Although I am a Florida resident and have been for some few years, I support many of Gov. Paul LePage’s policy initiatives.

Nonetheless, I am dismayed by the governor’s intransigent refusal to release the Land For Maine’s Future bonds. Sen. Roger Katz, R-Augusta, crafted what I considered a superb compromise proposal. The governor vetoed it and 52 spineless Republicans refused to help override the veto.

Though I am a “cradle Republican,” the governor’s position on the LMF bonds and those who support them mystifies me. When Maine Republicans stake out such a position, it is easy for its political opponents to paint the entire party as a foe of all legislation that attempts to protect and enhance the quality of life in this state. This is not a sound strategy for winning elections.

My interest in this issue arises because I am a nephew of the late Marion Fuller Brown. Also a staunch Republican, she served in the House of Representatives from 1966 to 1972. During her last term, she sponsored the so-called “billboard bill” and saw it through to enactment into law, despite fierce well-funded opposition from outdoor advertising companies. The bill survived a challenge in the U.S. Supreme Court.

More to the point, my aunt was a charter member of the LMF board. She was a ceaseless and forceful advocate for its work in protecting open space and scenic vistas. She would be as dismayed and angry as I am with LePage’s stance. And I am confident, knowing that my aunt was not at all shy and retiring when it came to expressing her opinions, that if she were still alive that she would be knocking on the door of the Blaine House, demanding to be let in so she could give LePage a piece of her mind.

Robert G. Fuller Jr.

Atlantic Beach, Fla.

Seasonal resident of Winthrop


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