Inside Augusta
-
Lawmakers squander opportunity to ease vehicle inspection requirements
In 1994, Maine rolled out the United States Emissions Test, a program that...
-
Don’t fall for the seasonal gas tax gimmick
Roads across Maine are in rough shape this time of year, and a...
-
Able-bodied adults should work to receive Medicaid benefits
Lawmakers on the Health and Human Services Committee yesterday held a public hearing...
-
Maine Open Checkbook should be more transparent
In 2013, former Maine Gov. Paul LePage established the Maine Open Checkbook website...
-
Vehicle inspections do not make our roads safer
Lawmakers on the Transportation Committee today will hold a public hearing on LD...
-
Home sharing should never be a crime in Maine
Maine’s Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government today is holding a...
-
It didn’t take long for tax increases to be proposed in Augusta
It was only a matter of time, right? In a piece that read...
-
New analysis shows there are 113,862 regulatory restrictions on the books in Maine
The 2018 Code of Maine Rules is home to 113,862 restrictions and 8.1...
-
Why must new vehicles be inspected?
Vehicles are far safer and more reliable than they were nearly a century...
-
What issues will Maine lawmakers debate in 2019?
At the start every new legislature, Maine’s Office of the Revisor of Statutes...
-
Medicaid expansion is here. Now what?
For the second time in 17 years, Maine has expanded Medicaid. Governor Mills...
-
The Legislature fails to make our elderly a priority
Legislative leaders caved to the Maine Municipal Association and watered down my bill....
-
Question 1’s new surtax would be detrimental to Maine’s economy
This commentary was originally published in the Bangor Daily News. The state economist recently...
-
The legislature has one last shot to get things done
Here we are in August. It’s the dog days of summer, and the...
-
Where have the state employee unions been when it mattered?
Last week I spoke to you about the reforms we are proposing for...
-
Liberals are holding tax conformity hostage to fund their elections with taxpayer dollars
It’s summer in Maine. We should be enjoying it. Instead, at the State...
-
Let’s work together and do the right thing for our seniors
Over the last seven and a half years, the Legislature and I have...
-
The Legislature is coming into special session to take the easy way out
A year ago, House Republicans shut down state government to make sure bad...
-
‘Reprehensible partisan behavior’ paralyzed the Maine House
Have you ever wondered what government officials do all day? I am going...
-
Speaker Gideon kills good legislation that would benefit the Maine people
The Maine people elect legislators to represent them in Augusta. They expect these...
-
Adjournment fiasco underscores dysfunctional legislative session
The clock struck midnight, but what did that mean? The second regular session...
-
Gun confiscation orders will make Maine less safe
Ever since Cain slew Abel with a rock, human society has struggled with...
-
Will Mainers get the chance to weigh in on Universal Home Care?
If you were pushing one of the largest tax hikes in history on Maine citizens,...
-
Do the right thing with Downeast Correctional Facility
As Governor, it’s my responsibility to make the tough decisions. The upcoming closure...
-
Democrats play politics with our elderly homeowners
I have been working hard to protect our elderly Mainers and to help...
-
Maine should resist taxing the ‘sharing economy’
The sharing economy, including platforms like Lyft, Uber and Airbnb, present new and...
-
Maine businesses struggle under minimum wage law
Advocates claim that by raising the minimum wage, hard-working Mainers working in these...
-
Emergency bill brings common sense reform to in-home care services
One of the few bills making it through Legislative Council this session that...
-
A Christmas message from Governor LePage
At this time of year, we gather with loved ones to celebrate Christmas,...
-
Legislature did not thwart voters’ will with changes to referendum bills
Perhaps the most inaccurate narrative being pushed by lobbyists and special-interest groups in...
-
We must not be fiscally irresponsible in implementing Medicaid expansion
It took a lot of work to balance Maine’s budget, bring fiscal responsibility...
-
Legislature votes to delay and potentially repeal ranked-choice voting
The Maine Legislature voted on Monday to delay the implementation of ranked-choice voting...
-
Maine’s ranked-choice voting law still needs 16 amendments for proper implementation
For those who attended or streamed the public hearing for LD 1646, “An...
-
Taxpayers should not pay to give ‘free’ healthcare for able-bodied adults
Special-interest groups are using the ballot box to push initiatives that are bad...
-
Pair of high-profile Republican lawmakers eyeing gubernatorial bid
Two leading conservative lawmakers, Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason of Lisbon and House...
-
Now is the time to invest in Maine’s future
After years of fixing Maine’s balance sheet, now is the time to make...
-
Mainers deserve better than rushed budget deals
Where is the accountability in Augusta? Lawmakers agreed on Tuesday to establish a...
-
Turnpike tolls are not the answer to better roads and bridges
Our administration has done a good job bringing accountability to the Maine Turnpike...
-
House Democrats are afraid of the truth
Policy creation should always be rooted in factual information and statistics. This is...
-
‘Opportunity Agenda’ rapidly expands government with your tax dollars
Interesting how the Democrats’ “Opportunity Agenda” converges with the British Labour Party’s recently leaked...
-
Let’s Fix Questions 2 and 4 for Working, Taxpaying Mainers
It’s a busy and important day for conservatives in Augusta, where the Labor,...
-
Sick of Inspection Stickers?
Are you tired of being forced to have your car inspected every year?...
-
LePage Files Lawsuit Against Attorney General Janet Mills
Gov. Paul LePage announced late Monday he has filed a lawsuit in Kennebec...
-
Nobody in Maine Asked Angus King for a Lecture on Bipartisanship
I hate it when partisan hacks stink up my Sunday morning news programs....
-
Let’s End the National Nightmare of ObamaCare
Let’s set the record straight on a lot of the propaganda you are...
-
Empty Analysis and Flawed Statistics: MPA Struggling to Grasp Impact of Question 2
He strikes again. Mike Tipping, the communications director of the Maine People’s Alliance...
-
Welfare Funds Should Stay in Maine
Maine needs to enact common sense reforms of its welfare system. The public...
-
Regional Services Can Improve Funding for Education
Democrats say they want to reduce property taxes. But they don’t have the...
-
LePage Offers Real Solution to Combat Rising School Costs
While liberals ridicule Gov. Paul LePage’s stance on school regionalization, the real issues...
-
Ethics Official ‘Disappointed’ in AFL-CIO’s Decision to Hire Goode as Lobbyist
“Consulting” with the Maine Ethics Commission prior to engaging in unethical behavior does...
-
Legislature to Consider Removing Cap on Maine’s Charter Schools
There’s nothing more enjoyable as a constituent than seeing your elected officials keep...
-
Democrats’ Budget Is One Page of Talking Points
Democrat politicians in Augusta will take every opportunity to spend more of your...
-
Brakey Introduces Bill to Keep Unconstitutional Measures Off Maine Ballots
After facing a number of referendums last November with questionable constitutionality, one state...
-
Why REAL ID is ‘Dangerous ID’
In a heated legislative session where many important issues divide us, there is...
-
Liberal Media Downplays Support at Tip Credit Hearing
I was in awe Wednesday morning. Just after 8 a.m., the halls of...
-
Legislators Must Enact Welfare Reform for Future Prosperity
Over the past six years, welfare reform has been at the forefront of...
-
The MPA Is in Denial About the Tip Credit
The Maine People’s Alliance (MPA) is looking more like a gaggle of used...
-
Former Democratic Lawmaker Accused of Violating Ethics Law
Potential ethics violations are piling up for Democrats in Augusta. Earlier this week,...
-
LePage, DHHS Call for Strict Welfare Reforms
Gov. Paul LePage and Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew...
-
The Fallout of Question 2: Increased Taxes for All
Those who read the first half of my take on the aftermath of...
-
Say Goodbye to Maine’s Job Creators
The debate around the destructive 3 percent surtax on Maine’s individual income has...
-
Maine Can Fund Education Without Taxing High Earners Out of the State
We are going to miss Matt Gilman. Chances are you don’t know him,...
-
Question 2 is Already Damaging Maine’s Economy
There’s been a lot of talk in Augusta lately about the implications of...
-
Market Must Drive Energy Costs, Not Handouts
Protecting our natural resources is a priority. It is also a priority for...
-
Speaker Gideon Threatens House Republicans Over Tipping Scandal
Nearly two weeks after nixing a House Ethics Committee review of Rep. Ryan...
-
Tipping Remains Co-Chair as Tax Committee Considers Modifying Question 2
Despite recent controversy surrounding its House Chair, the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation...
-
Maine Citizens Seek to Restore Tip Credit
The Maine People’s Alliance is the state’s lone defender of a provision in...
-
Time to Do Away With Inspection Stickers
Tired of being forced to have your car inspected every year? Do you...
-
Bad Tax Policy Forces Maine Families to Flee to Other States
As your Governor, I want all Mainers to prosper. Providing opportunities for people...
-
Ethics Commision Debunks House Dems’ Defense of Ethics Scandal
If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. Someone should relay this...
-
LePage Sends Blistering Letter to Paul Ryan
Since the release of the House Republican “plan” for repealing Obamacare, conservative reaction...
-
Take Action Today: Prohibit Taxpayer Funding of Governors’ Campaigns
On February 17th, The Maine Heritage Policy Center testified in favor of LD...
-
Sen. Ron Collins: ‘No More Parties at Taxypayer’s Expense’
Despite mild political turbulence in Augusta early this session, a Republican State Senator...
-
Effort to Expand Medicaid at the Ballot Box is Bad for Maine
They’re at it again. Having repeatedly failed to achieve Medicaid expansion through the...
-
PUC decision confirms ratepayers pay twice
Our electricity rates are far above the national average—Maine has moved up from...
-
LePage: Union lobbyist Ryan Tipping should resign his House seat
Union lobbyist Ryan Tipping should resign his House seat. Legislators who line their...
-
Legislature Considering Changes to “Clean” Election Law
Under Maine Clean Elections Act, outside money continues to pour into the system...
-
Democratic Taxation Committee Chair Paid $9,000 By Group Backing Question 2
AUGUSTA – The Maine Republican Party today is exposing a financial connection between...
-
Stand up for Free Speech at USM
Are you as concerned as I am about campus leftists shutting down debate...
-
Maine DHHS Uncovers $1.7 Million in Welfare Fraud
Few things are more enjoyable than watching liberals eat their talking points. Prior...
-
Marijuana Bill Reveals Politics at its Worst
While politicians were scrambling to pass a moratorium on marijuana legalization, their credibility...
-
Experts recognize that lowering taxes would make Maine more competitive
Legislators may not understand how taxes work, but experts recognize the tax reforms...
-
-
A Constitutional Opportunity to Undo Economic Damage
Maine voters – by a margin of less than 1 percent – approved...
-
The Story You Will Not Hear in the Media about the Budget
In 2002 when Governor Angus King left office the State was seeing red—big...
-
Madame Speaker Shuts Down Debate on School Choice
If it weren’t for double standards, Speaker of the House Sara Gideon (D-Freeport)...
-
Gov. LePage Offers Common Sense Reform of Maine Public Schools
For those concerned about the education of Maine’s youth, Gov. Paul LePage has...
-
Isgro: 5 Reasons Taxpayers Love LePage’s Budget Proposal
Gov. Paul LePage’s biennial budget has been released for only a matter of...
-
Gov. LePage Releases Biennial Budget Proposal
Gov. Paul LePage released his $6.8 billion biennial budget proposal Friday, which calls...
-
We Must Support Innovative Approaches to Delivering Education in Maine
If we want to put more money in our classrooms, we need a...
-
Honor the Will of the People, But Do No Harm
As we look forward to the New Year, we think of those who...
-
Eliminating the Individual Income Tax Can Alleviate Municipal Budget Woes
Every two years, the citizens of Maine get to sit back and watch...
-
Despite Democrats’ Roadblock, Mental Health Unit Will Be Built
Sometimes when you hit a road block, you have to find a detour....
-
Maine’s Citizens’ Initiative Process in Need of Reform
The citizens’ initiative is a procedural piece of legislation invented by progressives to...
-
Respect the Will of the Voters, But Do No Harm
When I swore in the 128th Legislature this week, I urged them to...
-
Stopping the Backroom Energy Deals in Augusta
Since 2010, average residential New England electric rates have increased by 20 percent....
-
Maine’s economic future looks bleak after passage of Questions 2 & 4
The recounts for Questions 1 and 2 are almost ready to begin, but...
