Author: David Woodsome

This item was originally published in the Portland Press Herald. Maine consumers – myself included – are understandably frustrated with Central Maine Power, and there is no doubt the utility needs to improve. However, the answer is not having the state of Maine take over CMP and Emera Maine and operate them as an agency of state government – something no other state has done before for its largest utilities. Legislation is pending before the Maine Legislature – L.D. 1646 – that calls for the state to take over CMP and Emera Maine and then hire a private operator to run the enterprise. Last year, I…

Advocates claim that by raising the minimum wage, hard-working Mainers working in these positions will be better off, as they will make more money per hour. But the minimum wage isn’t designed to be a “living wage.” It’s intended to be a training wage that some employers use to bring unskilled workers – often teenagers or young adults who have never held a job before – into the workforce. After a few months on the job, most minimum wage employees are rewarded with raises, which incentivize hard work and are necessary to compete with other employers. As we all know,…