All posts tagged "Opinion"

Shutdown Stories: Maine Indoor Karting

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

Maine lawmakers should advance policies that will kickstart economic recovery

To state the obvious, Maine’s economy is in trouble. The 14 day quarantine...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 shouldn’t be acting alone

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

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...

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

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Gov. Mills announces plan to open two alternative care sites, floats postponement of June primary election

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Maine grew by 20 overnight 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...

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...

Cartoon: TCI Gas Tax

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...

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...

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...

The nanny state wants to take away your vape

Lawmakers on Maine’s Health and Human Services Committee held a public hearing Wednesday...

Campaign launched to repeal ranked-choice voting for presidential elections

On Tuesday, February 4, the Maine Republican Party announced they are launching a...

After massive spending increase in biennial budget, Governor Mills wants more

Governor Janet Mills released a supplemental budget proposal Monday that calls for $127...

Federal anti-smoking bill would infantilize adults

Just over a month ago, Washington policymakers worked across party lines to raise...

Maine’s high court strikes down warrantless blood tests

On Tuesday, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court struck down a law requiring police...

Bill seeks to limit Mainers’ free speech within 60 days of an election

Maine’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee is holding a public hearing Wednesday on...

Gov. Mills attempts to appease critics, stretches the truth in first State of the State address

Maine Gov. Janet Mills delivered her first State of the State address Tuesday...

Regional coalition pushes back on regional gas tax hike

Organizations representing each New England state convened in Boston last week to voice...

Southern Maine lawmakers want to build a taxpayer-funded convention center in Portland

The Maine Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee is holding a public hearing...

Liberal lawmakers propose creating new commission to propose ‘fair’ and ‘equitable’ tax increases

Members of the Maine Legislature’s taxation committee will hold a public hearing Tuesday...

Are Maine’s clean energy policies working?

The Big Picture Since 2005 Maine’s carbon dioxide emissions have fallen 41 percent,...

Pay attention to looming gas tax increase

Progressive lawmakers are in pursuit of an ever-expanding state government in Augusta. Their...

Governors, elected officials across New England lining up to oppose the TCI

The Transportation and Climate Initiative, a regional coalition of 12 states and Washington...

Maine professor suing faculty union appeals his case to the Supreme Court

Jonathan Reisman, an associate professor of economics and public policy at the University...

Minimum wage and overtime changes come with unintended consequences

On January 1, the state’s minimum wage and overtime exemption thresholds increased by...

The new year brings changes to state and local laws

In addition to resolutions, 2020 brings new changes to state and local laws....

Gas tax coming, and it won’t be used to repair highways

Gasoline taxes may rise 17 cents a gallon and go up from there...

Age to purchase tobacco products rises from 18 to 21 nationwide

In December, President Trump signed a $1.4 trillion spending package that included a...

Understanding Governor Mills’ 10-year economic plan

Governor Janet Mills earlier this month released her 10-Year Economic Development Strategy for the state,...

Cartoon: The TCI is a T-A-X

Cartoon by Eric Allie

TCI would raise gas prices by up to 17 cents per gallon, do little to curb emissions

The Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI), a regional collaboration of 12 Northeast and...

TCI policy design would punish Mainers with new gas tax

The Transportation and Climate Initiative on Tuesday released a draft Memorandum of Understanding...

Plan for universal health care in Maine calls for massive tax increases

The 129th Maine Legislature’s Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee met Monday...

Like others that preceded it, Governor Mills’ economic plan will be a bust

Governor Mills on Wednesday released her 10-year economic development plan for Maine, the...

Leg Council rejects crucial workforce development bill, denies public employees their First Amendment rights

The majority members of Maine’s Legislative Council voted Friday to kill along party...

Public unions want more special favors from Maine lawmakers

On October 23, Maine’s Legislative Council voted to advance LR 3100, a legislative...

How to fix Maine’s transportation funding shortfall

In June, Gov. Janet Mills signed LD 945, a resolve that created the Blue...

A local option sales tax would not help the average Maine town or taxpayer

The Maine Heritage Policy Center on Monday released a new policy brief, “A...

Is it feasible to provide a universal basic income in Maine?

Earlier this year the legislature passed LD 1324, a bill that creates an 11-person...

Video: Understanding the Transportation & Climate Initiative

Governor Janet Mills is considering entering Maine into the Transportation & Climate Initiative,...

Ratepayers will suffer if state government forcibly consumes the assets of CMP and Emera Maine

During the First Session of the 129th Legislature, Rep. Seth Berry introduced LD 1646,...

Maine should end the practice of home equity theft

In Maine and 12 other states, local governments have the ability to steal...