Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – While Gov. John E. Baldacci’s plan to merge the Departments of Agriculture, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Conservation and Marine Resources has many people up in arms, Donald Flannery, executive director of the Maine Potato Board, said it’s a discussion at least worth having. “I think it’s worth looking at all the departments and seeing if they’re doing what they need to be doing in the most efficient way they can do it,” he said.
Flannery said the Maine Potato Board’s initial stance was to oppose the merger plan.
“It was proposed in the governor’s budget,” he said, “and our position was that we were going to go down and testify in opposition to it because there’s no money associated with it as it’s proposed in the governor’s budget.
“As it was proposed, it had a predetermined conclusion that they would consolidate to no more than two agencies,” said Flannery. “We went down Jan. 30 and spoke in opposition before the Appropriations Committee.”
Flannery said he would welcome a group discussion on the efficiencies of the various state agencies.
“If they want us to sit down – representing potatoes – and look at those natural resource agencies and say, ‘Are there things we should or shouldn’t be doing?’ or ‘Are there things that we could be doing better?’ or ‘How can we achieve some efficiencies here?’ that’s all fine in a good discussion,” he said, “but we need to do it and not have the preconceived conclusion at the end.
“Our position is just that … you’re not going to get a good product if you go in with a preconceived idea,” said Flannery. “If you do, everyone’s going to work so their interest is taken care of at the end of the table more so than it is if we can be more manipulative in how we get to finding out whether there are some true savings there.”
One local legislator has been much more vocal in his opposition to the governor’s proposed plan.
Sen. Roger Sherman (R-Aroostook) said Maine farmers need and deserve an advocate in state government, and by eliminating the Maine Department of Agriculture, Baldacci is removing that advocacy.
“Once again, Governor Baldacci is trying to convince Mainers he can save them money by eliminating important programs. I am all for streamlining government, but it should be done with an eye toward efficiency rather than randomly,” said Sherman. “The way the governor has gone about streamlining is the easy way – eliminating programs when there is a legislative solution to solve the specific problem.
“It is easier to eliminate a program than to deal in the politics of changing it. Let’s save the people of Maine real money by eliminating those programs and systems which are a drag on state government and leave those programs and resources that help farmers bring capital to Maine alone,” he said. “The governor’s plan to eliminate the Maine Department of Agriculture will only further marginalize Maine farmers and will do nothing to save money.”
The Maine Farm Bureau Association, the Maine Dairy Industry Association, and the Maine State Grange have also come out in opposition to the merger plan.
Flannery said it’s important to talk about the plan “outside of the budget process itself.”
“We’re all in favor of talking, but let’s do it under a different scenario,” he said. “If you look at one, you’ve got to look at them all. I can’t say, ‘No. Don’t look at the Department of Agriculture. Leave it alone.’ If you’re going to look at the agencies, look at the agencies, but let’s look at them in a very transparent process so we’re not forced to end up somewhere predetermined at the end. Let’s see where we end up.
“I think the Department of Agriculture will fare very well in this process because you might look at bringing some other activities out there … forestry or aquaculture, for example, into the Department of Agriculture,” said Flannery. “It makes sense to me, to some degree, to strengthen agriculture by adding other organizations under the Agriculture umbrella.”
Flannery said there is a concern among growers that “if you lose the Department of Agriculture, then you’re diluting the impact and influence of agriculture in Augusta at the cabinet level.”
“I think, if you look at all these groups, there might be a way to do some restructuring and gain some efficiencies as long as we sit down and don’t be forced to come up with X at the end,” he said. “Let the process determine what X at the end is.”
Baldacci’s budget – and consolidation plan – will be presented to the 124th Legislature Jan. 1, 2009.
“There will be a lot of discussion about his in the coming months,” said Flannery. “Where it will all end up remains to be seen, but there will be a lot of talk before the Appropriations Committee.
“The discussion needs to be done in a very open process,” he said, “and we’ve got to come up with a sound conclusion.”
