The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Maine Women's Publications - All Publications 3-1-1992 Maine Women's Lobby News Letter (1992 March) No. 2 Maine Women's Lobby Staff Maine Women's Lobby Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/maine_women_pubs_all Part of the History Commons, Law and Politics Commons, Public Administration Commons, Public Affairs Commons, and the Women's Studies Commons Repository Citation Staff, Maine Women's Lobby, "Maine Women's Lobby News Letter (1992 March) No. 2" (1992). Maine Women's Publications - All. 87. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/maine_women_pubs_all/87 This Newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Maine Women's Publications - All by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. I .Maine I WQmen’s P.O. Box 15, Hallowell, Maine 04347 Telephone 622-0851 Lobby Copyright 1992 • The Maine Women's Lobby March 1992 NEWSLETTER Number 2 Women and Children Last The Inequities of the Budget Proposal by MARY McPHERSON formula, and other taxation issues on cluded AFDC, Medicaid, Child Care MWL Executive Director the table when discussing potential Services, the Maine Health Program, A major focus of the work of the cuts in programs and benefits. the ASPIRE program, and the voices Maine Women’s Lobby this session As you know, the Appropriations of representatives of the Maine is Governor McKeman’s proposed Committee held hearings in nine Women’s Lobby were heard across ’92-’93 budget (L.D. 2185). The towns and cities around Maine dur- the state — including the hearings in Lobby opposes•3G the cuts and, along ing the first week of February. The Fort Kent and Calais. with other member groups of the public outpouring•it of opposition to The Appropriations Committee Taxpayers for a Fair Budget, urges cuts in funding of programs with a is currently holding hearings with the the Governor and Legislature to put major impact on women was heart­ heads of state agencies to determine sales tax exemptions, the income tax warming. The issues addressed in- see UDGET on page 2 INSIDE: Non-Traditional Occupations in limelight CHOICE: Representative Anne Rand of Accelerated Reemployument pro­ Portland is sponsoring a bill that gram), and MTI (the Maine Training Breakfast of Champions — P. 3 Issues analyzed — P. 4 would open the door for women who Initiative program). This bill would Supreme Court — P. 6 want to work in NTOs (“non-tradi­ also include a provision which would tional occupations”, defined as those require that contractors who benefit Gender Bias in Schools in which less than 25% of the from money approved with state — p. 7 workforce is female). This bill would bonds offer non-traditional opportu­ require that 25% of the state and Legislative Update — P. 8 nities to women. federal funding allocated to the Maine Women find many roadblocks to Department of Labor for training Women's History poster getting jobs in NTOs—from the first would be used for the recruitment, — P. 10 message that “you wouldn’t be inter­ training, and placement of women in ested in one of those jobs,” to a lack Sen. Mitchell on* non-traditional jobs. The programs of training opportunities. Those come Freedom of Choice Act that would be covered include: JTPA even before considering the prob- — P. 11 (Joint Training and Partnership Act), STAR (the Strategic Training for see NTOs on page 2 Page 2 Maine Women's Lobby Newsletter NTOs... BUDGET... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 lems encountered in the workplace the feasibility of each proposed re­ ditional child, certainly not an incen­ including: duction or change. Your legislators tive for having a baby. The second • the reluctance of employers to need to hear from you — to hear that proposal would penalize working hire women; there is support for programs that families and would result in the state affect women and that you do not keeping child support paid by absent lack of child care opportunities; believe the budget can be balanced on parents. • and, the initial expense of equip­ the backs of the people least able to If you would like further infor­ ment and tools. pay. While it is impossible to sum­ mation on the budget, please contact Historically, and not surprisingly, marize all the proposed cuts here, two Mary McPherson at the Lobby office NTOs usually provide higher wages cuts which must be highlighted in­ (622-0851.) than those positions traditionally held volve the AFDC program. McKer- by women. Under this legislation, nan’s budget proposal would: To contact your legislators: unemployed and under-employed 1) deny increased benefits to Senator__________________ women would be provided the op­ mothers who have additional chil­ portunity to learn marketable skills or Rep.__________________ dren while on AFDC, a punitive Maine State House and enter the job market at a decent action without precedent in State House Station #2 wage, with the potential for long­ Maine; and Augusta, ME 04333 term employment. 2) reduce benefits for AFDC re­ The Lobby is excited about this cipients who currently have em­ To leave a message for your Senator: bill, not only because of the direct ployment — however minimal 1 -088-423-6900 economic effect it would have on — or receive child rt from or 289-1540 individual women, but also because an absent parent. it will highlight some fundamental Both these proposals will place To leave a telephone message for inequities of the current job market low-income children at a greater risk. your Representative: and — hopefully — encourage A family receives only $ 116 per month 1 -800-423-2900 women across the state to consider or 289-1400 (approximately $3.90/day) for an ad­ NTO options. The hearing on this bill will prob­ ably be scheduled for the end of Feb­ ruary. If you are interested in testify­ The Maine Women’s Lobby Newsletter ing or wish more information on this is the official publication of the Maine bill, please call Mary McPherson at Women’s Lobby. Eleanor Goldberg, Chair; 622-0851________________________________ Mary McPherson, Executive Director/ Welcome to three Lobbyist. new board members Address correspondence to: Maine Women's Lobby MWL would like to welcome the following women to our P.O. ox 15 ard of Directors: Hallowell, ME 04347 LIBBY SEGERS of Coopers Mills „ T Maine Telephone: 622-0851 ANN MITCHELL of Waterville Women’s LEE LONGNECKER of Portland Lobby Printed on All three have expressed their eagerness to work and we’ 11 P.O. Box 15, Hallowell Maine 04347 Recycled Paper take them up on it! k March 1992 Page 3 Roe V. Wade “Breakfast of Champions” a success! by BARBARA REINERTSON ruling on Roe or the constitutionality pro-choice sentiments of the Legisla­ MWL Board Member of abortion09 itself, could be seen as ture could change dramatically next Our second annual Breakfast of purely a political move in this elec­ year. Champions, held in Portland on the tion year, (see story page 6.) In As MWL Board Member Karen 19th anniversary of the Roe v, Wade reality, if the Court upholds any of Heck said in her remarks (page 4), we decision, January 22, was a big suc­ Pennsylvania’s restrictions (24-hour all need to question state and national cess. waiting period, parental consent, pro­ candidates carefully about their posi00 ­ vider reports, and husband notifica- Approximately 85 people at­ Jr 7 tions on freedom of choice, and to tion) it means that states could be tended the breakfast — an increase work actively to elect those who rep­ allowed to do everything but ban from last year. The Democratic Presi­ resent our views. And “pro-choice” abortion outright, and Roe will no dential candidates were attending a isn’t enough; we need to make sure longer be the law of the land. politicians won’t vote for restrictive Choice event in Washington, and JL President Bush sent his regrets (!), And Maine is not exempt from bills or amendments on waiting peri­ but representatives of several of the concern. We have two restrictive ods, parental consent, or husband no­ Democratic campaigns did attend, did abortion laws that have been in limbo tification. listen to our speakers, and did pro­ for many years, but whose status is Excerpts from our speakers’ re­ vide information on where their can­ far from clear should the Supreme marks follow. Thanks to them, and to didates stood on the issues of special Court change the ground-rules. As all who supported08 or attended the importance to women. President Mary McPherson, new Executive breakfast. We received such an en­ Bush, as you know, is anti-choice, Director of the Maine Women’s thusiastic responser__________________ that we are con- has appointed anti-choice justices to Lobby [•38inted out in her speech, sidering “taking the show on the road the Supreme Court, and would veto a while NARAL currently ranks Maine to other Maine towns and cities. If National Freedom of Choice Act. the 14th least likely state to enact you are interested in helping to orga­ harsh anti-abortion laws, many law­ Our own speakers were outstand­ nize a Freedom of Choice discussion/ makers are choosing not to run for re- ing, as the audience made clear with event in your area, please contact the election, and the composition330 and their applause, comments, and com­ Lobby office. pliments following the breakfast. There was an opportunity•38 for ques­ tions and a good give-and-take among those attending, and there was a strong Coming in May 17 - June 18 sense of commitment, determination, and strength in numbers! MAINE WOMEN ARTISTS Unfortunately, the immediate a show hosted by the news is not good.