Maine
American Legion announces MVHS Boys State delegates
RUMFORD — The American Legion will host its annual American Legion Dirigo Boys State program at Thomas College in Waterville from June 21-25. Napoleon Ouellette, of Post 24 in Rumford, has selected the following Mountain Valley High School delegates: Alexander Ridley, Joshua Maillet, Ronald Russell Jr., Ryley Flynn, Isaac Brennick, Austin Oswald, Jon-Thomas (JT) Greene […]
Maine VFW convention kicks off in Lewiston
LEWISTON — Thomas J. Tradewell Sr., the past national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said his organizations have big buildings at both the national headquarters in Kansas City and in Washington, D.C. But it’s the 1.2 million members of the VFW and the 600,000-plus members of the Ladies Auxiliary who serve and take […]
Maine Democrats block right-to-work bill in the House
AUGUSTA, Maine — The House of Representatives on Friday defeated the latest bill designed to make Maine a “right-to-work” state. The bill, LD 489, was defeated in a 90-52 vote, with a handful of Republicans joining majority Democrats in rejecting the bill. It was the latest effort by State House Republicans to weaken unions by preventing […]
LePage renews push to end Maine’s ‘death tax’
AUGUSTA — As the top party officials at the State House continued their ongoing negotiations on a two-year budget for Maine, Republican Gov. Paul LePage on Friday renewed his push to do away with the state’s estate tax. LePage and his conservative allies call the tax paid on inheritances valued at over $2 million a “death […]
House GOP: Immigrant welfare sticking point in Maine budget
AUGUSTA – How much Maine spends helping poor and unemployed immigrants is emerging as a key sticking point in state budget negotiations between Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature. A top Republican budget-writer and one of the four House lawmakers in the minority on the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee said conservatives are looking to cap current […]
Legislative leaders play blame game as budget negotiations implode
AUGUSTA — Less than 24 hours after a budget deal seemed nearly complete, the path toward a compromise in the divided Legislature was foggier than ever, once again raising the likelihood of a government shutdown. A two-year, $6.7 billion spending plan passed with bipartisan support in the budget-writing Appropriations Committee last weekend but did not […]
Legislature overturns onslaught of LePage vetoes
AUGUSTA — Nearly as fast as Republican Gov. Paul LePage can sign veto letters, lawmakers are overturning those vetoes. It’s putting LePage on pace for another entry in Maine’s political record books: the most overturned governor in state history. The Maine House of Representatives on Tuesday overrode 11 of LePage’s vetoes and the House and […]
Budget deal with lower income tax, higher sales taxes seems near
AUGUSTA — Top legislators are working feverishly behind closed doors on a budget deal that would include broad income tax cuts and an expansion and increase in the sales tax. A document obtained by the Bangor Daily News on Tuesday outlined several pieces of a tax reform plan being considered by leadership in the House […]
Key to jail funding eludes lawmakers
AUGUSTA — A final fix to problems with the way the state helps fund county jails could be put off for another year, according to lawmakers who said Tuesday neither of a pair of bills that could settle the matter will gain the support of Republican Gov. Paul LePage. “Our bills, no matter which one passes, […]