“What we see depends mainly on what we look for.” -John Lubbock

Lane: It’s summer so Tommy and his wife are traveling, this time to the Constitution State. As always you can bet your bibby that Tommy and I talked about this column before they left. Unfortunately, we could not get together for long as both of us have had hectic schedules. But you can certainly be assured Tommy’s input is in this column.

Is Augusta Maine’s equivalent of Boston’s Big Dig? One can certainly come up with plenty of arguments that more and more of our tax dollars are poured into a hole that gets bigger every year. Around that hole one can paste the smiling faces of members of Maine’s Legislature as they declare with glee that our problems are being solved because the hole is getting smaller although in truth it is getting deeper and deeper.

I certainly don’t have to mention the massive lack of leadership, especially when it comes to fiscal responsibility. In other words, they might be watching their own money but they certainly aren’t watching ours. My money may talk, but in this state it only says goodbye.

The Department of Health and Human Services has become notorious for its lack of leadership, huge amounts of missing funds and a sense of power that makes the common Mainer cringe. Why there hasn’t been a complete audit of this department (and actually the whole state government) is way beyond me. Has the leadership in Augusta appointed so many political cronies that responsible government has disappeared?

Maine’s collapsing infrastructure – including roads and bridges – is another candidate running for the title of Maine’s Big Dig. As you know we all pay (with the exception of government) Maine’s high fuel taxes, which are supposed to be used to build and maintain our roads and bridges. Yet, year after year, our governor and legislature ask for more bonds to repair our roads. What happened to those taxes? Did someone divert them for another political purpose?

Legislators proposed a staggering 2,400 pieces of legislation this session. It’s about time that each member of the legislature pay the cost of sponsoring their proposals. I have read through the list and it’s more comical that watching cartoons. They are truly delivering us into a bigger hole.

The irony is that a bill was sponsored by several Republicans that would save the state of Maine money by limiting the time frame to repeat the same citizens’ initiative while the legislature had to discuss those 2,400 pieces of legislation. This is clearly a case of do as I say, not as I do.

Maybe the Big Dig Award should go to the Town of Windham. All I have heard from the town manager and the majority of councilors is that we need more money to provide services. I certainly am not a rocket scientist. (I have built a rocket but I don’t want family members to roll over in their graves on that thought.) But I do know that Windham services are on the decline like the transfer station, bulky waste and other things. It appears to me that the true cost of local government stems from its well-paid manager and workers who receive full benefits at a minimal cost as compared to the average citizen of this town.

The Big Dig is certainly a big and expensive headache for Boston. In Maine, we have several versions that are not only headaches, but severe drains on taxpayers’ morale and initiative.

Lane and Tommy, of Windham, would love to hear your suggestions on sealing the Big Dig in Augusta and Windham by having you as a guest at your convenience on their radio show at WJZF 97.1 located in Standish and broadcast across the Internet on www.wjzf.org. Any topic (without causing shear panic or discrimination) is welcome. Please book a show by calling Lane at 893-1589. Not to be outdone by lobbyists, we sometimes provide coffee and pastries.