*** STATE ISSUES ***
PREAMBLE
We, the Democratic Party of the State of Maine, affirm our belief in the benefit of state government. The Democratic Party has in the past 20 years accomplished:
* Significant increases in employment and income;
* Reversal of the previous out-migration of population;
* Easing of property taxes for school funding by increasing the state’s share of support;
* Creation of community mental health centers, special education programs, homemaker services programs, nutritional programs and handicap access programs;
* Establishment and enforcement of the Maine Human Rights Act;
* Collective bargaining for state employees;
* Establishment of pollution abatement programs;
* Revision of the State Banking Code;
* Creation of a Bureau of Consumer Protection and Consumer Fraud Division;
* Creation of a Public Advocate for the people of the State of Maine.
* Steady growth of financial activity and both new and small business through reforms in the State Banking Code, and assistance through the State Development Office and FAME.
We, the Democratic Party of the State of Maine hereby affirm the following Platform as the issues that are important to the People of Maine.
SECTION 1–EDUCATION AND CULTURE:
Education is the keystone of a dynamic society; the goal of the Democratic Party is to raise tile level of education for all persons in the State of Maine. In order to change ideals into reality, education must be a top priority in the allocation of state revenues, both to insure quality education for our children and to attract and keep the best and the brightest in the teaching field. We urge the inclusion of funding for all legislatively mandated programs.
The arts represent some of the highest achievements of the human mind. Recognition and appreciation of artistic expression serve to uplift all members of the community.
1. We support the recommendations of the Visiting Committee to the University of Maine presented to Governor Brennan and the Maine Legislature the week of January 13,1986.
2. We support holistic and preventive health education and ecological education.
3. We support additional funding necessary for vocational schools in order to support a vital and growing economy.
4. We support the establishment of a rotation system of fine arts activities, taking advantage of existing campuses, public schools, and community facilities, in order to make all areas of fine arts available to as many communities in Maine as possible.
5. We support an increased level of state support for adult education, including literacy, high school completion, GED, vocational, and enrichment opportunities for Maine’s adults.
SECTION 2– NATURAL RESOURCES, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT:
The conservation of Maine’s precious natural resources must be a top priority of the Maine Democratic Party and must be a prime consideration of any legislative action. The protection of our natural resources is essential for the development of a healthy economy, the maintenance of public health, and the preservation of life itself. Environmental laws must be enacted and enforced in the spirit of enlightened public policy as protectors of the Earth’s limited natural resources.
We strongly support the enforcement of existing environmental regulations, increased funding for research into the effects of potentially hazardous materials and practices, and prompt action based on the implications of the research.
1a. The Democrats of Maine demand that no nuclear waste in any form, from outside of the state, be stored or disposed of in Maine until such time as the long-term safety of such action is assured.
1b. The Maine Democratic Party recommends that no low-level radioactive waste dump shall be permitted in Maine.
1c. Power plants in Maine shall not be permitted to produce high-level nuclear waste after July 4, 1988.
1d. The heat source of the Maine Yankee power station in Wiscasset should be converted to gasified coal, natural gas, or some other form of non-radioactive fuel.
2a. We support a comprehensive and coordinated plan to protect our health and our economic well being from hazardous wastes and other soil and ground water contaminants. Such a plan must include:
- local inventory of soil and ground water threats;
- informational, technical, and financial assistance to communities to reduce or eliminate present and future threats;
- increased monitoring and watch-dog activity; and,
- increased funding of the State clean-up fund with monies collected from a tax on hazardous waste producers.
2b. We urge the legislature to demonstrate its support of the Maine Ground Water Policy by appropriating general funds to carry out the Policy’s recommendations, including those previously supported by federal funds.
2c. The State also must provide technical assistance and low-interest loans to businesses that handle toxic materials to help them explore existing and/or new technologies for the purpose of reducing hazardous waste production.
3. Maine’s energy policy must focus on conservation and renewable resources and include:
- energy provisions in state building codes;
- encouragement for retrofitting existing structures; and,
- requirements for energy efficient management practices, including transportation in Maine’s industries.
4. We support the development of hydroelectric power projects as a safe and renewable power source. The protection of existing ecosystems must be a prime consideration in any dam construction or tidal power project. However, we specifically oppose the development of the “Big A” dam or any other dams on the West Branch of the Penobscot River. We reaffirm our commitment to the independence and integrity of the Board of Environmental Protection (BEP). This agency must be allowed to carry out its duties and responsibilities free of political pressure and manipulation.
5. We support the establishment of a state forestry policy that includes state guidelines for and supervision of industry cutting and harvesting practices, reforestation, and biomass boiler operations. Included in this policy must be the legal requirement that the paper industry be responsible for reforestation of the land it cuts.
6. We urge the preservation and protection of open and undeveloped land through:
- providing technical assistance to municipalities in dealing more creatively with the pressures of development with particular attention given to private conservation efforts through appropriate income and property tax incentives.
- requiring that any state-funded activity considering new space for its operation give priority to the use of existing structures rather than new construction;
- increasing the State’s commitment to the purchase of public lands with particular attention to wildlife habitats;
- passing An Act To Enhance The Sound Use And Management Of Maine’s Coastal Resources and supporting the bonding issues necessary for the implementation of this act;
7. We must increase our commitment to the fishing industry through continuing research and legislation that protects and conserves our marine resources. We encourage the further development of aquaculture while still protecting the rights of existing fisheries.
8. We advocate financial support of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife through the use of general funds, augmenting dedicated revenues.
9. We Democrats believe that the people of Maine want to, and should be allowed to, reopen the debate on the future of Maine Yankee. We call on Democratic leaders and legislators to consider and pass, at the May 28, 1986 Special Session, a bill that would place on the November 1986 ballot the question of whether or not to stop production of high-level nuclear waste at Maine Yankee.
SECTION 3–ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
The Maine Democratic Party believes in coherent, long-range economic development policy for the state. Development of all sectors of Maine’s economy requires mutual support and cooperation among entrepreneurs, labor, and state government. State programs to foster economic growth should be available to all regions of the state and all sectors of the economy.
1. Legislature and appropriate state agencies should develop legislation and programs to foster the growth of non-defense industries in Maine as a hedge against future reductions in military spending in the state.
2. The Legislature must fully support and fund the state vocational education programs. Employers should be encouraged to provide on-the-job, as well as on-the-job, training for improvement of skills and advancement; craft unions should maintain vigorous apprenticeship programs.
3. The Legislature, the Agriculture and Marine Resources Departments, Maine Development Foundation, the State Planning and Development Offices and F.A.M.E. should continue working together to develop and implement programs which will vitalize the economically disadvantaged sections of Maine. Particular emphasis should be placed on crop diversification and marketing, modernization of sea harvesting technology, retraining workers in declining industries, and development of sources of inexpensive industrial power which would attract manufacturing enterprises to regions outside the Route 95 corridor.
4. The Legislature, through its standing committees on Agriculture, Marine Resources, Energy and Natural Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife, Business and Commerce, and Utilities should develop legislative programs to strengthen and promote Maine’s diverse economy through fair foreign trade.
5. The Business and Commerce, Taxation, and Labor Committees are urged to study ways to simplify mandated record keeping and reporting requirements for small businesses.
6. Small business in Maine should be encouraged and not hindered or inhibited by state programs and regulations. The Joint Standing Committees on Labor, Taxation, and Commerce are urged to commission a study to develop alternatives to the present welter of rules, regulations, mandates and procedures.
SECTION 4–LABOR:
Workers should continue to be free to associate themselves with unions or other organizations for their own benefit and profit in negotiating with employers for fair wages, safe working conditions, and job and retirement security.
1. We support the rights of part-time employees to be eligible to receive benefits offered by individual employers, proportional to full-time employees;
2. We urge strengthening Maine laws relating to safety in the workplace, including training in the identification and handling of hazardous and toxic substances, and the rehabilitation of injured workers.
3. We support the creation of a state worker’s compensation fund.
4. We support equal pay for comparable work.
5. We support binding arbitration for public employees by arbitrators who are Maine residents.
6. We support extended unemployment insurance coverage for workers in training programs; in-creasing the allowance for dependents to fifteen dollars ($15.00); strengthening Maine’s severance pay and plant closing laws; and health insurance extension coverage for people who lose work through no fault of their own.
7. We support indexing the state minimum wage to the cost of living, per the Maine Consumer Price Index.
8. The Maine Democratic Party does support and deem necessary a strong rail transportation sys-tem in Maine to provide service to Maine business and industry. Therefore, we urge the naming of an Emergency Board as requested by the National Mediation board and urge that this board address the issues of concern and take immediate action in the pending work stoppage of Maine Central Railroad Workers.
We urge the representatives of M.C.R.R. and Guilford Transportation Industries to meet and negotiate with the workers and/or their representatives to settle this labor dispute.
If these issues are not dealt with and/or are not resolved by the time and date of the Special Session of the 112th Legislature, May 28, 1986, we support any appropriate action by the Maine Legislature to assure a strong and reliable rail transportation system in Maine and the opportunity for Maine railroad workers to return to work.
SECTION 5–GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND TAXES:
The Maine Democratic Party supports open, effective, and efficient government.
The Maine Democratic Party supports forms of taxation that adequately fund needed state pro-grams. Taxation must be fair and progressive.
1. We urge the simplification of regulation, agencies and boards.
2. The Governor is urged to set up a commission to study all levels of taxation within the state.
3. In order to ease the property tax burden, we support additional state funding for education:
a. A portion of this funding would be used for increasing teachers’ salaries;
b. A portion of this funding would be, used for academic areas.
SECTION 6–HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM:
We are committed to the principle that all persons are equal. We are opposed to discrimination of any sort against any person. Under the laws in a fair society, the government must share responsibility for the care of the disadvantaged.
We encourage the promotion of economic opportunities for all persons. We are particularly concerned with the degree of discrimination that still exists. We are concerned that the impact of discrimination continues to be felt in the areas of health and education. We support programs that provide equal educational opportunity, adequate medical care, and sufficient nutritional re-sources.
1a. We support an Equal Rights Amendment to the Maine Constitution to be worded as follows: “Equality of Rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged because of the sex of the individual.”
1b. We recognize that birth control is a matter of personal conscience and should be available regardless of income and should not be further regulated by government.
1c. We recognize that abortion is a matter of personal conscience and should be available regard-less of income and should not be further regulated by government.
2a. We support increased funding for shelters for victims of domestic violence and rape, and call for vigorous enforcement of current laws relating to child and elderly abuse and domestic violence.
2b. We support increased funding for services, including counseling for victims of crimes.
3. We support the inclusion of the term “sexual orientation” in the Maine Human Rights Act.
4. We oppose efforts to limit the rights of individuals to sue for redress of damages caused by unsafe consumer products or working conditions.
5. We support increased funding for the continuation of legal services for low-income individuals to promote equal justice under the law.
6. We support court reorganization that promotes speedy, fair trials that are responsive to the needs of jurors, witnesses and victims, and that establishes a family court system.
7. We call on the Legislature to provide increased funding for rehabilitative services, psychological services, substance abuse treatment, and vocational training in prisons, correctional centers, and youth centers along with follow-up services, rather than simple incarceration.
8. We urge that the Maine Legislature pass, and the Governor sign into law, legislation that will assure all public employees full rights to be involved in political activities.
9. We support the right of free speech by any person or group and specifically oppose censorship. We stand firmly opposed to the initiated referendum on obscenity. We further oppose any efforts to impose the values and ideas of any one group upon the people of Maine. Government should never be used to censor or limit what we see, hear, read, or think.
SECTION 7–ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE:
Alcohol and other drug abuse have created devastating consequences for youth and other age groups, and for the community as a whole. It is important for everyone to come together to ad-dress the many factors and causes underlying substance abuse. It is particularly important for young people themselves to take an active part in solutions to these problems.
1. We support additional funding through the alcohol premium tax to provide adequate funds for alcohol and other drug abuse prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programs.
2. We propose expanded state sponsored programs and stronger law enforcement to actively dis-courage alcohol and substance abuse and drunken driving.
3. We encourage state legislation to develop a standard to determine Substance abuse for driving under the influence of drugs other than alcohol.
4. We support and encourage Project Graduation for all secondary schools.
5. We oppose unrestricted testing of employees for possible substance abuse without just cause.
SECTION 8–HEALTH, HOUSING, & HUMAN SERVICES:
We as a society have an obligation to provide quality health, housing and human services that promote both self-respect and maximum independence. Health care and other basic services must be available to all, regardless of ability to pay. We believe that there is a great need for continuing research into more efficient service delivery systems. We strongly oppose any reduction in current services on either a state or federal level.
1. The State of Maine should take steps to assure adequate energy efficient housing for its residents. This should include reasonable interest rates through the Maine State Housing Authority, and a state and federal funded rental subsidy program for low and moderate-income families.
2. The State shall encourage adequate new and rehabilitated rental units for low and middle-income families.
3. The Legislature should create a health insurance risk pool to provide insurance to persons uninsurable for any medical reason.
4. We encourage necessary research into the issue of aging of our state’s population and the need for additional skilled nursing facilities.
5. We support increased funding for home-based care of the elderly or tile incapacitated, thereby reducing the expenses incurred by institutionalization and making it possible for patients to maintain their dignity.
6. We support increased funding for research into and treatment of persons with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, and oppose the requirement of any A.I.D.S. testing as a condition of employment or insurability. We support the Center for Disease Control guidelines concerning A.I.D.S., as it affects employment and education.
7. The Democratic Party supports a statewide emergency number of 911.
8. We oppose any efforts by the state or federal government to reduce financial aid services to either handicapped or foster children.
9. We support and urge state and employer subsidized comprehensive day care facilities, and urge the further development of programs for latch-key children using school and other public buildings when possible.
10. We support the availability of both home-based and hospital-based hospice programs for the terminally ill patient and his or her family.
*** National and International Issues ***
SECTION 1-INTERNATIONAL ISSUES:
The number one goal is to avoid nuclear war and to assure nuclear arms reduction.
ARMS REDUCTION:
1. We support an immediate, mutual, verifiable freeze on the development, testing, production and deployment of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems.
2. We urge that the United States adopt a no first strike nuclear weapons policy.
3. While recognizing the need for an adequate conventional defense, we oppose the development and production of the MX Missile, the B-1 Bomber, the neutron bomb, and all chemical and bio-logical weapons.
4. We are against extending the arms race into space. Any technique used for defense in space may as easily be used for offense.
5. As a part of arms reduction, we call for the removal of the Pershing 11 and cruise missiles now deployed in Europe, with a corresponding removal of Soviet missiles.
6. We urge the repeal of peacetime registration for a military draft. We support national voluntary service of our youth.
FOREIGN POLICY:
7a. We oppose supporting the Contras in Nicaragua and we support the Contadora peace efforts.
7b. We oppose supporting the Apartheid government in South Africa and urge disinvestment in South Africa.
8. We urge our moral leadership and political and economic strength to support and strengthen the United Nation’s peacekeeping capabilities.
9. We support fair and reciprocal worldwide trade.
10. We urge increased communication and cultural exchange between the U.S.A. and other nations to promote peace and understanding.
SECTION 2–NATIONAL ISSUES:
ECONOMIC:
The overriding economic issues of our time are: our staggering national debt; the inability of Congress and the President to balance the budget and a growing foreign trade deficit. The United States is now a net debtor nation.
1. The Democratic Party of Maine urges the restoration of a healthy national economy through significant and equitable reductions in the federal budget, improved management of federal funds and increased federal revenues.
2. We support income tax reform. Our system should make the obligation to pay taxes commensurate with the ability to pay.
HAZARDOUS WASTE:
3. An intensive national research campaign must be mounted to utilize the best minds and the most advanced technologies in the world to discover a permanent solution to existing and future radioactive waste stockpiles.
Any plan for the disposal of radioactive waste must isolate it from the biosphere and be retrievable, monitorable, and failsafe for the length of its toxicity. The program for underground burial of nuclear waste should be halted until it is proven that it meets these criteria. The Maine Democratic Party supports repeal of the 1982 Nuclear Waste Policy Act.
The solution to the long-term problem of future radioactive waste is to eliminate its source. The production of nuclear power and nuclear weapons must be halted.
Radioactive waste is presently categorized in an arbitrary system that has no scientific basis. Radioactive waste should be classified by its length of toxicity, type of poison, and radiation type.
4. We demand that the federal government identify and regulate the use and disposal of hazardous and toxic materials and provide funding for toxic material “Right to Know” legislation and the “Toxic Bill of Rights.”
5. We urge the establishment of a joint U. S./Canadian Acid Rain Control Program that is committed to using the most up-to-date scientific knowledge to reduce and eventually eliminate the environmental threat of acid rain.
LABOR AND JOB SAFETY:
6. We support the strengthening of all Federal health and safety laws and the funding necessary for enforcement.
HEALTH, HOUSING, AND HUMAN SERVICES:
7. More emphasis must be given to preventive health care, Health care must be available and accessible to all regardless of their ability to pay.
8. We support increased funding for congregate housing and low and moderate-income housing.
9. Subsidized basic human services must be available.
10. We support a National Health Insurance Plan.
11. We support a nation-wide 911-phone system.
12. We support increased funding for Project Headstart.
JUSTICE AND EQUAL RIGHTS:
13. We support an Equal Rights Amendment.
14. We recognize that birth control is a matter of personal conscience and should be available regardless of income and should not be further regulated by government.
15. We recognize that abortion is a matter of personal conscience and should be available regard-less of income and should not be further regulated by government.
16. We support funding for shelters for victims of domestic violence. We call for the vigorous enforcement of current laws relating to child and elderly abuse and domestic violence.
17. We support equal pay for comparable work.
18. We support funding for the continuation of legal services for the poor and elderly to promote equal justice under the law.
EDUCATION:
19. The federal government must reinstate loan and scholarship support for postsecondary studies with managerial improvements sufficient to assure fiscal accountability.
20. We oppose all tuition tax credits.
21. We support the continuation of the Department of Education.
22. The Solomon Amendment should be repealed. It discriminates against low-income males be-cause it requires draft registration in order to receive federal assistance for post-secondary education.
23. The Federal Government must maintain its role in funding in education research and development.
24. We support adequate health care for veterans.
Source: Copy provided by Carl E. Pease, Windsor, 2008.