The Appropriations Committee will be the referees. The game players, the Legislators (House and Senate) and the governor’s budget. “We The People” are the fans waiting on the sidelines awaiting the final result — looks like it’s going to be a long drawn out event.

Bills — numbering 1,500 — have been proposed. The revisions have been completed and 700 have been sent to the House and Senate to be assigned to the appropriate committees. Those that have been referred are going before committees for public hearings and workshops; when They’re finished with hearings and workshops, they will go before the House and Senate for final approval.

This week we appeared before committees to testify on the following bills:

. LD-280; an act to exempt military pensions and survivors benefits from Maine Income Tax. Testimony before the Appropriations Committee will be myself and David Patch. Note: This bill will be heard by the taxation committee at 10 a.m. Wednesday March 4 in Room 127, State House.

. LD-43 ; an act to make false claims of military service a crime; workshop, Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee — unanimous, Ought To Pass with amendment on Wednesday, Feb. 25. Sen. Stan Gerzofsky (Brunswick) was instrumental in getting this bill passed in committee.

. LD-170; An act to remove the 180 day active duty requirement for the Property Tax Exemption for Vietnam Veterans — unanimous, Ought To Pass, on Wednesday, Feb. 25.

. LD-50; an act to authorize three free sets of License Plates for 100 percent service connected disabled veterans — unanimous, Ought To Pass with amendment, on Thursday, Feb. 26.

These bills will now go to the House and Senate for a final vote.

This week will be a busy one. Today, Monday, March 2, at 10 a.m., the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs will hear discuss LD- 378; a bill to facilitate the issuance of a gravestone for a deceased veteran with no next of kin.

Also this week, on tap will be:

. The governor will conduct a press conference on Tuesday, March 3, for LD-280; an act to exempt military pensions and survivor benefits form Maine Income Tax. Veterans are asked to come to the Hall of Flags at 11:00 AM; also that day, House and Senate sessions.

. LD-280; an act to exempt military pensions and survivors benefits from Maine Income Tax — will be in front of Taxation Committee on Wednesday, March 4, in Room 127, State House. Veteran’s are asked to meet at the Cross Café at 9:30 AM.

. LD-208: an act to provide funding for maintaining cemeteries with the Maine Veterans Cemetery system — will be in front of Taxation Committee, Room 127, State House.

. There will be Senate and House sessions at 10 .m. Thursday, March 5.

Take DEFENSE out of sequestration. Budget cuts mandated by the Budget Control Act of 2011 pose a threat to the national security and will substantially impact service members readiness, pay and benefits. These automatic cuts known as sequestration, require that 50 percent of the federal budget cuts come from the Department of Defense even though DoD only makes up 17 percent of the overall budget.

Bottom line: Contact our Congressional people — Pingree, Poloquin, King and Collins — and tell them: “Take Defense out sequestration.”

President Obama signed into law the “Veterans Suicide Prevention Law” on Feb. 12.

Interesting note: The number of House members in the new 114th Congress with military experience declined from 84 to 81, the number of Senators with military experience increased from 19 to 21. This is the first Congress in many years without any WW II veterans and, for the first time, a female veteran (Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa) is serving in the U.S. Senate.

Joe Donahue and I attended a meet and greet social at the Senator Inn in Augusta — a chance to rub elbows with our state senators and representatives, and had a long talk with Sen. Gerzofsky. The food (free) was great. We also met a lot of our lobbyists.

The monthly meeting of Legion Post 20 on Feb. 25 was well attended. Discussions about Boys State (a program to learn about politics) and Legion Baseball took place. Any business or organization interested in sponsoring high school boy or girl can contact Joe Donahue at 725- 8431. We’re still trying to find a local business to sponsor this years Post 20 Baseball team; again, if interested, call Joe. Plans are underway for a meet-and-greet to celebrate the 96th birthday of the American Legion. Note: Since June 2014, Post 20, Brunswick, has assisted 97 local veterans and survivors with Veterans Administration Benefits. Membership is at 107 — an increase over 2014. This is the fourth year in a row that the Post has qualified for the National Post Excellence Award. Veterans interested in membership should call Chick 725-8543.

The Mid-Coast Veterans Council met Friday, Feb. 27. Commander Roger Dumont resigned (future plans). The Council elected Steve Jarrett of Wiscasset as the new commander. Steve is retired from the U. S. Navy. The Council also formed a committee for the upcoming golf fundraiser. Dan Lindsley will represent the Council on the Brunswick- Topsham Memorial Day Parade Committee. He joins Read Rich (MCVRC) and Gil Ormsby (Legion Post 20).

Upcoming events include:

. Today, Monday, March 2 — the Maine Veterans Co-ordinating Committee meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at the Vets Home in Augusta. For those who are interested, call Read Rich 406-4103.

. Tuesday, March 3 — the DAV Chapter 15 meeting will take place at 6 p.m. at the Brunswick Elks Lodge.

. Sunday, March 8 — Daylight Savings Time. Spring forward, it’s time to turn your clocks ahead.

Friend Gil Ormsby is under the weather, send him a card (Gil Ormsby PO Box 303, South Harpswell, ME, 04079) and cheer him up. I also understand Dan Boland is back at home. Take it slow Dan, we wait for your healthy return.

From the Coffee Crowd: Jim heard from Dante — Las Vegas hasn’t done much for him — no winners yet. Still lots to talk about (politics) and, guess what, the Red Sox, Yankees are back on the talk circuit.

I do want to thank Read and his wife Lorraine for their help in putting this column together. Really appreciated.

Got to say hello to Juanita. Stay warm. See you soon.

Till next time, keep the faith — spring is in the air.

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Chick Ciciotte is the legislative chairperson of the Mid-Coast Veterans Council. He lives in Topsham.