Ever since Airbnb, Uber and the like rolled out the services that have come to be known as “the sharing economy,” governments at all levels have struggled to adapt rules to the new reality. Still, laws and regulations on the books mostly don’t address the activities made possible by the new tech platforms, since only …
A recurring push to eliminate Maine’s annual inspection law for non-commercial motor vehicles is again being debated in the Legislature. Critics of the law cite the burden on impoverished Mainers unable to afford basic automotive transportation, let alone make expensive repairs necessary to be compliant with minimum vehicle standards. Rougher roads tax older vehicles. This …
A bill before the Maine Legislature is embroiled in two classic arguments. How do we use science to support political decisions, and how do we balance our individual rights versus those of society? Hundreds of Mainers showed up in Augusta last week to testify on LD 798, An Act to Protect Maine Children from Preventable …
by Peter Sly Late last month, the House of Representatives passed a universal national background check bill. Like others, I am disappointed that Jared Golden was one of only two House Democrats to vote against it. Because gun violence shows no signs of abating, the gun issue is likely to persist as a stubborn, …
To the Editor: Re: “The HOPE budget” editorial (Feb. 21), I want to clarify a point of fact about Governor Mills’ budget proposal. While one can, perhaps, argue that Mills’ budget proposal is 11 percent higher than the previous biennial budget enacted in July 2017, that reference point ignores the subsequent appropriations that the last …
To the Editor: Please find below part of the testimony I gave on March 8 in Augusta in support of LD 767, “An Act To Ensure the Availability of In-person Visitation in County Jails.” I am a pastor of a church here in Maine and I lead chapel services at the Hancock Country Jail once …
To the Editor: As your readers well know, small businesses are the backbone of our community, our state, our nation — indeed the world. Individuals, and often couples, with a passion for food, flowers, art, the sea or a million other interests set out to create something new with dual purposes: to meet customer needs …
In recent decades, the combined pressures of shrinking circulation and reduced advertising dollars have spelled the end for hundreds of newspapers and thousands of jobs. That’s bad news for everybody, not just newspapers. The aftermath has left many corners of the country veritable “news deserts” lacking good local coverage. Local journalism holds government accountable, as …
In 2003, Maine voters directed state government to fund 55 percent of the total cost of delivering local kindergarten to grade 12 public education. For the current 2019 fiscal year, the state contribution of $1.1 billion toward the total cost of K-12 education, including the cost of essential programs and services (EPS), plus the state …
A recent radio call-in show featured two Maine legislators, a Republican and a Democrat, invited to discuss the legislative session so far. It went like this. Caller: “You’re familiar with LD ABC? About taxes?” Legislator: “Er, not that specific bill…” Next caller: “You know the bill about lobster fishing, LD XYZ?” Legislator: “Umm, I’m not …
