Tag: Maine legislature

WERU News Report 5/3/11

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

The Maine legislature took up the controversial issue of school vouchers yesterday, in a public hearing before the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. LD 250 “An Act To Permit Tuition Subsidies by Municipalities” would allow municipalities to give subsidies from their general funds to parents to reimburse them for part or all of the tuition the parents paid to private schools that are precluded from receiving tuition funding from the State– including religious schools.
Supporters of the bill cite a recent situation on Swans Island, in which the town reportedly chose to allocate municipal funds for parents who wanted their children to attend private, religious schools, but the plan was overturned when it was determined to be in violation of state law. Opponents of the law have concerns about violations of separation of church and state, and about taxpayer dollars being used to fund un-regulated schools. Today we’ll hear some of the testimony from both sides at yesterday’s public hearing. Senator Brian D. Langley, Republican of Hancock County, the Comittee Co Chair, facilitated

WERU News Report 4/13/11

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Topic: LD 879 “An Act To Ensure Adequate Landfill Capacity in the State for Solid Waste” — allowing the expansion of the Norridgewock dump. The legislation would undo protections put in place after that dump collapsed in a landslide in the late 80s.

The Natural Resources Committee of the Maine State Legislature is holding public hearings this afternoon on several pieces of legislation related to waste disposal in Maine, including LD 879, “An Act To Ensure Adequate Landfill Capacity in the State for Solid Waste” — which activists have called “the bill that just won’t die”. Here to explain why, is Hillary Lister, an environmental activist from central Maine who has spent years researching and working on waste disposal issues in Maine.

WERU News Report 4/12/11

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Contributor: Carolyn Coe

Segment 1: The Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing this afternoon on LD 1046
“An Act To Amend the Application of the Maine Human Rights Act Regarding Public Accommodations”, sponsored by Representative Kenneth Fredette. The group “EqualityMaine” is among those opposing the proposed legislation. They say it chips away protections under the Maine Human Rights Act. Here is some of the testimony heard by the committee this afternoon.

Segment 2: AntiWar rallies were held in New York & San Francisco– as well as here in Bangor, Maine on Saturday. The rallies in New York and San Francisco were organized by the United National Antiwar Committee, and endorsed by hundreds of other peace and human rights groups, and were held in conjunction with demostrations being held in the middle east, also calling for peace. One of the speakers in New York was (Ret.) Colonel Ann Wright — a peace activist, the subject of one of Robert Shetterly’s “Americans Who Tell the Truth” portraits, and participant in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla that was tragically raided by the Israeli military last year, resulting in several deaths. WERU’s Carolyn Coe recorded her speech, and spoke with her later, during the march.

WERU News Report 3/30/11

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Segment 1: Listen in on a Work Session on a Constitutional Amendment to Allow Run-off Elections for Governor in Maine

The state of Maine has not had a governor who was elected by a majority of voters since 2002. Governor LePage, like Governor Baldacci before him, won the election with the support of less than 50% of voters. Senator Tom Saviello, a republican from Wilton, is sponsoring an amendment to the state constitution to address that problem by requiring run-off elections between the top 2 candidates, when none receives more than 50% of the vote. The Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government held a work session on the bill this afternoon. Senator Douglas Thomas, a Republican from Somerset County , Chairs the committee.

Segment 2: An update on Federal Legislation Cutting Funds for Community Radio with WERU General Manager Matt Murphy

Weekend Voices 12/11/10

Executive Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Contributing Producers: Andree Bella, Meaghan LaSala

Segment 1: Amy Browne interviews John Christie and Naomi Schalit, Senior Reporters for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, about their recent series of articles on Maine’s new Speaker of the House, Robert Nutting, and his history of overbilling MaineCare and then declaring his drug store bankrupt. What are the details of the Representative Nutting’s over-billing of MaineCare (ie Medicaid)? Was the money ever paid back? How do his fellow legislators feel that history reflects on him as a legislator? FMI: www.pinetreewatchdog.org

Segment 2: Andree Bella talks with Jennifer Hill of the “Belfast Area Transition Initiative”. What is the initiative? How can people get involved and/or start a similar project in their own community? FMI: rooted@fairpoint.net, 207-722-3383

Segment 3: Meaghan LaSala reports on the nurse’s strike at Eastern Maine Medical Center. Sounds from the November 22nd nurse’s strike at EMMC, and a follow up interview with Judy Brown, President of the Nurses Union. What are the main issues that caused the nurses to strike? What were the nurses hoping the strike will accomplish? What is EMMC’s position on the contract language? Are staffing ratios a broader, national problem?

Indigenous Voices 7/15/08

Producer/Host: Rhonda Frey

Topic: “In The Shadow of the Eagle- A Tribal Representative in Maine” (2008, Tilbury House)– a discussion with the author, Donna Loring, Penobscot Representative to the Maine State Legislature.

What is the election process of the Penobscot Tribe?  What legislative bills did you work on?  With regard to the “Offensive Names Bill”,  what difficulties did you face in the state, with the media and public?

Donna Loring also has a blog called “Native Voice” which can be found on the Bangor Daily News website, www.bangornews.com

Talk of the Towns 6/26/08

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Topic: Looking back, looking ahead:  Maine Towns and the Legislature

We live in towns and cities; we also live in the state of Maine.  Each jurisdiction creates policies that, depending on your point of view, help us or hinder us as we make our homes, our livings, and our lives.   In this program, we ask state legislators to comment on the 2008 session and policies that have clear connection to municipal government, to help us understand the sometimes fuzzy boundary between your town and your state.

Guests: Representative Chris Rector, Thomaston, Senator Christine Savage, Union, Representative Ted Koffman, Bar Harbor

Call in show