PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Regardless of what critics might say, Republican Gov. Paul LePage has done much of what he promised he’d do, pushing through tax cuts, reducing the state pension fund shortfall, paying back money owed to hospitals, and cutting Medicaid benefits that he said were too generous. And he’s commemorating his accomplishments in […]
economy
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine police departments have difficulty recruiting officers
PORTLAND, Maine — A bright red “ we’re hiring” advertisement comes flashing forward when the Portland Police Department’s website is opened. The Maine State Police website has a “***now hiring***” line in red and also a crawler across the top of its site that states the hiring process is now open. The state’s largest police forces are not alone […]
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Posted inOpinion
Let voters speak on 2012 bond proposal
Maine has gone one year without passing a bond package and we should not go another. That’s why it is critical for legislators to act to pass the $95.6 million package put together last month by legislative committee. Gov. Paul LePage, who adamantly opposed last year’s package, should then stand clear and allow voters to […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Maine job market may be thawing, say human resource experts
PORTLAND, Maine — The employment picture in Maine appears to be strengthening and companies may want to start thinking about recruiting and retaining employees, according to some front-line experts. Ed McKersie, founder and president of Pro Search Inc., a Portland-based recruiting and employment firm, said his company had its best year yet for recruiting in […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
American’s faith in economic recovery fading
WASHINGTON — Americans are growing more pessimistic about the economy and handling it remains President Barack Obama’s weak spot and biggest challenge in his bid for a second term, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll. And the gloomier outlook extends across party lines, including a steep decline in the share of Democrats who call […]
Posted inBusiness, New England, sj-web
Sturgeon health is new threat to fishing industry
BOSTON (AP) — The health of the ancient Atlantic sturgeon has emerged as the latest problem for a New England fishing industry already facing serious threats to its future. On Wednesday, regional fishery managers discussed protecting sturgeon, two months after federal officials listed the fish in the Gulf of Maine as “threatened” under the Endangered […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
U.S. economy faces likely slowdown, big year-end decisions
WASHINGTON — Between now and the November elections, President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will heartily promise that under their stewardship, the economy will get much better. Don’t bet on it, economists warn. Rather than a breakout surge in economic growth, mainstream forecasters say, Americans should expect the U.S. economy to slog forward for another […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Obama gets made-in-Maine New Balance sneakers
SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud used President Barack Obama’s visit to the state on Friday to try to give a boost to what’s left of its shoe industry, urging the commander-in-chief to insist that the Department of Defense provide U.S.-made sneakers to new recruits. Michaud, D-Maine, had a special pair of […]
Posted inBusiness, Maine, sj-web
Maine jobless rate at 7.1 percent in February
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The Maine Labor Department says the state’s unemployment rate was 7.1 percent in February, up slightly from January and down from 7.9 percent a year ago. Labor Commissioner Robert Winglass said 50,100 people were without jobs during the month, down 5,200 from February 2011. Maine’s jobless rate remains below the national […]
Posted inBusiness, Maine, sj-web
Maine’s average heating oil price stays at $3.86
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The average price of home heating oil in Maine remains at $3.86 a gallon for a third week in a row. The weekly survey of the Governor’s Office of Energy Independence and Security found a low of $3.62 per gallon in southwestern Maine and the highest price of $4.17 in central […]