Democrats forced a bond package through committee last week without support from Republicans.

Negotiators for the two parties remain tied up. Democrats seek a bond of $93.8 million while Republicans want to limit the package to about $83 million. As negotiations ended last week, Speaker of the House Patrick Colwell put forth a new deal, adding several GOP-backed projects while keeping the total cost of the bond at $93 million.

So far, Republicans have balked, and it’s unclear whether the bond has enough support in the Legislature to get on the ballot this November.

Maine needs this bond. Legislators should get behind it.

The bond package includes $88.8 million, plus a specific $5 million for the Waldo-Hancock Bridge, which is showing its age and is a apt symbol of the unmet needs this bond begins to address. Republicans and Democrats agree to the new money for the bridge.

Lewiston-Auburn does well in the package, as do several programs important to the entire state.

• $3.5 million for rail rehabilitation from Portland to Lewiston and Portland to Brunswick:

• $2 million for the laboratory facilities at the Lewiston-Auburn campus of the University of Maine;

• $2 million for the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic;

• $25.5 million for education;

• $34.1 million for highways and bridges, plus $5 million for the Waldo-Hancock Bridge;

• $7.5 million for environmental upgrades.

The plan also includes money for several of Republican priorities, including $1 million for the Maine Maritime Academy and $3.75 million for Lifeflight.

A deal between the two parties remains elusive, but Colwell said Friday he’s willing to talk more. Time is running out. A special session is scheduled for Thursday.

“We needed a public vote on this,” Colwell said. “The pressure is on for them to come back to the table.”

Nobody gets everything they want. Not Democrats or Republicans. But this plan is good for the state.

This package would keep Maine’s bond and debt ratings at an acceptable level and provide money for much-needed infrastructure projects.

Legislators must pass the package by a two-thirds vote before it can be sent to voters. Failure to present a bond is a mistake that would shortchange our roads, universities and environment.
Lights out
For a while Thursday, we all held our breath as New York, Detroit, Cleveland and a host of other cities and towns went dark. The first thought, the first fear was terrorism.

Government officials were quick to declare the loss of power was a “natural occurrence,” not the result of a terror attack. A collective sigh of relief went out across the country.

The speed with which the declaration was made was heartening, and questionable. How did officials know so quickly, when there was no clear answer as to what actually happened? A fire at a power plant? Blown transmission lines? Lightning? Fault lies in Canada. No, the problem’s in the United States. There were plenty of questions, plenty of answers and plenty of finger pointing, but nothing definitive.

Many of the systems put in place after Sept. 11 received a trial run Thursday. Early indications are they performed well. There was no panic or violence. That’s a bright spot.

Experts have been pointing to a creaky electrical-grid system and its vulnerability for some time. Their reports will likely garner renewed interest from the 50 million people left in the dark.
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