Please check out LD432 Trails for a healthy Maine Bond

[Maineiac]

This legislation is to issue a $10 million bond to develiope a multi-use trail system on state owned land. These trails will offer a recreational alternative for residents and visitors alike. This bill was sponsored by Senator Damon in conjunction with The Bicycle Coalition of Maine (www.bikemaine.org)

[4bucksagallon]

1. Yeah, let's spend our money on bike trails for yuppies and tourists.

Spend Spend Spend and then wonder why the checkbook doesn't balance, so better idea let's use a credit card don't need money with credit card.

:sarcasm:

[Maineiac]

2. It's about investing in the future

In case you haven't noticed, most of the people born here move out because we have nothing to offer except slinging boiled lobsters for a living. If we can somehow make this a place worth living in, business will come to make use of the avauilable work force and our children, when they graduate college may actually think about sticking around.

[crim son]

3. I agree.

I'm from the west coast and the dearth of good cycling paths (not to mention sidewalks) is a noticeable drawback in this area. Of course if you've never had them, you wouldn't know that. Maine is a beautiful state for cycling and if it were more accessible, we would certainly see cycling tourism. For the local population, maybe we'd see a few people choose to ride bikes as opposed to driving. This is healthier both for the environment and for the people themselves.

[luckyleftyme2]

5. bike paths and atv or snowmobile trails

they do bring in money for the community;much of it goes unnoticed as it brings new people into the area.not just to play but to spend or even live.
I have talked to people on the brunswick topsham bike path from brewer,gardiner,livermore falls,camden as well as out of staters who were on vacation. so many of us do travel to use it.
guess what: I once was negative on this subject,boy was I off the mark!

[luckyleftyme2]

4. maineiac

glad to see you make typo errors
-thought for awhile you were another perfectionist(not)

[Maine-ah]

6. In a way, I have to agree with you.

I think we have some more pressing issues in this state. How about things like our bridges? Most of them need to be replaced. But, something else has to be done as well to get more businesses that offer year-round employment, that will also help get some of the younger people to stay here.

I also think the state needs to start dealing with small businesses differently. They get to seriously screw their employees all in the name of "small business". Family medical leave act is pretty much useless in this state because of small business exemptions (i.e. under 50 employees). My own personal experience at my last job, I was there for 7 years. They didn't hold my job when I left to have my baby. No maternity leave, no insurance, no nuthin'. 3 employees (1 being my husband too). These are the reasons people aren't staying in this state. No work that's worth it. Now, I don't know if bike trails are an answer (I tend not to think so) but something needs to get done, to entice larger businesses/employers (or better businesses, 'cause larger doesn't always mean better)to this state, and we can't afford to continue giving them fat tax breaks to come here. I think we need to look into what New Hampshire does, since they are in the "top ten" of places to own your own business.

[Maineiac]

7. Our bridges do need attention

we someone from our transportation committee at our board meeting and he spoke on the conditions of our roads and bridges and the situation is frightening. Part of the problem is the funding mechanism. People keep sniping everyone else's budget. For example, all the road use taxes that truckers pay go into the town's general fund and they spend it on anything but road improvement. This is one of the reasons we want to fund this as a bond. By law, if a bond is issued for a particular project, the money must be used for that project. Perfect? Far from it. My bad typing comes from the fact that I'm hemiplegic and only have the use of one hand. It's actually quite challenging and a bit of a game to get all the words out correctly.

[crim son]

8. Maybe you can't type very well

but you can dance, baby! :)

[luckyleftyme2]

9. sorry

nice to know i'm not the only person with a handicap. but i figure my posts are effective look at the critics it draws. most of them with little or no experince in the field they comment on. you see i worked for dot engineering for a time. their are many dedicated employees who give their all for the stiphen they recieve.
there has always been those who don't work for them that know better. most of them are hot air elbow benders.
like the idiot that skewed the report that we are in the middle of the country forvmoney spent on highways instead miles per capita.or that businesses in maine pay the highest taxes-when in fact they rate 25th.
these are the people i nail cuz thar the reason our state is in such a sorry mess.
most of them are transplants from an enviorment they couldn't live in or survive.
drive by's ,water shortages drug wars aren't here yet.

[asteroid2003QQ47]

10. Augusta Brain Trusts have all the answers

It's full steam ahead for rail conversion

Thursday, May 18, 2006 - Bangor Daily News

CHERRYFIELD - Bill Ceckler brought the champagne,
Sally Jacobs brought the rhubarb pie, and
representatives of Maine's Department of
Transportation and Department of Conservation brought
the good news.
<SNIP>
The project gained the approval of the Legislature's
Transportation Committee last month with a 12-1 vote.
The vote authorized the DOT to proceed with its
proposal to create an interim multipurpose trail as
outlined in the Management Plan and Proposal for the
Calais Branch Corridor.
<SNIP>
Funding for the trail project will come one-third from
the DOT and two-thirds from the DOC, largely via
license fees from the state's owners of snowmobiles
and all-terrain vehicles.

The DOT estimates that the rail bed's conversion will
cost between $30,000 and $50,000 for each mile of
trail.
<SNIP>
"This project needs to be done, and it's the right
thing to do for the region."

The trail's management plan was drawn up in the last
year after Gov. John Baldacci gave his blessing last
July to the prospect of converting the rail to trail.

http://www.bangornews.com/news/templates/?a=134264&z=177%20class=
(link obsolete)