Having been in the Republican minority for eight years in the Legislature, I can understand the frustration of Maine Democrats, being suddenly in the minority and not having control.

However, the liberal media continue to be very diligent in generously allotting space to express the Democrats’ objections to just about everything the Republicans propose.

Among the issues which the Republicans inherited is the current state retirement funding deficit which the Republicans and Gov. Paul LePage must try to do something about. There is a constitutional deadline to fund the multi-billion-dollar deficit.

The previous Democratic legislative majorities and the liberal governors have ignored it. The policies of 30 years of Democratic legislative majorities cannot be remedied overnight, but the remedy must begin. There will be pain all around.

According to an article in USA Today on March 1, as of 2009, Maine’s public employees averaged salary and benefits of $49,850, which is $4,912 more than the equivalent private employees’ average. How can Maine remedy that inequity?

The answer should not be to diminish the public employees’ income significantly, since Maine ranked 36th among the 50 states in average salary/benefit income for public employees.

The governor has the solution: Make Maine attractive to businesses with good-paying jobs by lowering taxes, cutting unnecessary red tape and continuing to preserve the environment. The average of private salary/benefits will rise.

When the partisan pique and posturing stops, there should be bipartisan agreement that this makes sense.

Maine taxpayers deserve a break.

Thomas F. Shields, Auburn