THE PORTLAND PHOENIX | NEWS + FEATURES | OCTOBER 22, 2010 11

Would-be governors

JOBS

ELIOT CUTLERIndependent

VERY BAD Who wantsto invest in Maine with his environmental,education, and energy policies? And massive cuts to state services?

GOOD Merge university and community-collegesystems.

GOOD No promises tospecial interests.

GOOD Zero-based budget-ing.

VERY GOOD Lower busi-ness costs by reducing electric bills with public power. Lower health-care costs with state -aid-ed insurance rewarding healthy behaviors.

GOOD Expand the Seed Capital Investment Tax Credit. Support start-ups.

GOOD 25% of school, prison food from local farmers.

FEW SPECIFIC IDEASFocus on small business, agriculture, forestry, fishing. But how?Accelerate equipment depreciation.

TAXES/SPENDING

EDUCATION

ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT

HEALTH/WELFARE/

SOCIAL ISSUES

GOVERNMENT REFORM

THEIR IDEAS FOR CHANGING MAINE, FROM A PROGRESSIVE PERSPECTIVE_BY L ANCE TAPLE Y

GOOD Longer school year.

DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILSCharter schools. Could help some kids butdamage public schools.

GOOD Public power emphasizing green power.

GOOD No nuclear power, offshore drilling.

BAD Eliminate citizen boards for DEP and LURC.

GOOD Health-insurance public options.

GOOD Pro-choice.Pro-gay marriage.

GOOD No casinos.

DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS Reorganize, review agencies. Depends on management skills.

PAUL LEPAGERepublican

ELIZABETH MITCHELLDemocrat

SHAWN MOODYIndependent

KEVIN SCOTTIndependent

VERY BAD Reduce top 8.5% income tax to 5%. Reduce many other tax-es. State could lose up to $1 billion in revenue over two years, according to tax bureau.

GOOD Zero-basedbudgeting.

DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS Connect teacher pay to student performance. But could be heavy-handed.

BAD School vouchers.Destroy public schools.

BAD Minimize environ-mental reviews.

BAD Support nuclear power.

GOOD Welfare recipients keep more job earnings.

GOOD Divisive issues go to referendum.

BAD Pro-life. Anti-gay marriage.

BAD Reinstate the death penalty.

GOOD Governmentproceedings on TV.

GOOD State spendingdatabase online.

GOOD Freedom-of-infor-mation law strengthened.

GOOD Renegotiate state’s wholesale liquor-sales lease.

BAD Lower income-tax rates, especially for top earners.

BAD Shaky plans for funding some proposals.

GOOD Expand pre-kindergarten servicesfor kids.

GOOD State grants pay first-year college tuition.

GOOD $100 million for Land for Maine’s Future.

GOOD No nuclear power, offshore drilling.

GOOD Weatherize schools.

GOOD Expand natural-gas lines.

GOOD Pro-choice. Pro-gay marriage.

GOOD No casinos.

GOOD Officials required to file financial disclosures.

BAD Merge State Plan-ning Office and econom-ic development efforts. Planning should not just serve business.

VERY BAD Reduce top 8.5% income tax to6-6.5%. State loseshundreds of millionsin revenue. Hasn’tcalculated how much.

DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS Merit pay for teachers. But how?

GOOD No nuclear power or offshore drilling.

FEW SPECIFIC IDEAS Promote hydro, wind, biomass, tidal, etc. But how?

GOOD Pro-choice. Pro-gay marriage.

DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS State pays its bills tohospitals. No money source given.

FEW SPECIFIC IDEASIncentivize state workers to find savings.

GOOD School foodprovided by local organic farmers. Loan fundfinances new farms. Even partial success would be a feat.

DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS Voluntary 32-hourstate-worker week.But how many would choose it?

BAD School vouchers.Destroy public schools.

DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS Charter schools. Could help some kids butdamage public schools.

DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS Withdraw Maine from Northeast electricitygrid for lower rates.Big pros and big cons.

VERY BAD Drug screen-ing for welfare andMedicaid recipients.Is this Maine?

BAD Anti-gay marriage.

BAD Supports casinos.

NO IDEAS Period.