Author: Nick Murray

Three employees of Kent State University on Monday, April 29 filed suit against the University’s Board of Trustees and the Association of Federal, State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 8 because of the union’s refusal to recognize their resignation of membership. In August 2018, Annamarie Hannay, Adda Gape and John Kohl, custodians for student residence halls at Kent State, resigned from their union expecting the automatic deduction of dues from their paychecks to cease. The union refused to honor their resignation, maintaining that the plaintiffs could only resign within the union’s arbitrary opt-out window. The university has continued to…

This week, the Maine Legislature’s Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology held a public hearing on LD 1364, a bill that would prohibit state funds from being transferred to internet service providers (ISPs) unless they commit to abiding by the now-repealed 2015 FCC order that instituted so-called “net neutrality.” Curiously dubbed the “Open Internet Order”, the FCC deemed that companies who provide access to the internet would be considered communications utilities, instead of information services. Chairman Ajit Pai led the effort to repeal that order, and restore the framework for ISPs that had functioned since the 1990s. Passing LD 1364…

On Thursday, Feb. 14 the legislature’s education committee held a public hearing on a bill, LD 464, that would greatly affect the landscape of options for special needs students in Maine. If you are a parent of a special needs child and you are not satisfied with how your home school district is providing your child’s education, you have recourse referred to as a “unilateral special education placement.” Under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), parents may move a child from their local public school district to a non-public school in order to ensure a “free appropriate public…

State Representative Michael Brennan of Portland recently introduced a pair of bills concerning the future of virtual schooling in Maine. One of these bills, LD 513 proposes to cap enrollment at Maine’s virtual charter schools. If passed, these schools would not be allowed to accept any more students, nor expand to new grade levels beyond their current charter. The other bill introduced by Brennan, LD 576 would direct the state Department of Education to develop and implement an online learning platform and report to the education committee on its findings. These two bills, both of which Brennan is the primary…

Today’s world is in many ways at a crossroads, especially as technology and innovation continually reshape the economy, specifically models of service delivery. Think Uber, Khan Academy and even Bitcoin. New and exciting ways to innovate and disrupt capture our collective attention as we wonder what the future might bring. It causes one to wonder: How long can some industries insulate themselves from the coming storm and resist competition? And how long can public services survive in a world where private, digital solutions move faster than government by orders of magnitude? There were other Americans in history who faced this…

Many would agree that consistent access to the internet is an important part of life in 2018. It is crucial to participate and thrive in the global economy. We should do all we can to empower broader access to this “great equalizer,” especially because there are those who aim to slow the march of progress. This summer, agency officials from several states, as well as companies like Alphabet (owner of Google), Facebook, and Amazon, filed suit against the FCC demanding reinstatement of the regulations known as “net neutrality.” “Net neutrality” is not merely how its supporters explain it: the regulation of large…

Recently, the Housing Committee of Portland’s City Council met to discuss the possibility of tightening the regulations surrounding rental agreements in the city that last fewer than 30 days. Referred to as “short-term rentals” (STRs), some might recognize this service as similar to one offered by AirBnB, an internet company that connects homeowners with vacationers looking for a place to stay for a duration of one night to one month. Proponents of stricter rules claim that more housing stock devoted to short-term rentals in the city means fewer options for long-term tenants, raising rents and squeezing out lower-income folks. Self-proclaimed…

Twenty-three million Americans–about 39 percent of the population–do not have access to broadband internet. As one can imagine, the brunt of this need is felt most in rural areas. Lack of a reliable internet connection can have huge consequences for students, teachers, and entrepreneurs seeking to better their lives. Last Monday, computing and software giant Microsoft announced as part of its Rural Airband Initiative that it would partner with RTO Wireless to provide broadband internet access to 290,000 people in rural areas of Western Maine and New York State. Microsoft has already pledged a partnership with Axiom, a local internet…

On Tuesday, April 24, the Portland City Council’s Health and Human Services Committee convened to take public comment on a proposed ordinance that would require businesses provide paid sick leave to employees. Championed by Mayor Ethan Strimling, the proposal forces companies to provide 1 hour of paid sick leave time for every 30 hours worked by an employee. Numerous appeals were made from large and small businesses to demonstrate the burden this ordinance would apply, enough for this observer to believe the council will take the measure back to the drawing board. Employers who want to be competitive and attract…

When conservatives in Augusta pushed to implement the law enabling charter schools in Maine in 2011, their goal was to provide alternative choices for students looking for innovative approaches to education. To ensure the new system had proper oversight and was adequately serving student needs, they initially operated under a go-slow, pilot program, and the law applied a cap restricting the state from approving more than 10 charter schools before 2021. In the seven years since the program’s enactment, the state has adopted nine charter schools, two of which are virtual charter schools capable of serving students anywhere in the state.…

On Tuesday, the Sanford City Council met to take public comment on a new amendment to their Building Construction Ordinance, among other subjects. This portion was surely the most contentious issue of the evening. It began with a presentation by Ian Houseal, the newly-hired Community Development Director. For years, Mr. Houseal has made a career of shepherding new housing ordinances through Maine city governments under the guise of “safer, fairer housing.” Before Sanford brought him on, he worked for the city of Portland for six years, resulting in the city’s new rental housing licensing program that began last year. Before…