Branch resources and was disrespectful of the time and work of Commissioners and staff. Furthermore, there was a significant lack of transparency for all Mainers.

Mainers deserve access to a more transparent process and a public record between the two branches.”

PLEASE NOTE: Governor LePage intends to provide a full and more comprehensive response to the legislature by letter correspondence, but given the media pressure (because Democrats provided no advance notice to Governor LePage prior to giving media their letter) we are providing a quick response to make clear where the Governor stands on the issue. 

Background: Governor LePage and his staff have communicated multiple times with the Legislative Branch with regard to communications, including letters on July 9 and August 14, 2013. Furthermore, verbal communication between the Governor’s Executive staff and Legislative staff has occurred with information provided accordingly per requests.

As recent as last week, Department of Health and Human Services commissioner Mary Mayhew and her staff answered an extensive line of questioning from the Health and Human Services Committee, which lasted hours. The Commissioner and staff have also recently answered questions from Appropriation Committee members and are scheduled to be before the Committee again next week, Wednesday, November 13. Additionally, Department of Economic and Community Development commissioner George Gervais has recently submitted detailed information to the Tax Expenditure Review Task Force.

A Special Veterans Day Message from Governor and First Lady LePage  

AUGUSTA – On Monday, Nov. 11, Mainers and Americans alike will celebrate and honor Veterans for their dedication to service. Today, Governor Paul R. LePage and First Lady Ann M. LePage took the opportunity to send a video message to all Veterans, thanking them for their service and sacrifice.

To view the message click here.

The text of the message is as follows:

Governor: Hello, I’m Governor Paul LePage.

First Lady: And I’m First Lady Ann LePage.

Governor: Our Nation began observing Veterans Day on November 11, 1919 as a day to celebrate and honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

First Lady: But any day is a great day to honor our heroes because freedom is not free any day of the year.

Governor: Maine is home to more veterans per capita compared to any other state with the exception of Alaska*. Our brave men and women, and their families, have shouldered the price, and all too often the ultimate sacrifice is made. 

On behalf of the great State of Maine, we extend our sincere appreciation for your service.

First Lady: We are grateful every day of the year for you, the ones who have answered the call of duty and put your lives on the line to protect our freedoms.

Governor: We would also like to thank the dedicated volunteers who have spent countless hours greeting our troops, supporting their families and ensuring that our veterans are never forgotten.

First Lady: One of those great people is Mr. Galen Cole, so well known for distributing walking sticks to all veterans. Thank you for your commitment to our troops. We are a better Maine because of citizens like you.  

Governor: And I would be remiss if I did not thank my lovely wife. She dedicates countless hours to our military service members and their families.

First Lady: To our active service members, those who have served our country well, and to the fallen heroes we are forever indebted to – I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Governor: Thank you and God Bless.

*In 2010, Maine had a 10.43 percent veteran population. It had an estimated 138,600 veterans and a population of 1,333,074. Source: State veteran counts listed on website of the Department of Veterans Affairs, which are from 2010, and compared to state population tallies in the 2010 Census.

Your Vote Counts: Governor Encourages Mainers to go to the Polls Tuesday              

Governor talks about bond benefits in video

AUGUSTA – Voting polls across Maine will open tomorrow morning, inviting Mainers to cast their ballot on several issues, including bonds. Today, Governor Paul R. LePage released a video encouraging Mainers to be active and engaged citizens by voting and informing themselves about the issues.

In the 3three-minute video, Governor LePage talks about the benefits of the $100 million transportation bond for of highways and bridges and for facilities, such as ports, harbors, marine transportation, freight and passenger railroads, aviation and transit.

“It will create jobs and make Maine more attractive to employers. Construction unemployment currently in Maine is at 26 percent. A $100 million bond would support an estimate 2,800 good-paying jobs in construction and related industries,” Governor LePage said.

Also highlighted is $14 million in funding, which would help repair, maintain and modernize Maine Army National Guard readiness centers across the State of Maine.

“Many of the buildings were constructed in the 1950s, and are not configured to accommodate today's Guard force, which includes female soldiers as well as soldiers and community users requiring ADA accommodations. Additionally, State funding shortfalls (since the 1990s) have resulted in accelerated aging due to lack of preventative maintenance,” the Governor said.

To learn more about where you can vote, contact your town office or city hall, or use the online Voter Information Lookup service. Voting places open between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., depending on the population of the town. Local officials can give you the exact opening time for your community. All voting places close at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Health Network Announces New Board Members

 

Include John Bogar, Michael Cormier, Christine Tropeano, and Darryl Wood

 

Farmington¾

 

Franklin Community Health Network (FCHN) President Rebecca Arsenault announces the appointment of four new community members to the FCHN/Franklin Memorial Hospital board of directors. They include: John Bogar of Farmington, Michael Cormier of Wilton, Christine Tropeano of Farmington, and Darryl Wood of New Sharon.

 

·         John Bogar is the president of the Kyes Insurance Agency, current chair of the NorthStar Advisory Board, and current member of FCHN Finance Committee. He is a past member of the FCHN Board;

·         Michael Cormier is the former 20-year superintendent of schools of Mt. Blue Regional School District;

·         Christine Tropeano is the current marketing, senior private label product manager for Jarden Home Brands located in East Wilton where she has been employed for the past 19 years; and

·         Darryl Wood is the current executive director of LEAP and serves on the board of Tri Valley United Way. He is a past member of the New Sharon Planning Board.

 

They join board members Dr. Connie Adler, Ron Aseltine, Clinton Boothby, Joseph Bujold, Sheena Bunnell, Dr. David Dixon, Dr. L. Michael Fraley, Leslie Gatchell, Gilly Hitchcock, Jef Howell, Peter Judkins, Paul Soucie, Meredith Tipton, and Carol Timberlake.

 

“These individuals give unselfishly of their time and talent to assure area residents that the organization continues to provide high quality care to all,” said Arsenault. “At a time when our health care system is subject to substantive reform changes, residents of Greater Franklin County can be assured that the network’s future direction is being guided by these highly committed and competent community leaders.”

 

Franklin Community Health Network is an independent non-profit community health care network that includes Franklin Memorial Hospital, Franklin Health medical practices, Evergreen Behavioral Services, NorthStar EMS, and the Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County.

 

To learn more, view FCHN’s 2012/2013 annual report online at www.fchn.org/about/annual-report. To request a printed annual report, contact the Community Relations office at 779-2555 or 1-800-398-6031, ext. 2555.

 

 

Promoting responsible government requires transparency and focusing on common sense reforms that make better use of your tax dollars.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

As Governor, I have worked hard to instill fiscal responsibility by reducing Maine’s pension debt, paying welfare debt owed to hospitals, and advocating for budgets without gimmicks that are truly balanced. It’s a record of accomplishment I am proud of, but it is only the beginning.

The LePage Administration has set clear priorities that focus on creating a more prosperous place for Mainers in the State we call home. These initiatives include job creation, lowering taxes and welfare reform.

Each of these areas is important, and it all starts with the Maine economy. My background in business provides me the knowledge needed to attract new investment and keep it here. It’s why I continue to push for lower energy prices, reducing the regulatory burden and becoming a more business-friendly state. The right policies can help Maine attract companies and grow jobs.

Lowering taxes is another critical component in making Maine prosperous. Restructuring the State's tax system puts more money into hard-working Mainers' pockets, allowing them to prosper and leading to a more stable economy. Liberals would rather grow government and increase taxes to pay for programs that increase government dependency. I want to right-size government and let you keep more of your hard-earned money.

Millions of your tax dollars go to welfare. While some liberal politicians want to keep spending more of your money on a broken system, our administration has a pragmatic approach to helping those who are truly needy. By reforming welfare, we empower Mainers toward economic independence and relieve pressure on the budget.

Today, one in three Mainers is enrolled in Medicaid, a program that has grown by $1 billion since 2000. We want to improve the system by helping individuals reach economic stability through programs that support job preparedness and provide an adequate safety net for our most vulnerable citizens. We simply cannot afford to keep adding people to the welfare rolls and throwing money at the problem.

I take my responsibility as Governor seriously, and it’s important for Mainers to know where I stand. Often times, political rhetoric hinders progress because the goals are not clear. Now and in the future, we will continue to increase job opportunities with good public policy that strengthens economic development, reduces taxes, and reforms welfare. These are actions that will speak louder than words.

Thank you for listening.

Governor LePage’s Trade Mission to Colombia Promotes Maine Schools

Education leaders meet with Colombian parents, students

AUGUSTAundefined Representatives from two Maine high schools and one university met with Colombian parents and students on Thursday night as the State of Maine trade mission, led by Governor Paul R. LePage, continued in Bogota, Colombia.

Traveling as part of the mission are representatives of Lee Academy of Lee, Thornton Academy of Saco and Bangor-based Husson University. Governor LePage, who met earlier in the day with officials at the Colombian Ministry of Education regarding their National English Initiative, provided introductory remarks and met with attendees.

“Maine is not only a fantastic place to visit, but it’s also a terrific destination to study and invest,” said Governor LePage. “We are here to make Maine more competitive in the global marketplace. To do that, we need to strengthen and further develop relationships here in Colombia, one of Latin America’s most successful economies.”

Approximately 45 people attended the event, which was hosted by EducationUSA and coordinated through the Maine International Trade Center’s StudyMaine program, the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

EducationUSA is a program that promotes educational opportunities in the United States through over 400 advising centers worldwide. Approximately 6,300 Colombian students attend college or university in the United States. With nearly half of 45 million residents under the age of 40, education is a priority for the Colombian government, with English language training being a key component.

According to the U.S. Commercial Service in Bogota, Colombia ranks 51^st of 54 nations measured for English language competency, opening major opportunities for Maine-based institutions engaged in ESL programs.

Though all three institutions are no strangers to international recruitment, Colombia represents a departure from traditional markets, which tend to be in Asia. “A growing interest for professional and language studies among Colombian students means an increasingly solid market for U.S. institutions,” said Colleen Grover, Director of International Initiatives for Husson University and one of the mission delegates. "There are enormous opportunities for developing educational programming and initiatives, and we’re very appreciative of this opportunity to connect with them."

Thornton Academy and Lee Academy also participated in the evening session to promote their boarding high school and college preparatory programs.

Also participating on the Colombia portion of the mission is South Portland-based Allagash International, which has established a branch operation in Colombia, as well as Westbrook-based IDEXX.

The mission concludes today with a State of Maine luncheon hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Bogota. The Maine delegation returns home on Saturday.

Governor LePage Applauds $30 Million in Savings for Businesses as Unemployment Insurance Rate Drops 

Private-sector job growth points to improving economy

AUGUSTAundefinedGovernor Paul R. LePage released a statement today about the Maine Department of Labor’s announcement that the 2014 Unemployment Insurance tax rates that businesses pay will fall to the lowest rates since 2009.

“The improving economy means that the tax rate for Maine’s employers will fall, saving them approximately $30 million in 2014,” said Governor LePage. “Employers can use this money to invest in their businesses and in their workers, further fueling economic growth. This is a win for Maine’s people and a win for our economy.”

The replenishment of the Unemployment Trust Fund, from which unemployment benefits are paid to laid-off workers, is a result of private-sector job growth and fewer unemployment claims.

David Clough, Maine state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, welcomed the news of the rate drop. “At a time when other labor costs are going up, the cut in state unemployment taxes will be welcome news for the thousands of Maine small business job creators,” Clough said. “However, there’s a danger that legislators will see these tax savings as something that can be spent via new mandates in higher labor expenses.”

Maine’s private-sector jobs have increased by about 12,500 under Governor LePage. Although the state has seen a decrease in government jobs, the vast majority of government employers do not pay unemployment taxes; they reimburse the trust fund when benefits are paid out. This means that the strength of the trust fund lies almost solely upon the taxes paid by private businesses. The increase in jobs, as well as any increases in hours worked or wages paid, builds up the trust fund balance.

Employers will see an annual decrease of between $19.20 and $169.20 in taxes paid per employee, with the average decrease being $64.80 per employee.

FMH Earns “Top Performer on Key Quality Measures^®” Recognition from The Joint Commission

 

Farmington, Maine

 

Franklin Memorial Hospital (FMH) today was named Top Performer on Key Quality Measures^® by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America. FMH was recognized by The Joint Commission for exemplary performance in using evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for certain conditions. The clinical processes focus on care for heart attack, pneumonia, surgery, children’s asthma, stroke and venous thromboembolism, as well as inpatient psychiatric services. New this year is a category for immunization for pneumonia and influenza.

 

Franklin Memorial Hospital is one of 1,099 hospitals in the U.S. earning the distinction of Top Performer on Key Quality Measures for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance. The ratings are based on an aggregation of accountability measure data reported to The Joint Commission during the 2012 calendar year.

 

FMH was recognized for its achievement on the following measure sets: acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart failure, pneumonia, outpatient services, and the surgical care improvement project.

 

FMH and each of the hospitals that were named as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures must: 1) achieve cumulative performance of 95 percent or above across all reported accountability measures; 2) achieve performance of 95 percent or above on each and every reported accountability measure where there are at least 30 denominator cases; and 3) have at least one core measure set that has a composite rate of 95 percent or above, and within that measure set all applicable individual accountability measures have a performance rate of 95 percent or above. A 95 percent score means a hospital provided an evidence-based practice 95 times out of 100 opportunities. Each accountability measure represents an evidence-based practice: examples include giving aspirin at arrival for heart attack patients, giving antibiotics one hour before surgery, or providing a home management plan of care for children with asthma.

“We understand that what matters most to patients is safe, effective care. That’s why FMH has made a commitment to accreditation and to positive patient outcomes through evidence-based care processes. Franklin Memorial is proud to receive the distinction of being a Joint Commission Top Performer on Key Quality Measures,” said Rebecca Arsenault, FMH president and CEO. “This positive affirmation by yet another independent reviewer just one week after the release of our Hospital Safety Score only strengthens our determination to continue our efforts to excel at all levels of our health delivery system.”

 

“Franklin Memorial Hospital and all the Top Performer hospitals have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to quality improvement and they should be proud of their achievement,” says Mark R. Chassin, MD, FACP, MPP, MPH, president and chief executive officer, The Joint Commission. “We have much to celebrate this year. Nearly half of our accredited hospitals have attained or nearly attained the Top Performer distinction. This truly shows that we are approaching a tipping point in hospital quality performance that will directly contribute to better health outcomes for patients.”

 

In addition to being included in today’s release of The Joint Commission’s “Improving America’s Hospitals” annual report, FMH will be recognized on The Joint Commission’s Quality Check website (www.qualitycheck.org). The Top Performer program will be featured in the December issues of The Joint Commission Perspectives and The Source.

Giving Doesn’t Take Much, But Time and Goodwill

Hello, this is First Lady Ann LePage.

The crisp fall air reminds me old man winter is on his way, and I admit winter is not my favorite season. However, it is a time when most people think not only about themselves, but also about how to help others less fortunate. The generosity of Mainers is something that will always warm my heart, especially during the holidays.

Paul and I taught all of our children about the importance of giving – whether it’s time at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter or ringing a kettle bell for a few hours. Giving doesn’t take but a little time and goodwill, which goes a long way for everyone involved.

I want to thank everyone who took the time to donate food to the third annual Blaine House Food Drive this year. In October, we extended an invitation for you to help, and you answered the call. Hundreds of people stopped by with bags and boxes of food, and they were eager to tour the Mansion. Many were quite surprised when Paul took them on a personal tour. He loves sharing the history of the House with Mainers.

The Good Shepherd Food Bank worked with us again this year, and they are still determining how many hundreds, likely thousands, of pounds of food was collected. We will share that total with you very soon.

We also have a challenge out to every Chamber of Commerce in Maine, encouraging businesses to donate to their local food pantries. A simple act of kindness has the power to make a difference, and together we can make a huge impact for those who need it most.

We know that many Mainers struggle to pay their bills, heat their homes, and put food on the table. But we also know that the spirit of Maine will help us through difficult times.

Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” His simple statement still rings true today.  

Thank you for listening.

AUGUSTA - Approximately 90 people attended the State of Maine reception held Tuesday night in Mexico City. The reception followed two days of meetings for the Maine business delegation, led by Governor Paul R. LePage.

In all, eight companies are participating in the mission with matchmaking meetings scheduled for this week in both Mexico and Columbia. Three schools - Husson University of Bangor, Lee Academy of Lee, and Thornton Academy of Saco - are also featured at roundtables with parents and students and had the opportunity to meet with the Mexican Undersecretary of Education.

“Mexico is a very important trading partner for Maine and we are here to strengthen that relationship,” said Governor LePage.   “Maine companies are looking to become even more competitive on the global market. This trade mission is about expanding export opportunities and developing relationships for new private investment.”

Last night’s reception featured remarks from Governor Paul R. LePage, Laura Dogu, Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy, and Janine Bisaillon-Cary, president of the Maine International Trade Center. Also in attendance was Senator Marcela Guerra, chair of the North American Relations Committee of the Mexican Senate.

On Monday, the Governor and Trade Center delivered a presentation on Maine to the Asociacion de Empresarios Mexicanos – an association of investors, entrepreneurs, and Mexican professionals with 14 locations throughout Mexico and the U.S., including a Boston chapter. The Governor also had the opportunity to meet with the Honorable Jose Antonio Meade Kuribrena - the Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs, regarding Maine’s trade and investment interests.

Monday evening, Governor LePage traveled to the city of Santiago de Queretaro for meetings with local business leaders. The State of Queretaro, approximately two hours north of Mexico City, is an emerging economic powerhouse built around the auto and aerospace industries. It is also the home of Dalegip – Maine’s first Mexican foreign direct investor that recently participated in a joint venture with GAC Chemical of Searsport.

“We credit Manuel Rivadeneyra of Dalegip opening up the doors in Queretaro,” said Janine Bisaillon-Cary, president of the Maine International Trade Center. “He connected us with local officials, industrial associations, and a number of companies with interest in trade and investment in Maine.”

The Governor also had the opportunity to visit the National Aerospace University of Queretaro (UNAQ) to learn more about its training and workforce development initiatives servicing the growing aerospace cluster and the local Bombardier facility.

The delegation moves on to Bogota, Colombia tomorrow with full slates of meetings scheduled for Thursday and Friday.