January 2013

Steve Woods Files Papers Seeking 2014 Democratic Nomination for Governor

by Blaine January 31, 2013 Election 2014

Yesterday, former Independent candidate for U.S. Senate, Steve Woods, filed papers with the Maine Ethics Commission seeking the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2014. Woods’ campaign website is also live with a brief bio and a few photographs. Woods is the third candidate to file papers with the ethics commission for the 2014 gubernatorial election, joining Republican [...]

Tagged as: Election 2014, Maine Governor, Steve Woods

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Former Bangor Representative Who Lost in 2012 Seeks Rematch

by Blaine January 23, 2013 Election 2014

Former State Representative Douglas Damon filed papers today registering as a candidate for House District 16 in 2014. Damon represented district 16 in the 125th Legislature, but lost his re-election bid to John Schneck in November. Schneck received 59.24% of the vote to Damon’s 40.76%.

Tagged as: Bangor, Election 2014, maine legislature

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Cutler Doing Away With OneMaine PAC?

by Blaine January 23, 2013 Campaign Finance

In its 42 day post-general election report filed with the Maine Ethics Commission on December 17, 2012, Eliot Cutler’s OneMaine Political Action Committee (PAC) had a $398.27 cash balance. Yesterday, the group filed a campaign finance report for the reporting period covering 1/1/13 – 3/31/13 that isn’t due until April 10, 2013.  In that report they made one contribution [...]

Tagged as: Eliot Cutler, OneMaine, PAC

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First Vague Details from LePage Budget Release

by Blaine January 11, 2013 Uncategorized

This afternoon Governor LePage relesaed his FY 2013-2014 biennial budget. Legislative leadership is currently being briefed on the proposal and details are emerging via various twitter feeds of reporters and advocates who made it in to the briefing. The first official communication from the Governor about the proposal was the release of the text and [...]

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Republican Operative Joins Education Commissioner Bowen’s Staff

by Blaine January 11, 2013 Education

Yesterday afternoon, Maine Department of Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen announced the hiring of Alison Sucy as his Deputy Chief of Staff. Sucy a long-term Republican operative has worked with the House Republicans since 1999, rising to Chief of Staff for former Speaker of the House Bob Nutting in 2010. Below is the text of an [...]

Tagged as: Education, Stephen Bowen

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Former Superintendent & “Double Dipper” Hired by Bowen for High-Level Post

by Blaine January 11, 2013 Education

Three days after Governor LePage criticized “double dippers,” superintendents who retire to draw a pension and then return to work in taxpayer funded positions, we have been made aware that a high-level employee of Education Commissioner Steve Bowen is a “double dipper.” Former Superintendent of Regional School Unit 2, Donald Siviski began working as a temporary [...]

Tagged as: double dippers, Education, Governor Paul LePage

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Influx of Corporate Money Unable to Influence Charter Commission

by Blaine January 11, 2013 Campaign Finance

The opening week of the legislative session has been dominated by a discussion about education and charter schools. The Maine Charter School Commission on Tuesday rejected four of the five applicants seeking to open a charter school for the 2013-2014 school year.  The Commission is a seven member board, comprised of 3 members from the [...]

Tagged as: ALEC, Charter Schools, Education, Governor LePage, Governor Paul LePage, LePage

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LePage Fiscal Irresponsibility Compounded Maine Budget Woes Report Says

by Blaine January 10, 2013 Uncategorized

On the eve of the release of the FY 2013-2014 biennial budget, the Maine Center for Economic Policy has released an overview of the state’s budget challenges and the fiscal irresponsibility of the  LePage Administration. The budget proposal will close a $881 million structural gap over the biennium, with most of the shortfall attributable to the [...]

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Second “Double Dipper” Found on LePage Administration Payroll

by Blaine January 10, 2013 Ethics

In a scathing news conference yesterday, Governor LePage repeatedly expressed his displeasure at “double-dippers” who draw a salary while collecting a pension from the state retirement system. Focusing on superintendents, LePage called the practice “unconscionable” and that he thinks it is “absolutely disgusting.” When MPBN reporter A.J. Higgins questioned LePage about his own Commissioner of [...]

Tagged as: double dipper, LePage

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Corporate Virtual Schools Dealt Blow by Commission

by Blaine January 8, 2013 Education

In their afternoon meeting today, the seven member Maine Charter School Commission unanimously rejected four of the five applications for the 2013-2014 school year. Among the applications rejected were the proposals of two virtual schools:  Maine Connections Academy and Maine Virtual Academy.  Critics of the proposals say the unanimous dismissal of these two entities is [...]

Tagged as: ALEC, Charter Schools, LePage, Students First, Virtual Education

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