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