That was the title of a recent article in the Kennebec Journal. The legislature’s Appropriations Committee began hearings today on the $140 million “gap” in the current year’s budget.
Some solons speak of this occasion as an “opportunity.” Heaven help us!
I was reminded again today of Mark Twain’s aphorism: “No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.”
I do have a wee little suggestion on how the great state of Maine (that is, us) could save some money.
Let’s cut out all the unelected and unapproved-by-the legislature “spokespeople.” In the Department of Education, for instance, we have the position (It would be interesting to know when, by whom, and how this position was created) now filled by David Connerty-Marin*. At the Governor’s Office, most recently David Farmer* has been identified as his spokesman. The DOT and the Department of Corrections have their “spokespeople.” Often enough, these spokespeople don’t just present information, but rather aggresively represent a position. So besides being instruments of obfuscation, they’re combative to boot!
DOE watchers, for instance, will surely agree!
Can’t we do away with these flak-catchers and have the Governor and the Commissioners speak for themselves? Of course it’s convenient to them to have someone else making statements for them. Among other things, this allows them a degree of deniability: “I didn’t say that. My spokesperson mispoke…”)
One of the good and decent and right things about our state and local government — at least in the past — has been the direct access we’ve had to our elected (and appointed) officials. The spokesperson trend runs right up against that tradition of open government.
Let’s bag the lot, and save some money to boot.
*link to search form at MaineOpenGov.org — fill in the blank!