Disclosure

The registered lobbyist for the Maine Press Association, of which this newspaper is a member, and the Maine Daily Newspaper Publishers Association, is Daniel Walker, a member of the Preti Flaherty law firm. In the past, the MPA and the publishers’ association lobbyist has represented newspapers in their opposition to a sales tax on newspaper sales. That tax was not en element of either of the bills that were debated in 2009 and that are the focus of this story. When John Christie, the author of this article, was publisher of the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel, the papers were represented by Preti Flaherty attorneys.