AUGUSTA — Republican Sen. Mike Willette of Presque Isle, who has been the subject of controversy caused by inflammatory Facebook posts he made about President Barack Obama, resigned Wednesday from his co-chairmanship of the Legislature’s State and Local Government Committee. Rachel Talbot Ross, president of the Portland chapter of the National Association for the Advancement […]
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Before Maine swaps statues, panel wants to study details
AUGUSTA — A bill aimed at swapping out one of Maine’s two statues in the U.S. Congress’ National Statuary Hall was turned into a measure that would first study the idea. In February, state Sen. Garrett Mason, R-Lisbon, offered legislation that would have seen Maine exchange a statue of the state’s first governor, William King, with one […]
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Fund for Healthy Maine survives in unanimous committee vote
AUGUSTA — In a bipartisan and unanimous decision, the Legislature’s budget-writing Appropriations Committee beat back a proposed $7.2 million raid on the state’s tobacco settlement funds, currently used for community smoking cessation and prevention programs. The committee instead took about $2.4 million from the fund to use on other parts of the $28 million spending […]
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NAACP, Maine Dems call for ethics probe into Willette’s remarks
AUGUSTA — Calls for disciplinary action against Republican Sen. Mike Willette of Presque Isle continued Friday with Senate Democrats and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People calling for an ethics probe. “This is not easy,” said Rachel Talbot Ross, president of the Portland Chapter of the NAACP, during a news conference Friday […]
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Passenger rail bill for Lewiston-Auburn chugs forward at State House
AUGUSTA — A pair of bills aimed at expanding passenger rail service in Maine, including one that would extend service to Lewiston-Auburn, are chugging forward at the state Legislature. The Legislature’s Transportation Committee on Tuesday unanimously voted to approve one bill, offered by state Rep. Jared Golden, D-Lewiston, that directs the Maine Department of Transportation […]
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Maine tax plan analysis fuels debate over LePage budget
AUGUSTA — A new analysis of Gov. Paul LePage’s ambitious tax overhaul proposal is bolstering supporters and opponents as the first votes on the Republican’s plan grow near. LePage hopes to slash the personal and corporate income tax while raising the sales tax and applying it to more services. The governor says a report released […]
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Maine House swears in Beebe-Center after special election
AUGUSTA — The Democrat who won a special election last week has been sworn into the Maine House of Representatives. Anne “Pinny” Beebe-Center was sworn in by Republican Gov. Paul LePage on Tuesday. She will represent District 93, which encompasses Rockland and Owls Head. Beebe-Center received 915 votes out of about 1,700 cast to win […]
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Brakey seeks to lower age for Legislative service
AUGUSTA — A state lawmaker from Auburn is hoping to lower the minimum age for candidates wanting to serve in the Maine Legislature. State Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, offered a bill Monday that would ask voters statewide if they want to lower the minimum age for State House candidates to 18 for the House of […]
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Lawmakers endorse Whitney as head of Maine Technology Institute
AUGUSTA — A legislative panel has supported Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s nominee for director of the Maine Technology Institute. The Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee unanimously endorsed Brian Whitney’s nomination Monday. The Augusta resident has held the role in an acting capacity since August after the institute’s former director, Robert Martin, was ousted […]
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Maine legislative oversight panel OKs rail authority audit
AUGUSTA — The Legislature’s Government Oversight Committee voted unanimously Friday morning to launch a performance audit of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, which oversees the Amtrak Downeaster train service from Maine to Boston. The investigation was requested by Sen. Stan Gerzofsky, D-Brunswick, who said his chief concern is transparency within the agency around […]