Governor

Gov. John Baldacci

Gov. John Baldacci has already declared a state of emergency for the winter storm that is supposed to intensify later Thursday.

This will be the first bad winter storm of the season and Baldacci made the declaration to gie power companies more flexibility in restoring any power that gets lost, while also allowing work crews from other states to assist with power restoration.

"Conditions tonight are likely to get worse as the temperature drops and predicted icing occurs. If possible, people should stay off the roads," Baldacci said in a statement. "If you have neighbors who are vulnerable or who could be at risk, check on them."

Gov. John Baldacci’s office received a suspicious letter containing “non-toxic powder” yesterday, the Portland Press Herald and the Associated Press is reporting.

Seven other governors received letters as well. Baldacci’s was intercepted by office staff, and sent to a state lab to be analyzed.

Click here for the full story.

Provided photo

Lynne Williams

Lynne Williams, state chairwoman of Maine’s Green Independent Party, will run for governor in 2010.

“I can contribute to the dialogue in our state, as we transition into a very difficult period of reduced resources and the necessary reduced expectations. The Green Party platform, and my own values, are particularly suited to guiding a state through this type of period,” she wrote in a statement to Green Party members.

She said she wants to shift economic development resources to Maine and U.S. companies rather than large, international corporations. She said she wants to focus on clean, green industry.

There are lots of things to complain about in Maine; taxes, the weather, potholes and of course, people from Massachusetts.  But After reading the latest headlines on the arrest of Governor Blagojevich, you certainly can appreciate Maine politics and Maine politicians a whole lot more---warts and all!

Outgoing Attorney General Steven Rowe, a Democrat, has confirmed he plans to run for governor in 2010.

Janet Mills, elected on Wednesday, will take over for the termed-out AG on Jan. 5.

Although he has created a Facebook page and registered two URLs, he said he has not made any plans to officially announce his run.

Here is all you need to know about the revenue future for the 124th Legislature as reported by the Fiscal News, which is produced by the Legislature's own budget office:  

 "Most major revenue sources are beginning to show the effects of the deteriorating national economic picture. Based on the revised economic forecast presented early in November, the worst lies ahead in the remaining 3 quarters of FY 2009 and into the first half of FY 2010"

Gov. John Baldacci participated in a National Governors Association meeting with President-elect Barack Obama, Vice President-elect Joe Biden, and top transition team officials at Philadelphia’s Congress Hall today.

 In an interview with PolitickerME.com, he said it was unprecedented for an incoming president to meet with the nation’s governors so early in the process.

The meeting was held so early in the process, Baldacci said, that many of the transition team officials did not even have business cards printed up.

Gov. John Baldacci is in Philadelphia Tuesday, meeting with President-elect Barack Obama and the rest of the country’s governors. The meeting will focus on the economy.

Gov. Ed Rendell (D-Pa.) told CNN that the governors plan to ask Obama for a strong commitment to infrastructure repair and the Medicaid program.

The Maine Clean Elections Act fund may not have enough money for 2010 gubernatorial candidates.

The budget shortfall comes after $4.4 million was "borrowed" from the fund to support various other areas of state government. While there's a clause in place pledging to return the money, it will be up to the incoming legislators to formally transfer the borrowed funds back.

Given the tough budget cycle coming up, there are no guarantees that money will in fact be returned. David Farmer, spokesman for Gov. John Baldacci, said that the chief executive is in the process of putting together a supplemental budget and he could not say what priority clean elections funding will have.

The New York Times has this interactive map of budget woes across the country. It lists Maine’s as a $274 million budget gap -- $208 per capita.

The shortfall is a dark cloud that looms over the Legislature as it prepares for the next session. Still, many states have it worse. Here is a list of those that have a budget shortfall of more than $300 per capita: