Following a very successful Lincoln Day Dinner, the Lincoln County Republican Committee (LCRC) members met on March 13 at the Newcastle Fire Station to discuss current issues and the upcoming election cycle. 

Stuart Smith, LCRC chair, presented an ambitious 2012-2013 proposed budget and offered his thoughts on where that money should go and why. This was followed by a discussion about the last election and what the committee will be doing differently the next time around. 

Candidates who lost this past cycle provided their assessment of why they lost and suggestions as what should be done differently in the future. It was agreed that there need to be significant changes in they way campaigns are run if Republicans are to overcome the financial advantage held by the Democrats and the fact that the Democrats can rely on their union base and special interest groups to help get out the vote. 

The Committee also talked about what was going on in Augusta and how members might help. The concern is that the Democrat-controlled legislature seems intent on stopping or turning back many of the positive accomplishments of the 125th legislature. 

On a positive note, Jon McKane said that he was encouraged by the fact that local Republicans seemed to be doing a better job of turning out for hearings and contacting legislators. Lisa Hunt spoke of her efforts and how others might get more involved. 

Relating back to health care issues spoken about during Senator Collins' talk at the Lincoln Day Dinner, several members discussed the toll that the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (commonly referred to as Obamacare) is having on small businesses in Maine, particularly those with fifty or more employees. 

They are faced with providing health benefits to all employees and their families or facing stiff penalties. Typical health care coverage for a business with fifty employees was estimated to run around $350,000. If the business fails to provide the coverage, it could face a penalty of around $85,000. 

The situation is particularly onerous, it was said, for businesses employing seasonal help, which is very common in Maine, particularly in the area of tourism. Under Obamacare, these businesses with fifty or more employees are still required to provide year-around health insurance even if their employees are only working seasonally. 

To deal with the financial impact of Obamacare, some employers are reducing the number of full-time employees they employ. Others who can't afford the health insurance cost may opt to pay the penalty. The additional costs to businesses may translate into higher prices for their customers as well. 

Members were asked to contact their elected officials to express their concerns. 

The next LCRC meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 10 at the Jefferson Fire Station. More details will be forthcoming. Smith can be reached at stuart@stuartsmith.us. For more information about the LCRC and its town committees, you can check their website, www.lincolncountyrepublicans.org/.