My last option for closing any gap in the State of Maine's budget would be a tax increase of any type.  As a financial professional I know you can not give a recommendation to budget cuts unless you have done your homework and know how the budget was developed.

With that said this has always been my financial approach to any budget

concerns:

As the new Governor, I would immediately establish meetings with all departments, all done within an aggressive time frame and look at the current utilization of existing revenue as well as diminishing current funding to services.  How do we eliminate current unfunded financial mandates but maintain quality services throughout the State.  Minimize of the size of the State of Maine's operation and work as support services to all communities.  Give local municipalities more control with the implementation of consistent regulations to provide local authority the ability to work more comfortably directly with current and possible new businesses in developing new jobs in each county.  All these efforts all need to take place together, get more jobs, more income and as a result more money into the economy, which brings more money into the State budget.

Example of the budget process and how I would diminish expenses:

A.      First meeting all department heads together, it should be a collaboration of all budgeted areas, even though the largest budgets are with DHS and Education.

1.Time frame of all separate department meetings and dead lines along the way up to final recommendations.  Aggressive time frame to take no longer then 90 days.

2.Background information:

                                        i. When and why was each appropriation developed?

                                        ii. Does it still have the same positive impact?

                                        iii. Should it be eliminated or diminished?

3.Required to work outside State structure to acquire first hand       suggestions from municipalities, counties such as:

i. What would be the possible impact of eliminating mandatory unfunded mandates to communities, would it free up additional funds for them?

ii. What would be the impact if we only followed Federal guide lines for welfare assistance and eliminated the current State of Maine welfare extended policy?

         B. Following meetings held separately with each department:

                          1.Specific recommendations, no random percentage based on the required bottom line.

                                          i. Support information for budget cuts

                                          ii. Current impact of budget cuts

                                         iii. Long range impact of budget cuts

                                        iv. How will budget cuts help to move State Forward?

I would never indicate any tax increases but would easily state that I would exhaust all other avenues before I would support any tax increases.

P.O. Box 2011 Biddeford, Me 04005  My contact number is 207-283-9755.

Email: djdion@myfairpoint.net

  Paid for and authorized by Donna J. Dion for Governor 2010 P.O. box 2011 Biddeford ME. 04005 Michael Ready Treasurer