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Baldacci talks wind, taxes in State of the State address

Posted on Jan. 24, 2010, at 9:57 p.m.

Gov. John Baldacci lauded UMaine’s research into alternative energies and proposed tying teacher pay to student performance in his last State of the State address Thursday evening. The governor also warned of more cuts on the way to bridging a $438 million budget shortfall.

“Today we’re laying the groundwork for economic revitalization and freedom from the tyranny of foreign oil,” Baldacci said. “The work going on at the university by Dr. Habib Dagher with private sector partners and critical support from the federal government is positioning our state at the forefront of a new energy revolution.”

The Advanced Engineered Composites Center received millions of dollars in federal money this October to build a wind energy development center, and is part of a consortium of public and private organizations working to develop wind energy infrastructure in the state. Baldacci said the investment in energy production could help Maine recover from economic recession.

“Right now Maine is leading New England in wind power generation, and every day this important sector is growing, producing renewable and safe electricity,” Baldacci said. “From start to finish, Maine has a role to play. We can develop the technology, use the composites from the University of Maine to build the turbines, and lower electricity rates.”

Baldacci set a new goal of creating 5 gigawatts of energy from offshore resources by 2030 and said the state was already ahead of schedule to meet that goal.

“Whether you believe in global warming or not, ending dependency on foreign oil is a matter of national security that demands action now,” Baldacci said.

Turning to education, Baldacci said administrative reform, such as school district consolidation, was not enough to improve Maine’s education system.

“Teachers and principals are responsible for their classrooms and the students in them. Student achievement must be part of how they’re evaluated,” Baldacci said.

The governor acknowledged the proposal would be controversial, but said that “recognizing good teachers is an overdue reform.”

Rep. Emily Cain, D-Orono, said the governor’s goals for energy independence rely on Maine’s university system.

“The University of Maine has positioned itself to be a catalyst for change in the energy sector,” Cain said.

“The goals he outlined for a stronger Maine economy cannot happen, in my opinion, without strong higher education institutions, both two-year and four-year,” Cain said.

Baldacci said new efforts to streamline government through more job and spending cuts will be needed to close the $438 million budget shortfall and railed against tax increases, including an effort on the ballot in June to raise the personal income tax.

“I will not support a tax increase to balance this budget,” Baldacci said to extended applause from Republicans and a few Democrats.

“Working families and small businesses deserve a tax break, and Maine needs jobs now,” he said.

“The governor has made it very clear, and been very consistent, that he’s not interested in talking about new taxes … to address any part of the budget problem. But I’ll tell you, on the legislative side, those lines have not been drawn in the sand,” Cain said.

Cain said the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs, of which she is one of the chairwoman, is still evaluating the proposed budget, but that “everything is truly on the table. We have not ruled anything out yet.”

Campus Currents: John Baldacci