The governor’s press secretary later apologized for the “awkward” situation.
AUGUSTA – Gov. John Baldacci excluded the press from a meeting with officials from several area towns Wednesday. The group of leaders from the SAD 52-area towns met in Augusta to talk about streamlining government services.
Baldacci requested that a reporter leave at the beginning of the meeting, suggesting that the media could obtain information after the session ended. None of the municipal officials objected to the reporter’s presence.
The towns of Buckfield, Greene, Leeds and Turner were represented. Two of Leeds’ three selectmen and three of Turner’s five were present, constituting quorums for those towns at the closed session.
Later in the day, the governor’s press secretary phoned the Sun Journal to apologize. It was an “awkward” situation, said Lee Umphrey.
In an interview after the meeting, Greene Town Manager Stephen Eldridge said the group talked about tax reform and regionalization of municipal services.
Town officials told the governor that Greene, Leeds and Turner discuss sharing services, including mutual aid with their fire departments and joint tax assessing, in joint selectmen’s meetings held four times each year, Eldridge said.
“I thought it was a very good meeting,” he said.
The town manager said Greene Selectmen Chairman Ronald Grant told Baldacci that property taxes affect everyone, but increases in sales taxes are more fair because everyone pays sales taxes for goods and services.
“(Baldacci) is trying to address all the issues and put the mechanism in place for the long term, not just the short term,” Eldridge said. “He talked about the business climate and that we’ve got to do something to attract businesses.”
Turner Town Manager Jim Catlin said he was impressed with what he heard about regionalization. “(Baldacci) said he would like to give incentives to communities who want to participate in it.”
Catlin said the governor talked about the possibility of seed money from the state for studies on joint purchases between municipalities and school districts.
Baldacci asked Martha Freeman of the State Planning Office to join the meeting. She talked about regionalization efforts as incentives for participating towns, according to Catlin.
“I came away with a much more positive level about regionalization than I had when I went into the meeting,” Catlin said.
He added that tax reform efforts were discussed. “I sincerely hope that something can get done for tax reform at the legislative level before it comes to a vote,” Catlin said.
He added, “I don’t think the public wants a Band-Aid. They want total tax reform.”
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