MINOT — Selectmen Monday made their formal recommendations on warrant articles for March’s annual town meeting. On March 3, townspeople will be voting on requests from town departments that total about $1,363,000. While selectmen advocated approval of most of the funding requests, they are recommending against a request from the town Conservation Committee to resurface […]
budget
Posted inOp-Eds
My wish list for Maine in 2012
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Politician… I have decided to write to you today so I could convey my wish list for the New Year and a message with the hopes that you will listen to what I have to say. You see, for many years I have been working very hard, most times more than […]
advertisement
Posted inOur View
Stop-smoking programs pay quick dividends
We’ve always known that smoking cessation programs pay their way, but the benefits were always thought to come slowly and over time. Still, employers, insurers and government agencies have all pushed cessation as a way to eventually save money. But a new study says there is only one thing wrong about this assumption: The savings […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
USPS proposal to close Maine sorting center panned
BREWER, Maine (AP) — Opponents are speaking out against a U.S. Postal Service proposal to close a mail processing center in central Maine and merge it with one 130 miles away. The Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce said Wednesday that closing the processing center in Hampden and consolidating it with one in Scarborough would slow […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Poland selectmen hope school bill will pass
POLAND — Town officials are pleased with the wording of proposed legislation intended to improve the process for approving school budgets. LD 1668, whose prime sponsor is state Sen. Lois Snowe-Mello, seeks to prevent the sort of brouhaha that erupted last summer when Poland selectmen refused to pay the town’s July bill from Regional School […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine DEP: Mercury take-back programs are costly
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is encouraging the Legislature to take a closer look at the cost of so-called take-back programs aimed at ensuring proper disposal of mercury-containing compact fluorescent lights, batteries and electronic waste. The DEP says it has cost more than $2.5 million over the last decade to […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage in Aroostook for Maine budget workshop
FORT KENT, Maine (AP) — Maine Gov. Paul LePage is in Aroostook County to attend a public workshop on his supplemental state budget proposal, which includes major cuts in Medicaid. Tuesday’s workshop in Fort Kent, plus two others this week in Houlton and Presque Isle, are organized by the Aroostook Area Agency on Aging. LePage […]
Posted inFranklin, The Franklin Journal
Unorganized territory budget passes, up nearly $41,000
FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted unanimously Dec. 20 to approve a $1 million budget to cover the unorganized territory in Franklin County from July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013. The budget is $40,702 more than this year’s. After anticipated revenues of $160,680 are factored in, the tax assessment comes to $839,845. The budget […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
A decade later: The city, Somalis and spending
LEWISTON — Much has been made about Somali reliance on public assistance over the years. Since 2001, the larger community has struggled with questions concerning the city’s ability and desire to support recently arrived immigrants. Discussion at the first major public meeting held to discuss the swelling Somali population, in the Lewiston Armory on May […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage says Maine’s welfare numbers are bloated
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — There are more Mainers receiving welfare benefits than there are income tax filers paying taxes, Republican Gov. Paul LePage said Saturday. But Democrats said LePage’s numbers are deceptive and not entirely truthful. In reiterating his call for the need to cut human services programs to save money, the governor said in […]