Looking for your thoughts on proposed seat belt law

There are still many questions and concerns about regionalizing school administration and we have not yet taken up the issue of outdoor wood boilers. With the budget and tax reform packages still being worked on in committees, we can still look forward to many late nights ahead, filled with constructive debate and deliberation.
    The House recently turned down a bill to make not wearing your seat belt a primary offense and the Senate approved it, so we will see if the two chambers can work out their differences. I am interested in your thoughts. Maine law requires us to wear seat belts, but you cannot be stopped by law officials for that single offense. You must be stopped for another reason and can then be ticketed for not wearing a seat belt. This bill would make it a primary offense, which means you could be stopped and fined for not wearing your seatbelt.
The House and Senate held a major vote this week on a bill to allow a racino in Washington County. The people of Maine gathered over 50,000 signatures in order to place this initiative on the ballot in November. I voted no on the bill because I think it should be the Maine voter’s decision whether the state should have another racino. I would prefer that a majority of Maine voters decide the issue. The bill passed both the House and the Senate but is expected to be vetoed by Governor Baldacci and the bill did not pass with the two-thirds majority needed to override the veto, so it will most likely be on the ballot for your consideration in November.
A bond package we approved recently will provide you, the voter, with some decisions to make over the next 15 months. The $295 million bond package is divided into three parts.
The major component of the bond package is for transportation, a critical need for the state and for us in the county. This June we will be voting on a total of $131.3 million. Maine voters will vote on $100 million for highways and bridges; $13 million for other transportation needs (including rail, trails, ferry improvements, small harbor improvements, aviation and intermodal); and $18.3 million for environmental issues. The environmental issues portion of the total bond package includes drinking water, hazardous waste cleanup, small community grants, waste water construction, air monitoring, municipal and industrial landfills, dam repair and hatchery repair.
Next November, voters have a $134 million bond on the ballot. It will include $55 million for research and development, which includes funding for the Manufacturing Technology Institute competitive fund, the FAME Economic Development Revolving Loan fund, the Rural Development fund, the Regional Development Loan program and the Agriculture Marketing Loan fund. Another $43.5 million is targeted for education, with funding for the community colleges, universities, Maine Maritime Academy, the school revolving loan fund, and the New Century program. Also on the ballot next fall will be $35.5 million for natural resources projects, including Land for Maine’s Future, working waterfront, rivers, state parks, the Municipal Investment Trust Fund, and agricultural irrigation.
In June 2008, the final portion of the bond package will be on the ballot and will include another $10 million for highways and bridges, $13 million for the other transportation projects and $6.7 million more for environmental issues.
Please feel free to contact me with your thoughts and concerns. I may be reached at 287-1400 or toll free 1-800-423-2900 or you can e-mail me at RepPatricia.Sutherland@legislature.maine.gov