Cleaning out the inbox ...

Cheers and jeers from around the news:

• Cheers to Lewiston and Auburn, for voting to buy new software to streamline joint services. The votes didn't merit much fanfare. It was done quickly and efficiently — just the way we like it.

City officials were ebullient about it after the vote, and said the software would be the foundation for future progress toward shared services. We're thrilled they think this way, and can't help but note it's overdue. Sharing services to save money is a tremendous idea.

Our only gripe — the software purchased is going to cost $354,000 to start. While we understand it will take spending money to save money, we hope once this software is in place, an accounting of what it's saving the cities will be done.

• Cheers to legislation to give paid sick time to employees. Although business groups are skeptical of having new benefits mandated during a recession, the ability of employees to earn between three and six sick days a year, at a minimum, does not seem to be burdensome.

It does make particular sense given the breakout of H1N1. With all the concerns about the virulence of swine flu, employees should not be weighing their wages or their health.

A good question, however, is whether the Legislature can act fast enough to make this time valuable.

• Cheers to the Mitchell Institute for its decade of successes in sending Maine high school students toward college and professional successes. The institute released a study of its history on Friday in Portland.

Part of the institute's program is ensuring its scholarships are well-spent. There is a continual relationship with recipients, called Mitchell scholars, that affords them leadership training, stipends for summer projects and other nudges that help them toward success.

In education, money is not the great equalizer. The effort, devotion by the institute and the positive reinforcement that the Mitchell scholars receive has allowed them to thrive for a decade. The organization has accomplished what Sen. George Mitchell envisioned and has a bright future.

• And finally, cheers to the lawmakers who vetted all the bills for the upcoming short session. They executed great wisdom is what was deemed an "emergency."

For example, they rejected bills that promised to do the impossible, like: "An Act To Increase Efficiency in County Government" or "An Act To Create a Cost-efficient Distribution System for Health Care."

They swept away the mundane, like: "An Act To Require That Lights in Hotels and Motels Are Turned on by Using Room Keys." And those that tried to control nature, like: "An Act To Ensure Existing Solar Collectors Are Not Shaded from the Sun."

Only 130 bills were accepted, which should lighten the legislative workload. So we look forward to enlightened debate on bills like, "An Act Regarding the Sale of Malt Liquor from a Mobile Service Bar on a Golf Course."

editorialboard@sunjournal.com