[HCCN] Federal Spending action

Sun Jul 10 16:30:17 UTC 2011

Following the Penny Poll conducted in May, members of PPJ will be writing
letters and sending faxes to those in decision-making roles for  tax dollar
spending. Attached here and below are the Penny Poll results, some info on
the new defense spending bill passed the other day in the House, and contact
info for our Maine representatives and the White House. One suggestion is to
print out the penny poll results, append some comments and mail or fax to
whomever you choose. You may also want to print out the list of contact
information for future use. Budget and spending initiatives are so
completely out of line with people¹s needs and public opinion... and growing
worse all the time. Please take a few moments to contact your
representatives.
Thank you, PPJ

Press release published:
P.O. Box 1515, Blue Hill 04614

Federal Tax Spending Survey Results Announced

BLUE HILL  Public surveys on federal spending have been held in several
Maine towns during the months of April and May, conducted by local community
organizations. In Blue Hill, the ³Penny Poll² was conducted by Peninsula
Peace & Justice on May 21st at Tradewinds Marketplace. 120 passersby
participated. Each was given ten pennies to spend in any combination on ten
federal budget categories.
            Results show (see attached piechart) that Education is most
popular, earning 22% of votes cast, followed by Health Care (19.25%),
Environment (18%), Food and Agriculture (10.5%), Veterans Support (8 %),
Transportation (7 %), Housing (6 %), Interest on the National Debt (5%),
Defense (2.25%), and Government (2%). There were lively discussions and
diverse opinions offered, and many expressed hope that the results would not
only be published locally, but would be sent to elected representatives both
in Maine and in Washington.
            Details of how the actual 2010 Federal Budget was allocated are
available at nationalpriorities.org (categories of spending and dollar
amounts taken from Budget of the United States Government, Public Budget
Database).
            Peninsula Peace & Justice is a Blue Hill organization that has
been providing community education on local, national and global issues
since 1999. 

House Boosts Military Budget

 read the whole article here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43688283/#

WASHINGTON <http://ezurl.co/19646f1> ‹ Money for the Pentagon and
the nation's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is proving largely immune from the
budget-
cutting that's slamming other government agencies in the rush to bring down
the deficit. 

On a 336-87 vote Friday, the Republican-controlled House overwhelmingly
backed a 
$649 billion defense spending bill that boosts the Defense Department budget
by $17 billion. 
The strong bipartisan embrace of the measure came as White House and
congressional 
negotiators face an Aug. 2 deadline on agreeing to trillions of dollars in
federal 
spending cuts and raising the borrowing limit so the U.S. does not default
on debt payments. 

While House Republican leaders agreed to slash billions from the proposed
budgets for 
other agencies, hitting food aid for low-income women, health research,
energy 
efficiency and much more, the military budget is the only one that would see
a double-digit 
increase in its account beginning Oct. 1

ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES

Congressman Michael Michaud
Bangor, Maine
6 State Street , Suite 101
Suite 205
Bangor, ME 04401
Phone: 207-942-6935
Fax: 207-942-5907

Washington DC
1724 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515-1902
Phone: 202-225-6306
Fax: 202-225-2943

http://www.michaud.house.gov/ <http://www.michaud.house.gov/>

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree
Portland Office at (207) 774-5019, fax (207) 871-0720
2 Portland Fish Pier  Suite 304
Portland, ME 04101
..or at Washington, DC Office at (202) 225-6116, fax (202) 225-5590
1037 Longworth HOB 
Washington, DC 20515

http://www.pingree.house.gov/contact/index.shtml
<http://www.pingree.house.gov/contact/index.shtml>

Senator Susan Collins
413 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2523
Fax: (202) 224-2693

Bangor State Office:
P.O. Box 655
202 Harlow Street, Room 204
Bangor, ME 04402 
Main: (207) 945-0417

http://collins.senate.gov <http://collins.senate.gov>

Senator Olympia Snowe

Mailing Address:
154 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Phone: (202) 224-5344
Toll Free: (800) 432-1599
Fax: (202) 224-1946

Bangor State Office:
202 Harlow St
Suite 214
Bangor, ME 04401 
Main: (207) 945-0432
Fax: (207) 941-9525
1-800-432-1599

http://snowe.senate.gov/public/ <http://snowe.senate.gov/public/>

President Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414

FAX: 202-456-2461
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ <http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/>

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

Main address: 
U.S. Department of State 
2201 C Street NW 
Washington, DC
20520 
Main Switchboard: 
202-647-4000 
TTY:1-800-877-8339 (Federal Relay Service)

Vice-president Biden

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/vice_president_biden/
<http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/vice_president_biden/>

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