AUGUSTA — The Legislature on Tuesday easily passed a $32 million state budget fix for 2015. The House passed the bill on a vote of 136-8; the Senate passed the bill 35-0. Lawmakers wanted to put the bill on Gov. Paul LePage’s desk by the time they adjourned later this week. LePage already threatened a […]
Maine
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine House OKs bill to expand preschool programs
AUGUSTA (AP) — The Maine House has given final approval to a bill designed to boost the number of public preschool programs in the state. The measure endorsed Tuesday directs the Department of Education to use $4 million it receives in casino and slot machines revenues to cover districts’ startup costs for the programs for […]
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Cutler rolls out $185 M proposal to lower property taxes — and plan to fund it
AUGUSTA — Independent candidate for governor continued his roll-out of policy ideas Tuesday with a new proposal to lower property taxes while also increasing state aid to local communities, funding for education and the budget for marketing the state of Maine. Cutler has also outlined options to pay for the $185 million plan with increases […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Maine
Tax day: Time for 30 percent of dawdlers to pony up
The organized. The on-the-ball. The people who want their money now, thank you. The week before tax day, April 15, is not about them. It’s about the 30 percent of Last Minute Larrys, taxpayers who put off that paperwork as long as they legally can. Manny Papel had a few at his door Monday at […]
Posted inLocal Sports
Maine fires men’s basketball coach
ORONO — There was another departure from the University of Maine men’s basketball program on Monday. This time, on the heels of a dismal 6-23 season and in the wake of three high-profile players requesting a transfer in the past three weeks, it was head coach Ted Woodward. UMaine President Paul Ferguson announced Monday that […]
Posted inMaine
Maine House honors state’s long-serving finance commissioner Millett
AUGUSTA — Democrats and Republicans stood on the floor of the House of Representatives on Monday to speak fondly of state finance commissioner H. Sawin Millett Jr. Millett, 76, of Waterford is retiring as commissioner of the Department of Administration and Financial Services under Republican Gov. Paul LePage on May 30. He was also […]
Posted inMaine
Maine House overrides LePage veto of bill that promotes solar with rate increase
AUGUSTA — The House of Representatives voted Monday to override Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bill would fund a solar and heat-pump rebate program by adding a 0.011 cents per kilowatt-hour tax on residential and commercial electric bills. The new fee will cost the average homeowner about five cents per month or 60 cents […]
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Maine House OKs expanding heroin overdose antidote
AUGUSTA — After an initial vote in the House, a life-saving drug that can stop an opiate overdose in its tracks could well be on its way into the hands of more emergency responders, law enforcement officers, firefighters and addicts’ loved ones. Despite opposition from Republican Gov. Paul LePage, the House unanimously voted to give […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Gas prices in Maine increase more than 2 cents per gallon
AUGUSTA (AP) — The average retail cost of a gallon of gas in Maine has gone up 2.3 cents in the past week. Price-monitoring website GasBuddy.com reported Monday that the price at the pump averaged $3.65 per gallon in the past week, 6 cents above the national average. Even though prices in Maine are 3.5 […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Augusta man wins his sixth Maine chess crown
WATERVILLE (AP) — A familiar face has been crowned Maine’s top chess player. Jarod Bryan, a 46-year-old data analyst from Augusta, beat 16-year-old Cape Elizabeth High School sophomore Matthew Fishbein for the Maine Closed Chess Championship on Sunday at a Waterville hotel. It was Bryan’s sixth victory in the annual tournament. Twenty-seven players entered the […]