Barack Obama for president The popularity of Barack Obama’s hope-themed campaign shows that the country is eager for positive leadership, not a continuation of the divisiveness fostered by the Bush administration. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var… Read More
The next administration faces the large task of rebuilding the U.S. economy, developing a comprehensive energy policy and reining in health care costs. This work depends on lawmakers with differing views and philosophies coming together. Sen. Susan Collins will be instrumental in bridging partisan divides and moving needed… Read More
Do you want to reject the parts of a new law that change the method of funding Maine’s Dirigo Health Program through charging health insurance companies a fixed fee on paid claims and adding taxes to malt liquor, wine and soft drinks? Adding a few… Read More
Do you want to allow a certain Maine company to have the only casino in Maine, to be located in Oxford County, if part of the revenue is used to fund specific state programs? With the lone exception of the Hollywood Slots facility in Bangor,… Read More
Do you favor a $3.4 million bond to support drinking water programs, to support the construction of wastewater treatment facilities, and to leverage $17 million in other funds? Compared to such government expenditures as the $700 billion federal bank bailout, the $3.4 million the state… Read More
BANGOR – Two Maine newspapers, the Bangor Daily News and The Times Record of Brunswick, have given their editorial endorsements to Barack Obama. The Bangor Daily News said Saturday that John McCain has a long record of distinguished service but has compromised his principles to… Read More
Change has become an overused buzzword this election, but change is what this country needs. Change from a misguided foreign policy that indefinitely leaves U.S. troops in Iraq more than five years after an invasion based on dubious evidence. Change from a hands-off approach to financial markets that… Read More
Do you favor a $29,725,000 bond issue for natural resource, agricultural and transportation infrastructure that will leverage $29,780,000 in other funds? Early last year, the Legislature approved a two-part bond package to help the Department of Transportation catch up with road and bridge work. The… Read More
Yes on Question 1 The success of the slots facility in Bangor makes the question of expanding gambling one of equity. A yes vote on Question 1 would allow the Passamaquoddy Tribe to build a gaming facility in Washington County. Expanding gambling to the state’s… Read More
Do you favor extending term limits for legislators from 4 to 6 terms? Term limits have shifted power away from the Legislature to lobbyists and the executive branch, ensured that lawmakers repeatedly debate the same issues, and reduced the power of rural areas. Extending the… Read More
Do you favor a $35,500,000 bond issue to invest in land conservation, water access, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation opportunities, including hunting and fishing, farmland and working waterfront and to invest in state parks, historic sites and riverfront, community and farm infrastructure to be matched by at least $21,875,000… Read More
Do you favor a $43,500,000 bond issue for interior and exterior building renovations, improvements and additions at all campuses of the Maine Community College System, the Maine Maritime Academy and the University of Maine System; to replenish the School Revolving Renovation Fund for school repairs and renovations; and… Read More
Do you favor a bond issue to stimulate economic development and job creation that would provide $5,000,000 in loans and grant funds and would provide $50,000,000 in research, development and commercialization funds for targeted technology sectors, awarded after a competitive process administered by the Maine Technology Institute, and… Read More
Do you want to allow a Maine tribe to run a harness racing track with slot machines and high-stakes beano games in Washington County? The success of the slots facility in Bangor makes the question of expanding gambling one of equity. A yes vote on… Read More
John Baldacci for Governor Any leader who can close a $1.2 billion budget gap without raising broad-based taxes, who could begin Pine Tree Economic Zones, enact Dirigo Health, lead on the creation of the Community College System and launch Maine’s broadband access program has built… Read More
Whether Democrats retake the House, as national polls are concluding, or not, Maine needs strong representation on issues such as the war in Iraq, Medicare and Social Security reform, the $8.5 trillion debt and international trade pacts. It needs funding for transportation and environmental protection and a firm… Read More
AUGUSTA – U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe picked up a re-election endorsement Monday from the Bangor Daily News, which praised the Republican’s willingness to work across the political aisle to pass critical legislation. “A vote for Olympia Snowe on Nov. 7 is a vote for Maine’s… Read More
AUGUSTA – With varying degrees of enthusiasm, Gov. John Baldacci won weekend endorsements of his re-election campaign from newspapers in the north and south of Maine. Addressing two top-of-the-ticket ballot issues, the Bangor Daily News on Saturday urged the re-election of the Democratic incumbent and… Read More
Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to state that a citizens’ initiative or people’s veto petition must be submitted to local or state officials by the constitutional deadline in order to be certified and, in the case of a citizens’ initiative, must be filed with the… Read More
Sen. Olympia Snowe’s willingness to take – and maintain – a principled stance, that is sometimes at odds with her party, coupled with her ability to develop bipartisan compromises on important issues have served her and Maine well in the Senate. Her consistent popularity indicates Mainers are pleased… Read More
Do you want to limit increases in state and local government spending to the rate of inflation plus population growth and to require voter approval for all tax and fee increases? Groups that support the Taxpayer Bill of Rights ballot initiative fairly say that Maine… Read More
John Baldacci concludes what is likely to be his final political campaign with the same focus on issues, the same attention to Maine and the same admirable work ethic he has had throughout his career. Though he has been attacked politically during his nearly four years as governor,… Read More
The Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate is more notable for who is not running than who is. Well-known legislative and congressional Democrats looked at Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe’s nation-leading approval rating, her more than $2 million in campaign funds and strong party support, and they balked. That… Read More
“Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to permit the Legislature to authorize waterfront land used for commercial fishing activities to be assessed based on the land’s current use in a manner similar to treatment now available for farms, open space and forestland?” Rapidly… Read More
“Do you favor a $9,000,000 bond issue to make building renovations at campuses of the University of Maine System, improve and expand the facilities of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Southern Maine and make building renovations at campuses of the Maine Community College System?”… Read More
“Do you favor a $12,000,000 bond issue to purchase land and conservation easements statewide from willing sellers for conservation, water access, wildlife and fish habitat, outdoor recreation, including hunting and fishing, farmland preservation and working waterfront preservation to be matched by at least $7,000,000 in private and public… Read More
“Do you favor an $8,900,000 bond issue for purposes related to agriculture and the environment in anticipation of approximately $31,000,000 in federal funds to be used for sustainable water sources and irrigation system development, loans from a wastewater state revolving fund, grants from a small community grants program,… Read More
“Do you favor a $20,000,000 bond issue to stimulate economic growth and job creation through investments in the Maine economy in anticipation of approximately $44,000,000 in federal and private funds for medical research and development …?” The above is part of an overlong question for… Read More
“Do you want to reject the new law that would protect people from discrimination in employment, housing, education, public accommodations and credit based on their sexual orientation?” With the rest of New England and nearly half the country’s population covered by similar laws, the doomsday… Read More
“Do you favor a $33,100,000 bond issue for improvements to highways and bridges; airports; public transit improvements; state-owned ferry vessels and ferry and port facilities including port and harbor structures; and statewide bicycle trail and pedestrian improvements that makes the State eligible for over $158,000,000 in matching funds?”… Read More
Should the Council of the City of Bangor adopt the following order ratifying all existing city of Bangor indebtedness? The abundant flaws in the 1 percent tax cap – Question 1 on Tuesday’s state ballot – mean it should be rejected by voters. In the… Read More
Do you favor authorizing the Piscataquis County Commissioners to issue general obligation bonds or notes in the name of Piscataquis County in the principal amount not to exceed $952,000, the proceeds to be used for the purpose of county economic development, and to assist in the creation or… Read More
Shall the council of the city of Bangor adopt the following order, authorizing construction of a police headquarters building at 240 Main Street, Bangor, Maine? By voting yes on municipal question 1, Bangor voters have a chance to put the city’s new police station where… Read More
Do you want to limit property taxes to 1% of the assessed value of the property? To say Question 1 is bad fiscal policy, bad education policy and an unwarranted swipe against local control doesn’t really begin to describe it. If passed, the Palesky tax… Read More
Do you want to make it a crime to hunt bears with bait, traps or dogs, except to protect property, public safety or for research? The biggest failure of Question 2 is that it lumps two bear-hunting practices the majority of the public, and many… Read More
The 2nd Congressional District has the luxury of two strong candidates running for the House this year, incumbent Rep. Mike Michaud and president of the Loring Development Authority, Brian Hamel. Both provide solid arguments for the district to send them to Washington, but Rep. Michaud, completing his first… Read More
During his four terms representing Maine’s 1st Congressional District, Tom Allen has demonstrated the ability to stick with an issue and to bring about small changes when giant steps fail. He has been tireless in his determination to make prescription drugs more affordable and to clean up the… Read More
The next four years of the war against terrorism will be defined by what happens next in Iraq. Will the United States seek allies throughout the Middle East and the world to build support for pulling Iraq back from the chaos of a growing civil war or will… Read More
Do you favor a $6,950,000 bond issue for the following purposes: $2,000,000 to construct and upgrade water pollution control facilities, providing the state match for $10,000,000 in federal funds; googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner… Read More
Do you want to allow a casino to be run by the Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation if part of the revenue is used for state education and municipal revenue sharing? . googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
1A Citizen Initiative: Do you want the state to pay 55 percent of the cost of public education, which includes all special education costs, for the purpose of shifting costs from the property tax to state resources? 1B Competing Measure: Do you want to lower… Read More
GOVERNOR Any voter still undecided about who should be Maine’s next governor, still looking for that one quality that elevates one candidate above the others, may want to consider the composure factor. On that character trait – the ability to remain calm, focused and civil… Read More
Any voter still undecided about who should be Maine’s next governor, still looking for that one quality that elevates one candidate above the others, may want to consider the composure factor. On that character trait – the ability to remain calm, focused and civil while under unwarranted attack… Read More
Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to allow the State to issue short-term debt in limited amounts that must be repaid with federal transportation funds within 12 months to facilitate the development of highways, bridges and other transportation projects? The constitution of Maine… Read More
Susan Collins deserves to be re-elected to the U.S. Senate because her extraordinary diligence has produced legislation that directly helps Maine and the rest of the nation. Her hard work, her effectiveness and her unshakable connection to this state show that the faith voters had in electing her… Read More