To the editor:

LD 1671 is a bill before the Maine Legislature that asks for $300,000 of taxpayer money to pay for an investor-grade study to build an east-west highway across Maine from Calais to Coburn Gore.

A 100 percent privately owned toll road, this would be used as a trade route for Canadian truckers and could also be used as a corridor for utility, natural gas and oil companies.

The proposal is led by Peter Vigue of Cianbro Corp. Other supporters include the Associated General Contractors of Maine, Maine Motor Transport Association and Associated Builders and Contractors of Maine.

Bruce Van Note, deputy commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation and members of the Maine-Canadian Legislative Advisory Commission, along with the Republican members of the Transportation Committee, all step forward to advocate spending taxpayer funds for this study that requires traffic and economic analysis.

Environmental impact is not included.

Concerns are that $ 300,000 would not be enough money and that the state could be open to squander away even more money if the study is in danger of getting canned for lack of funds.

Why is the state even considering paying for this bill? Shouldn’t developers pay for their own study, especially when our lawmakers are threatening to close schools and cutting services to some of Maine’s neediest people?

If investors have enough money to build a billion-dollar superhighway across the state of Maine, then I think that those investors should pay for any studies related to that project themselves.

If you agree, I ask that you call your state representatives today and tell them you do not want any taxpayer funds spent that will expose Maine to corporate exploitation or to benefit private corporate profit.

Denise Penttila,
Kennebunk

[email protected]