The Augustan

State Representatives Tim Driscoll (D-Westbrook) and Ann Peoples supported LD 2290 on Monday.

LD 2290, according to the Maine Votes database, "gives the community service networks the responsibility of providing consolidated mental health crisis services for children and adults, beginning March 1, 2009, through a memorandum of understanding among providers of mental health services in the network that includes provisions to ensure coordination, eliminate duplication and provide a minimum level of crisis services established by the department. This bill also updates the base year for the hospital tax and excludes municipally funded hospitals from the tax after July 1, 2008."

Whatever that means.

Anyway, the Maine House of Representatives passed LD 2290, 84-57. Ninety-two percent of Democratic lawmakers supported the bill, 3% opposed it, and 4% did not vote. Eighty-nine percent of House Republicans opposed the bill, 1% supported it, and 8% did not vote. And twenty-five percent of independents opposed the bill, while 75% of independents did not vote.

- John C.L. Morgan