Author: Libby Palanza

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the share of Maine households using oil as their primary source of heat dropped more than six percent between 2022 and 2023, the largest decrease since at least 2010. In 2010, about 70 percent of Maine households were reliant on oil as their primary heating source compared to just over 50 percent in 2023. Gov. Janet Mills (D) connected this change to the rise in heat pump usage during her administration. “When I took office, I made it a priority to help Maine households transition away from expensive, imported fossil fuels…

The second public comment period for Maine’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Program closed Monday after receiving nearly 600 additional responses from roughly 280 individuals representing both employers and workers from a variety of Maine’s economic sectors. During the first round of public comment, the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) received over 1,000 responses from nearly 300 individuals. The Department must adopt a final set of rules for the program by January 1, 2025. [RELATED: Maine Businesses Brace for New 1% Payroll Tax and Paid Leave Mandate] “Thank you to everyone who took the time and effort to…

When LS Power withdrew its proposal to build a controversial high-power transmission line across Maine this summer, the news created uncertainty for the future of the foreign-owned wind turbine project and the transmission line was supposed to connect to New England’s grid. The proposed wind farm, set to be developed by Longroad Energy — a company that is 92 percent controlled by investors from outside the United States — was given new hope Monday when the Biden-Harris administration delivered a taxpayer-funded grant worth $425 million to support the construction of the transmission line by a separate foreign-owned company. According to…

Add Bath to the long and growing list of Maine towns set to see property taxes head higher. Residents of 8,800-person home of Bath Iron Works have just seen their property taxes increase substantially as a result of the city’s most recent round of revaluations. According to the city’s website, this revaluation was based on data compiled between July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023, and was conducted by Assessor Brenda Cummings and Assistant Assessor Jason Marshall. Generally speaking, in order to stay in compliance with state law, municipalities undertake revaluations when assessed values fall below 70 percent of market…

In the fall of 2023, Efficiency Maine announced that it would not be requiring homeowners to disconnect their older heating systems in order to be eligible for whole-home heat pump rebates. A new program designed to aid mobile home owners with heat pump adoption, however, still requires that existing systems be removed in order to qualify. In other words, if you want the state rebate, you’ve got to dismantle and remove your natural gas or oil-based heating system. Efficiency Maine — a quasi-government organization established to “plan and implement energy efficiency programs” throughout the state — offered an explanation for…

Prosecutors in the case against Ryan W. Routh — the suspect in the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump (R) — requested Wednesday that the forthcoming trial be indefinitely delayed, arguing that “the volume of evidence collected in this case is substantial and the investigation is ongoing.” Florida District Judge Aileen Cannon was asked by prosecutors Wednesday to designate this case as “complex,” allowing the timeline to stretch beyond what is typically lawful. Prosecutors indicate that Routh’s counsel does not object to the “instant motion” to cancel any upcoming deadlines or court dates. [RELATED: What We Know About…

The federal Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) sent a letter on September 26 directing the U.S. Navy to “take any and all actions necessary” to address the spill of toxic firefighting foam that occurred at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station in August. On August 19, the fire suppression system in one of the hangars malfunctioned, releasing 1,450 gallons of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) mixed with 50,000 gallons of water. This mixture filled the hangar and spilled out into an oil/water separator and one of the retention ponds, resulting in the largest accidental AFFF spill in Maine and the sixth…

A fire broke out Tuesday night around 8:21pm at a trash facility in Orrington, causing Orrington Fire and Rescue to direct everyone in the surrounding areas to keep their windows closed due to the significant smoke that has been generated. Although the fire has now been contained, officials have said that it will take several days for it to be fully extinguished. An investigation as to the fire’s cause is still underway, but initial reports suggest that it was started by a lithium-ion battery. According to WABI TV, the fire was initially so big that its glow could be seen…

A September report published by a state-level advisory committee argues that Maine must “incrementally increase the number of housing units it produces per year” in order to reach its production goals by 2030. Following up on the 2023 State of Maine Housing Production Needs Study, this report represents the work of an advisory committee formed by the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to “create statewide and regional goals.” In addition to outlining specific housing production goals — both at the statewide and county level — the report also details a number of specific strategies for increasing housing production…

According to the Public Access Ombudsman’s 2023 Report, state-level agencies received nearly three thousand requests under the Maine’s Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) last year. While roughly half of these requests were fulfilled in under five days, about 14 percent took more than two months, with sixteen requests taking more than a year to complete. FOAA is a government transparency law designed to ensure that Mainers have a “broad right of access to public records” while simultaneously “protecting legitimate governmental interests and the privacy rights of individual citizens.” This law also guarantees that citizens have access to “meetings of public…

Businesses throughout Maine are preparing for the state to implement its new payroll tax and a complex series of rules stemming from the newly approved paid family and medical leave program in just a matter of months. Over the summer, Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed a budget into law that included, among other things, legislation establishing the program with a starting appropriation of $25 million for the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL). Beginning in the spring of 2026, Maine workers will be eligible to take up to twelve weeks of paid leave to care for a sick family member, as…

The Winthrop School District is facing a nearly $700,000 budget deficit for the current school year. According to Winthrop Superintendent Becky Foley, this is due an overestimation of how much funding would be left over from last year, as well as a lack of adequate funding to cover the current year’s expenses. Taken together, the district is a total of $681,207 short of what it needs to cover the planned expenses for FY25. Foley first discovered the shortfall earlier this month after just two weeks on the job, following Superintendent Jim Hodgkin’s reportedly abrupt resignation over a “lack of understanding”…

Maine’s Right to Know Advisory Committee (RTKAC) — a government body designed to advise on government transparency and public record requests — has concluded its review of “burdensome” uses of Maine’s Freedom of Access Act (FOAA). Although the investigation began as an attempt to identify ways in which Maine’s government transparency law was being abused, the findings of the investigation show very few instances of what the committee described as “burdensome” requests. Earlier this year, the RTKAC — in conjunction with the Maine Municipal Association (MMA) — distributed surveys to local governments and state agencies in order to gather examples…

The U.S. Congress approved a Continuing Resolution this week that will provide ninety days worth of funding for the government, averting a shutdown through December 20. In addition to keeping the government funded for a few months, this bill also includes $231 million for the Secret Service in the wake of a second attempt on former President Donald Trump’s (R) life. Legislators had until Oct. 1 to approve a stop-gap spending package in order to avoid a government shutdown. The short-term funding bill is the latest what has become a Washington, D.C. tradition, whereby Members of Congress attempt to leverage…

The City of Portland is set to conduct a revaluation of residential properties over the course of next year, the figures from which will be used to calculate property taxes beginning in FY26. Revaluations will continue to be conducted every two years until 2031 in order to “help preserve equity in tax assessments.” The City most recently conducted a revaluation in 2021, and as of FY25, tax assessed values were calculated at 90 percent of market values. Generally speaking, in order to stay in compliance with State Law, municipalities undertake revaluations when tax assessed values fall below 70 percent of…

The Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) announced Monday that it has negotiated the recovery of over $20,000 owed collectively to 22 workers across three companies. A combined $7,915.22 was recovered in owed wages and liquidated damages for seven workers at Law Calibration, LLC in Saco. $655.38 in wages and $1,310.76 in liquidated damages was recovered for four workers at Dollar General in resolving a complaint of violations of the Maine Equal Pay Act. Lincoln Infrastructure, LLC has agreed to pay a total of $10,253.76 in liquidated damages to 11 employees by October 7, as well as an $8,000 penalty. [RELATED:…

U.S. Sens. Angus King (I-Maine) and Jerry Moran (R-Kans.) have introduced the Farmhouse-to-Workforce Housing Act, a piece of legislation aimed at increasing the housing stock in rural parts of the country. If approved, this bill would expand the existing Housing Preservation Grants (HPG) program to include the construction of an attached apartment unit or a small home nearby on rural properties that can be made available for rent. Currently, the HPGs may only be used to cover the costs associated with “the repair or rehabilitation of housing owned or occupied by low- and very-low-income rural citizens,” according to the U.S.…

Maine Statistical Analysis Center (MSAC) released a report Monday on the use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) among police departments throughout the state, revealing that the nearly all police departments throughout the state are either utilizing this technology or considering doing so. The group did, however, expressly recommend against pursuing state-mandated BWC adoption, instead suggesting that law enforcement agencies ought to continue incorporating this technology at their own pace. This study was launched by MSAC — of the Catherine Cutler Institute at the University of Southern Maine — late last year at the request of Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey as…

Maine homes are 7.53 percent more expensive than they were in August of 2023 — now reaching a median sale price of $400,000 — according to data from the Maine Association of Realtors. The number of homes sold has increased slightly since last year, rising 1.66 percent from 1,510 to 1,535. Although the available housing stock has “nearly doubled” since February, the “supply-and-demand imbalance remains challenging.” “With 4,964 homes for sale last month and sales of 1,535 units, Maine’s for-sale inventory remains at a 3.2 month supply level, well below the six-month supply level that is indicative of a more…

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously advanced a bill Friday that would increase Secret Service protection for major presidential and vice presidential candidates following the second attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life earlier last week. The final vote tally came out at 405 to 0 with a handful of lawmakers absent at the time the vote was taken. This legislation directs the Secret Service to develop and apply universal standards for the protection of presidents, vice presidents and major presidential and vice presidential candidates. Before this bill can be signed into law, it must first be approved by lawmakers…

The United States House of Representatives is set to vote this week on a stop-gap measure that would fund the government through Dec. 20. This legislation does not, however, contain any portion of the so-called SAVE Act, a bill requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had previously put forward a Continuing Resolution, or C.R., that would have funded the government for six months and advanced the SAVE Act, short for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act. The idea was to force Democratic lawmakers to take what could for some be a controversial vote…

Maine’s August unemployment rate and labor force participation rate remained largely unchanged in comparison to recent months, according to the Maine Department of Labor’s (MDOL) Friday press release. For the third month in row, the state’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate has been calculated at 2.8 percent, while labor force participation came in at 59.9 percent. Nationwide, unemployment for August came in at 4.2 percent with a labor force participation rate of 62.7 percent. Unemployment for New England was calculated at 4.2 percent. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that is regularly employed to remove the influences of “predictable seasonal patterns” in…

Maine has now launched a $36 million Home Energy Rebate Program funded by federal tax dollars allocated by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and designed to help owners of manufactured homes and multifamily buildings to pursue energy-efficient options. According to the United States Department of Energy (DOE), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) made “the single largest investment in climate and energy in American history, enabling America to tackle the climate crisis, advancing environmental justice, securing America’s position as a world leader in domestic clean energy manufacturing.” The state’s new Home Energy Rebate Program is intended to “help eligible households…

Voters in RSU 16 approved a $28 million school budget by just 153 votes after rejecting two previous iterations. This version of the budget comes in at about $388,000 less than the one voters most recently rejected. Because an additional $500,000 allocation was made from the FY25 fund balance, however, the total cost for which taxpayers would have been responsible under this budget is actually reduced by about $888,000. The vote is the latest in southern Maine to follow a similar pattern, in which voters reject proposed spending plans and tax increases multiple times, while officials eventually secure passage of…

Mainers appear largely divided over the five ballot questions set to go before voters this November, according to a new poll from Pan Atlantic Research — a Portland-based independent marketing research and consulting firm. Out of these five questions, Mainers appear most likely support Question 1, a law proposed via the citizens initiative process that would limit contributions to independent expenditure-only PACs — commonly referred to as Super PACS — to $5,000. While traditional PACs can make contributions to political candidates in addition to making independent expenditures, they are already limited to receiving no more than $5,000 a year from…

A new poll from Pan Atlantic Research — a Portland-based independent marketing research and consulting firm — revealed this month that a substantial portion of Mainers feel that the state is on the wrong track, citing the cost of living, housing, and high taxes as their primary concerns. Similar to the results of University of New Hampshire’s Pine Tree State Poll released last month, Pan Atlantic Research found that over 40 percent of Mainers feel that the state is on the wrong track. [RELATED: More Than 40% of Mainers Say State is on the Wrong Track — Pine Tree State…

Free speech isn’t always so free on college campuses, according to a recent ranking done by College Pulse and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Of the 251 colleges and universities included in FIRE’s most recent study, Maine’s schools were all ranked on the lower end of the scale, ranging from 99th to 147th place. Although their positions relative to each other remained largely unchanged compared to last year — with the exception of the University of Maine — all four schools ranked more positively this time around. In 2023, Maine’s higher education institutions were ranked between 122nd…

The federal Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Tuesday that Maine has been awarded nearly $1.5 million in grant funding to repair roads and highways damaged by the storms that swept through the state last year in June and December. The funding was awarded through the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Emergency Relief Program, designed to provide assistance to places where roads and highways have been damaged as a result of natural disasters. “The storms in June and December 2023 caused substantial damages to public infrastructure throughout Maine,” said Sen. Susan Collins (R) in a press release announcing the funding. “This federal…

Maine’s Congressional delegation sent a joint letter to Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro urging cooperation on the cleanup effort at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station following the fire retardant foam spill that occurred in August. On August 19, the fire suppression system in one of the hangars malfunctioned, releasing 1,450 gallons of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) mixed with 50,000 gallons of water. This mixture filled the hangar and spilled out into an oil/water separator and one of the retention ponds. According to the delegation, this is the largest accidental AFFF spill in Maine and the sixth largest in the…

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (DCAF) announced Monday that applications have now opened for a combined $3 million worth of research grants for the study of how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — commonly known as PFAS or “forever chemicals” — impact agriculture. According to a DCAF press release, this funding is part of the state’s “ongoing effort to help farmers manage the challenges posed by PFAS contamination and to identify strategies to maintain viable agricultural operations.” Supported by these grants will be a variety of research topics, including: “Water, Soil, and Plant Studies,” “Animals and Animal Product…

All members of Maine’s Congressional delegation have now spoken out in response to the second attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump (R). “I’m glad former President Trump is unharmed and grateful to the Secret Service for their vigilance,” said Rep. Jared Golden (D) on X. “While there’s still much we don’t know as law enforcement conducts its investigation, we do know one thing,” Rep. Golden said. “Political violence of any kind has no place in America.” State Representative Austin Theriault (R-Fort Kent) — the candidate running against Golden in hopes of representing Maine’s second district — also issued a…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) announced Monday that the State has selected twelve new Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) conservation projects, expected to preserve a combined 3,500 acres using $3.8 million worth of funding. The LMF is described by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (DACF) as the state’s “primary funding vehicle for conserving land for its natural and recreational value.” This program was first established in 1987 when residents voted to approve $35 million in funding to purchase “lands of statewide importance.” Then-Governor Angus King’s Land Acquisition Priorities Advisory Committee went on to set new priorities for the…

Former President Donald Trump (R) has ruled out a second debate against Vice President Kamala Harris (D). Two days after the candidates faced off in a debate hosted by ABC News and moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis, former President Trump (R) announced on social media platform Truth Social that “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!” Shortly thereafter, he confirmed his decision to not debate Vice President Harris again this election cycle in an interview with the New York Post. Vice President Harris responded to former President Trump’s decision during an event in North Carolina, saying that they, as…

South Portland residents passionately spoke at last week’s City Council meeting about the recent property tax hikes that blindsided many homeowners last month. This past Tuesday, a number of residents turned out to make their concerns heard over the sudden and substantial property tax increases they faced when first opening their bills in August, some of whom were quite emotional in their presentations. During this same meeting, Councilors unanimously approved a resolution directing the local legislative delegation at the State House to “work toward a more fair and equitable system of real property taxation, as well as other measures to…

On Monday and Tuesday, Gov. Janet Mills (D) attended the 45th Annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG-ECP) in Boston, MA which this year focused on “the clean energy transition.” This conference, first launched in 1973, was designed to allow leaders from across the region — including from six states and five Eastern Canadian provinces — to work cooperatively on addressing their shared interests. Members of the coalition include Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Québec. According to a press release from Gov.…

The University of Maine (UMaine) has officially rescinded its offer to sell the Hutchinson Center to Calvary Chapel Belfast. Earlier this summer, UMaine selected Calvary Chapel Belfast as the winning bid for the property following a thorough review of the three offers, including from the Waldo Community Action Partners and Future of the Hutchinson Center/Waterfall Arts. The Hutchinson Center previously served as “an educational and cultural center for the mid-coast area” according to the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce. The University officially closed the Center last year in response to a decline in usage. Housed within the Hutchinson Center…

A combined $8 million worth of grant funding has now been made available “to help communities become resilient to the effects of climate change and to reduce fossil fuel use and carbon emissions.” These grants come through Community Resilience Partnership, originally founded in 2021 to “help local communities undertake projects that increase resilience to climate effects and reduce greenhouse gas emissions” and was funded by a combination of state and federal tax dollars. [RELATED: Massive New “Solar Tax” Hikes Coming for Maine’s Businesses…] A $5 million additional allocation for the Partnership — designed to allow another hundred municipalities to participate…

The Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) announced Wednesday that, in compliance with state law, Maine’s minimum wage will be increased fifty cents an hour from $14.15 to $14.65 as of January 1, 2025 in order to keep pace with the cost of living. Under current State Law, the hourly minimum wage must be increased in accordance with the cost of living as of August the previous year, rounded to the nearest five cents. In addition to this, the new tip wage has been set at $7.33 per hour, up from $7.08, such that it remains at fifty percent of the…

The federal Department of Justice (DOJ) has sued the State of Maine for allegedly violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by “unnecessarily segregating children with behavioral health disabilities in hospitals, residential facilities and a state-operated juvenile detention facility.” The DOJ filed their lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Portland Monday, explaining that they had notified the State in June 2022 of its “findings of civil rights violations” and “identified steps that Maine should take to remedy” them. According to their complaint, the State of Maine “segregates hundreds of children with mental health and/or developmental disabilities, referred to throughout…

The Maine State Housing Authority announced Monday that a combined $2 million from the state’s Emergency Housing Relief Fund (EHRF) has been awarded to twelve overnight warming shelters located throughout the state. Under State Law, the EHRF may be used for various forms of short- and long-term programs, including “rental assistance or appropriate housing for people experiencing homelessness who are staying in hotels as a short-term housing solution” and “creating supportive housing for people with disabilities, mental health challenges or substance use disorder using an approach that prioritizes providing permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness.” It also opens the door…

Google is back in the courtroom this week as its parent company Alphabet faces allegations from the federal Department of Justice (DOJ) that its power in the ad tech industry is monopolistic. This comes just weeks after a federal judge ruled that the company has illegally maintained a monopoly over the search engine industry through anti-competitive business practices, particularly its exclusive contracts with web browsers and device manufacturers that allow it to serve as users’ default search engine. This ruling reportedly marked the DOJ’s first legal victory against a monopoly power in more than twenty years. [RELATED: Google’s Exclusive Contracts…

Maine has received a combined $33.8 million in federal funding across twenty-one projects designed to improve the state’s hydropower infrastructure. This comes as part of a $430 million distribution from the Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives program, funded by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Administered by the Grid Deployment Office (GDO), this program is designed to “enhance existing hydropower and pumped storage facilities for capital improvements directly related to grid resilience, dam safety, and environmental improvements.” Eligible for funding through this program are “capital improvements” allowing for the “integration” of other renewable energy sources, such as wind and…

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday against Internet Archive — a nonprofit digital library, well-known for its Wayback Machine — in a copyright infringement lawsuit stemming from its distribution of scanned books without publisher approval. In 2020, four major publishing houses — Hachette, Penguin Random House, Wiley, and HarperCollins — filed a lawsuit against Internet Archive alleging that its Open Library project represents “willful digital piracy on an industrial scale.” For many years, the Open Library allowed users to “check out” book scans through a controlled digital lending process whereby each available loan corresponded to a physical book…

Volvo announced Wednesday that it has scaled back its plans to make only electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030. Instead, the Swedish company — majority-owned by China’s Geely — will continue to offer hybrid models as part of its lineup. Despite this shift, the company has said that it still intends to have over 90 percent of its sales be comprised of EVs and plug-in hybrids by 2030, with the remaining percent will be represented by “a limited number of mild hybrid models to be sold, if needed.” While hybrid vehicles typically use regenerative braking to recharge the battery while a…

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has indicated that it will not make a final decision on the possible reclassification of marijuana — a move that is expected to decrease the dangerousness associated with the drug — until after the presidential election this November. Last week, it was announced that the DEA will be conducting a hearing on December 2 to solicit public comments regarding the proposed changes to federal drug policy. As a result of this, the agency may not finalize their decision on the rule change until after the next presidential administration has taken charge. This proposal was…

Maine’s largest Christian school filed an appeal Tuesday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit as part of its long-running dispute with the State of Maine over alleged religious discrimination spearheaded by Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey and Education Commissioner Pender Makin. The case revolves around a 2021 amendment to the Maine Human Rights Act, which prohibits religious schools from receiving state funding if — according to the Maine Attorney General — the school engages in discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, or religion. Crosspoint Church — which runs Bangor Christian School — filed a lawsuit…

Last week, the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) unveiled an updated set of regulations for the state’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave Program. The public is now invited to provide feedback on these new rules, which businesses will be required to follow. The protracted rule-making process is the result of legislation advanced this year by Democratic lawmakers and signed into law this summer by Gov. Janet Mills (D) as part of a larger budget bill. That bill, among other things, established the Paid Family and Medical Leave Program with a starting appropriation of $25 million. Beginning in the Spring…

Two members of Maine’s congressional delegation have urged U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Thomas Vilsack to change the eligibility requirements of a federal program to include projects based at former mill sites in Maine. The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) — designed to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses pursue projects intended to imrpove their energy efficiency — currently requires applicants to show twelve to sixty months worth of energy consumption data. REAP is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, which the United States Department of Energy (DOE) describes as “the single largest investment in climate and…

The Cape Elizabeth Town Council is currently considering a recommendation from the Ordinance Committee to expand the local Senior Tax Relief Program based on household income level. According to a press release published Thursday, Councilors will discuss this proposal during a meeting on September 9. If approved by the Council, residents wishing to participate must return their applications to the assessors office by Monday, November 18. Homeowners who have previously applied to the program will receive a letter from the Town Assessor with a copy of the 2025 application. Residents who have questions may contact Clinton Swett at [email protected] or…

Northern Light Health — one of the largest medical service providers in the state — has decided to end its Medicare Advantage contract with Humana as of September 30, 2024, which will likely result in many older Mainers being forced to pay more out-of-pocket. A press release published by Northern Light Wednesday said that this was “a difficult decision” and came after “considerable time and effort” was spent “try[ing] to resolve numerous ongoing administrative issues.” Humana Military patients will not be affected by this change, only those who use Humana’s Medicare Advantage plan. Northern Light went on to explain that…

Several Aroostock County Republicans hosted a gathering in Madawaska Wednesday night to discuss concerns over residents’ rising property taxes and electric bills. Considering Maine already has the fourth highest tax burden in the country — and the highest property tax burden of any state — the impact of property tax hikes are being felt more painfully than ever, especially by those with fixed-incomes or lower incomes. Mainers have also faced higher electric bills recently due, in part, to “stranded costs” as a result of certain state policies, including net energy billing, which was expanded in 2019 to help get large…

Nearly half of Mainers have reported that their household is in a worse financial condition compared to this time last year — including 62 percent of Independents and 86 percent of Republicans — according to a recent Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project conducted by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Survey Center. The same was said, however, by just 15 percent of Maine Democrats, while 53 percent said they were “about the same.” Nearly one-third of Democrats indicated that they were better off than last year, compared to just 5 percent of Independents and 4 percent…

Mainers statewide have been experiencing sticker shock when reviewing their property tax bills for the upcoming fiscal year, and Republican lawmakers are laying blame for rising taxes squarely at the feet of Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Janet Mills (D). Legislative Republicans held a press conference in Gorham Wednesday addressing this issue and providing a platform for one resident to share her own experiences with the effects of rising property taxes. From higher rates and higher valuations to decreased exemptions and stretched household budgets, Maine residents — especially those with fixed-incomes or lower incomes — are feeling the pressure. Considering Maine…

Mainers statewide have been experiencing sticker shock when reviewing their property tax bills for the upcoming fiscal year. From higher rates and higher valuations to decreased exemptions and stretched household budgets, Maine residents — especially those with fixed-incomes or lower incomes — are getting squeezed. Considering Maine already has the fourth highest tax burden in the country — and the highest property tax burden of any state — Mainers are feeling the property tax pinch more than ever. The Maine Wire has received numerous messages from Maine taxpayers in towns from Gray to Newcastle to Carthage reporting dramatic property tax…

More than 40 percent of Mainers feel that the state is currently on the wrong track — nearly 10 percent more than in April of 2022 — according to a recent Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project conducted by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Survey Center. A similar share of residents have also expressed disapproval of Gov. Janet Mills’ (D) job performance. Overall, 43 percent of respondents said that they, to some degree, disapprove of Gov. Mills’ job in office, while 53 percent indicated approval. Source: Pine Tree Poll, UNH Survey Center, 08.22.2024 When broken down…

Mainers are divided over the Legislature’s decision to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact — as well as with respect to the state’s current method of distributing its electoral votes — according to the Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project conducted by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Survey Center. This Compact approved by Maine lawmakers earlier this year will only be implemented if the total number of electoral votes represented by the signatories is equal to or greater than 270, the threshold necessary for a candidate to win the presidency. By joining this Compact, Maine’s…

A Supreme Court order Thursday will allow Arizona to enforce a state law requiring proof of citizenship for voters registering with state forms. The order issued by the Court did not, however, reinstate the portion of this law that would have barred those using federal forms from voting by mail or in presidential elections unless citizenship can be verified. The way Arizona’s voting system is structured, residents may register to vote using either a state form or a federal form. While the federal form only requires voters to swear under penalty of perjury that they are U.S. citizens, Arizona’s state…

The Portland City Council voted earlier this week against placing two wage-related proposals on the ballot this November. The first would have raised the city’s minimum wage to $20 an hour by 2028, while the other would have eliminated the tip credit. The second of these two propositions was already rejected by 61 percent of Portland voters at the ballot box just two years ago. The tip credit is a policy that allows businesses to pay employees below minimum wage so long as they make enough in tips to at least close the gap. Many residents have expressed frustration at…

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) has ruled that independent presidential candidate Cornel West will be allowed to appear on the state’s ballot this November. Bellows decision came in response to a left-wing legal effort to have West removed from the ballot over allegations of significant impropriety with the signatures his campaign collected in order to get him qualified to participate in the election. Although Secretary Bellows explained that she found some signatures were gathered fraudulently, West’s campaign still submitted enough valid ones to qualify for a spot on the ballot. West’s petition received two challenges, one from Anne…

Ford Motor Co. announced Wednesday that it will be shifting to a new strategy for the development of electric vehicles (EVs), cancelling plans for an all-electric three-row SUV and delaying the roll out of a new full-size electric pickup truck. Instead, the Michigan-based auto manufacturer is opting to pursue a gas-electric hybrid model three-row SUV that will allow for a greater driving range at a more affordable price. At the same time, however, Ford will also be pursuing the introduction of a fully electric commercial van in 2026, as well as two fully electric pickup trucks in 2027. That said,…

The State of Maine and the Federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) have reached an agreement on a floating offshore wind research lease in the Gulf of Maine. The lease covers an area of up to 15 square miles of federal waters located nearly 30 miles southeast of Portland and will be the site of the nation’s first floating offshore wind research array. The array will include as many as twelve floating turbines and inform how floating offshore wind operates and can co-exist with ocean users and ecosystems in the Gulf of Maine, according to the projects supporters. [RELATED:…

The Cape Elizabeth School Board voted unanimously on Aug. 12 to support the $94.7 million referendum approved for the ballot earlier this month by the Town Council. This includes the $89.9 million “Middle Ground School Project Design” developed after two years of deliberation by the School Building Advisory Committee (SBAC), as well as a $4.8 million addition proposed by Chairman Tim Reiniger that would preserve part of the existing middle school. The town has not yet decided, however, how this property would be used in the future. The Middle Ground proposal includes plans to construct a new middle school, as…

Sens. Susan Collins (R) and Angus King (I) have signed onto a letter urging the Acting Secretary of the Department of Labor (DOL), Julie Su, to exempt volunteer fire departments from a proposed set of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. As currently written, these rules are expected to have a detrimental impact on Maine’s rural volunteer fire departments due to the estimated cost of compliance and substantially increased training requirements. The regulations currently in place for firemen — which are called the Fire Brigades Standard and do not apply to other first responders — were originally published in…

The Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) released the state’s July employment numbers Friday, revealing that while Maine’s unemployment rate is low, workforce participation remains well below that of similar states. The seasonally-adjusted unemployment for July was preliminarily calculated at 2.8 percent while the labor force participation rate came in at 59.8 percent. Unemployment remained unchanged from June, and labor force participation increased by .2 percent from 59.6 percent. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that is regularly employed to remove the influences of “predictable seasonal patterns” in order to reveal a more accurate measure of how the employment situation has…

The Maine Secretary of State’s Office held a hearing Wednesday afternoon regarding the challenges filed against Cornel West’s petition to appear on Maine’s presidential ballot this November as an independent candidate. West’s petition received two challenges, one from Anne Gass of Gray — a former legislative candidate and a member of the Gray Town Council — and Sandra Marquis of Lewiston and another from Nathan Berger of Portland. A challenge was initially submitted by James Stretch of Topsham — James Stretch of Topsham, a registered Democrat who reportedly worked for President Joe Biden’s (D) campaign in 2020 — against Robert…

As of next summer, Maine lobstermen will be subject to a new rule increasing the minimum legal catch size by one-sixteenth of an inch. Originally set to go into effect in June 2024, recent actions from regulators have given those in the industry more time to adapt and prepare for the forthcoming change. While the intent behind the rule is to “improve the resiliency” of the state’s lobster population, lobstermen have expressed concern about moving forward with the increase before it is absolutely necessary. In order to comply with these new size guidelines, lobstermen will need to update their equipment…

Vice presidential candidates U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) and Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) have agreed to participate in a debate hosted by CBS on Oct. 1. Moderating the debate will be “CBS Evening News” anchor and managing editor Norah O’Donnell and “Face the Nation” moderator and CBS News chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan. The official public relations account for CBS News posted to X Wednesday explaining that they had invited both vice presidential candidates to participate in a debate on one of several dates and appeared to indicate that they were still awaiting final responses from both campaigns. Gov.…

The Cape Elizabeth Town Council has voted unanimously to put a $94.7 million school improvement plan on the ballot in November. This includes the $89.9 million “Middle Ground School Project Design” developed after two years of deliberation by the School Building Advisory Committee (SBAC), as well as a $4.8 million addition proposed by Chairman Tim Reiniger that would preserve part of the existing middle school. The town has not yet decided, however, how this property would be used in the future. The Middle Ground proposal includes plans to construct a new middle school, as well as to make a number…

The Maine Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit against Gov. Janet Mills (D), Senate President Troy Jackson (D-Aroostook), and Speaker of the House Rachael Talbot Ross (D-Portland). The case centered around a parliamentary maneuver Democrats used to secure the passage of a partisan budget with a simple majority of the Legislature’s support, a move that required the governor to call the Legislature back into session in the spring of 2023 using powers reserved for “extraordinary occasions.” Plaintiffs in the case alleged that the series of procedural moves made by Gov. Mills, Senate President Jackson, and Speaker of the House Ross…

A federal judge has declined to issue a preliminary injunction suspending enforcement of a clause in the Maine Human Rights Act that bars religious schools from receiving state funding if they discriminate on the basis of gender identity, sexual orientation, or religion. U.S. District Judge John Woodcock issued a ruling Thursday rejecting St. Dominic Academy’s request for a preliminary injunction on the grounds that the Plaintiffs “failed to present sufficient evidence” that these rules “were passed with an objective to ‘impede or constrain religion.'” “Although the Court agrees that the plaintiffs have raised significant constitutional issues, the Court denies the…

Update: The challenge filed against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s petition to appear on Maine’s presidential ballot in November was withdrawn by James Stretch, and the hearing scheduled for August 14 at 9am has been cancelled. Three challenges were filed with the Maine Secretary of State on August 8 targeting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s and Cornel West’s petitions to appear on the state’s ballot as presidential candidates this November. The one challenge against Kennedy’s petition was filed by James Stretch of Topsham, a registered Democrat who reportedly worked for President Joe Biden’s (D) campaign in 2020. West’s petition received two challenges,…

In November, Gorham residents will be asked to approve $12 million in spending for a set of three improvement projects at the town’s schools. This vote is set to occur just months after a $53 million school budget — and its accompanying 9.05 percent property tax rate increase — was passed by only two votes. [RELATED: Recount Results: $53 Million School Budget with 9.05% Property Tax Hike Approved by Two Votes] Gorham Superintendent Heather Perry explained during an Aug. 6 Town Council meeting that the district is hoping to pursue these projects now instead of continuing to “kick the can…

Established in the early 1980s, Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) programs have now become a common fixture nationwide. Despite their widespread adoption, however, IOLTA has been subject to several constitutional challenges over the years. According to the American Bar Association (ABA), IOLTA is a “method of raising money for charitable purposes, primarily the provision of civil legal services to indigent persons.” Typically, when lawyers handle large sums of money for a client — such as settlement checks or fees advanced for services not yet performed — the funds are deposited into a trust account where they earn interest for…

A section of Route 1 in Mid-Coast region was shut down Friday after a tractor trailer truck carrying a wind turbine blade to Columbia struck a railroad bridge in Stockton Springs. Reports indicate that the vehicle collided with the bridge around 5:30am on Friday, causing both the tractor and trailer to overturn, requiring officials to cordon off the area. According to the Maine State Police, the driver did not “position the vehicle far enough into the left lane to navigate the lower side of the train trestle resulting in the crash.” “The windmill blade, mounted on large brackets, struck the…

As of Friday, the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) will have the authority to order employers to pay back wages, liquidated damages, and interest to workers affected by labor law violations. Prior to this, the MDOL’s Wage and Hour Division was only able to compel an employer to pay owed wages by obtaining a judgement in court or if a settlement agreement was reached to do so. This change comes as a bill approved by lawmakers along strictly party lines and signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills (D) in April of this year went into effect Friday. [RELATED: Maine…

The Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) — which has come under scrutiny in recent months for allegedly trying to censor conservative viewpoints and having “anti-democratic views of fundamental American freedoms” — has disbanded. This comes just days after social media platform X filed a lawsuit against GARM — an initiative of The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) — accusing them of illegally colluding to “collectively withhold billions of dollars in advertising revenue” from the platform. Earlier this summer, the House Judiciary Committee released a report detailing its findings on GARM’s practices in which they cite several examples of the…

Maine has awarded nearly $6 million worth of taxpayer-funded grants to businesses and nonprofit organizations impacted by the severe storms that swept through the state this past winter. Spread across more than a hundred projects, the $5.8 million worth of grants represent the first round of distributions from the $10 million Business Recovery and Resilience Fund established as part of the most recent supplemental budget approved by lawmakers. This allocation was part of a larger $60 million spending package designed in response to this past winter’s storm damage. The remaining $50 million included under this umbrella went toward the Infrastructure…

Wells voters overwhelmingly approved an ordinance Tuesday establishing a temporary moratorium on large-scale residential developments. According to the unofficial results published by the town, 980 ballots were cast in support of the measure, representing more than 92 percent of those who turned out to the polls. The now-approved moratorium will temporarily prevent any large-scale residential development of forty-five units or more from moving forward during a 180-day period that will be deemed to have retroactively begun on April 16. The Select Board will have the option of extending this moratorium in 180-day increments, subject to a public hearing, should they…

Residents in the Oxford Hills School District (MSAD 17) have voted to reject a proposed FY25 school budget for a second time. The version of the budget considered at the ballot box Tuesday represented about a $770,000 decrease over the proposal rejected by voters in June when nearly 60 percent of those who turned out to the polls expressed opposition. Totaling $50,787,939, the revised budget represents a 5.91 percent increase over the FY24 school budget despite the inclusion of several staffing cuts across the elementary, middle, and high schools. Of the 1,299 votes cast across the eight towns which fall…

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has been awarded more than $500,000 to help improve healthcare in rural parts of the state. Awarded through the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (FLEX), this grant is designed to help Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) make “quality improvement[s]” and establish or expand emergency medical services in rural parts of the country. The CAH designation was first created in 1997 in the wake of more than four hundred rural hospital closures throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is responsible for assigning this designation to…

Maine has the seventeenth most underprivileged children nationwide with the sixth worst health, according to a recent study by WalletHub. All fifty states plus Washington D.C. were scored across several variables related to children’s well-being, including socioeconomic welfare, health, and education. Although Maine fell more towards the middle of the pack with respect to socioeconomic welfare and education — coming in twentieth and twenty-ninth respectively — children in Maine were found to be in the sixth worst conditions with respect to their health. Factored into each state’s health score were the percent of maltreated children, share of teenagers who reported…

A federal judge ruled Monday that Google has illegally maintained a monopoly over the search engine industry through anti-competitive business practices. Judge Amit P. Mehta of U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a nearly 300-page ruling Monday that struck down the tech giant’s exclusive contracts with web browsers and device manufacturers that allow it to serve as users’ default search engine as a violation of anti-trust laws. “Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” wrote Judge Mehta. This ruling reportedly marks the DOJ’s first legal victory against a monopoly power…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded Maine $147 million to construct a multi-day energy storage system in Lincoln that it says will “enhance grid resilience and optimize the delivery of renewable energy.” Located at the site of the former Lincoln Mill, this facility will be the first of its kind in New England and represents the “largest long-duration energy storage project” worldwide to date. Among the members of Maine’s Congressional delegation speaking out in support of this award are Sen. Susan Collins (R), Sen. Angus King (I), and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D); comments from Rep. Jared Golden (D)…

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has proposed a rule that would remove medical debt from most credit reports. The agency explained in a June press release that this proposition is part of a broader effort “to address the burden of medical debt and coercive credit reporting practices.” This move would prevent credit reporting companies from sharing information about an individual’s medical debts with lenders, as well as block lenders themselves from basing their decisions on such medical insight. Although Congress prohibited lenders from using such information in 2003 with the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, federal agencies went…

The Maine Secretary of State revealed Monday the final design for the proposed state flag upon which voters will be asked to decide in November. The selected design was one of more than four hundred submissions sent into the Secretary of State’s office as part of a contest hosted earlier this summer. State lawmakers passed a bill last year that — pending voter approval this November — will replaces Maine’s current flag with a version of that which was used from 1901 to 1909. The legislation eventually became law without the signature of Gov. Janet Mills (D) in January of…

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against social media platform TikTok and its Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance for allegedly violating child privacy laws. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) “prohibits website operators from knowingly collecting, using, or disclosing personal information from children under the age of 13, unless they provide notice to and obtain consent from those children’s parents.” This law also requires companies to delete children’s personal information at the request of their parents. COPPA was enacted in 1998 to “protect the safety and privacy of children online by prohibiting operators of Internet…

Mainers will be asked this November to weigh in on two referendum questions and three separate bonds with a total combined initial cost of $65 million. One of the most prominent questions on the ballot this November is a citizens’ initiative seeking to change campaign finance law in the state by limiting the value of donations made to qualifying political action committees (PACs). Residents will also be tasked with deciding if they would like Maine’s current state flag to be replaced with a version of the Pine Tree Flag that was used until 1909. This issue is on the ballot…

Sens. Angus King (I) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) have introduced legislation that would allow working waterfronts to claim a thirty percent disaster mitigation tax credit on up to $1 million in expenses. If approved, this would allow such properties to claim a deduction of as much as $300,000 in expenses related to their efforts to mitigate potential damage. The amount of this deduction would increase annually based on a cost-of-living adjustment and rounded to the nearest multiple of $10,000. Working waterfronts would only be allowed to claim this deduction once every ten years. Projects eligible for this deduction may include…

The controversial Yard South project in South Portland submitted its application to the city for a contract zone Wednesday. If approved, this would allow for the development of a “mixed-use neighborhood” with buildings as tall as thirteen stories. In South Portland, Contract Zoning allows the City Council to “impose, by agreement with the property owner or otherwise, certain conditions or restrictions not generally applicable to other properties similarly zoned” as a result of “the unusual nature or unique location of the development proposed.” Yard South developers have been working on project plans for six years and submitted their pre-application to…

Northern New England top abortion clinic operator — which covers Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont — is projecting an $8.6 million deficit over the next three years, reportedly as a result of increased demand and reduced revenue. In a press release published Thursday, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England said that they “could be forced to change how and where it offers services” as a result of this budgetary shortfall. Public filings for the most recent fiscal year showed that overall incoming revenue for the group decreased slightly from $31.8 million in FY22 to $31.7 million in FY23. During this…

Nineteen Maine children have accidentally ingested cannabis products in 2024, according to a new report from a government panel, while incidences of accidental fentanyl ingestion among youths continue to rise. The number of children inadvertently ingesting marijuana has nearly quadrupled since 2020, when retail cannabis operations were first allowed to open in the state. While there are no known cases of humans dying from ingesting cannabis, the report will add to debates about whether the labeling and safety packaging on cannabis products are sufficient to prevent children from accidentally and inadvertently accessing them. The Maine Child Death & Serious Injury…

A special report released Tuesday by the FBI examined the number of drug offenses in connection with human trafficking incidents as compared to the number of human trafficking incidents that occur per year. Since 2013, the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program has been collecting data on human trafficking through the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and the Summary Reporting System (SRS). Only data collected through NIBRS, however, was used in this report, as this system allows for additional offenses to be reported in connection to an incident, “creating more detail-rich data.” It is explained by the FBI that the…

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D) has co-sponsored a bill introducing a Constitutional amendment that would reverse the Supreme Court’s recent decision regarding presidential immunity. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 opinion that presidents are entitled to complete immunity from criminal prosecution for any exercise of their “core constitutional powers” and presumptive immunity for any remaining official actions. The Justices also declared, however, that presidents do not enjoy immunity for “unofficial acts.” Dissenting were Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson. In addition to joining the opinion authored by Justice Sotomayor, Justice Jackson also filed…

President Joe Biden (D) has called for major changes to the United States Supreme Court, including the imposition of term limits on Justices and the adoption of an official code of conduct. Under the proposal advanced by President Biden on Monday, Justices would be permitted to serve just 18 years on the bench, allowing presidents to appoint a new Justice every two years. Biden has also now endorsed creating a “binding code of conduct” for Supreme Court Justices, calling the move “common sense.” Last November, the Court independently decided to adopt its own formal code of conduct in an effort…

A law requiring that all American flags purchased by the federal government be manufactured entirely in the United States was sent to the White House Thursday for final approval. Sponsored by Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) and co-sponsored by Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Joe Manchin (I-WV), and Gary Peters (D-MI), this bipartisan legislation was approved with Unanimous Consent in the Senate and by a voice vote in the House. Titled the “All-American Flag Act,” this law would require the government to buy only flags that have been fully produced domestically using only materials that have been sourced from within the United…

The public comment period for a set of rules proposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has now closed after the agency authorized several extensions in response to “numerous requests from the public.” As currently written, these rules are expected to have a detrimental impact on Maine’s rural volunteer fire departments due to the estimated cost of compliance and substantially increased training requirements. It was noted by many of those from Maine who offered comment on these rules that volunteer fire departments are already struggling with recruitment and the “overnight” increase in “education, training, and assessment requirements” would…

Gov. Janet Mills (D), alongside several members of the federal government, announced Friday that Maine has been awarded a $69 million “climate resilience grant” designed to “protect Maine’s communities, environment, and working waterfronts from extreme storms, flooding, and rising sea levels.” With this grant, the state government intends to expand the Community Resilience Partnership, support the Maine Infrastructure Adaptation Fund, and establish a “resiliency office” within the state government to lead “cross-agency efforts to enhance climate resilience across the state, especially in communities with significant climate vulnerabilities impacting residents, infrastructure, and the environment.” With the funds distributed to the Community…

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced Friday that Maine will be receiving a total of $4.3 million in federal funding to make “clean energy investments,” primarily in the form of solar panels. Comprising this funding are more than forty separate grants to businesses and one nearly $2 million loan to West Gardiner SPV for a ground-mounted solar project. These awards come through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. According to the United States Department of Energy (DOE), the Inflation Reduction Act made “the single largest investment in climate and energy…

Vice President Kamala Harris (D) currently holds a sizable lead over former President Donald Trump (R) in Maine, according to the Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project, conducted by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Survey Center. This poll also revealed partisan divides over whether or not President Joe Biden (D) should finish the remainder of his term in office, as well as the perceived ability of the FBI to conduct a thorough investigation of the attempted assassination of former President Trump. Mainers appear to be united, however, with respect to their concern over the potential for…

The Town of Cape Elizabeth is now considering two separate proposals aimed at addressing the aging buildings that currently house their public schools. Earlier this summer, the School Board unanimously approved an $89.9 million “Middle Ground School Project Design” following two years of deliberation by the School Building Advisory Committee (SBAC). This proposal includes plans for a new middle school, as well as a number of essential upgrades to the elementary and high schools. Just prior to this endorsement, members of the public had “overwhelmingly” expressed support for the proposal during a public forum. “This compromise is the culmination of…