AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage is watching closely as Republican governors in other states find ways to expand their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act, but so far LePage is not ready to propose anything that would lead to an expansion in Maine. However, Assistant Senate Minority Leader Roger Katz, R-Augusta, said his push […]
politics
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Bellows kicks off Senate campaign against Collins
ELLSWORTH — In her first appearance as a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, Shenna Bellows on Wednesday morning listed civil rights, campaign finance reform, the environment and the economy as issues she hopes to address if she gets elected to Congress. Giving her stump speech its inaugural run to a standing-room only breakfast crowd […]
advertisement
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Headlines don’t tell the whole story of Paul LePage
Crema is a Portland waterfront café that boasts of coffee roasted in small batches and pastries baked from scratch with “natural, local and organic ingredients.” As much as any place in liberal Portland, it is a gathering spot for a city whose voters have no use for Gov. Paul LePage. Only 19 percent of Portland […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Chapter 1: Why LePage was elected
For most of the past 30 years, Maine voters were pretty clear what they wanted in the State House — Democrats, or independents with a liberal bent. Then why did a Tea Party-favorite like Paul LePage get more votes in the last governor’s race than a stalwart Democrat like Libby Mitchell or a classic good-government […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Chapter 2: LePage tackles fiscal issues aggressively
Google the name “Paul LePage” and the phrase “fiscal house in order” and you get more than 55,000 hits. Putting that house back in order was a major theme of his campaign. When Democratic Gov. John Baldacci moved out of the Blaine House and LePage moved in, there were two potentially crushing liabilities on the […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Chapter 3: Friendlier toward job creators than environmentalists
The polls say it. And the pols say it. There’s nothing more important — at least in this economy — than jobs. So candidates promise to create more jobs — even though economists say job creation is a lot more complicated in this global economy than the people running for office want to admit. Paul […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Chapter 4: LePage targets the income tax rate
The left, the right and just about everyone in-between has long agreed on one thing about Maine’s taxes — the income tax had to be fixed. The main problem with it was that it treated working people like they were rich. The top 8.5 percent tax rate kicked in at an income level of $19,500. […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Chapter 5: LePage stays firmly to the right of the issues
“As your governor, you’re going to be seeing a lot of me on the front page …” You don’t need a fact-check on that one. From his admitted “big mouth” to his attacks on the legacy policies of Democratic rule, Paul LePage seems to be on Page 1 every day. For 16 years, Maine’s governors […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Chapter 6: LePage wants cheaper energy for Maine
“Maine’s energy costs are too high — and it’s killing economic opportunity.” – Gov. Paul LePage, 2013 state of the state address The high cost of energy in Maine has been one of the most consistent themes from the governor — and one of the hardest to do much about, so far. When LePage came […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Chapter 7: Drama overshadows LePage’s work on domestic violence and ethics
Julia Colpitts holds a master’s degree in social work, is a licensed clinical social worker and runs the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence. On paper, she appears to be the very model of a modern liberal and the antithesis of someone who would respect Paul LePage. But Colpitts cannot be reduced to a stereotype. […]