Kick Butts Racing

Partnership For a Tobacco Free Maine spending $10,000 plus $4500 at Wiscasset Race Track,

Kick Butts Racing is a statewide program that sponsors drivers at each of Maine's five short tracks as well as backing Maine native Tracy Gordon on the Busch North Series. Also wearing the Kick Butts Racing colors are Ryan Shepard at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Jimmy Kaler at Wiscasset Speedway, Mike Thomas at Speedway 95 in Hermon and Unity Raceway driver Jeff Burgess.

Governor King wants to cut Pet Programs. Why doesn't he start with the PTFM?

Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine not only sponsoring the race car, they are sponsoring Speedway 96! click here

Cutting programs should start with this one.

19 May 2002-I checked the web site of Speedway 95. PTFM is no where to be seen. I hope this is a "good" sign, that the money is going to be better spent elsewhere.

Sadly, I was wrong. See the article at top. They spent money at Speedway 95 and now spending a large sum at Wiscasset.

(We should do like Attorney General Hatch is doing in MN. Investigate where the money is being spent. He is investigating MPAAT. It's the same group like Maine's Partnership for A tobacco Free Maine)

Augusta, Maine � Speedway 95 was well represented at the 2002 Northeast Motorsports Expo at the Augusta Civic Center this past weekend with six exhibitors displaying their cars for the racing season.

(Goes on to list the drivers, then this:
Also, representing the Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine racing team was Mike Thomas of Etna.

One gentleman said to me: "I see this as a flagrant, in-your-face insult to all people that pay taxes on tobacco." click here

Maine has its priorities crossed. Back in January, health advocates urged lawmakers to spare successful programs in anti-smoking funds.

Maine receives annually $55 million from the Tobacco Settlement, to which the smokers in Maine are paying for. Although Maine had a choice how to spend the money, it was intended for education and to pay for any sick smokers on welfare, should there be any.

House Speaker Michael Saxl said that given the $248 million budget shortfall facing the state, there must be room for some cuts in the health programs.

Attorney General Rowe said that Maine is one of the few state�s that has committed "most" of the money to health programs. I say "Show me the programs!" Most of this money is being spent on pet programs.

For instance: The Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine is sponsoring Speedway 95, and Wiscasset Race Track. Memorial Day, the "prestigious" Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine is awarding the winner of the Coastal 200- $10,000. With $4500 going to the runner-up.

I wonder how many people this money could have helped that can�t afford health insurance. I wonder how many people this would have helped in nursing homes who have no insurance. I wonder how this money could have helped with children�s nutrition, prescription drugs, child care and substance abuse.

Governor King states Maine Health Care is failing. The money PTFM is wasting at a racetrack could have been spent in a kinder more gentler way.

William Corr, executive director of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free kids says Big Tobacco is targeting our kids, while Corr is targeting the wallets of all who pay cigarette taxes in Maine.

This is a blatant slap in the face to all that pay cigarette taxes.

PTFM is funded by the Tobacco Settlement Money, to which the people who pay cigarette taxes in Maine pay into. Is this where the money should be spent? A Race Track? What about the much needed health care Gov. King says we need.

Mainers need to write letters to their officials about this blatant slap in the face to everyone who pays cigarette taxes.