State Senator Peter Mills has formally announced his run for governor. The speculators can move on to other possible hopefuls, as there are many.
Pine Tree Politics has released a statement from Senator Mills on his run:
I am running for Governor with a plan to fix state government and rebuild Maine’s economy. Throughout my 15 years of service in the state legislature I’ve sounded the fiscal alarm that we are now hearing loud and clear. Our state spends more than it can afford and gets poor value for that dollar. The recession has made this frighteningly obvious. Now more than ever we need an accountable government, one that measures the results of the services it delivers.
Mills goes on to outline what he views as Maine’s problems and his solutions. What Mills outlines in his speech can also be viewed in his “plan” featured on his new website.
There are a few things that set Peter Mills apart from the other Republican gubernatorial candidates. Perhaps the most obvious is Mills’ legislative experience. While the three other GOP candidates have business backgrounds, Mills has been in the Maine Legislature since 1994. Mills is also the only candidate to have run for governor before: He lost to fellow State Senator Chandler Woodcock in the 2006 Republican gubernatorial primary by only 3.4%. The lessons learned from Mills’ extensive campaign experience and his work in the legislature will undoubtedly shape his run. “Things have deteriorated in the last four years,” Mills said in an interview. “Most of the things that I pointed to [in 2006] have gotten worse, and part of that is the economy and part of that is the state.”
Since Senator Mills has been in the legislature, we have the advantage of the early use of Project Vote Smart (for other candidates, we’ll just have to wait until they fill out the Vote Smart survey). Using Vote Smart we can look beyond the speeches and soundbites to interest group ratings and legislative votes grouped by category. Mills’ social ratings on Vote Smart vary. Planned Parenthood has given Mills consistently high rantings. The NRA has also consistently given Mills an “A”. The Maine Education Association, Maine People’s Alliance, and League of Conservation Voters’ ratings have varied over Mills’ legislative career. On the economic side of things Maine AFL-CIO’s ratings went from low to high over Mills’ legislative career, while Mills’ ratings from business organizations such as the Maine Economic Research Institute and the National Federation for Independent Business have become more positive.
Senator Mills’ Vote Smart ratings would place him center or center left socially and to the right fiscally. As Pine Tree Politics has noted, recent votes and actions by Senator Mills may point to another conclusion. Mills’ support for recent tax reform legislation and healthcare reform point to a shift to the left. However, when his whole voting record is viewed, the vote for tax reform seems more like an outlier on the fiscal conservative test. Since 2006 Mills has voted right on many issues. Mills voted against the 2006 minimum wage increase and teacher minimum wage increase . Mills voted against the recent alcohol and soda tax. If Mills can keep focus off his vote for the LD 1088 tax reforms, or put a positive spin on it, his recent record should speak for itself. Mills should be able to convince voters that he is still the same fiscal conservative he once was.
Mills also opposed expansion of Dirigo Health in 2006 and earlier this year. Indeed, Mills has consistently opposed Dirigo, which makes his appearance at the healthcare reform rally all the more interesting. On education, Senator Mills voted against the citizen-initiated repeal of school consolidation and for charter schools.
Peter Mills’ website layout is not terribly flashy, but it is intuitive. Pine Tree Politics mentioned this earlier, but it bares repeating: What social networking options does Mills offer? Well you can join his Facebook page…or you can join his Facebook page. In this age of instant connection through the internet, that is just not enough. Nearly all of the candidates so far, Republican or otherwise, have not only a Facebook presence, but are also on several other social networking sites, from Twitter to LinkedIn to YouTube. In a sparsely populated state like Maine, these new media tools allow candidates to reach everyone from Kittery to Fort Kent in an instant. Not maintaining a presence on these services when your opponents do could be a serious misstep. As I’ve said before, I’d be surprised if candidates neglected any corner of the internet they could spread their message to. I’m sure Senator Mills will branch out as the campaign progresses.
I have examined several candidate’s website statements on how they would address certain issues in Maine. Mills’ “Plan” differs from just about everything I’ve read so far in that he takes a direct approach with his platform: “Here is a problem. Here is the solution”. Mills presents the problems facing Maine and his solutions briefly and clearly. Mills has presented his platform more effectively than any candidate so far. In our soundbite world, Mills and Twitter could be a match made in Heaven.
The Plan itself is divided into two sections, “Fix the State” and “Rebuild Maine”. The contents of Fix the State reinforce Mills’ recently challenged reputation as a fiscal conservative. Mills advocates accountability in in Maine’s budget, health care, human services and education. Reducing Medicade abuse, cutting duplicate public works services, and pay-as-you-go state budgets are key to Mills’ plan. Even though Mills appeared at the recent health care rally, he advocates something less liberal than what we’ve seen from Washington as of late. Senator Mills wishes to revive a competitive insurance market in Maine, quite distant from a lot of what is being talked about in health care lately. However, Mills does recommend expanding some forms of public health including health clinics in schools, rural health centers with sliding scale fees, and nutrition and health education. Though this may be too liberal for some, Mills’ position on health care is sure to grab the attention of moderate Republicans, moderate Democrats, and many Independents.
The “Rebuilding Maine” section focuses on the economy. As anyone who has driven in Maine can clearly see, our roads are a mess. Beyond the normal wear and tear of harsh winters, many roads and bridges are in a horrible state of disrepair. Cell and broadband coverage are lagging as well. In a state as rural as Maine, lacking in those areas hurts. Mills recognizes these issues, pushing for a comprehensive plan to bring our roads up to par and eliminate cell phone and broadband gaps within five years. Ambitious, but necessary. How can Maine expect to attract business if we can’t even show we are willing to keep up the networks they need to function?
Senator Mills goes on to say that by getting a handle on taxes and removing some regulations Maine can attract new business and revitalize the ones we already have. “In some cases, all it takes is for government to move out of the way.” says Mills. Mills supports bringing cheaper power to Maine through alternative energy and energy partnerships with our Canadian neighbors.
After reviewing Senator Mills’ record and plans if he should be elected, Mills seems to have remained the socially tolerant, fiscally conservative Republican he has always been. Mills’ recent courting of the left, as his plan shows, are not the beginnings of an Arlan Spector-esque dodge to the progressives. If Mills continues to hammer home his roots, and clearly explain his recent opinions, he will be a strong contender for the GOP nomination and the Blaine House – especially in a highly fractured field. This match is far from over; other GOP contenders will most certainly be stiff competition for Mills. We’ll have to wait until next June to see how Maine Republicans feel about the senator from Cornville.
(Cross-posted @ The Maine View)
Great write-up. Peter Mills is a moderate, and he has good ideas and lots of experience… and of course moderates are about the only Republicans that seem to win in Maine (case in point- Our Senators). I would like to see a newcomer rise to the front of the pack of GOP candidates, though… I’m leaning toward Matt Jacobson, but I’d also like to see Rep. Tardy jump into the race!
Mills website isn’t bad, except the banner along the top could have been done a little better- it even seems a little fuzzy. Maybe I’ll create one for him and email it to the campaign no charge.
Again- great write up by Augusta Insider.
Aaron, please do redo the logo, it needs it. The entire MillsforMaine website was built by a team of volunteers, myself included. We were thinking of having a logo design contest. You’re the first contest on the Mills is Right show!
Jim, the site is built with WordPress – which is most obvious on the news page:
http://www.millsformaine.com/category/news/
I’ll take that as a compliment that we did a good job customizing the theme
Oops, my bad, I just realize that looking at it. Yeah, it looks great. Now all you need to do is sell Peter on Twitter.
Interesting article. Peter definitely faces some challenges in the primary, but like you said, a really divided field might actually help him. Last time he and Emery split the moderate votes, letting a conservative win; this time it could be the opposite.
One more thing – support for the recent tax reform does not imply a shift to the left. Fiscal conservatives support lowering the income and capital gains tax. Republicans should not be fighting this bill. Sure, in an ideal world the lowering of income and capital gains tax would not be offset by raising some use taxes, but I’d rather pay use taxes than be punished for making sound investments. We need investors in Maine.
Fiscal conservatives don’t support raising any taxes at all ever – that’s why every single Republican legislator except Peter voted against it. If it’s a tax increase it’s not a tax cut.
Oh, and cutting the income tax? Not going to attract much business when we’re next-door to New Hampshire, which has no income tax and is less than 2 hours from Boston.
Ahh it IS WordPress! Steph- I even scrolled to the bottom looking for the “powered by WordPress” footnote thinking it was, but of course didn’t see it. Good job customizing the theme. Just curious, it is a premium theme? If so, which one (if you don’t mind sharing)? I love WordPress…
I may get started on a logo and take you up on that offer.
Jessica – for people and businesses moving to the area it’s not necessarily a choice between NH and Maine. Maine’s coast is a major attraction. We made the choice to move to Maine nine years ago. While looking at properties (we wanted a good chunk of land) NH’s property taxes were crazy. That makes retiring difficult.
No one has said the tax reform bill is ideal. But given the choice between lower income and capital gains tax with expanded use taxes versus the current situation, business owners and investors will choose the former.
Republicans should be focused on gaining control of the Blaine House and the legislature. Not repealing a tax reform bill that will do a small part helping attract investors.
Aaron – I’ll drop you a note through your website…
New Hampshire has no sales tax as well. So given the choice between no sales tax & no income tax versus a middle-of-the-road income tax and a huge sales tax, businesses will choose the former. Businesses, not individuals, look at economics, not scenery – and New Hampshire has a coast too.
Republicans should – always – focus on repeal a tax increase Otherwise they might as well be Democrats. That’s why almost no Republicans voted for it. The package raises tax on some (which doesn’t include Severin Beliveau’s buddies) while lowering them on others. Government should not pick winners and losers in this way. It’s unethical Mainers need tax relief, not a shifting of the burden.
Businesses are made up of individuals. I own one. Quality of life has a major role in choosing locations. I’m not putting down NH, but rather saying that Maine has a lot to offer in terms of quality of life (and much lower property taxes.)
The bill is not a tax increase. It decreases taxes for most of us. That’s why most chambers of commerce support it.
Yes, we all want major tax relief. And yes, government shouldn’t pick winners and losers. But the tax code already does that. Any changes to it will have winners and losers.
If the R’s mantra continues to be “No” on progress of any type based purely on party politics they will continue to lose members, influence and ultimately any say in how things are conducted in Augusta. IMO, moderate Republican values in the Blaine House is a far better situation than no Republican values present in any legislation coming out of Augusta.
“No” is not an acceptable answer when reform is absolutely necessary. Unfortunately that seems to be what the party is focused on lately.
New Hampshire has a coast? Oh ya, a few miles in Portsmouth- my bad. NH coastline = 18 miles, Maine = 3,478 miles. Just thought I’d point that out.
Good debate, though- valid points on both sides.
Coastline = irrelevant unless it’s a marine-based business.
If the Democrats’ mantra continues to be “No” on progress of any type based purely on party politics they will continue to lose members, influence and ultimately any say in how things are conducted in Augusta.
Republicans aren’t against tax reform. There was no tax reform bill passed this session, just a tax increase. This bill increased taxes; therefore it is a tax increase. To call it anything else is a lie.
Moderate Republicans are against the tax increase. Moderate Democrats are against the tax increase. Liberals are against the tax increase. The moderate position is to be against this monstrosity.
Tax relief is what’s really necessary in Maine. Merely changing the burden is, in the end, irrelevant and unethical. We have to reduce it for everyone, not pick winners and losers based on a need to win re-election.
I agree that “No” is not an acceptable answer when reform is absolutely necessary. That’s why I’m not a Democrat: They said no to almost every single reform to health care and government proposed in the Maine Legislature this session. Maine Democrats are the party of No: No tax relief, no attempts to lower the cost of healthcare, no honest transparent government, no education reform.
Jessica is right. If there’s a tax increase in it it’s a tax increase, no matter how few people it affects or where they’re from.
Oh, and how is a tax change that makes the tax code less progressive progress? Riddle me that.
James, with that logic – if there’s a tax decrease then it’s a tax decrease, no matter how many of us benefit (most of us.) The only tax increase in the bill is the hotel/restaurant increase. The sales tax was not increased, the scope was expanded to include a few services, unfortunately.
I’m clearly not arguing for expanded sales tax or increased hotel/restaurant tax. But there’s no way to put a negative spin on lowering income and capital gains tax. That’s why business groups support the bill. That’s why the Wall Street Journal calls it a Maine Miracle. That’s why most economists (with the exception of one outspoken accountant) think the bill will help the Maine economy.
Of course it would be better simply to lower the income and capital gains tax without other revenue shifts. But that wasn’t on the table for a vote.
Oh and coastline is not irrelevant to our tourism industry, real estate market, and people considered a move. It’s a major asset for our state.
I guess the whole tax reform issue will be settled by the signature gathering drive. Take it to the people. I’ll be very, very surprised to see it make it to a ballot initiative. It’s a ripe opportunity for failure.
What will this failure prove? That the Republican Party in this state is woefully out of touch with what Mainers are really interested in. It will also reinforce the small fact that Peter Mills was the ONLY Republican to be on the right side of this issue in the eyes of a majority of Mainers.
There will most likely be record voter turnout this November for a non-Presidential election year due the the referendum questions. Do the Rs really think they can win this one even if they successfully get it on the ballot? Wouldn’t their time be better spent helping Republican candidates that can actually win and have a more meaningful impact on policy changes? Gaining a majority position in the Senate would be a far more meaningful accomplishment than repealing the tax reform legislation yet the party leadership would rather focus on the politics of “No!”
The R brand is unfortunately very damaged due to the tenure of our former president. This referendum effort does nothing to repair that damage and wastes scarce party resources.
Its good to see Peter back again. All the discussion of taxes overshadows the more important discussion of progress that’s necessary here. Infrastructure problems are currently dealt with in a woefully inadequate way. Driving between Bangor and Augusta, John B. doesn’t see it, (or doesn’t want to see it), and the “no new taxes” pledge apparently doesn’t include municipal government: the dumping of mandates and the avoidance of payment by our state seems to forget such items as Maine voters deciding that the state should cover 55 percent of education expenses. Meanwhile, our municipal roads crumble and our property taxes rise.
There’s an unfortunate move afoot: ignore the little stuff by shifting focus to a big problem. Its unfortunate because it is usually a bunch of little fixes that eventually repair the bigger problem.
Wow, Stephanie, you have to read the bill. The sales tax was broadened, the tax on rental cars was increased, and the tax on phone services was increased. That’s just three I thought of off the top of my head. Don’t you try to tell me what’s in this bill. Trust me, I know.
And if you support this legislation, you are arguing for a sales tax increase. I think most people would consider putting a new tax on something that was not taxed before a tax increase. Saying it’s not a tax increase is coming from the Bill Clinton What Does “Is” Mean school of public policy.
It’s not tax relief if there’s a tax increase in it, it’s just a tax increase. Any size tax increase outweighs the benefits of any tax decrease, making it a tax increase. If you support this bill you’re supporting a tax increase on some people, and I don’t ever support a tax increase on anybody.
There’s no mechanism in this bill to control future increases, which is why anyone who promises this will bring lasting tax relief to Maine people is wrong. There’s nothing to prevent future tax increases.
Trying to defend LD 1495 is a mistake. Passing it was a mistake. The best thing for all Mainers would be to repeal it.
It is the responsibility of the government to maintain a better economy in a country.
Depends on your definition of progress.
On a serious note, all of this debate is wonderful. My political opinions aside, it is great to see so many people energized about politics. Maine town hall meetings are alive and well online. Keep the discussions going!
Voting for Peter Mills is a vote for futility, economic slavery, and a continued retraction of government away from the grip of the citizens and, the elimination of private industry in Maine, and limitless unrestrained power of government. Peter Mills is a liberal democrat and does not have a stance, a solid base of integrity and principles.
Peter Mills is a champion for Question one, the creation of 120 new taxes on the backs of small businesses. Talk about putting your head in a noose, come on!
I'll vote for Eliot Cutler if Peter Mills gets in. You want JIMMY CARTER on steriods, let's bring back Jimmy Carter's advisor. Then I'll pack my belongings and head west….