Under the Dome

Legislators in the Appropriations Committee heard testimony from the Department of Corrections last week as they continued to review details of Gov. John Baldacci’s biennial budget proposal.

Much of the discussion, which also included public testimony, centered on the governor’s proposal to ship some prisoners out of state for part of their incarceration in an effort to cut costs.

Sen. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, who sits on the committee, said she was struck by a man who testified against the move.

“He said, ‘isn’t it better to spend $2 and have it circulate in our state economy, rather than spend $1 in some other state?’ and I really hadn’t thought about it like that,” she said.

This week, the committee will hear testimony from the public regarding the Health and Human Services portion of the budget proposal.

Delayed

The Education and Cultural Affairs Committee decided to postpone making decisions on a pair of bills that would allow individual school units from altering their calendar.

One bill, sponsored by Rep. Sawin Millet, R-Waterford, would have allowed schools to alter their school weeks from five days to four, for example, in order to cut down on costs.

The bills are scheduled to be taken up again at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 23.

Talk about talk

On Thursday, the Transportation Committee is scheduled to work on combining several bills that address cell phone use while driving. Supporters and detractors of the measures filled the committee room last week.

Some said using phones while driving was essential to their livelihood, while others relayed accidents that had been caused by drivers distracted by their cell phones.

One bill, sponsored by Rep. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, would only ban drivers from using cell phones in construction zones.

“I believe strongly it is our responsibility as legislators to help keep these road crews safe,” she said on Friday before the committee. “Unfortunately, while common sense should lead people to drive through work zones safely and without distraction, many people don’t use their common sense and so we need to legislate to help keep innocent people safe.”

County leaders

The Androscoggin County delegation met last Thursday to elect officers. Sen. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, was named chairwoman and Rep. Stacy Dostie, D-Sabattus, vice-chair.

Reps. Mike Beaulieu, R-Auburn, and Lawrence Sirois, D-Turner, were elected as legislative liaisons to the county commission.

The delegation also heard a progress report on the Androscoggin Riverland State Park Initiative, which launched last year.

“I’m thrilled with the plans that they are developing for the park,” Craven said.

It would be Maine’s first state park in an urban population center and is designed to stretch 2,600 acres along the Androscoggin River.