Responding to the attacks

Over the past several weeks, several negative mailings directed toward my voting record have been sent out to constituents in my district. I have been responding to constituents individually about these votes and if you have received one of these misleading ads, please feel free to call or email me. If I get a free moment I will post my response to each one of these complicated bills in this blog, but for now here is a response I am sending out:





- Andy

Village Soup Profile

Incumbent Andrew O'Brien of Lincolnville says he has found his "sphere of influence" on the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee.

This article originally appeared in Village Soup, written by Sarah Reynolds.

Incumbent Andrew O'Brien is running for a second term as the representative for House District 44 because he feels he has found his "sphere of influence" serving on the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee and wants to continue the work he has begun toward establishing a local food economy in Maine.

Andrew O'Brien
• Town of residence: Lincolnville
• Party affiliation: Democrat
• Occupation: Teacher, Georges Valley High School; part-time landscaper
• Previous elective or appointive office: One term in Maine House representing District 44; served on the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee
• Clean elections candidate: Yes
House District 44 bridges Waldo and Knox counties, and includes the towns of Appleton, Hope, Islesboro, Liberty, Lincolnville, Morrill and Searsmont.

Concerning his interest in fostering a local food economy in the state, O'Brien said it's a good thing that Maine has many small farms, and not a lot of industrial farming. He wants to keep Maine's agricultural infrastructure intact and help struggling dairy farmers and its growing number of organic farms.

The most important issues facing the Legislature now are the funding gaps in the budget and the state pension system, he said.

Solving those problems is difficult because state revenues, up one month, down the next, are "a moving target." The Legislature must look closely at where it can streamline state government and find efficiencies, but also has to find a way to fund state operations without "dumping costs on the towns," he said.

He said he would be loath to cut further in natural resources areas. While there has been talk of reducing in the Department of Health and Human Services budget, he said he will be listening closely to proposals from his fellow legislators. He thinks the Legislature must "tread lightly" in making cuts and be aware of the effects of those cuts.

Regarding the pension system, O'Brien said, "I'm confident that we'll do something about it, because we have to." He said there is more pressure now to find a solution, because "voters are demanding action," and the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee and Joint Standing Committee on Labor will have to respond.

O'Brien sees the promise of new and well-paid jobs in the entrepreneurs he said are flocking to the Midcoast. He is also encouraged by the potential of the creative economy in this region. In addition, he favors expanding the availability of broadband Internet access to facilitate telecommuting.

On alternative energy, he said both solar and wind power have potential — as creators of jobs as well as providers of non-polluting energy — but it's important to think carefully about the effect of those industries on local communities and businesses. He thinks Maine should explore tidal power as well.

With regard to education, he said the property tax is the issue most on people's minds. "There's got to be a smarter way of funding [education]," he said, but he didn't offer any ideas about what that might be.

On the subject of health care, O'Brien said he is "very interested" in making sure everyone in Maine has access to the medical care they need. He does not think buying insurance across state lines would work for Maine. He said the Dirigo Health program "had good intentions, but didn't work out the way it was supposed to," and he expects the program to come up for some attention in the Legislature this session.

O'Brien said the majority of people served by the state's public-assistance programs genuinely need the help, and are self-supporting again within a year and a half, with only a small number needing help for longer. "A lot of people are very much stretched and they're very worried about their future," he said. He told about a 70-something grandmother he knows who is caring for her grandchildren. She is on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and has a small home business, he said. "She's not living high on the hog."

He also said that TANF is a tiny share of the state budget — just 1.3 percent — adding that the state needs more programs to help people get off welfare, but "it's a very tough employment market."

The Reality of Bipartisanship

Hi Folks!

I apologize for not being more active on this blog, but it's been pretty hectic with work, school and the campaign. I have been the target of several attack mailings during the past few weeks and I will address them soon. However, for now here is a recent column I wrote for the paper about the reality of what we do in Augusta:

Back in 2008 when I was first running for the legislature, I attended a debate in Belfast that has stuck in my mind during these past two years. Two legislative incumbents, one a Republican and the other a Democrat, finally agreed on one thing: 90% of what is done in Augusta is bipartisan. The rest becomes fodder for attacks during elections. At the time, I couldn’t help but stifle a scoff. I mean, these two guys couldn’t seem to agree on anything! Back then it was about taxes on soda and now it’s about expansions on sales tax to reduce the income tax. As I sit at my desk responding to the eighth attack against me from a special interest group since getting elected, I think back to our work in Augusta during these past two years. Can our work be simply boiled down into a series of four-line attack mailings? Absolutely not.

The truth is that the real policy work happens in committee and when it came to the budget, our committee of Republicans and Democrats was darn near unanimous on every line of the budget. For example, we all agreed that support for dairy farmers needed to be ensured, state parks could not forego spring maintenance, and that, given their workload, we could not afford to cut the number of meetings of the Land Use Regulation Commission. On some issues we had to organize bipartisan working groups to find a solution to unacceptable budget proposals, such as cuts in aircraft support for fighting forest fires. The committee’s unanimous budget recommendations were then sent to the Appropriations Committee, who wove them into a final budget that was unanimously approved by both Democrats and Republicans. That’s not to say we didn’t have our committee spats, particularly over issues such as GMOs, pesticides, and land use in the unorganized territories, though those were only about 10% of the bills we handled. However, even after the most intense committee battles, we were all able to have lunch together afterwards.

A legislator’s job doesn’t end in Augusta though. In late 2008, my wife began letting the answering machine go when I wasn’t around, because there was a 50/50 chance it was a constituent call. Sometimes it’s something simple like pressuring the Bureau of Labor to update me on a constituent’s unemployment application or contacting our US reps to ensure a permit for the building of a fire station. Other times I’ve traveled out to the back of my district to take pictures of crumbling roads for constituents to send to the DOT. I’ve had meetings with our state senator, local selectmen and the DOT commissioner to draw attention to a deteriorating bridge. I’ve met with constituents to intervene on hunter/landowner relations and invited constituents over to my house to talk about their ideas that they felt were being ignored by politicians.

Other times it’s not so simple. The state representative is often the last person to call when other avenues fail. When the phone rings I often say a little prayer that this call isn’t about a child custody case involving the Child Welfare Department, cases that seem to call for a King Solomon kind of judgement. I sometimes feel like the de facto switchboard operator for the Department of Health and Human Services. By far my favorite constituent calls are from inventors. Over the past few years constituents have invited me out to their homes to look at such items as a friction heating device and a super vacuum pump. Although I certainly don’t have the capacity to finance these ideas, I’ve done extensive research to try to connect these folks to the right people.

As the 2010 campaign comes to a head, and the messages from both parties become more strident and negative, it’s important to remember what those two legislative incumbents from 2008, now competing for the Waldo County senate seat, said in a moment of clarity two years ago. The economic nor’easter that crept up from Wall Street a few years back still hasn’t let up, and we have a lot of work ahead of us. This will require lawmakers who are willing to work together, as well as be responsive to their constituents and do everything they can to help them through this turbulent time.

As your state representative, I feel I have gleaned great knowledge and understanding of this complex system during these past two years and feel confident I am up to the task. I respectfully ask for your vote on November 2.

Unicameral Legislature?

The other day when I was out going door-to-door in Searsmont, a fellow asked me if I would support cutting the size of the Maine Legislature down to one chamber. My answer:

"Absolutely!"

In 2009 we had a bill, LD 1424, which would have allowed voters to decide by referendum whether Maine would adopt a unicameral system, similar to what Nebraska has had for several decades. I voted for this bill and will strongly support future efforts to create unicameral legislature. With one house, I believe we will save money, as well as make politicians more accountable and efficient. My good friend Rep. Valentino set up a website to provide information about her bill LD 1424 and answer frequently asked questions.

The following "top ten questions" on Rep. Valentino's webpage are based on LD 1424, which did not pass. However, I believe they provide a picture of what this structural change would look like for the state.

Top Ten Questions

1. Will the citizens get to vote on this issue?

Yes, in November 2010.

2. If the vote is approved, when will the first Unicameral Legislature be seated?

In December, after the 2014 elections.

3. How many proposed members of a Unicameral Legislature?

105.

4. Will there still be two members representing the Tribes and Nations?

Yes.

5. What will the Legislators be called?

Senators.

6. How many constituents will the new Senators have?

About 12,400.

7. Will redistricting have to take place?

Yes.

8. Will it cost additional money to redistrict for a unicameral?

No. Maine is scheduled to conduct a redistricting based on the 2010 census. Therefore, Maine has already budgeted for redistricting to take place. This will happen with or without the unicameral bill being passed.

9. Will Legislators still serve two-year terms? Yes. Will they still be subject to term limits?

Term limits are not addressed in the Maine Constitution. Term limits are set by statute. LD 1424 only addresses constitutional items, therefore, does not alter term limits.

10. What is the estimated cost savings of a unicameral in Maine?

$15 million over a two-year budget.

Pesticides and the Legislative Process

Governor Baldacci signing my bill LD 1547: An Act To Revise Notification Requirements for Pesticides Applications Using Aircraft or Air-carrier Equipment on June 8, 2010.

This bill truly represents a great part of my education up in Augusta so far. The committee I serve on, Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, has historically gotten along very well. For the most part, this still rings true as we only had two divided reports during this past session. However, there are a handful of issues that continue to raise the hackles of several concerned parties. Pesticide use is one of them.

Having worked in the annual blueberry harvest since I was nine years old, I am very familiar with the industry and I understand why blueberry farmers here in the midcoast need these tools to control pests and present a marketable product. However, since I began serving in the Maine Legislature, I have also become acquainted with many local residents who have concerns about the potential harmful effects of pesticides and cite scientific evidence to back up their arguments. They also feel that residing near treated areas has exposed them to these chemicals. On the other hand, the conventional blueberry farmers strongly believe that these chemicals do not present a danger, have their own scientific evidence and they feel like they're being needlessly targeted. One thing I've learned about serving as a public official, no matter what stand you take, you're going to catch flack and if you try to take the middle ground, you're going to get beat up by both sides! Nevertheless, this is what I signed up for and ever since this issue was first brought to my attention, I have made it my goal to bring both sides in this debate together.

Here in Maine lawmakers have been around the bend debating this problem. They've discussed setting up buffer zones for pesticide spraying, but that never went anywhere. There has been a petition to ban aerial spraying, but that was thrown out. However there was promise with a notification registry. Up until last year, farmers were required to notify people who asked to be notified if they resided within 500 feet. However, this was based on whether the resident was aware of pesticide use and if they had a relationship with the land manager. Under my bill, anyone spraying pesticides with aerial and air blast methods must notify all residents on a newly created notification registry who reside with 1320 feet, or 500 feet if near an orchard or Christmas tree farm.

I won't go into the whole process I've been through during the past year - the stakeholder groups, the heated debates, the yelling and the hair pulling - but I will say that this is an ongoing process. My bill specifically directs the Board of Pesticides Control to begin working on a unified single pesticide notification registry that includes all sectors of the regulated community, from forestry to suburban use, as well as all methods of application. It's very important that all concerned parties stay engaged.

Furthermore, if you would like to know if someone is using aerial or air carrier pesticide applications near your home, you can sign up for the new registry at Thinkfirstspraylast.com

The original Maine flag!

One of the best parts of being a Maine State Legislator is that I have the opportunity to get to know so many interesting people in our community doing fascinating things. My friend Jason Luce of Hope enjoys researching local Maine history and he was inspired by a local Washington, Maine historian to design a replica of the original Maine State flag.


The two Maine flags currently fly in front of Luce's home

The following quote is from the vexillologist (one who studies flags) Dave Martucci, who wrote on his website:

Few people know that Maine's first official flag was quite different than the one we see in use today (which is not legally correct according to the act of the Legislature that adopted it). Adopted in 1901 and legal until it was replaced in 1909, the first flag is distinctive (no other flag like it in the world - compare a set of State Flags with the present flag and a set with the first flag); simple (a child can draw it); inexpensive to make (manufacturing costs of approximately 33% of the current flag); and, in my opinion, more expressive of the State of Maine than the present flag (which, by law, is a military color).

Incidentally, Martucci initiated legislation to replace the current flag in 1991 and 1997, but both bills "died a quick death," in his words.


Editorial cartoon from Kennebec Journal at the time when the first bill was introduced.

Perhaps this same argument could be made nineteen years later. I wonder if anyone has calculated how much a savings of 33% on the manufacturing of Maine flags would save the state?

Down East article

This article about me appeared on the Down East magazine website. I figured my handlers would have done a better job of concealing "Diaper Gate" from the news media, but apparently not!

Hometown Boys and Girls Make Maine's Laws
Submitted by Richard Grant



If I'd lived in this town ten years longer, I could say I've known Andy O'Brien, our delegate to the Maine House of Representatives, since he was in diapers. But I can say truthfully that I've known him since my son Tristan, who's about to graduate from high school, was in diapers, because we hired Andy one night to babysit. Andy was about thirteen; we were friends with his family. We came home around midnight to discover Tristan sleeping face-down on the floor of the sleeping loft, and his diaper ... well, "It was too stinky," Andy said.

Now that the babysitter has risen to high public office, this incident is known around our house as Diapergate. I have vowed never to reveal it publicly, so please, let's keep this among ourselves.

I bring this up for a couple of reasons. One is the strange mood of public anger at government, bordering sometimes on hysteria, that has come over many of our citizens. To listen to Tea Party types, you'd think all public servants were corrupt and lazy fat cats indifferent to the common weal. Another is the vexing phenomenon of bright and talented young Mainers moving out-of-state in search of brighter horizons elsewhere. Andy fits neither of these categories. He's a hard-working and good-hearted young man who, after living abroad for a few years, teaching English in Taiwan, came back to his Maine home town and put his shoulder to the wheel of civic life.

"People are so used to thinking of politicians as these faraway people," he says, "but here in Maine, if you call up your representative, you're probably talking to some guy who lives up the road."

It could hardly be otherwise. We pay these folks $10,000 a year. The legislative session lasts six months. Passing laws in Maine is — like snowplowing and waitressing and lawn maintenance — a form of seasonal employment.

"It fits perfectly with the Maine economy," says Andy. "So you get a mixed bag — there are 151 folks up there — but they're all real people. You should go to Augusta and look at some of the cars parked out front. It is a citizen legislature. That's what's so great about it."

Andy is serving in his first term, having been elected on a tide of hope and change in 2008. Is he at all disillusioned? Doesn't sound like it. "Sometimes," he says judiciously, "you feel like you're making a difference. You learn what issues are important to the people in your area. You learn to listen a lot. It's important to value what people have to say. And you learn that there's a difference between governing and grumbling.

"What people usually don't realize," he goes in, "is that 90 percent of what we do in Augusta is bipartisan — and then there are these few contentious issues. People say, 'All you guys ever do is spend money.' But I say, 'What money?' We've been cutting steadily for eight years. We've laid off a thousand state workers. We've made the best of a horrible situation. I wish people would get this message."

I like Andy a lot. He has that Maine quality of plain-spokenness and an appealing, unabashed air of sincerity. I asked him to tell me straight how he feels things in Maine are going.

"I honestly think," he says, "the state is as good as the people who are in it. And there are a lot of exciting things happening right now. You see all these grass-roots groups popping up — just ordinary people who have gotten concerned about the quality of life in their communities and have gotten together to try to do something, to make a difference. You see all these young people getting involved, putting on little community fairs, putting out newsletters — there's a lot of energy in people these days. I didn't always see that before. It's exciting."

All in all, I felt pretty good after this conversation — the first real talk I've had with Andy for almost a year, since I sat in his tiny front yard in Lincolnville Center with a group of family and friends, watching last year's Memorial Day parade pass by. I'll have to stay in closer touch, I guess. It's comforting to feel you know somebody in Augusta, even if he does live just up the road.