Report Exposes Wasteful Spending by State Government

Washington, D.C. – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) and The Maine Heritage Policy Center (MHPC) today unveiled the 2007 Maine Piglet Book: An Analysis of Excess Government Spending in Maine.  It is the sixteenth report in CAGW’s Piglet Book series, which exposes wasteful spending by state governments.

From failed programs to excessive government salaries, the Maine Piglet Book offers enough examples and analysis to make any Maine taxpayer cringe, including:

• $56 million wasted on a Medicaid claims computer system
• 388 executive branch employees earning more than the governor ($70,000)—that’s $30 million worth of salaries
• $4,749,705 in the Governor’s Budget for Lottery Operations, $4,511,978 for the Off-Road Recreational Vehicle Program, and $1,069,789 for the Certified Seed Fund
• $990,000 spent on landscaping at the state office building
• $99,000 to Bowdoin College to be used for a feasibility study in restoring a house, including “paint and wallpaper analysis”

“The popular rhetoric with politicians is that there are two choices: cut government services, or raise taxes,” said Bill Becker, president and CEO of MHPC.  “It is time to add to those choices by talking about redirecting wasteful spending to necessary programs and tax relief.  Let’s focus on how to spend taxpayer dollars more efficiently and more effectively.”

“Lawmakers must cut the fat from the state budget to protect taxpayers and promote prosperity in Maine,” said CAGW Vice President of Policy David Williams.  

The Maine Piglet Book combines elements of two perennial CAGW publications, the Congressional Pig Book and Prime Cuts, with The Maine Heritage Policy Center’s knowledge of the Maine state budget.  The Maine Piglet Book touches on many areas in the state budget where wasteful spending can be eliminated, providing a valuable resource to legislators and concerned taxpayers.

The report is available online at www.cagw.org and www.mainepolicy.org.  For answers to further questions, to schedule an interview, or to order a hard copy, please contact Alexa Moutevelis (202-467-5318, amoutevelis@cagw.org) or Jason Fortin (207-939-0038, jfortin@mainepolicy.org).

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.  The Maine Heritage Policy Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational organization that formulates and promotes free market, conservative public policies in the areas of economic growth, fiscal matters, health care, and education.