Mar 10 2016

Governor’s bill strengthens welfare work requirement and reduces liability of Maine taxpayers

03/10/2016 02:25 PM EST
**Augusta** – Governor Paul R. LePage, for the third time, will introduce legislation to prioritize employment over welfare entitlement by aligning Maine’s welfare programs with federal law. From 2007 through 2013, Maine’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) failed to meet the federal work participation rates causing the state to face nearly $29 million in federal fines. Members of the Legislature have not only ignored the issue, they have protected the very exemptions in Maine law that have discouraged employment and this Administration’s goals of helping people move from poverty to prosperity.

“The Legislature once again has the chance to correct a situation that is detrimental to both the people on the program and the Maine taxpayers. It is time to hold accountable those who refuse to work because of baseless excuses,” said Governor Paul LePage. “We must restore taxpayers’ faith in the integrity of the system and ensure it is helping those who truly need it in a way that supports them becoming self-sufficient. More importantly, we could fix the problem that led to the $29 million in fines.”

“This legislation and the reforms proposed are critical to further advancing our efforts to incentivize work in the best interests of those in need of temporary assistance, rather than the long-held views by democrats that these individuals are incapable of helping themselves and therefore should be protected from the employment requirements that are core to the federal law.,” said DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew. “Twice democrats in the legislature have denied this Administration’s attempts to correct the issue. The people we are trying to help get back to work and the $29 million in looming federal penalties can no longer be ignored. We must align our program to the federal guidelines and stop allowing people to opt-out of their required work so easily.”

LD1631 will use a two-prong approach to address the issue. First, it will eliminate the requirement for blanket “good cause” exemptions for TANF recipients not complying with the work requirements. The Department will still have the ability to grant good cause in certain circumstances that truly prevent the recipient from completing work requirements, such as in cases involving victims of domestic violence. In addition, the Department will have more flexibility to impose a sanction more quickly in cases where it is appropriate to do so. Under the current process, administrative hurdles delay sanctions and allow noncompliant recipients to receive TANF benefits for additional months. Not only does this produce a barrier to independence, it also contributes to the state not meeting its work participation rate. If a TANF recipient is not working, it counts against the State’s rate because Maine’s “good cause exemptions” are much more broad than they should be.

Secondly, the legislation will create a fund to pay fines imposed on the State by the Federal Government due to Maine’s failure to comply with Federal ASPIRE-TANF program requirements.

In August, the Department received a letter from the Administration of Children and Families (ACF) informing the state that it would need to pay the first penalty of the $29 million currently assessed. The 2007 penalty amount totaled $1.16 million and will need to be paid with state funds. The letter demonstrates the real financial liability associated with past failures to make sure recipients were working. It’s a mistake that Maine cannot continue to repeat.
Mar 8 2016

Governor Announces Judicial Nominees

03/08/2016 02:08 PM EST

 

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 Contact: Adrienne Bennett, Press Secretary, 207-287-2531 AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage announced today judicial nominations of three lawyers to serve as judges in Maine Superior and District Courts and three Active Retired Judges for the Maine Superior and District Courts.

Governor LePage has nominated attorney Harold Stewart II to serve as a Maine Superior Court Justice and Attorneys Deborah Cashman and Patrick Larson to serve as Judges in Maine District Court.

The Hon. Allen Hunter is nominated to serve as an Active Retired Justice in Maine Superior Court and Hon. E. Paul Eggert and Hon. Keith Powers are nominated to serve as Active Retired Judges in District Court.

Harold Stewart II, of Presque Isle, is an attorney at Stewart Law Office, a division of Marden, Dubord, Bernier & Stevens, PA, LLC. Stewart specializes in insurance defense litigation, real estate and mediation services. He graduated from University of Maine Orono with a degree in chemical engineering with an emphasis in pulp and paper. He is a graduate of Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio. Deborah Cashman, of West Bath, is an assistant attorney general at the Office of the Attorney General, responsible for the prosecution of homicide cases throughout the State of Maine. Prior to her serving as assistant attorney general, she was the assistant district attorney in Sagadahoc, Lincoln and Androscoggin Counties. She also has practiced in the private sector at the Law Office of Deborah L. Potter, concentrating in the areas of criminal and family law. Cashman is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and the University of Maine School of Law. Patrick Larson, of Bangor, is an assistant attorney general at the Office of the Attorney General, responsible for prosecution of felony drug cases. Prior to his serving as assistant attorney general he served as assistant district attorney in Penobscot and Hancock Counties. Larson also was a partner at Ferm, Collier & Larson, concentrating in the areas of criminal defense, family law, business litigation and real estate. Larson is a graduate of the University of Maine and Ohio Northern University College of Law.

Hon. E. Paul Eggert, of Portland, is a judge presiding in the non-jury general jurisdiction court, hearing a variety of civil and family matter cases. He was a member of the committee to establish a Unified Criminal Docket in Cumberland County, encompassing all criminal cases in both the District Courts and the Superior Court. He has administrative responsibility for the ninth District Court in both Portland and Bridgton. At Mittel, Asen, Eggert, Hunter & Carey, he litigated in all Maine courts and the U.S. District Court, representing clients in criminal, personal injury and divorce cases. Eggert is a graduate of University of Maine Orono and University of Maine School of Law.

Hon. E. Allen Hunter, of Caribou, served as a Justice in the Maine Superior Court from 2001 to 2015. Prior to that, he was an attorney at Solman and Hunter, P.A. in Caribou from 1976 to 2001. He also served as a Superior Court Bailiff in Spokane County Superior Court in Spokane, Wash. Hunter is a graduate of University of Maine Orono and Gonzaga University School of Law.

Hon. Keith A. Powers, of Cape Elizabeth, has been a Maine District Court Judge since 1998. He served as a trial lawyer at Preti & Flaherty Law Firm from 1974 to 1998. Prior to that, he was a law clerk for Justice Randolph Weatherbee of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. Powers is a graduate of Brown University and University of Maine School of Law.

The Judiciary Committee of the 127th Legislature will hear all Gubernatorial Judicial nominations, and the Committee will schedule public hearings.

Mar 8 2016

Rep. Poliquin Introduces Bill to Give National Guard Members the Same Tax Deductions as Federal Employees

Rep. Poliquin Introduces Bill to Give National Guard Members the Same Tax Deductions as Federal Employees

Legislation would provide deductions for National Guard Members that travel 50 miles or more for monthly training

 

WASHINGTON – Maine’s Second District Congressman, Bruce Poliquin, has introduced the Fair Treatment for our National Guard and Reservists Act, a simple and common sense bill to amend the tax code so that our National Guard Members and Reservists receive the same tax treatment for their travel expenses as all other federal employees. Congressman Poliquin released the following statement:

 

“Every month, our hardworking and dedicated Members and Reservists of the National Guard sacrifice time at home with family and friends to travel for their drill weekends,” said Congressman Poliquin.  “This training often requires driving beyond the normal commuting distances, sometimes even crossing state lines, and therefore the expenses can exceed a Member’s monthly drill pay.

 

“We cannot expect these brave men and women to give up time away from their friends and family so they are prepared for deployment, but not provide them with the same tax deductions that we offer federal employees.  I am proud to introduce this legislation to give our National Guard Members the support they surely deserve.”

 

Under the current tax code, federal employees who travel more than 50 miles from their residence for work-related travel can deduct those expenses from their taxes.  By comparison, National Guard Members must travel at least 100 miles to take advantage of that same deduction.  The Fair Treatment for our National Guard and Reservists Act will amend the tax code so that National Guard Members will also receive a tax deduction for their travel expenses if they travel 50 miles or more for training.

 

In a letter of support to Congressman Poliquin, Executive Director of the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), Sergeant Major Frank Yoakum, wrote, “Thank you for your hard work to support the active and reserve components, Veterans, and family members.  EANGUS stands ready to work with you and your staff to make sure this important, timely bill is signed into law.”

 

The Fair Treatment for our National Guard and Reservists Act has been endorsed by the EANGUS and the Reserve Officers Association (ROA).

Mar 7 2016

272 People died of a drug overdose in Maine in 2015 – 31% jump

03/07/2016 03:41 PM EST
AUGUSTA – Maine has recorded another grim record due to drug overdose deaths. 272 people died in Maine in 2015 due to drug overdose, a 31% increase over 2014, which saw a record 208 overdose deaths. The final analysis of drug overdose deaths exceeded initial estimates largely due to an increase in deaths caused by heroin and/or fentanyl in the second half of the year.

In 2015, 157 deaths were caused by heroin and/or non-pharmaceutical fentanyl and 111 were caused by pharmaceutical opioids. Overdose deaths in 2015 caused by illicit drugs exceeded overdose deaths due to pharmaceutical opioids for the first time, even though the number of deaths caused by pharmaceutical opioids increased slightly as well. Nearly all deaths were in combination with other intoxicants.

“These figures are shocking,” said Attorney General Janet T. Mills. “Maine averaged more than five drug deaths per week. That is five families every week losing a loved one to drugs. These are sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, our neighbors, our friends. I applaud the families who have come forward to share their stories about the struggles they have endured in watching a loved one succumb to addiction and the pain it has caused. Behind every one of these deaths is a story that must be told as a warning to anyone who thinks opiates are a harmless party drug with no consequences. No one is immune from addiction. No one is immune from overdose. No one is immune from death. We must use every effort to intervene in these people’s lives before it is too late.”

Two-thirds of the decedents in 2015 from a drug overdose were men. The ages of decedents ranged from 18 to 89, though most deaths were of those under the age of 60. The average age of a decedent was 42 (the average age of a Maine resident is 43).

While all counties recorded at least one overdose death, approximately 78% of the overdose deaths occurred in Maine’s five most populous counties, which account for 65% of Maine’s population. Cumberland County recorded 32% (86) of the statewide total. The City of Portland recorded 46 deaths, followed by Lewiston with 15 deaths and Bangor with 13 deaths.

Comparing the 2014 and 2015 death rate per 100,000 of population for the five largest counties, Cumberland County’s rate increased from 15.3 to 30.5, an increase of 100%, Kennebec County increased 65%, Penobscot County increased 30%, Androscoggin County increased 4%, and York County increased 3%.

In 2015 there were 107 deaths attributable to heroin; 94 of which included at least one other drug or alcohol mentioned on the death certificate. Of the 87 deaths attributable to fentanyl or acetyl fentanyl, 68 included at least one other drug or alcohol mentioned on the death certificate. There were 34 deaths in which cocaine was involved in 2015, up from 24 in 2014.

“These death statistics are just one measure of Maine’s drug crisis,” said Attorney General Mills. “More must be done to preserve lives and protect our communities from the negative effects that drug abuse has on us. Prevention, intervention, treatment and law enforcement all must play larger roles in stemming this deadly tide.” The drug overdose death analysis was conducted for the Attorney General, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner by Marcella Sorg, PhD, D-ABFA of the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine.