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Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Group hoping to 'veto' Maine budget intends to collect signatures at polling places Tuesday
Jun. 9—Activists hoping to overturn the state's $11.3 billion continuing services budget are expected to gather signatures at polling stations around the state Tuesday as they rapidly approach their deadline to qualify for the November ballot. Democrats, including Gov. Janet Mills, have urged people not to sign the petition, saying that simply getting enough signatures could force the government to shut down this summer even if voters ultimately reject the proposal this fall. A group of legislative Republicans, led by Rep. Gary Drinkwater, R-Milford, filed paperwork for a people's veto initiative to overturn the partial budget shortly after it was passed in a mostly party-line vote in March. They have until 5 p.m. on June 18 to submit at least 67,682 signatures to qualify for the ballot. The budget passed in March contains enough funding to sustain existing services into the new fiscal year that begins July 1, while the Legislature continues to debate a second budget bill with additional spending and taxing proposals. It wasn't clear how many signatures the budget opponents have gathered so far. But Rep. Shelley Rudnicki, R-Fairfield, said in a brief interview at the State House last week that signature gathers are planning to be at polling places Tuesday, when voters head to the polls to cast ballots on school budgets, local ballot questions and municipal and school office holders. Rudnicki said she didn't have an update on the number of signatures collected so far or on the group's chances of gathering enough to qualify for the ballot. Neither Rudnicki nor Drinkwater responded to follow-up requests for interviews last week. Mills and others are warning that the signatures alone could force a government shutdown this summer. That's because submitting the required number of signatures would halt the implementation of the budget until it's decided by voters. Mills in April urged people not to sign the petitions, citing the "devastating" effects of a prolonged government shutdown. "It would risk closure of Maine schools, hospitals, nursing homes, public colleges and universities, municipal offices, and bring road construction projects to a halt," Mills said. "I urge Maine people to not sign the petition for this initiative, and avoid the serious consequences it would cause." Republicans have downplayed that concern, however. They argue that Democrats could avoid a shutdown by resuming negotiations and passing a new bipartisan budget that addresses issues raised by Republicans, including welfare reform and Medicaid costs. The push for a referendum came after efforts to reach a bipartisan compromise on a supplemental budget fell apart and Democrats moved to pass a baseline two-year budget without any Republican support. The language of the ballot question, should it qualify, would ask: "Do you want to stop most state government operations and programs, including new and ongoing state funding for cities, towns, and schools, by rejecting the state's two-year budget?" Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican fails in attempt to censure House speaker
Mar. 27—AUGUSTA — A Republican from Fairfield on Thursday launched an unsuccessful attempt to censure House Speaker Ryan Fecteau for holding a late-night vote on the two-year state budget, which passed mostly on party lines last Thursday. Rep. Shelley Rudnicki argued that Fecteau, a Biddeford Democrat, broke House rules by holding the vote after 9 p.m. without receiving the support of two-thirds of lawmakers to allow a late-night vote. "It is hard and binding rule," Rudnicki said. "You have failed to do that and willfully disregarded House Rule 501 at every opportunity. That is a dereliction of duty by the presiding officer and it is why we must censure Speaker Fecteau today, so this abusive and lawless pattern of behavior does not continue in this body." But the motion divided her own caucus, with only 24 Republicans voting in support and 119 lawmakers opposed. "I appreciate the frustration of the good representative from Fairfield, however the people sent us here to get serious work done," Rep. Ken Fredette, R-Newport, said. "I think, frankly, we need to focus on our work and not focus on censures, which I think has been a huge distraction of this body over the last two months." During last week's budget debate, Rep. David Boyer, R-Poland, tried to invoke the House rule before 9 p.m. and was informed by Fecteau that the objection could only be raised at precisely 9 p.m. But the House went at-ease and didn't return until after 9 p.m., at which point Rudnicki was told that it was too late to raise the objection. Rudnicki's censure motion said it was "a dereliction of duty and breach of procedure" to hold the vote after 9 p.m. without getting super-majority support of the chamber and "creates procedural irregularities, undermines legislative integrity and compromises the legitimacy and fairness of House proceedings." Late-night voting has routinely occurred in the Legislature. And the censure motion was doomed to fail, with Democrats holding the majority. But the motion from Rudnicki, who was censured along with Rep. Michael Lemelin, R-Chelsea, last year for floor comments about the Lewiston shooting and abortion, illustrates that lingering bad blood between the political parties after the budget debate and after Democrats censured Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, for a social media post targeting a transgender high school athlete. Libby has not been allowed to speak or vote since the censure, but could regain those rights if she apologizes. She has said she will not apologize. Instead, Libby has sued Fecteau, and Republicans have repeatedly tried to lift the censure, including an attempt after House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham, R-Winter Harbor, offered a teary apology on Libby's behalf. Faulkingham opposed censuring Fecteau, saying he would "make a mockery of the censure process," as Faulkingham accused Democrats of doing by censuring three Republicans in the last year. Last week, Democrats used their majorities in both the House and Senate to pass a continuing services budget that included funding to close a current $118 million shortfall in the state's Medicaid program, known as MaineCare, and for existing programs and services for the next two budget years. No new spending initiatives, tax increases or service cuts were included in the budget. Those are expected to be taken up in a "Part II" budget. Republicans, meanwhile, also have launched an effort to overturn the budget vote by petitioning for a people's veto referendum. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republicans fail in attempt to censure House speaker
Mar. 27—AUGUSTA — A Republican from Fairfield on Thursday launched an unsuccessful attempt to censure House Speaker Ryan Fecteau for holding a late-night vote on the two-year state budget, which passed mostly on party lines last Thursday. Rep. Shelley Rudnicki argued that Fecteau, a Biddeford Democrat, broke House rules by holding the vote after 9 p.m. without receiving the support of two-thirds of lawmakers to allow a late-night vote. "It is hard and binding rule," Rudnicki said. "You have failed to do that and willfully disregarded House Rule 501 at every opportunity. That is a dereliction of duty by the presiding officer and it is why we must censure Speaker Fecteau today, so this abusive and lawless pattern of behavior does not continue in this body." But the motion divided her own caucus, with only 24 Republicans voting in support and 119 lawmakers opposed. "I appreciate the frustration of the good representative from Fairfield, however the people sent us here to get serious work done," Rep. Ken Fredette, R-Newport, said. "I think, frankly, we need to focus on our work and not focus on censures, which I think has been a huge distraction of this body over the last two months." During last week's budget debate, Rep. David Boyer, R-Poland, tried to invoke the House rule before 9 p.m. and was informed by Fecteau that the objection could only be raised at precisely 9 p.m. But the House went at-ease and didn't return until after 9 p.m., at which point Rudnicki was told that it was too late to raise the objection. Rudnicki's censure motion said it was "a dereliction of duty and breach of procedure" to hold the vote after 9 p.m. without getting super-majority support of the chamber and "creates procedural irregularities, undermines legislative integrity and compromises the legitimacy and fairness of House proceedings." Late-night voting has routinely occurred in the Legislature. And the censure motion was doomed to fail, with Democrats holding the majority. But the motion from Rudnicki, who was censured along with Rep. Michael Lemelin, R-Chelsea, last year for floor comments about the Lewiston shooting and abortion, illustrates that lingering bad blood between the political parties after the budget debate and after Democrats censured Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, for a social media post targeting a transgender high school athlete. Libby has not been allowed to speak or vote since the censure, but could regain those rights if she apologizes. She has said she will not apologize. Instead, Libby has sued Fecteau, and Republicans have repeatedly tried to lift the censure, including an attempt after House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham, R-Winter Harbor, offered a teary apology on Libby's behalf. Faulkingham opposed censuring Fecteau, saying he would "make a mockery of the censure process," as Faulkingham accused Democrats of doing by censuring three Republicans in the last year. Last week, Democrats used their majorities in both the House and Senate to pass a continuing services budget that included funding to close a current $118 million shortfall in the state's Medicaid program, known as MaineCare, and for existing programs and services for the next two budget years. No new spending initiatives, tax increases or service cuts were included in the budget. Those are expected to be taken up in a "Part II" budget. Republicans, meanwhile, also have launched an effort to overturn the budget vote by petitioning for a people's veto referendum. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Road is rocky for Shakopee, tribe
Shannon Fiecke of the Shakopee Valley News reports: Poor relations between the city of Shakopee and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota Community boiled to the surface earlier this month during discussions over a proposed road project in Shakopee. Because of other unresolved issues, city leaders came close to putting off an offer from the tribe to repave McKenna Road for free. For more than a year now, the city says the tribe has either cancelled or not responded to the city's requests for meetings to discuss long-term issues – such as the handling of future road and sewer projects. The Shakopee City Council ended up approving the road project on a vote of 3-2 at a July 3 meeting, but only with the verbal promise from tribal Administrator Bill Rudnicki that tribal leaders will meet. Shakopee Mayor John Schmitt, who opposed approval on July 3 along with Councilor Steve Clay, wanted to first meet with tribal leaders. Schmitt said the project, which Shakopee was planning to do in 2010, isn't something the city needs right now. 'What we do need is the opportunity to sit down at the table,' he said. Proposed project The tribe wants to repair and put another layer of pavement on the approximately 1.4 mile-long McKenna Road, portions of which lie in Shakopee and Prior Lake. The tribe originally paid to upgrade the road from gravel years ago. McKenna Road is used by the tribal community but also by Shakopee residents. Traffic on the road has increased and the tribe found 72 longitudinal cracks on the road, Rudnicki said. Last year, two bends were taken out of the road when the Shepherd of the Lake Church expanded. Traffic on the road has increased, he said. While Rudnicki agreed that the tribe and city have unresolved issues requiring attention, he was flabbergasted that city leaders would consider turning the project down. 'I saw it as a benefit to the city,' he said. 'I'm taken aback – speechless.' He said he was surprised to be asked to the city council meeting on the eve of the Fourth of July to discuss the project, instead of it being handled at a staff level. He said that's how it proceeded with the city of Prior Lake. Government relations While he's upset with the lack of communication with tribal leaders, Councilor Matt Lehman said he supported the road project and considered it a separate issue. 'I'm not going to stoop to the level of either we get this or you don't get that,' he said. The city planned on improving the road in 2010 for an estimated cost of $170,000, 30 percent of which would be picked up by neighboring properties, said city Public Works Director Bruce Loney. From a public works perspective, it's never too early to do an overlay, he said. Councilor Steve Menden said he appreciates the tribe picking up the cost. He echoed his colleagues' frustrations over other matters. 'We're neighbors and we don't always treat each other like neighbors,' Menden said. Because of the lack of face-face-interaction, Councilor Terry Joos said the communication with the tribe is left to e-mails, faxes, letters and lawyers. 'This is a frustration for all of us – not being able to sit down and talk,' Joos said. 'We don't want a bad working relationship. We just want a conversation with you about the future.' 'We want to know we disagree, versus we think we disagree,' Lehman said. The dispute over the tribe's application for putting land into trust (which removes it from property tax rolls and city zoning authority) might have been avoided had there been a good working relationship, it was suggested. Schmitt and Joos said the tribe overly paints itself as having good cooperation with the city for PR purposes and the land-trust application. The mayor said the tribe told the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, which recently approved of a tribe's land-trust application, that it provided the city a temporary easement for a storm-water project, but neglected to mention it charged Shakopee $50,000. Rudnicki took issue with the mayor's point. 'I negotiate to the best advantage of the community – on the same token you probably did your cost analysis' and found the easement beneficial, he said. Allowing the tribe to do things because they have dollars to do so doesn't mean the city and tribe work together, Joos said. While they haven't done a lot together, Rudnicki said there are some agreements for what have done, although 'we do have a lot to go from here.' He pointed to areas of cooperation – like serving together on a Scott County association of local governments and the mutual-aid agreement between fire departments. The tribal administrator also said the tribe must promote projects it participates in because of public misperception that the tribe doesn't do anything to help with local infrastructure. Improving dialogue Rudnicki pointed out that during his time as a tribal administrator, there have been six or seven mayors and a slew of different council members – all with divergent views. Some don't care to see the tribe participating at the Relay for Life event; others do, he said. Clay said he wants the same relationship with the tribe that Shakopee enjoys with its neighboring cities. The city's relationship with the tribe has been one-way – only when the tribe needs something – Schmitt said. 'This has to stop being a one-way street,' he said. Rudnicki noted that the drawn-out battle over the land-trust application has been a sticking point. 'The gorilla on our back is the fee-to-trust application,' he said. Both sides must commit to 'toning down' the dialogue, Clay said. Rudnicki said he knows there are issues that need discussion: 'I'm here to say, yes, we do want to have a meeting.' Shannon Fiecke is a staff writer for the Shakopee Valley News. She can be reached at sfiecke@
