Wasted Taxpayer $$

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1.01.2019 – Who negotiated this deal?

12.14.2018 – Whether it is state money, federal money or bond money – it’s your money!!

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3.12.2018 – Problems ahead with the Highway Trust Fund…

Click here to view article online.

 

2.24.2018 – Curious how our government works; we don’t have enough money to even maintain existing roads and bridge – YET, the MaineDOT sees no problem spending $61 million on a controversial connector project (2B-2) that does not meet original purpose and needs of the study/project – AND, the local community does not support – YET, our Legislators table a year-old effort to raise highway funds. In February 2015, these same legislators saw no problem in spending $61 million because the state “may be required” to reimburse the feds $2.2 million for money spent to date – WHEN, that was not the case with the Wiscasset Bypass project when cancelled in 2011. Would you run your household like that; then why let your government – IT’S YOUR MONEY!!??

2.01.2018 – Another source speaks of Trump’s 80/20 infrastructure funding, labeling it as “a reversal of precedent”.

Click here to view complete CNN Money article. 

1.29.2018 – What if Maine had to pay 80% of this project instead of 20%? There’s a big difference between the current $12.2 million (20%/State funded $61 million cost) and the current $48.8 million (80%/Federal funded $61 million cost) that this new proposal may reverse. Whether the state funds 20% or 80%, how does a project get funded that so many are against and doesn’t  satisfy the original purpose and needs of a study, now in its 18th year, when other transportation needs in our state go unmet? $61 million would fix a lot of bridges, roads and potholes…

Click here to view complete Strong Towns document.

1.10.2018 – The official 2018 MaineDOT Work Plan is now available online. As far as the connector project goes, the entry for 2018 mirrors that for 2017 with the exception that another $1.5 million has been added. No entries for this project for years 2019 and 2020. What seems to be missing are the budget shortfalls that have plagued our infrastructure repair for years. The annual $59 million shortfalls, as reported in January of 2017, may be masked by the presumption that $100 million G.O. bonds to be voted on in 2018 and again in 2019 will be approved by the public. This seems to now be an annual affair…

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Click here to view complete 2018 MaineDOT Work Plan.

 

 

 

1.07.2018 – An increase in funding for engineering and eminent domain??

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Click here to view MaineDOT Interactive Work Plan.

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Click here to view MaineDOT 2017-2019 Work Plan.

 

 

 

 

12.14.2017: We will learn shortly if this project has been pumped up with more cash as the 2018-2020 DOT Work Plan will be issued in less than 3 weeks.

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11.23.2017: We are nearing the end of 17 years of living with the threat of this highway in our backyards. So that no one forgets, remember the following actions and I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!! I am thankful for the possibility that someone at the highest levels will step forward and put an end to this boondoggle. 2B-2 does not meet the original purpose and needs of this project and it is too damn expensive at a time when we can’t even afford to maintain our existing infrastructure. I really do hope…

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10.29.2017: Self explanatory…

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7.21.2017: Another transportation bond coming…

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Click here to view complete Bangor Daily News article.

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Click here to view the current 2017-2019 Work Plan.

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6.09.2017: The DEIS reported that the City of Brewer would lose $37,000 per year for the simple fact that you cannot tax a road. The real fact is that the City of Brewer may lose a million dollars from this connector over the 20 year design-life of 2B-2…

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2.05.2017 – “We will build a great wall”!!

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Click here to view comments in the Bangor Daily News.

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Click here to view Substantive Comments Document see page 36.

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2.05.2017 – An updated page (see 1.27.2017) that shows what all impacted communities will lose in tax revenues over the 20 year design-life of the connector. It’s not far-fetched to say that Brewer’s revenue losses may approach $1,000,000 and  Eddington’s losses may approach $500,000 over a 20 year period. What is the significance of the 20 year period? Benefit to cost (benefit divided by cost) is a simple mathematical ratio and must equal 1.0 or higher to be viable. That benefit is figured over the lifetime of the connector, or 20 years. The MaineDOT likes to say the B/C ratio for this project was 1.1; actually it is 1.007, so not sure how that rounded up to 1.1. Also, almost laughable is that the cost of 2B-2 was exactly the amount needed to make the B/C ratio work; that $61 million, as we would find out, is nothing more than a guesstimate at best. So, if the B/C ratio is based on 20 years, the tax revenue losses to the impacted communities needs to also be stated in the same 20 year period, and looking at the DEIS – that was not true: it is only stated as an annual loss – move along, there’s nothing to see here…

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Click here to view Bangor Daily News article dated 4.10.2016.

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Click here to view Bangor Daily News article dated 1.23.2017.

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1.30.2017 – By the end of the year or as soon as the final design is completed and the eminent domain process is done ruining the lives of 8 families and 54 property owners, we will know the full impact of the proximity effect. Tax abatement doesn’t go very far to make up for any losses that we may suffer, not even close! We will never be made whole again…

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Tax man 1.29.2017

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1.27.2017 – Impacted communities may start feeling the monetary impact of this project by the end of the year; 2B-2’s final design and the eminent domain process have been funded by a $7.25 million appropriation in the DOT 2017-2019 Work Plan.

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taxes 1.26.2017

Click here to view above page with working hyperlinks.

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1.09.2017 – What could be done with the money that will be squandered on 2B-2? How can new projects be considered when there is a $59 million shortfall annually in the current Work Plan?

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Click here to view the MaineDOT 2017-2018-2019 Work Plan.

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work plan page2a 1.6.2017

 

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1.03.2017 – Just issued today – the latest and greatest 3 year MaineDOT Work Plan:

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Click here to view MaineDOT 2017 – 2019 Work Plan.

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12.20.2016 – Worth the read – once again – an outside agency frames perfectly the I-395/Route 9 Connector project.

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Click here to view Strong Towns article.

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12.12.2016 – Recent headlines:

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Click here to view BDN article.

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Click here to view Portland Press Herald article.

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11.15.2016: Interesting article from Strong Towns.

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Click here to read article.

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10/06/2016: Why do government civil servants and elected officials NEVER do what they say they will do? Read on…

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Click here to view reference in the Portland Press Herald.

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10/06/2016: Maybe if the MDOT stopped building these questionable new bypasses and instead repaired the roads and bridges we already have – we wouldn’t be voting on the 4th bond since the LePage administration took over – an administration that promised no new gas tax and no new bonds!!!

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Click here to view Bangor Daily News OPED.

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3.14.2016: $2.8+ million dollars has been squandered over 15+ years to select a deficient alternative (2B-2) that was removed from further consideration in Jan 2003. We can’t afford to maintain our existing roads and bridges, yet the MaineDOT wants to squander away another $61 million on an alternative based only on near-term needs. AND, when the long-term needs come due in 20 years, your grandchildren will have to pay the bill…

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Click here to view document with working hyperlinks.

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2.12.2016: We should all be concerned with $68 million shortfalls whether in the state or federal budget. It’s OUR money!!

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Click here to view document with working hyperlinks.

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1.28.2016: Another snapshot of a future newsletter page. Have you ever wondered what 2B-2’s $61 million would buy? So did the ACOE – their DEIS statement was of course not substantive, but is as pertinent today as it was in July 2012 – wouldn’t that $61 million “be better spent on other unmet needs in the state?” Using estimates from the MaineDOT Work Plan, these are representative of just some of the unmet transportation needs that could be funded if the MaineDOT wasn’t so intent on squandering that $61 million on a deficient alternative named 2B-2. It’s no accident that I used bridge repair projects and pavement preservation in this demo as the new 3-year Work Plan contains $99 million (91 bridges @$1.09 million each) in unmet bridge repair needs and $105 million (327 miles @$321,000/mile) in unmet pavement preservation needs for a total $204 million shortfall over the next 3 years in the Core Highway and Bridge Programs.

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Click here to view MaineDOT 2016-2017-2018 Work Plan.

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1.22.2016: A snapshot of a future newsletter page. Another question that I posed to the DEIS and the MaineDOT deemed as not substantive. How will your community make up for 2B-2’s reduction in revenue?

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Click here to view Bangor Daily News article.

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1.21.2016: Snapshot of another page – MaineDOT has never addressed this statement in their October 2003 Technical Memorandum reference any alternative with a Route 9 connection point west of Route 46, those questions were long buried as not substantive. These derogatory statements need to be addressed – they forewarn 2B-2’s future – they cannot  be answered with a flippant “hard look at Route 9” remark…

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Click here to view Boondoggles 2 document.

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1.21.2016: Snapshot of another page – Highway Boondoggles 2 written by the same group as the September 2014 document below.

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Click here to view document.

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1.21.2016: Another report that reinforces what many have been saying for years: 2B-2 is a waste of our scarce transportation dollars at a time when our state is “struggling to meet basic infrastructure maintenance needs” and 2B-2 offers “questionable value” and “no longer makes sense”. This study started 16 years ago – in 2000, and since 2B-2’s selection was basically decided by Sept2010, there has been “no newer evaluation of whether” this project “is justified”.

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Click here to view full, original report.

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1.17.2016: I’ve looked a little closer at this plan since I first posted about it on January 9th. I applaud the efforts of the MaineDOT to get a handle of the condition of our roads and bridges, BUT how do they plan to pay for it? Last year’s $85 million bond is included; in the fine print you will also find that they plan on approval of yet to be announced $100 million bonds in 2017 and 2018.

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Click here to view MaineDOT 2016-2017-2018 Work Plan.

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1.17.2016: Another page from a future newsletter asks what would 2B-2’s $61 million buy? Wouldn’t that $61 million be better spent on the existing, unmet transportation needs of our state?

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Click here to view MaineDOT 2016-2017-2018 Work Plan.

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1.09.2016: MaineDOT’s new Work Plan is now available on the MaineDOT website.

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Click here to view MaineDOT 2016-2017-2018 Work Plan.

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1.08.2016: Another page from a future newsletter. Updated this page on 1.9.2016 to reflect the MaineDOT Work Plan issued on 1.04.2016.

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8/06/2015: Federal Highway Administration Road and Bridge Data by State (excerpted) updated July 9, 2015.

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3/4/2015: WLBZ news report “Maine DOT says it needs extra $70M a year for bridges.” Note that: “The MDOT report says there are more than 770 bridges in Maine that are more than 70 years old and need major repair or replacement.” And, the I-395/Route 9 Transportation Study keeps moving on… Should we spend $61 million on a deficient 2B-2 alternative or spend that $61 million rebuilding bridges that are in need of dire repair?

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3/3/2015: BDN article: Governor LePage is looking for an additional $100 million per year to rebuild Maine’s failing bridges, YET, theI-395/Route 9 Transportation Study Moves on…

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