Maine news, sports, weather from Waterville Morning Sentinel
Friday, September 10, 2010
GUBERNATORIAL FORUM
GOP hopefuls favor nuclear power, split on Sunday hunt
By Susan M. Cover scover@mainetoday.com
MaineToday Media State House Writer
AUGUSTA -- Five Republicans running for governor said Thursday they all support bringing nuclear power to Maine, all oppose a national park in the North Maine Woods, and are all leery of a constitutional amendment to protect fish and wildlife funds.
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION: GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Abbott, right, responds to a question raised Thursday during a forum sponsored by the Maine Forestry Products Council in Augusta. Several Republican candidates attended the forum.
Staff photo by Andy Molloy
But they split on Sunday hunting and offered different ideas for how they would move the state forward.
A forum hosted by the Maine Forest Products Council featured five of the seven GOP candidates, with Bruce Poliquin and Sen. Peter Mills, R-Cornville, unable to attend.
The format gave attendees a chance to talk about energy costs, government consolidation and the state's regulatory environment, and to address those who work in forestry, farming, fisheries. A separate forum for Democrats was held earlier in the day.
Republicans had particularly harsh words for the Land Use Regulation Commission, which oversees 10.4 million acres of unorganized territory in northern Maine.
"LURC, like the Department of Environmental Protection and the Environmental Protection Agency, have become control freaks," said Waterville Mayor Paul LePage. "The state of Maine needs regulatory oversight, not regulatory control."
Les Otten, who runs businesses in western Maine, said the board is not as professional as it should be.
"I don't believe LURC is a viable government agency anymore in the state of Maine," he said.
When it came to Sunday hunting, Maine & Co. President Matt Jacobson said he favors it.
"I can drink a beer on Sunday, why shouldn't I hunt on Sunday?" he said.
Otten said he would want to study the issue while Steve Abbott, former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, said he opposes it because of issues with landowners.
LePage said he supports it, but would want to leave it up to landowner to decide.
And William Beardsley, former president of Husson University in Bangor, said he opposes it. "It think that's a time for family, faith, things like that," he said.
On the issue of a proposal to consolidate the state's four natural resource agencies, Abbott said the state does not have the kind of information it needs to make sure government is working effectively.
"We should audit all state spending and use the audit to determine how agencies are performing," he said.
When talking about energy costs, Otten said he served on the state task force that made recommendations for taking advantage of the state's wood-to-energy potential. (Otten is also a director of a Bethel-based wood pellet stove company, Maine Energy Systems.)
But he said the report ended up "on the bottom shelf of a closet in the Blaine House."
"When oil is back to $4.50, this state is going to be in crisis, and we have no energy plan," he said.
Jacobson said the high cost of energy is the biggest deterrent to starting a new business in Maine.
"It's time for a governor to lead on this issue," he said.
Beardsley said any effort to diversify the state's energy portfolio must include reliable sources that can serve as backup to each other.
"There's no way we're going to produce Aegis destroyers with wind alone," he said.
Unlike the Democrats -- all of whom said they would support a constitutional amendment to protect funds dedicated to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife -- the Republican candidates at the forum uniformly opposed it.
Abbott, LePage and Jacobson said they would be very careful about supporting any amendments to the state constitution. Beardsley said he opposes "dedicated funds" and Otten said he doesn't like the idea of funding something in "in perpetuity."
On a lighter note, the candidates took the opportunity to poke fun at the current Legislature, particularly lawmakers from the Portland area.
In response to a question about whether the size of the Legislature should be reduced by one-third, Abbott said he believes there should be fewer lawmakers. He said it would help rural Maine because there would be fewer lawmakers from Portland who "hatch and promote kooky ideas in this state."
LePage picked up on that theme.
"In southern Maine, yes, there's a lot of kooks down there," he said.
Registered Republicans will vote June 8 to choose the GOP candidate to represent the party in November.
Susan Cover -- 620-7015
scover@centralmaine.com
Were you interviewed for this story? If so, please fill out our accuracy form
Most...
Copyright ©2010 MaineToday Media, Inc.
17 COMMENTS
ToLo2Ro said...
Matt J., That beer you're drinking on Sunday is a good reason to stay home and not hunt... Seriously I am against this. We live basically out in the woods and our family does not post it's land. Sunday is the only day that I feel I can go out onto our land safely. If they allow hunting on Sunday, we have to post our property and do not want to.
March 12, 2010 at 6:52 AM Report abuse
Kim said...
They need to learn respect for others. Calling people names is uncalled for. If you want a high office you should be able to make a point without calling someone a kook or control freak.
March 12, 2010 at 7:33 AM Report abuse
mungo said...
So my mother who lives in southern Maine is a kook? How would this jerk like to say that to her face?
March 12, 2010 at 8:25 AM Report abuse
HoHum said...
Too funny, having attended this, and reading what the writer wrote..I find it unfortunate that what is in words in the article is not neccesarily the way it was presented. But the writer has her own bias opinion as always.
March 12, 2010 at 8:37 AM Report abuse
HoHum said...
read the Democrat article and tell me that the writer does not have her bais in it. Too bad she can not have an open mind
March 12, 2010 at 8:42 AM Report abuse
TheSaint said...
I let people hunt on my back property. Sunday gives me one day during the week I feel safe going in that area without getting shot. Six days during the week is enough time to hunt. Funny how Republicons who claim to be the high priest of all that's holy would make a pitch for Sunday hunting.
March 12, 2010 at 9:06 AM Report abuse
chromedome said...
Regarding the Sunday hunting laws and the need to have one day a landowner can enter his own land safely. I’d like to see a very simple LAW in Maine: “it shall be a violation of law for anyone to enter upon the property of another without written permission”. This business of needing to post ones land to keep others off is just another way IFW infringes on private property to sell hunting licenses, no trespass signs are simply ignored and almost impossible to enforce with the current laws.
March 12, 2010 at 9:12 AM Report abuse
ProConserv said...
..."there would be fewer lawmakers from Portland who "hatch and promote kooky ideas in this state."*********************************************** Truer words have never been spoken!
March 12, 2010 at 9:15 AM Report abuse
mungo said...
How am I supposed to sell goods that are made in the Waterville area to my customers in Portland when the Mayor calls them infantil names. Lapage you should step down as Mayor.
March 12, 2010 at 11:13 AM Report abuse
HermnMunstah said...
Regulatory oversight without control is like a toothless tiger. A bunch of empty words from a bunch of empty heads. The Sunday hunt is a no-brainer, too. 6 days isn't enough already? What's next... going into populated areas? There's gotta be boundaries for everyone, including hunters. ixnay to sunday. Hohum, why would her writings be opinion? Betcha she took notes and recorded the session while you were passed out in the back.
March 13, 2010 at 12:02 AM Report abuse
HoHum said...
Hermy...sorry wasnt passed out at all. I took notes too for my own info and watched. read both pieces with an open mind if you can and then decide if there is a personal slant...just another typical piece from this paper
March 13, 2010 at 7:35 AM Report abuse
TheSaint said...
chromedome said... I’d like to see a very simple LAW in Maine: “it shall be a violation of law for anyone to enter upon the property of another without written permission”. This business of needing to post ones land to keep others off is just another way IFW infringes on private property to sell hunting licenses, no trespass signs are simply ignored and almost impossible to enforce with the current laws.********** You are absolutely correct in your thinking! We have the whole thing backwards and it is impossible to enforce a trespassing law. A landowner should NOT have to post property to protect his liability and keep people off without permission.
March 13, 2010 at 9:03 AM Report abuse
jdb said...
useless story,useless comments they will do as they please
March 13, 2010 at 9:04 AM Report abuse
TheSaint said...
jdb said... useless story,useless comments they will do as they please****useless person making useless comment about "useless comments".
March 13, 2010 at 2:52 PM Report abuse
jdb said...
The Saint ,
March 13, 2010 at 4:33 PM Report abuse
jdb said...
guess they deleted the rest
March 13, 2010 at 4:36 PM Report abuse
TheSaint said...
jdb said... guess they deleted the rest ********* Maybe, next time they'll finish the job and "delete" you.
March 14, 2010 at 10:29 AM Report abuse