Governor wants campaign behind him; eyes taxes, Dirigo

Re-election victor Gov. John Baldacci wasted no time outlining his priorities Wednesday as he called for unity and bipartisanship in the State House, and said it's time to leave the 2006 campaign behind.

Baldacci was elected with nearly 40 percent of the vote on Tuesday, beating Republican Chandler Woodcock by nearly 10 percentage points. Behind Woodcock were independent Barbara Merrill, Green Independent Pat LaMarche and independent Phillip Morris NaPier.

Reminded that three of five voters cast ballots for someone else, the Democratic governor said, "The campaign's over, I'm not running again and I'm not on the ballot."

"I look to work with everybody here regardless of party, regardless of region. Let's work together."

Baldacci, interviewed in his State House office Wednesday morning, said that even though a government spending limit proposal lost, property tax reform is his first priority for 2007. He also said his Dirigo universal health care program, now under review by a Blue Ribbon Commission, is also a top item on his agenda.

The governor said he hopes for a consensus that can improve the program through the commission's study.

"My belief is we have to take the training wheels off of Dirigo. We have to be able to market different types of products that fit different needs. We need to be more aggressive about that too, and I think people want to see that happen," said Baldacci. "People tell me they like it but they would like it to do more."

Baldacci said he plans to spend more time outside of the capital visiting communities, businesses and workers during his second term to get a better sense of how to shape policy. He said he aims to take "a more aggressive approach to economic development."

"I'm going to be out and about more," Baldacci promised.

The governor said he was buoyed by what he heard while campaigning and was heartened by his win.

"I felt the comments I was receiving from people were reinforcing," he said. "They wanted to give me time to finish the work I had started."

With the election over, "I have a higher sense of duty and responsibility to the people of the State of Maine ... I have to rise to the occasion," Baldacci said.

A former four-term congressman, Baldacci said he had no future plans to run for political office after serving his second Blaine House term, saying he prefers to live in Maine and would like to work on programs to help troubled youths when his political career is over.