In Sun Journal’s column of Feb. 9 entitled “At State House, ‘crisis’ divides parties,” there was an inadequate explanation of the disagreement on spending between the Democrats and Republicans in the State House.

The glossed-over analysis of the situation served the Democrats well. The Sun Journal apparently did not speak with the Republicans for their position. What is the rest of the story?

The first item in the article was about hanging the portrait of George Mitchell in the State House. Strangely, the $20,000 cost wasn’t mentioned and that was the problem. Any number of private individuals would be happy to write a check, rather than the taxpayers paying. Some deserving students could use this for scholarships.

Secondly, the budget. It made no sense, because the Democrats refused to use any part of the $53 million in federal aid they were saving for the Dirigo Health plan to avoid severely cutting Medicaid allowances for clients and providers.

Third, the Democrats were determined to enact the Dirigo plan in 2004, instead of delaying it for several months at the Republicans’ request because the plan will add 78,000 people to the currently over-expanded Medicaid rolls, which had already caused the $110 million deficit that exists now.

Fourth, the deficits will worsen in the July 2004-June 2005 fiscal year and the Democrats refused to discuss them.

So, should not the Sun Journal dig deeper, or is there a bias here?

Rep. Thomas Shields, Auburn