Last week, the Legislature approved a 50-cent increase in the state minimum wage from $7 to $7.50. This is a positive step, but more needs to be done to boost Maine’s incomes and, therefore, reduce its tax burden. An estimated 26,000 people in Maine earn… Read More
In addition to extending health insurance to many of those unable to afford it, Dirigo Health aimed to find savings in the state’s health care system and use those savings to pay for the program. In searching for a new way to pay for Dirigo, and other health… Read More
This week, ClickBack – the BDN’s interactive commentary feature – takes up proposals to increase fees for outdoor recreation; the moose hunt; taxes (appropriate for today, April 15); and this summer’s Olympics in China. To participate, go to bangordailynews.com and click through the ClickBack logo to comment. Some… Read More
It’s 3 a.m. and the phone is ringing in the White House. President Hillary Clinton answers, but if her campaign is any indication, the advisers who gather around to help manage the crisis will begin bickering and finger-pointing. And the president will be unable to call U.S. allies… Read More
A program that promises great things for Maine’s economic future kicked off with the start of the spring college semester. Thanks to a legislative initiative approved last year, college students who incur education loan debt dating from January 2008 will be able to claim a tax credit for… Read More
Finding new ways to pay the bills at the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, especially if some of the costs may be passed on to those who don’t hunt, fish or trap, is a perennial issue. It has come up this year as lawmakers look for ways… Read More
The governor wisely waited until after the state budget gap was closed before endorsing a plan to spend $160 million repairing and rebuilding bridges around the state. The reason for such big-ticket spending, even in the midst of an economic downturn which has lowered tax revenues to a… Read More
The good news in the current Washington debate over the housing crisis is that the White House has concluded that a package aimed at helping homeowners should include at least as much help for homeowners as it does for corporate interests. Unfortunately, this logic hasn’t reached the Senate,… Read More
If American democracy were to submit to a checkup – blood pressure, cholesterol, weight – some troubling symptoms would be recorded on its chart. Topping the list is low voter participation. Barely 50 percent vote in national elections, and even fewer in local and off year elections. That’s… Read More
Bad news has come in about Maine’s unfortunate investment last August in something called Mainsail II, registered in the Cayman Islands. Receivers for the defunct venture now say that Maine can no longer count on getting back its full $20 million plus interest. The deal… Read More
The cute little girl playing on the swing set in her backyard in Hampden, seen in news stories on TV and in newspapers in the late 1980s and early 1990s, was Maine’s most visible image of the scourge of HIV-AIDS. The little girl, Autum Aquino, grew to be… Read More
Despite tough questions and grim assessments, it remains unclear if Congress can muster support for a change in direction for continued U.S. involvement in Iraq. Requiring Iraq to pay for more of this work ends the era of blank U.S. checks and puts needed pressure on Baghdad to… Read More
When someone can list as their residence the address of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles office where they are applying for a license and be issued a driver’s license the system clearly is broken. This has happened nine times in recent years. More than 800 people have claimed… Read More
The point of school consolidation legislation, which strongly won legislative support last year, was to reduce administrative expenses for both property tax relief and to direct more money toward instruction. That goal was muddied, if not lost, as lawmakers wrestled with a bill meant to remove hurdles to… Read More
There are not too many predictions worth betting the farm on, but here are a few: with the proposal of a casino in Oxford County going before voters in November, it’s no gamble to say that the coffers of local TV stations with swell with advertising revenues from… Read More
This week’s ClickBack questions take on AIDS, driver’s licenses and light pollution. ClickBack is a weekly feature that seeks reader comments at bangordailynews.com responding to questions posed here. Some of the comments posted on the Web site will appear on Friday’s OpEd page. Go to www.bangordailynews.com and click… Read More
Several Democratic politicians, a few columnists, and much of the talk-show world and blogosphere are telling Hillary Clinton to quit the race. She shouldn’t and she almost certainly won’t. The simplest reason why she should not give in is that quitting now would disenfranchise Democrats… Read More
One of the injustices of the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq is that this dangerous and arduous work has been borne by men and women who were essentially contracted to do the job. And that group, men and women who enlisted in the military, represents a small… Read More
Make a reservation at a hotel – by telephone or online – and someone has your credit card number. Write a personal check at the corner convenience store, and you’re asked to show your driver’s license and the cashier writes down its number. Donate money to a political… Read More
Regardless of what the future holds for the state’s Dirigo Health plan, a proposal to raise the tax on cigarettes – whether to bolster Dirigo or any other health-related endeavor – has little downside when compared to the positive potential to further dampen the scourge that is tobacco… Read More
As Congress debates ways to minimize the consequences of the breakdown of the mortgage and credit markets, it must not lose sight of homeowners at risk of losing their shelter and largest financial asset because of unsavory loan practices. A bill taking shape in the Senate is loaded… Read More
When a doctor’s license is revoked by the state or a lawyer is disbarred, that information is available to the public. Under current law and practices, if a teacher’s certification – basically a license to teach – is surrendered or revoked, that action is kept confidential. LD 2291… Read More
Maine’s high tax burden relative to its low wages and high transportation and heating costs are frequently blamed for the state’s lack of economic prosperity. But another factor in Maine’s economic fate, the growth of its residential population, is often overlooked or at least underemphasized. With the most… Read More
The best comment so far on Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr.’s 200-page plan to restructure government financial regulation came from Laurence Summers, treasury secretary under President Clinton. “It’s probably a bad idea to spend too much time debating the organization of the fire department… Read More
Barack Obama was at his eloquent best in his speech about race. After hesitating for several days, he faced squarely the controversial remarks by his former pastor denouncing the United States as racist, murderous and corrupt. Everyone already knew that race was an issue in the presidential campaign,… Read More
By passing a budget with a mix of cuts and cost savings, and without substantial tax increases or withdrawals from the state’s Rainy Day fund, lawmakers filled a $190 million gap between state revenues and spending. Eliminating that gap must remain a top priority. Maine… Read More
For the last six months, police have issued warnings to motorists who failed to use seat belts as required by state law. Beginning today, tickets will be issued for those who refuse to buckle up. This, despite protests about individual rights and choices, will save lives and money. Read More
ClickBack, the BDN’s interactive feature in which readers post comments at www.bangordailynews.com, this week asks about the federal government’s role in banking, the Legislature’s post-budget agenda, and whether feeding deer should be made illegal. Look for the ClickBack logo on the BDN Web site, and register to comment… Read More
As the Legislature completed the dirty but necessary job of cutting state spending to close a $190 million revenue gap, a refrain heard at the State House – especially when $65 million was cut from the Department of Health and Human Services – was that legislators should feel… Read More
Few food products are as well “branded” as the Maine lobster. It’s so well branded, in fact, that disreputable retailers in other parts of the country have tried to sell shellfish that don’t even remotely resemble the state’s iconic seafood under the Maine lobster label. Fortunately, consumers who… Read More
The video clip of the vice president reacting to the observation by ABC News’ Martha Raddatz that most Americans view the invasion of Iraq as a mistake, was classic Dick Cheney: “So?” he said, as if he had no idea that further comment was expected. She replied, “So,… Read More
Behind the deepening financial mess is a general belief that less regulation is better for the national economy. President Reagan started it with his slogan of “Get the government off our back,” and later presidents of both parties have generally followed along. Light or almost… Read More
Rep. Henry Joy is known for his provocative ideas – remember his proposal to have northern Maine secede from the rest of the state? Rep. Joy is at it again with a bill that would reduce the state’s portion of kindergarten through 12th grade spending to 49 percent,… Read More
As the dust settles after the abrupt resignation of Adm. William Fallon as commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, everyone seems to agree that the Bush administration let him know that it was time to go. But differences remain as to exactly why. Read More
Although you may never have heard his name, Harvey Picker, who died March 22 at his home in Camden at the age of 92, was well-known there and in scientific circles throughout the United States and the rest of the world. If you used to see the name… Read More
Few would dispute that Americans now live in a toxic soup, with synthetic chemicals falling from the sky, leaching into drinking water, injected or absorbed in food, and emanating from materials in our homes and offices. It’s the price we pay for innumerable technological developments which arguably make… Read More
Rather than require states to meet an arbitrary deadline with hollow promises, the Department of Homeland Security should back up, reconsider the goals of the Real ID program and find a better way to meet them. The department is requiring states to apply by March… Read More
Late last week, legislative Republicans seized on what they believed to be the very symbol of Democratic budget cutting duplicity. The Democratic version of the supplemental budget, which closes a $190 million revenue gap, eliminates the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability, or OPEGA. OPEGA was created… Read More
The white sand beaches and dunes of the Cape Cod National Seashore are an American treasure. Walking along the shore, with waves crashing and the open Atlantic Ocean stretching to the horizon, one can imagine the view is virtually the same as that seen by Henry David Thoreau… Read More
This week, the Bangor Daily News’ interactive commentary feature ClickBack seeks readers’ thoughts on national, state and local issues. To participate, visit BangorDailyNews.com and look for the ClickBack logo. Click on it, and you will be taken to this week’s questions. If you are not yet registered at… Read More
Apparently, the Ten Commandments, Golden Rule and Seven Deadly Sins weren’t enough. Earlier this month the Roman Catholic Church upped the stakes by issuing its list of Seven Social Sins. And it’s not about social failings such as wearing white after Labor Day or telling your sister her… Read More
Samantha Power, when she was a star member of the Barack Obama team, provided one of the latest proofs that Hillary Rodham Clinton is a polarizing force in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. In an interview with a Scottish newspaper, she blurted out that Mrs. Clinton… Read More
Building a state budget, like most political action, is an exercise in compromise. Therefore, the budget passed Thursday night by the Appropriations Committee contains plenty of measures to dislike – cuts that go too deep and not enough state jobs eliminated, for example. The question for the Legislature… Read More
News that more than 4 million credit and debit card numbers were potentially hacked from Hannaford grocery stores along the East Coast gives new meaning to the phrase “Cleanup on Aisle 3.” The good news for consumers is that, if they quickly report fraudulent purchases,… Read More
Here’s something for conspiracy theorists to chew on: The biggest thorn in the side of the Bush administration and its hands-off banking policies, which arguably led to the subprime mortgage crisis, was Eliot Spitzer, the now-disgraced New York governor who resigned last week after allegedly paying for the… Read More
The dilemma of where to allow a Bucksport sex offender to live is a cautionary tale as the public and many lawmakers push for more restrictions on these criminals. Travis White, who was convicted of sexually abusing young boys and spent six years in jail,… Read More
Let’s face it – Maine doesn’t do spring well. Our summers are balmy but not too hot or humid, inviting outside activities such as hikes, kayaking and swimming. Our falls are bright, crisp and invigorating, inspiring more walks and drives through the countryside. Even winters… Read More
The face-off in Congress over budget resolutions for fiscal year 2009 delineated clear differences between Democrats and Republicans on the issue of who pays how much for government services. With the Senate and House votes, Democrats have successfully taken a splitting ax to the Bush tax cuts, dividing… Read More
As the Iraq war enters its sixth year, the majority of Americans are disillusioned with the conflict and want U.S. troops to begin to come home. The sad news from military experts, however, is that the war has only entered “middle age” and won’t end for another five… Read More
The idea of using savings to increase access to health insurance was a cornerstone of the state’s Dirigo Health program, so it is unfortunate to see this linkage abandoned. But, for the sake of increasing and improving health insurance coverage, a new way to fund Dirigo appears necessary. Read More
This week’s ClickBack questions, which readers respond to on the BDN Web site, focus on national and local issues. To participate, go to bangordailynews.com and click on the ClickBack logo (registration is required, but the BDN does not share the information with third parties), and share your views. Read More
Back in the 1980s, when Maine saw the first wave of a residential housing development boom, cities and towns created conservation commissions to serve as adjunct advisory bodies to planning and zoning boards. Twenty years ago, there were some 200 such commissions, but that number has dwindled to… Read More
In a veto last weekend, President Bush once again approved past and future use of torture in the interrogation of terrorist suspects. The bill would have outlawed the CIA’s use of waterboarding, or simulated drowning, and other techniques prohibited by the military and law enforcement agencies. Supporters of… Read More
Even more disturbing than the report that one in four teenage girls in the United States has sexually transmitted diseases is that only about half the girls acknowledged having sex. The findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are yet another indication that the emphasis on… Read More
The same day that advocates for social service programs packed the State House to protest proposed cuts to services for the mentally ill, disabled and others, a conservative think tank offered its own blueprint for cutting more than $200 million from the state budget. These two groups offer… Read More
The notion of a liberal-leaning media is largely a myth. Surveys have shown reporters tend to be socially liberal and fiscally conservative, while their editors and publishers tend to be right of center on most issues. Further, reporters are trained to not let their beliefs creep into their… Read More
Increased restrictions on commercial fishing have failed to help many marine fish populations grow, so regulators are again considering ways to reduce what is caught, this time by buying back permits – and the boats that go with them. Instead of another costly attempt to control how many… Read More
New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, ensnared in a prostitution ring, resigned Wednesday, leaving behind a tattered reputation and lots of questions. Aside from what $5,500 an hour gets you from a call girl, the most asked question is “Why?” Why would someone who spent years rooting out corruption… Read More
When the federal government cuts social welfare programs, it’s a safe bet that senators don’t get midnight phone calls from families in financial crisis. And when the state, because of reduced federal funding, cuts its programs aimed at helping the poor, the governor won’t be awakened by a… Read More
LD 1932 began as a necessary and quick fix to the school administration consolidation law passed last year. The bill aimed to remove hurdles to school district mergers, not to so water down the law that the goals of saving money and improving classroom instruction were lost. Read More
The Legislature’s Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability recently completed a fiscal analysis of state boards, committees, commissions and councils and has recommended cutting many that have been inactive in recent years. According to OPEGA’s report, “These boards collectively consumed about 349,015 hours of state employee staff… Read More
In his first round of budget cutting, Gov. John Baldacci did not reduce funding for the state’s higher education systems and asked them to look for cost savings. In his second round of cuts, announced last week, the governor proposed to reduce funding for the University of Maine… Read More
ClickBack is a new venue for Bangor Daily News readers to share their opinions on topics of local, statewide and national interest and importance. Have ideas for cutting the state budget? Share them at ClickBack. An armchair goalie with tips for the Maine Black Bears? Go to ClickBack… Read More
After numerous instances of federal government agencies mishandling or losing personal information, the agencies pledged to improve their data security standards and practices. Two years later, the agencies still have much work to do. A deadline for ensuring data security could help. The Office of… Read More
The nice thing about insurance is that it’s so reassuring. If you wreck your car or your house burns down, you get – theoretically, at least – the money to buy a new car or a new house. But some hazards are so rarely encountered, like being struck… Read More
There has been talk in Augusta of budget cuts for years. Now that the governor has proposed a second round of cuts to meet the reality of declining revenue collection, there is growing dismay over what reduced spending looks like. The challenge for lawmakers, who have only a… Read More
If Gov. Baldacci’s proposed budget fix becomes law, school districts would see about $23 million cut from the annual state aid package. The cuts will hurt schools as they develop their budgets for next year, and in the end, will probably result in higher local property tax bills. Read More
A column in the March 3 issue of Time magazine by managing editor Rick Stengel argues that newspapers should drop their long-standing policies of endorsing candidates for elected office. Mr. Stengel confesses to not understanding why newspapers continue this tradition, suggesting the practice may come from the 19th… Read More
The poll released by Market Decisions this week showing that 80 percent of Mainers oppose expanding taxes and fees even temporarily to cover the state budget gap is being waved like a banner by those who believe state government is bloated. Aside from the “duh”… Read More
With Hillary Clinton winning primaries in Texas and Ohio Tuesday but Barack Obama remaining ahead in the delegate count, it looks as if the superdelegates will determine which candidate is the Democratic presidential nominee. So far, with the Democratic elected-delegate count closely divided and with… Read More
A cost-saving proposal to reduce tax benefits to companies under the state’s Business Equipment Tax Reimbursement program was met with immediate opposition from corporate representatives because they said it would stifle economic development. BETR, as the program is known, may well be vital to the… Read More
After years of distrust and sometimes outright hostility, the state’s Indian tribes and state officials have made important progress in improving relations. Many of those gains can be solidified through passage of LD 2221, a bill that codifies the recommendations of the Tribal-State Work Group. Read More
In Economics 101, students learn two basic principles. One is that the more demand there is for a commodity, the higher its price. The second principle, related to the first, concerns supply. Prices drop on a commodity when demand is low and supply is high. Read More
At a recent debate, Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton argued about the efficacy of NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, with each trying to paint the other as favoring the agreement. The debate was in Ohio, a state whose Democrats include many union members. Read More
Despite many unresolved problems, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security continues to threaten sanctions against residents of states that do not move toward compliance with the Real ID Act, which sets tighter standards for driver’s licenses. Maine and more than a dozen other states have opted out of… Read More
A conservative radio commentator is claiming that likely Republican presidential nominee John McCain “threw me under a bus” after the commentator, Bill Cunningham, opened a rally for the candidate with some pointed barbs at the Democratic candidates. Sen. McCain denounced the commentator for the shots he took at… Read More
Climate change isn’t unique to California, so the state should not be able to adopt its own vehicle emissions standards, the Environmental Protection Agency said last week, formally denying the state’s request to regulate greenhouse gases from cars. This stymies efforts by more than a dozen states, including… Read More
Measures of Growth, the Maine Development Foundation’s annual rating of Maine’s economic condition, is meant to assess “Maine’s progress towards long-term, sustainable economic growth.” With the majority of the measures negative or stagnant, progress is an overstatement this year. Aside from the environment, where the… Read More
One wonders what William F. Buckley Jr. thought of the bumper crop of shrill conservatives on talk radio and TV who became the leading voices of the movement as his star waned over the last 15 years. Mr. Buckley, widely credited with being the father of the modern… Read More
In their snarky exchange about al-Qaida and Iraq, presidential contenders John McCain and Barack Obama have missed an important point – the group called al-Qaida in Iraq is not an offshoot of the larger al-Qaida, which supposedly has been the target of the U.S. war on terrorism for… Read More
Maine has one of the nation’s oldest housing stocks, which translates into higher heating costs. But new houses, built with the northern climate in mind, should be far more energy-efficient, right? Not necessarily, according to Dylan Voorhees of the Natural Resources Council of Maine. A… Read More
Camden National Corp. President and CEO Robert W. Daigle announced new leadership roles and responsibilities for three officers – Joanne Campbell, Anne Edwards and Peter Greene – after the recent acquisition of Union Bankshares. Campbell has been named senior vice president of risk management for… Read More
As lawmakers in Augusta deal with the state’s growing budget shortfall, this year’s Kids Count data book offers useful, but sobering, information about the value of state and federal programs that support children and families. As in the past, this information should guide decisions about what programs are… Read More
Having failed to finish the job the first time, members of Congress are now talking of a second stimulus package to nudge the country away from recession. Such a package should only be considered if lawmakers can stick only to stimulus that works, namely extending unemployment benefits and… Read More
OK, so you’ve finally decided to make a go of being green. First on the to-do list is substantially limiting your carbon footprint. So you purchase compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs, and put them in your most used light fixtures. You’re feeling so good about your new… Read More
The report Monday from the state’s Revenue Forecasting Committee confirmed what had long been feared: State revenue collections are expected to continue to lag through 2009. This reinforces the need for lawmakers to address the state’s budget shortfall – now roughly $200 million – as a long-term problem,… Read More
Many environmentalists – and some Wiscasset residents – breathed a sigh of relief when Maine Yankee, the state’s only nuclear power plant, closed in 1997. The plant began operating in 1972 and produced 119 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity over its life. But its old age was troubling; thanks… Read More
At a time when Maine is removing dams and returning rivers to a more natural state, in part to boost local fish populations, it is odd that the state continues to intentionally block native fish from returning to the St. Croix River. Lawmakers have a chance to improve… Read More
A bill to raise the stipends of the members of the Land Use Regulation Commission and the Board of Environmental Protection offers lawmakers an opportunity to have an overdue conversation of the changed roles of these panels and whether updates in their structure and mandate are necessary. Read More
Maine may have lost some footing in its resistance to initiatives such as the federal Real ID plan with the recent embarrassing news that revealed the ease with which one can secure a state-issued driver’s license. Last week’s disclosure, which came through the sentencing of… Read More
The tragic shooting at Northern Illinois University last week, coming less than a year after similar deadly violence at Virginia Tech, should alert college administrators to the need to monitor the mental health of their students. While campus security efforts are important, the root of the killings at… Read More
Cuban leader Fidel Castro must take some satisfaction in outlasting the administrations of nine U.S. presidents, some of whom oversaw clandestine efforts to kill or overthrow him. This week, at the age of 81, the cocky and defiant but now ailing dictator decided finally to pass the torch… Read More
The New York Times’ lengthy story Thursday about presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain has, predictably, put conservative talk radio and TV news programs on screech mode. Commentators are casting the story as the supposed liberal media’s leading voice deliberately smearing the GOP’s cleanest candidate by suggesting Sen. Read More
Congress last week approved new restrictions on CIA interrogations to protect detainees from abuse despite warning that this would harm the country’s ability to gain information that could stop terrorist attacks. Protecting all detainees, regardless of who is questioning and holding them, from cruel treatment is overdue. Read More
In this age of instant and mass opinion expression, in which the “American Idol” winner is anointed by text-message votes, it’s hard to believe that state legislatures once elected U.S. presidents. It’s also difficult for modern sensibilities to accept that women – fully half of the electorate –… Read More
With a few qualifications, winter is a great time for getting out into the air. For the more vigorous among us, there’s skiing, snowshoeing, mountain climbing, ice skating, ice fishing and snowmobiling. But for the rest of us, just an occasional good walk can do wonders. Read More
The lesson in Bangor this week is to never underestimate the value of entertainment to our economy. As high school boys and girls play their hearts out in do-or-die battles on the basketball court at Bangor Auditorium, the regional economy is gulping down some much-needed financial Gatorade. Hotels,… Read More
Determining the economic value of transportation infrastructure is an inexact science. What local businesses do not expand because the roads are bumpy and winding, and shipping products to market takes longer and costs more? Which business did not choose to relocate here because there was no regular rail… Read More
Defense Secretary Robert Gates is worried there is confusion among Europeans that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are connected. Perhaps the secretary should take that worry to his boss, President Bush, who has been trying to connect the two for nearly five years. “I… Read More
“No” has become the most frequently heard word in Augusta. Merge the state’s natural resource agencies? No. Reduce services to and funding for foster families? No way. Close a youth detention facility? Nohow. With the state facing a likely $200 million budget shortfall – which… Read More