Going Postal

Yesterday afternoon, my wife returned from our mailbox with not one, not two, but three envelopes bearing State Senator Phil Bartlett's name. And all the envelopes contained not three, not two, but only one type of mailing. In other words, all three envelopes had the same reminder for the state's Circuit Breaker program and instructions for how to apply.

That we received three mailings of the same contents should not come as a surprise, however. According to a Press Herald story from December that I'm unable and unwilling to link (the paper's site seems to be down this morning and it charges a $2.00 fee for its archived stories), the Maine Senate spent $103,315 in postal fees through the first eleven months of 2007. This amount was up 69 percent from 2006 and up 224 percent from 2003. The Maine House was less profligate with postage fees and spent $58,589 during the first eleven months of last year. That the Maine Senate, a body composed of only thirty-five members, spent about twice as much on postage as the Maine House--a body composed of 151 members--is, I think, astounding.

The logic of the mass mailings is understandable (they're potentially a great way to inform your constituents). And in the grand scheme of the State of Maine budget, $190,000 isn't a large sum of money. Nevertheless, considering the proliferation of electronic media (websites, e-mail, etc.), it seems to me that the rate of spending on legislative mail should be going down, even when you do account for the recent increases in postage fees.

It should certainly not be going up by 69 percent in one year and by 224 percent in four.

- John C.L. Morgan

Driscoll and Bartlett Against Larrabee Village Cuts

It appears someone does actually read this blog. Okay, maybe a couple someones.

Anyway, State Representative Tom Driscoll (D-Westbrook) sent me the text of his remarks from yesterday's hearing concerning the Department of Health and Human Services budget. I'll save you from reading Rep. Driscoll's testimony in its entirety (you're welcome), but will say that he spoke against the cuts in the DHHS budget directly affecting the residents of Larrabee Village. I'm not a speechwriter, but I thought this portion was especially poignant and deserves consideration:

Many of them have endured great sacrifice and struggle (sic) living through
The Great Depression and WWII. It is because of their strength, their resolve
and their commitment to our State and Country that we now enjoy those things
that might never have been, had they not persevered during those trying times.
They are referred to as our “Greatest Generation”.

Rep. Driscoll also referred me to the letter he and State Senator Phil Bartlett (D-Cumberland) sent to Governor Baldacci concerning the proposed cuts. That can be read here.

- John C.L. Morgan

Your State Senators in (Scintillating) Action

Not sure of what your State Senator sounds like, or even what he looks like? Well, click here, here, here, and here, to see Westbrook's state senators, Phil Bartlett (D-Cumberland) and Joseph Brannigan (D-Cumberland), in scintillating action.

- John C.L. Morgan

P.S. I should also add that our sister site, RiverbankRepublic.com, has links to the live audio and/or video feeds from the Maine House of Representatives, Maine Senate, and the legislature's Joint Standing Committees.

Roll Call

According to the Maine House of Representatives website, Westbrook's representatives in Augusta had a very good attendance record in the first session of the 123rd Legislature. Representative Ann Peoples (D-Westbrook) was present for 98% of roll call votes and Representative Tim Driscoll participated in 95% (D-Westbrook) of roll call votes. Attendance records for Westbrook's two state senators, Phil Bartlett and Joe Brannigan, are unavailable via the Maine Senate website.

To see how the attendance records of Representatives Peoples and Driscoll stack up against their housemates, click here.

- John C.L. Morgan

Bartlett To Seek Re-Election

According to PolitickerMe.com, State Senator Phil Bartlett (D-Cumberland) will seek re-election to the State Senate for a third term in November. Representing Westbrook in the senate's sixth district, State Senator Bartlett is the third incumbent representing Westbrook to file paperwork with the Ethics Commission as of January 18. State Representatives Tim Driscoll (D-Westbrook) and Ann Peoples (D-Westbrook) have also filed for re-election, but State Senator Joseph Brannigan (D-Cumberland) remains as the only incumbent representing Westbrook in Augusta who has not yet filed papers for re-election with the Ethics Commission.

According to the folks at Politicker, Bartlett earned re-election in 2006 with 8,781 to 6,690 win.

- John C.L. Morgan

Peoples to Seek Re-Election

According to Jessica Alaimo over at PolitickerME.com, State Representative Ann Peoples (D-Westbrook) will run for re-election to the Maine House of Representatives District 125 seat. She is seeking her second consecutive term.

For those keeping score at home, this news means both of Westbrook's Democratic incumbents (Tim Driscoll, House District 126 is the other) in the Maine House are looking to be sent to Augusta again. Westbrook's State Senators, Phil Bartlett (D-Cumberland) and Joseph Brannigan (D-Cumberland), have yet to announce their intentions to seek re-election, according to Ethics Commission filings.

Peoples won her 2006 race by a 1,894 to 1,549 margin, according to the Politicker.

- John C.L. Morgan

Driscoll Will Seek a Third Term

According to the web magazine PolitickerME.com, State Representative Tim Driscoll (D-Westbrook) will seek re-election to his seat representing Westbrook's House District (H.D.) 126 in the Maine House of Representatives in November 2008. Driscoll, per the Politicker, will be seeking a third consecutive term in Augusta and was re-elected in 2006 by a 1,742 to 1,048 margin.

Based on Ethics Commission filings as of December 31, the Politickers' roster of announced State House and Senate candidates does not include Driscoll's housemate, Representative Ann Peoples (D-Westbrook, H.D. 125). Nor does it contain the names of Westbrook's two State Senators, Phil Bartlett (D-Cumberland, S.D. 6) and Joseph Brannigan (D-Cumberland, S.D. 9). Challengers to any of the seats are also absent.

Considering today is the first legislative session of the year, it's still very early; November is still some ten months away. Nevertheless, a little update for the political junkies out there.

- John C.L. Morgan