The Maine Wire: “Maine Democrats Suspend Transparency Rules” plus 3 more

Maine Democrats Suspend Transparency Rules Posted: 02 May 2013 02:17 PM PDT AUGUSTA – State Democratic leaders have suspended a rule providing for transparency in the proceedings of the Legislature. Senate President Justin L. Alfond (D-Cumberland) and Speaker of the House Mark W. Eves (D-North Berwick) informed lawmakers in an email Wednesday that they are suspending the public notice requirement for advertising public hearings. “Effective today, the [...]

M.D. Harmon: The $4.4 Billion Pigford Boondoggle is Criminal Conspiracy Posted: 02 May 2013 01:44 PM PDT Somehow, it’s appropriate that a multibillion-dollar slam-bang government porkfest in which tens of thousands of undeserving claimants and their lawyers scooped up billions in taxpayer funds goes by the name of “Pigford.” This “criminal conspiracy,” in the words of one conservative publication that has reported on it for years, began under President Clinton, but was [...]

Partisan Politics Stall Hospital Debt Repayment Posted: 02 May 2013 01:21 PM PDT AUGUSTA – Republican and Democratic leaders held dueling press conferences on Tuesday over Gov. Paul R. LePage’s proposal to pay nearly $500 million owed to Maine’s hospitals and a separate Democratic proposal to expand Maine’s Medicaid program. “Paying Maine’s hospitals is incredibly important for our economy,” said Senate Minority Leader Mike D. Thibodeau (R-Winterport). “It [...]

The Devil’s in the Details: What the Gang of Eleven’s Tax Bill Will Do Posted: 02 May 2013 06:29 AM PDT Reduce Maine’s income tax to four percent: Working Mainers would see their income taxes cut in half, from eight percent to a maximum rate of four percent. Nearly all tax deductions would be removed in order to simplify Maine’s income tax policy. Eliminate the estate tax: Also known as the Death Tax, an estate tax [...]