All posts tagged "Commentary"

Education Savings Accounts Provide Families More Schooling Options Amid COVID-19

During periods of crisis, some of the most innovative solutions to problems have...

Coronavirus, Governor Mills, and the Constitution

Governors and bureaucrats are picking and choosing which parts of the Constitution they...

What Maine residents should expect on Election Day

On Monday, June 15, Governor Mills’ office released guidelines for town meetings and...

Experts in apocalyptic harmony

In mid-May, I spent almost 15 hours over two days in a Zoom...

Will Maine’s DOE overstep its authority in coordinating school reopenings?

On June 11, Maine’s Department of Education (DOE) released a working draft listing...

Maine must open now

Our Governor assumed full control of our state economy in the face of the coronavirus. The Governor’s stated...

Governor Mills delays indoor service for bars across the state

On Monday, Governor Janet Mills announced that she will not allow bars to...

BIW’s largest union rejects contract, goes on strike

On Sunday evening, members of Local S6 voted to reject Bath Iron Works’...

Shutdown Stories: Maine Indoor Karting

In November 2003, Maine Indoor Karting (MIK) opened its doors, becoming the first...

Governor Mills accelerates business reopenings across the state

On Monday, Governor Janet Mills announced that restaurants in Androscoggin, Cumberland, and York...

Maine GOP collects enough signatures to advance people’s veto on ranked-choice voting

The Maine Republican Party says it has collected enough signatures to challenge a...

Leisure and hospitality sector suffering most among struggling Maine industries

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the website MoneyGeek has been analyzing unemployment...

Auburn, Windham pass resolutions supporting the reopening of local businesses

On Thursday, June 11, the Windham Town Council voted 5-2 to pass a...

Pressure mounts on Speaker Gideon, President Jackson to reconvene the Maine Legislature

The Maine Legislature may soon reconvene three months after lawmakers adjourned the 2020...

Hotelier criticizes Governor Mills’ testing alternative

Mark Walsh, Vice President of Ocean Properties, criticized Governor Janet Mills’ and her...

Improving mental health care in Maine could save taxpayer dollars

Within the state of Maine, an ongoing mental health crisis persists even in...

Freeport restaurant owner gets license suspended after opening for indoor dining

Dominic Petrillo, owner of Petrillo’s restaurant in Freeport, got his license temporarily suspended...

Gov. Mills’ alternative to quarantine requirement criticized by tourism and hospitality groups

On Monday, Governor Janet Mills announced an alternative to the 14 day quarantine...

Lawmakers express bipartisan frustration over labor commissioner’s absence

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle voiced frustration last Thursday after Department...

Bars and breweries in Portland change licenses to circumvent state restrictions

Four businesses in Portland––Novare Res, Sagamore Hill Lounge, Tomaso’s Canteen, and Rising Tide...

Councilor Ben Hartwell: ‘I had to do something’

A few weeks ago, I read about the City of Calais declaring all...

Hotels in Maine urge Governor Mills to lift 14-day quarantine for out-of-staters

More than 30 hotels in Maine are asking Governor Janet Mills to remove...

Governor Mills denies Democrats’ request for a COVID-19 response task force

On Friday, Governor Janet Mills released her response to requests from Speaker of...

Governor Mills and selective science

This piece was originally published in the Portland Press Herald Businesses throughout Maine...

Gorham approves resolution to make town open for business

The Gorham town council voted 6-1 Tuesday evening to pass a resolution calling...

Time is running out

Time is running out. Time is running out for the segment of our...

Maine Brewers Guild urges Gov. Mills to relax reopening rules

On Tuesday, Scott Sullivan, head of the Maine Brewers Guild, a nonprofit trade...

Shutdown Stories: Yankee Lanes

On March 17, Nelson Moody, owner of Yankee Lanes bowling alley in Brunswick,...

The governor is shifting COVID-19 costs to counties

On May 15, Governor Mills issued an executive order delegating authority to the Commissioner of...

As election season approaches, beware of the ‘b-word’

Today’s political climate is exceptionally partisan and overly sensationalized. It’s that way on...

The governor shouldn’t be acting alone

Maine citizens are becoming increasingly divided. It didn’t have to be this way....

‘How is this constitutional?’ Understanding the limits of emergency executive power

On Thursday, May 14, Maine Policy Institute hosted an online panel discussion with...

Bipartisan pair of lawmakers call for a more expansive rural reopening

A bipartisan pair of lawmakers representing rural towns in Androscoggin and Cumberland counties...

Shutdown Stories: Live Well Farm

Patty and Scott Ruppert own Live Well Farm, a destination wedding venue in...

New legislative proposal would curb emergency powers of Maine’s chief executive

In a press statement released late Monday afternoon, House Minority Leader Rep. Kathleen...

Modest meat reforms would help Americans stay fed during the pandemic

Recent stories of farmers euthanizing livestock and dumping milk have startled many Americans,...

Tourism and hospitality groups urge Gov. Mills to nix quarantine restriction, reopen Maine’s economy

Seven groups representing different facets of Maine’s tourism and hospitality industry sent an...

Government response to the pandemic makes matters worse in Maine

The COVID-19 crisis feeds into the progressive belief that a crisis is an...

How similar are the recovery plans in Maine and New Hampshire?

Last Friday, Maine Governor Janet Mills released a revision to her phased reopening...

Gov. Mills announces changes to her plan to reopen Maine

Governor Janet Mills announced changes to her plan to reopen Maine’s economy Friday...

For how long will Maine be under a civil state of emergency?

On March 15, Maine Governor Janet Mills declared a civil state of emergency enabling her...

Governor Mills signals changes are coming to her plan to reopen Maine’s economy

Governor Janet Mills alluded to forthcoming changes to her plan to reopen Maine’s...

Our rights do not disappear in times of emergency

We all knew it was probably inevitable, but it is here, finally –...

The Legislature must reconvene to rein in the governor’s emergency powers

On Saturday evening, the Republican leaders in the House and Senate, with the...

Governor Mills’ ‘solution’ is worse than the problem

Like most Mainers, I deferred to the scientists and health experts when the...

There’s no justification for centralized and dictatorial government

I’m not a doctor but I played one in real life. I served...

Gov. Mills’ multi-phase ‘recovery’ plan is a blueprint for a prolonged economic depression

Governor Mills unveiled her multi-phase plan for slowly reopening the Maine economy on...

Auburn mayor Jason Levesque asks Gov. Mills to lift statewide stay at home order

Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque sent Maine Governor Janet Mills a letter Tuesday requesting...

A plan for reopening Maine’s economy

Maine Policy Institute on Monday sent to Governor Janet Mills a list of...

Frivolous spending leaves Maine ill-equipped to weather economic slowdown

Unnecessary spending in Governor Janet Mills’ biennial budget, approved by Maine lawmakers in...

Defeating COVID-19: Lessons from the business of complex warfare systems

The Coronavirus pandemic has us engaged in “warfare” whether we wanted it or...

Open letter to Gov. Mills: It’s time to reopen Maine

Dear Governor Mills, Many Mainers are facing desperate times. I would like to...

Lawsuit aims to halt people’s veto effort to repeal ranked-choice voting in presidential elections

The Committee on Ranked Choice Voting, one of the primary proponents of the...

Governor Mills issues order to stop evictions, foreclosures during coronavirus shutdown

Maine Governor Janet Mills signed an executive order Thursday that effectively prevents the...

Four new deaths, 770 confirmed cases of coronavirus statewide

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting Wednesday an additional...

Governor Mills extends Maine’s civil emergency order to May 15

Governor Janet Mills announced Tuesday she signed a proclamation extending until May 15...

Sharp increase in Maine coronavirus cases attributed to outbreaks at long-term care facilities

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting 698 confirmed cases...

Homeschooling experts highlight the varied paths to gaining an education

On Thursday, April 9, Maine Policy Institute hosted a panel of veteran homeschoolers...

One new coronavirus death reported in Maine as number of confirmed cases grows to 586

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting 586 confirmed cases...

Maine CDC reports two more COVID-19 deaths, 560 confirmed cases statewide

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 reached 560 and two more Mainers...

COVID-19 claims two more lives, 537 confirmed infections statewide

Two more Mainers passed away overnight as a result of COVID-19 according to...

Nearly 500 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Maine

The number of coronavirus vases in Maine has grown to 499 according to...

Homeschooling in a crisis? We can help.

A few short weeks ago, could you have imagined what you’d be doing...

Two more Mainers die as number of coronavirus cases reaches 344

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Maine jumped by 41 overnight to...

Governor Mills issues statewide ‘stay at home’ order

Governor Janet Mills issued a stay at home order for the State of...

‘Uncertainty may be the new norm’ in Maine as confirmed cases of coronavirus jumps to 303

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Maine has jumped to 303...

Coronavirus spreads to 12 of 16 Maine counties, 275 confirmed cases statewide

Maine recorded its second and third deaths caused by the coronavirus over the...

Maine vehicle inspection expirations extended for the duration of state of emergency

Governor Janet Mills issued an executive order last week that indefinitely extends expiration...

Governor Mills extends state tax filing deadline, deems firearm retailers ‘non-essential’ businesses

Governor Janet Mills announced Thursday she is extending the state of Maine’s income...

New documentary ‘America Lost’ explores America’s forgotten cities

With recent reports of staggering numbers of new U.S. unemployment claims–including over 21,000...

Governor Mills takes emergency action on medical licensing, telehealth

Governor Janet Mills issued an executive order today that eases occupational licensing rules...

Gov. Mills issues new mandate for nonessential businesses to close for two weeks

Maine Governor Janet Mills and Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center...

A Colorado election clerk’s perspective on using RCV in his state’s elections

Throughout the country, including here in Colorado, special interests are promoting new voting...

Maine’s certificate of need law could hinder the state’s COVID-19 response efforts

As policymakers and public health officials at the local, state and federal levels...

Letter offers recommendations to assist Governor Mills in Maine’s COVID-19 response efforts

Maine Policy Institute sent a letter to Governor Janet Mills today thanking her...

Maine Legislature acts on COVID-19, gives Gov. Mills broad authority to respond

The Maine Legislature adjourned Tuesday evening after a marathon session where the body...

Proposed expansion of the Prescription Monitoring Program violates patients’ rights

I am gravely concerned about provisions in LD 2117 which would mandate that...

Early adjournment could stop bill seeking to expand welfare eligibility

The announcement of an early conclusion to Maine’s legislative session amid public health...

Maine Legislature to adjourn Tuesday due to coronavirus

The Maine Legislature will prematurely adjourn Tuesday in response to the coronavirus, Maine’s...

Congress should seek a real solution to surprise medical billing

Like many average Americans, health care and its costs are a significant issue....

The left is making big push to raise taxes on hardworking Mainers

Maine Rep. Benjamin Collings of Portland held a press conference last week to...

The Maine Heritage Policy Center changes name to Maine Policy Institute

The Maine Heritage Policy Center announced Monday it is changing its name to...

Cartoon: TCI Gas Tax

SEIU pledges $150 million to defeat President Trump in 2020

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s Janus decision in June of 2018,...

Portland tries to prevent signature gathering for RCV veto on Super Tuesday

The City of Portland – Maine’s most liberal municipality – tried to prevent...

Proposed bill would boost salaries of Maine’s governor, lawmakers and judges

Lawmakers on Maine’s State and Local Government Committee held a public hearing Monday...

Proposed bill would fleece taxpayers to please public unions

Lawmakers on Maine’s Labor and Housing Committee will hold work a work session...

Focus shifts to Governor Mills on TCI gas tax

The pressure is on Janet Mills as the public comment period on the...

Lawmakers exploring a $23 million ‘pack tax’

On Wednesday, lawmakers on Maine’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee held a public...

Public control isn’t the answer to concerns about Maine’s power utilities

This item was originally published in the Portland Press Herald. Maine consumers –...

Lawmakers looking to nickel and dime Mainers with a local option sales tax

Lawmakers on Maine’s Taxation Committee will hold a work session Thursday to debate...

New report highlights the downfalls of establishing a state-owned utility

A recent report by London Economics International (LEI), a Boston-based financial advisory firm...

Lawmakers wasting time on cage-free egg bill

Maine has a $232 million annual transportation funding shortfall. Nursing homes that care...

Whoops, we forgot to fix the roads

A little over one year into her tenure as governor, Janet Mills is...

Maine wants to tax your streaming subscription

Lawmakers on Maine’s Taxation Committee will hold a work session Tuesday to debate...

Clean energy bill would replicate Blaine House solar project blunder

This session, lawmakers on Maine’s Energy, Utility and Technology Committee is considering LD...

Bill establishing automatic, continuous absentee voter status reeks of fraud

Lawmakers on Maine’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee held a public hearing Wednesday...

Ranked-choice voting in Alaska: RCV fails to deliver on its promises to voters

This op-ed was originally published in the Anchorage Daily News on February 9, 2020. In...

Maine unions want to set education policy at your school

Who should be in charge of local education policy? Should it be parents...

Briefs filed in Maine workplace freedom case

Twenty-two public policy organizations filed amicus briefs last week urging the U.S. Supreme...