The state of Maine recently had to go back and find another $200 million in cuts to make up for revenue shortfalls. I don't work for the state, but in the course of doing my job, I have access to most state offices and each day I see wasteful amounts of spending by each department.

First, just about every department has an account with Staples or Office Max for office supplies. Why, when a Central Warehouse Department delivers copy paper to most offices; can't they also deliver office supplies? Think of the amount of money in shipping costs that would be saved. I'm sure the state can buy pens, paperclips, etc. in bulk and save loads of money.

Second, just about all departments have their own Fed-Ex accounts to handle priority shipments that are picked up at each individual office. How much is this costing?

The state has its own postal operations in Augusta that makes one or two pick-ups of mail each day at each office. It can pick up all priority shipments and send them out of one central location either by UPS, Fed-Ex or the Postal Service. This way the state would pay for one pick-up a day.

Just this may not save millions of dollars, but it's a start.

Michael Garguilo

Sidney