Split Maine In Two?

Sometimes I think that lawmakers propose incendiary bills solely to get on TV.

The latest bonehead to offer up fresh TV-anchor-meat is State Representative Henry Joy of Crystal, who has proposed legislation to take the state and divide it in two.

Crystal, Maine is up in Aroostook County, population about 285. Joy’s idea is to take most of northern Maine and call it…..Maine (clever). Then, he would take most of southern Maine and call it…are you ready? Northern Massachusetts!

All of Maine used to be part of Massachusetts, but today (March 15th) happens to be the anniversary of Maine’s entry into the Union as the 23rd state. As part of the Missouri Compromise, Maine broke away from its “association” with the Bay State that had stretched back to 1547.

For some time, there has been talk of “two Maines”…one personified by the Portland area—the state’s largest city—which is seen as urban, yuppie and not at all related to the rural, rustic and “genuine” part of Maine (north of the so-called “Volvo Line”). In the northern regions, lobstermen and timbermen mingle with farmers and craftsmen—the essence of the “Maine lifestyle” so often romantically depicted for the benefit of….tourists.

There is certainly some truth to this cultural schism, but the southern residents claim that without the economic vitality that comes from the southern region, Maine would rival Mississippi as the poorest state in the country.

As someone who lived 9 years in the Hancock County city of Ellsworth—and the last 20 or so in Portland, I have been witness to both perspectives. Both regions have their attributes—and both are alike in that both are equally dependent on the yearly influx of tourists in order to be financially viable.

Frankly, I love all areas of Maine…can’t we just learn to get along?

Here’s a quick video promoting Portland:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7eAGiVxJHU

We’re not so bad, are we?

Now back to the lawmaker with too much time on his hands. Henry Joy, whose ancestors come from Boston (ironic, no?) has twice asked the Legislature to consider this proposal—and twice has been shot down.

To be fair, there is a tad more to this proposal—as it is tied to an appeal for federal conservation funds by the Great Maine Forest Initiative Steering Committee. Joy views this effort as federal “taking” that would force people off their land.

Not likely, but nice try.

Let’s leave Maine alone—but for God’s sake, if we ever DO split it up, “South Maine” sounds better to me than “Northern Massachusetts”.

If you’d like my blog in your weekday box, drop me a line: tim.moore@citcomm.com