Mr. Baldacci: Why Not Trim State Gov’t Fat?

Ellsworth American, February 1, 2007

(excerpt) According to a report by University of Maine professor Philip Trostel, whose analysis contributed to the Brookings Institution report, several areas of state government appear ripe for further investigation because of how much they cost in comparison to other states.

The list includes:

• The administration of higher education, where for every $1 going to instructional payroll in Maine, $2.13 goes to “other” payroll to support 14 separate universities and community colleges.

• A corrections system that serves a state with the smallest number of prisoners per capita in the county yet spends $62,200 per inmate annually, the second highest cost per prisoner in the nation. If Maine had the same cost per inmate as the national average, it could save $79 million annually.

• Legislative costs, including research and support staff who report to legislators, that are the third highest in the nation as a percentage of personal income in the state. If Maine spent like other rural states it could save $12 million annually.

• Maine’s public health expenditures, excluding hospitals, which are the second highest in the country relative to the state’s income. Public health includes a wide range of functions from health education, immunization and drug and alcohol abuse programs. Both the state and local government administer programs in this area.

• Spending on public buildings, including their construction, maintenance and operation, that far exceeds national averages and spending in other rural states as a percentage of personal income. If Maine spent at the national average, the state could save $42 million annually or close to half of the public buildings budget.