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Under Gov. Paul LePage's proposed budget, teachers and other state employees will be required to increase their contributions to the pension system, from 7.65 percent of their salary to 9.65 percent.

One public employee currently paying 7.65 percent, however, won't see an increase.

The governor has exempted himself.

Unlike teachers and state employees, however, the size of the governor's pension doesn't depend on how long he pays into the system. As soon as he leaves office, he'll begin receiving a three-eighths of his salary, which works out to $26,600 annually.

For comparison, a Maine teacher would have to work for more than 25 years to receive this level of benefits.

LePage's budget shows the same lack of fairness on a larger scale as well. Last week, LePage's commissioner of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Sawin Millett, explained that the money raised from these payment increases on teachers and public employees isn't targeted to shore up the state's pension system, but will instead pay for other budget priorities, including $203 million in tax cuts.

Maine's wealthiest residents will benefit the most from these cuts. One percent of households, those earning more than $360,000, will see their income taxes go down by $2,700. The budget also would double the size of estates that are exempt from the estate tax from $1 million to $2 million, a provision that would benefit only about 550 Maine families and cost the rest of us $30 million.

http://www.kjonline.com/opinio...acks_2011-03-12.html
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I like this guy. To refresh memories.

Paul LePage, Maine's new Tea Party-backed governor, will reportedly not attend an NAACP event to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and if the NAACP doesn't like it, LePage said, they can "kiss my butt."

"They are a special interest. End of story ... and I'm not going to be held hostage by special interests," LePage said, according to local station WCSH. "And if they want, they can look at my family picture. My son happens to be black, so they can do whatever they'd like about it."

LePage has an adopted son from Jamaica, WCSH reports.

The NAACP had invited the governor to visit black inmates at a Maine prison, according to CNN. LePage reportedly contends that the organization was upset he insisted on meeting with white prisoners as well.
quote:
Originally posted by Mr.Dittohead:
The NAACP is working to end racial discrimination. The KKK is working to maintain minorities as second class citizens by the use of segregation and discrimination. In AlObama, you either belong to one group of the other.


So you belong to the KKK?

Stupid statement Ditto. The NAACP is pure political BS and you know it.

Did you not read the last statement:
The NAACP had invited the governor to visit black inmates at a Maine prison, according to CNN. LePage reportedly contends that the organization was upset he insisted on meeting with white prisoners as well.
quote:
Originally posted by b50m:


Did you not read the last statement:
The NAACP had invited the governor to visit black inmates at a Maine prison, according to CNN. LePage reportedly contends that the organization was upset he insisted on meeting with white prisoners as well.


That statement is a lie.

quote:
As Governor Paul LePage expressed his frustration with Maine's NAACP Friday, he said he declined an earlier invitation from the organization to meet voters at the Maine State Prison because the NAACP only wanted him to meet with black prisoners.

LePage said he would have attended the forum if he would have been able to meet with all prisoners. But Rachel Talbot Ross, president of Portland's chapter of the NAACP told NEWS CENTER that the invitation, which went out to all candidates, did not specify the race of the prisoners. She went on to say, "We would not be allowed to have that kind of program at the Maine State Prison."

Talbot Ross said the event was part of a voter registration effort the NAACP had helped organize at the prison. She said that LePage was the only candidate who turned down the NAACP's request, and that he had cited a scheduling conflict.

Denise Lord, associate commissioner in the Department of Corrections, tells NEWS CENTER that she is not familiar with this specific invitation, but that she would be surprised if the prison had allowed an event that was only for black inmates.


So the Governor just assumed that it was only for black inmates...thats his KKK indoctrination showing.
quote:
Denise Lord, associate commissioner in the Department of Corrections, tells NEWS CENTER that she is not familiar with this specific invitation, but that she would be surprised if the prison had allowed an event that was only for black inmates.



Your own proof is not proof. She was not familiar with this invitation, and of course, the NAACP would never admit they said 'blacks only', why, that would be racist.
quote:
Originally posted by Mr.Dittohead:
The NAACP is working to end racial discrimination. The KKK is working to maintain minorities as second class citizens by the use of segregation and discrimination. In AlObama, you either belong to one group of the other.


The Klan, traditionally the para-military arm of the Democrat Party is a spent force, with few members. You might as well mention the bogeyman.
quote:
Originally posted by elinterventor01:
quote:
Originally posted by Mr.Dittohead:
The NAACP is working to end racial discrimination. The KKK is working to maintain minorities as second class citizens by the use of segregation and discrimination. In AlObama, you either belong to one group of the other.


The Klan, traditionally the para-military arm of the Democrat Party is a spent force, with few members. You might as well mention the bogeyman.


Go Daffy! You keep 'em straight!
quote:
Originally posted by Wondering??:
HEY ferrellj!! Don't you think it makes more sense to work in the direction of ALL working people receiving a retirement from a company they give the best part of their lives to instead of eliminating the few that do??? Seems to make more sense to most of us I think!


Where do we get the money? What part of we are broke are you missing? I would love a new truck and a new house on the hill overlooking the lake too.
quote:
Originally posted by Wondering??:
HEY ferrellj!! Don't you think it makes more sense to work in the direction of ALL working people receiving a retirement from a company they give the best part of their lives to instead of eliminating the few that do??? Seems to make more sense to most of us I think!


I was wondering the same thing.
It seems that it was Rush Luimbaugh who said that the democrats wanted to make everyone equally miserable.
It looks like the repubs want to make everyone equally poor, except the ultra rich of course.
quote:
Under Gov. Paul LePage's proposed budget, teachers and other state employees will be required to increase their contributions to the pension system, from 7.65 percent of their salary to 9.65 percent.

One public employee currently paying 7.65 percent, however, won't see an increase.

The governor has exempted himself.

Unlike teachers and state employees, however, the size of the governor's pension doesn't depend on how long he pays into the system. As soon as he leaves office, he'll begin receiving a three-eighths of his salary, which works out to $26,600 annually.

For comparison, a Maine teacher would have to work for more than 25 years to receive this level of benefits.
quote:
Originally posted by 73RangerXLT:
quote:
Originally posted by Wondering??:
HEY ferrellj!! Don't you think it makes more sense to work in the direction of ALL working people receiving a retirement from a company they give the best part of their lives to instead of eliminating the few that do??? Seems to make more sense to most of us I think!


I was wondering the same thing.
It seems that it was Rush Luimbaugh who said that the democrats wanted to make everyone equally miserable.
It looks like the repubs want to make everyone equally poor, except the ultra rich of course.


Why should the wealthy be punished because those who let the democrap party use their collective chins for testicle rests are not as succsessful as they are?
quote:
Originally posted by ferrellj:
quote:
Originally posted by Wondering??:
HEY ferrellj!! Don't you think it makes more sense to work in the direction of ALL working people receiving a retirement from a company they give the best part of their lives to instead of eliminating the few that do??? Seems to make more sense to most of us I think!


Where do we get the money? What part of we are broke are you missing? I would love a new truck and a new house on the hill overlooking the lake too.


With most corporations, you could get the money by cutting out some of the millions in bonuses paid to CEO's who do little or nothing to earn it. If you compare the increase in the difference in CEO pay and worker pay for the past 20 or 30 years, you will begin to see the problem. The Republican plan is to make the rich richer, the poor poorer, and eliminate the middle class. And, in recent history, starting with Reagan, the plan is working very well.

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