December 2011

Senate president Kevin Raye paid by DC industry lobby

by admin December 29, 2011 Ethics

The Sun Journal is reporting that Sen. Kevin Raye (R-Perry) received compensation for services rendered to the industry group Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) in 2009 and 2010. AdvaMed hired Raye as part of an effort to defeat a component of the Affordable Care Act that helped fund health insurance reform through a $40 billion [...]

Tagged as: Health Care Reform, Kevin Raye, Lobbying, Olympia Snowe

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Conservative think tank funded No on 1 ad campaign

by admin December 13, 2011 Campaign Finance

A long-awaited campaign finance report has revealed that the secret donor to the effort to oppose restoration of same day voter registration is American Justice Partnership, a conservative think tank from Washington, DC. The group, which gave $250,000 to the No on 1 campaign, is affiliated with the American Legislative Exchange Council and a host [...]

Tagged as: American Justice Partnership, Voting Rights

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LePage budget cuts will cost state more than 4,400 jobs

by admin December 12, 2011 Economy

A study released last week by the Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP)shows that the LePage Administration’s proposed cuts to the state Medicaid program will result in the loss of more than 4,400 jobs statewide. The job losses will come as a result of the loss of MaineCare reimbursements to health care providers. Simply put, [...]

Tagged as: Budget Cuts, MaineCare

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Study finds that buying local is significantly better for Maine economy

by admin December 5, 2011 Economy

A study released by the Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP) has found that dollars spent at local businesses generate 76% more economic activity than dollars spent at national chain stores. While this might sound like a no-brainer, local business development has been strangely absent from the LePage Administration’s economic development strategy. Quite the opposite, [...]

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Maine state treasurer Poliquin involved in private beach club row

by admin December 4, 2011 Economy

The Press Herald’s Bill Nemitz writes today about an emerging controversy surrounding a private beach club built by none other than Maine State treasurer Bruce Poliquin. Much to the chagrin of his neighbors, Poliquin tore down six rental cottages in 2006 in order to build the club, which Nemitz refers to as a “a sprawling, [...]

Tagged as: Bruce Poloquin, Popham Beach

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