The Legislature is approaching its mandated April deadline with a flurry of bills submitted near the end of a session full of huge challenges. LD 31 might be one of the most important bills submitted. LD 31 is an amendment to the Maine Constitution requiring that signatures on direct initiative of legislation come from each …
While Maine’s Legislature struggles to find sufficient funding for essential programs, the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development is working on a submissions list of “low-income communities” eligible for Opportunity Zone investments. In other words, tax breaks. Spokesman Doug Ray recently admitted that the criteria for being added to the selection list are “broad.” …
Citizen initiatives are time-consuming and expensive. The process is found in Article IV, Section 18 of the Maine Constitution, labeled “Direct initiative of legislation.” Those words are substantive. A referendum is the only legislation that may be proposed by someone other than a legislator. No one else may bring a bill forward. Even governor’s bills …
By Diana Newman Full disclosure regarding the various potential uses and impacts of the proposed Vertical Bridge tower in Southwest Harbor is important. To be told that it is not the business of the federal government or the citizenry to know its purpose in our region warrants further inquiry. Vertical Bridge is the leading telecom …
By Cynthia Cullinane Our Maine Legislature is in high gear trying to finish up hearing testimony, analyzing financial information, completing committee work sessions and submitting bills for legislative votes before they adjourn this 128th session. Many of these bills address the concerns of our vulnerable populations, and several of those concerns have high profiles in …
To the Editor: Ten years ago, I was staying in Portland while I finished up classes at USM. One day, my neighbor invited me over to her house to meet an Iraq War veteran who was running for the U.S. House of Representatives and trying to end the war in Iraq. That night, I met …
To the Editor: Now that the 2018 budget season is behind us, I’d like to respond to the “Town Drops FOAA Request” article, printed in the March 22 edition of the Islander. First, the decision to drop the request was unnecessary. Following the Town Council’s March 6 decision to pursue a second, albeit this time …
To the Editor: The citizens of Bar Harbor will have a choice to make in June when voting whether or not to approve a general obligation bond issue that will allow them to purchase the old ferry terminal site. If they vote “yes,” the town will then own the property and be able to choose …
To the Editor: My questions are simple: What happens to Bar Harbor’s recycled garbage? What percentage is actually recycled? As the film “Bag It” warns, “recycling” does not necessarily mean trash is actually recycled. I have asked many people. Some I thought might know; others like me are just “recyclers.” Someone knows, but not the …
To the Editor: I feel as a gun owner and user, I must respond to the article in last week’s Islander about a recent resolution from the MDI school system board asking elected officials to enact “common sense” gun control measures. I question if the people quoted (Caroline Pryor, Scott Grierson or John Bench) have …
