Correcting the record on the mining bill
To the editor:
Maine needs jobs! And the need for jobs in Aroostook County is even greater. That is why Rep. John Martin sponsored and I cosponsored LD 1853, the bill that is now law and provides for mining in Aroostook County at Bald Mountain and in the rest of Maine. This legislation was carefully crafted to balance the needs of protecting the environment and job creation,
I am proud to say that this bill was supported [and opposed] by both Democrats and Republicans [See Roll Calls 334 and 488]. Unfortunately Rep. Edgecomb misrepresented the facts when he implied that Republicans sponsored and enacted the bill, while Democrats opposed the bill. It seems that Rep. Edgecomb’s statement in the Aug. 1 Aroostook Republican is not intended to inform the residents of Aroostook County, but to negatively use it for political purposes.
Rep. Edgecomb’s statement raises the question of trust. If he can’t be factual with respect to the sponsorship and support of a bill, how can the residents of Aroostook County believe that he will be factual on much larger issues?
I want the residents of Aroostook County to know that I support every effort to create jobs here in The County, and my voting record proves that I have worked to bring good-paying jobs to this part of the state. I have supported efforts that boost the Maine economy and create opportunities so that once again Maine can be a place where we can all raise a family and prosper. Our children should not have to choose between their hometown, their home state, or earning a living.
Sen. Troy Jackson
D-Allagash
