The Maine House approved last night an $85 million bond issue that will, among other things, allocate $27 million to purchase the about-to-be-abandoned Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway tracks in northern Maine.

The bill has been returned to the Maine Senate for approval where, as in the House, it requires a 2/3rds majority to place the bond issue on the public ballot. That senate vote is likely to occur on Monday.

Calls to your state senators are vital since on an earlier vote, the tally in the Senate fell short of the 2/3rds requirement. Click on our "Elected Officials" menu button to identify your county's state senators.

Rep. Bernard Ayotte, R-Caswell, has the best argument during the House debate. He asked members to ignore "geographic considerations" and vote for the bill. There are some 20 businesses in Aroostook County that depend on rail to ship their goods south, he said.

"I would therefore ask the people of southern Maine to understand we need each other," he said. "Do not the people of southern Maine eat potatoes? Do not the people of southern Maine use timber to build their homes?"

More information in the Press Herald this morning. Go here.

Wayne Davis
TRN Chairman