AUGUSTA — The chancellor of the University of Maine System is calling on lawmakers to support increased funding for its schools in Gov. Paul LePage’s budget. Chancellor James Page addressed a joint session of the Legislature on Tuesday. He says that LePage is proposing the biggest new investment that the system has seen in years. […]
budget
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Bins win as Auburn looks to new recycling service; paid bags out
AUBURN — City councilors will see plans to purchase new trash and recycling bins, and return to weekly recycling collections in their spring budget discussions. Councilors heard a report at their workshop meeting Tuesday from a solid waste subcommittee on options for replacing the current twice-monthly collections. The group recommended switching to an automatic system […]
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Posted inRiver Valley
Roxbury residents approve $58,650 of engineering work at annual town meeting
ROXBURY — Residents voted Monday evening to allow the town to raise and appropriate $58,650 in engineering work. The money is for a new salt and sand shed, $16,400; a new retaining wall at Ellis Pond, $6,650; a new bridge on Main Street, $19,000; and dry hydrants, $16,600. Several residents voiced dissatisfaction with how much money […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Debate heats up over proposed cuts to Fund for Healthy Maine
AUGUSTA — Advocates and health care providers said Monday that Gov. Paul LePage’s plan to divert money from a fund that supports community anti-smoking programs in order to maintain Medicaid reimbursements for primary care physicians is the wrong approach. The Republican’s proposed budget would cut $10 million a year from the Fund for Healthy Maine, […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Increased sales tax proposal draws opposition
AUGUSTA — Republican Gov. Paul LePage is coming under fire for his attempt to raise and broaden the sales tax to help pay for his income tax cut. LePage wants to raise the sales tax — currently 5.5 percent — one percentage point and expand it to include things like legal and accounting services. Tickets […]
Posted inFranklin
Jay panels to begin review of proposed $5.59 million budget
JAY — Selectpersons and the Budget Committee will review a proposed $5.59 million budget Tuesday, Feb. 24, and Wednesday, Feb. 25. The meetings will be held at 6 p.m. in the library of the Spruce Mountain High School. The spending package for for 2015-16 represents a $44,631.60 increase from the current budget. Anticipated revenues are […]
Posted inRiver Valley
Peru selectmen approve increases in several budget articles
PERU — The Board of Selectmen voted Tuesday to increase the amounts for several budget items on the June ballot. An article asking residents to raise and appropriate $3,700 for street and traffic lights was increased to $5,200. Chairman Lee Merrill said, “We don’t like the increases any more than you guys, but some of […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Democrats aren’t sold on benefits of LePage’s tax reform plan
AUGUSTA — One of the underlying assumptions about Gov. Paul LePage’s big tax reform pitch is that lowering individual and corporate income taxes and eliminating the estate tax will help reverse Maine’s well-documented population decline. Proponents of the tax reform plan say it will put Maine on the demographic upswing by attracting young professionals and wealthy retirees to […]
Posted inMaine
Tax on Maine summer camps would force some to close, owners say
AUGUSTA — The snow may be piled high, but dozens of Maine summer camps are already sounding the alarm about a proposal by Republican Gov. Paul LePage that would force many to pay property taxes. LePage’s two-year budget proposal includes a recommendation that the state change its law to allow cities and towns to charge […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Some local towns continue to struggle with cost of snow removal
LEWISTON — Five more inches of snow fell in Turner and Bethel on Sunday night and into Monday morning. Lewiston fared slightly better — just 4.5 inches — while Eustis in Franklin County gained 7.3 inches by midday. According to the National Weather Service, Maine has a snowpack of between 20 and 30 inches to […]