Despite independent analysis Governor continues PR campaign distorting facts

Augusta—A letter from the nonpartisan Office of Fiscal and Program Review (OFPR) to Senate Democratic leadership confirms Democrats’ ongoing concerns that Governor LePage’s Department of Health and Human Services budget is not based on substantiated facts or data.

Highlights of the one and half page letter by Grant Pennoyer, Director of OFPR, include:

  • OFPR is “still unable to adequately estimate the shortfall amount”;
  • OFPR has “not yet confirmed the one-time elements even within the first half of the current fiscal year to adequately predict the 2nd half of FY 2012, let alone FY 2013 or structural shortfall”;
  • OFPR does “not have access to the claims data underlying the accounting data”;
  • OFPR “cannot independently confirm DHHS estimates of the shortfall”;

DHHS based the shortfall on “incremental approach with multiple explanations for the causes of the shortfall but failed to explain some of the elements in the program that may be less than anticipated.”

“It is crystal clear that the Governor’s budget doesn’t add up,” said Senate Democratic Leader Barry Hobbins of Saco. “It is frustrating that Democrats are ready to work on solving our state’s budget issues but we cannot talk about a solution if we don’t yet understand the problem. Rushing in to policy changes or program cuts without real numbers would be irresponsible.”

In reaction to Governor LePage’s assertion that OFPR confirmed the DHHS budget analysis, Democratic Leader, Senator Barry Hobbins, and Assistant Democratic Leader, Senator Justin Alfond, wrote to the OFPR seeking clarification of its analysis of the DHHS budget.

“There is a clear pattern of the Governor choosing to only tell part of the story to Maine people,” said Sen. Alfond of Portland. “Beyond misleading, the Governor has gone out of his way to interrupt and interfere with the bipartisan efforts of the Appropriations Committee. It is time for the blame game, distractions and rhetoric to end.”

Senator Dawn Hill, who serves on the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, has sought accountability and explanation from DHHS Commissioner and staff since the budget was first presented to the committee back in December.

“We continue to have more questions than answers. And unfortunately, the questions that remain hit to the heart of the credibility of this budget,” said Sen. Hill of York. “How can we be expected to make decisions about the real impact to real people’s lives when we can’t even substantiate the shortfall and the numbers supposedly creating it.”

The Appropriations Committee is expected to meet for the remainder of this week to sort out details of the proposed DHHS budget.

Letter from Senate Democratic leadership to the Office of Fiscal and Program Review (PDF)

Response from the Office of Fiscal and Program Review (PDF)