Portland city workers will be able to buy their prescription drugs from a Canadian company soon.

The move will save the city’s 2,800 workers money because drugs in Canada are significantly cheaper than they are here in the United States. Nonetheless, the city is making it easier to do – and in fact promoting – an illegal activity.

If Portland advocated other types of lawbreaking, the outrage would be immediate. Imagine if the city decriminalized marijuana possession or started allowing gay marriage. There would be a national uproar.

But because Portland is joining more than 35 other cities in this act of near civil disobedience and because everyone recognizes the problems caused by high prescription drug costs, there will be barely a whimper of protest. Even the FDA, which is adamantly against the re-importation of drugs from Canada, seems to be holding its tongue. It’s a public relations fight they can’t win.

The premise behind free trade is that goods and people can flow freely across borders, increasing productivity and efficiency as they go. Laws against re-importing drugs from Canada are contrary to that idea.

But the real issue on prescription drugs is not one of trade – re-importation is merely an attempt to sidestep larger problems.

Namely, people in the United States subsidize drugs for the rest of the world by paying exorbitantly higher prices. At the same time, drug makers spend billions every year on lobbying and advertising to make sure it stays that way. Using their influence in Washington, they were able to ensure that President Bush’s Medicare drug law prohibits the government from negotiating lower prices.

Eventually, drug companies will find a way to negate the savings of shopping for drugs in Canada. The problem will continue until some control is found for ever-inflating drug prices.

Public policy should not encourage cities to break the law to provide affordable health care. Right now, it does.

A bold offer

Gov. Baldacci has presented Republican and Democratic leaders in the Legislature with a new bond plan that should prompt a quick, affirmative response from both sides.

Scaled down from his original proposal by more than $60 million, the governor’s new plan asks the Legislature to send a $55 million package to voters this November.

This is a major effort by the governor to craft a compromise with Republicans, who so far have rejected plans for new debt. It’s a bold offer.

The governor asks for $30 million for the Land for Maine’s Future Program, $11.75 million for the Waldo-Hancock Bridge and the remainder would go toward environmental projects, including improvements to drinking water systems. Noticeably absent is money to repair the state’s National Guard armories, which is too bad.

In the past, Republicans have suggested they could support $40 million in bonds. The governor has come a long way with his request.

As time slips toward November, this could be the last chance for a compromise. We urge lawmakers to send a reasonable bond package to voters.