Attendees at the meeting in Freeport say that the proposed increase to fund infrastructure improvements — roughly $35 a month by late 2030 — would hurt the state’s most vulnerable residents.
Daniel Kool
Staff Writer
Daniel Kool is the Portland Press Herald's cost of living reporter, covering wages, bills and the infrastructure that drives them — from roads, to the state's electric grid to the global supply chains connecting Maine and the rest of the world. He joined the Press Herald in 2024 as the night reporter. A graduate of Boston University, he previously covered city news, transportation and higher education for the Boston Globe. His work has also appeared in GBH News, the Boston Globe Magazine and Boston University's student newspaper, where he was the city news editor. A midwestern transplant, Daniel lives in Biddeford, where he plays with keyboards and little noise-making boxes.
Posted inBusiness, News
How Mainers are cutting costs as prices rise
People are clipping coupons, thrifting and buying store-brand items to tighten their budgets as groceries, apparel and transportation have become more expensive.
advertisement
Posted inBusiness, Maine, News
Passamaquoddy solar project wins approval, but its federal funding remains uncertain
The Indian Township project’s future now depends on whether the federal government will honor a renewable energy grant secured more than a year ago.
Posted inBusiness, Maine, News
Portland Museum of Art’s new approach to climate control could be a model for the industry
The museum expanded its indoor temperature and humidity ranges, cutting its energy bills by roughly a fifth and taking a step many larger institutions have been hesitant to attempt.
Posted inBusiness, News
Share of Mainers reliant on heating oil drops to lowest point in over 15 years
Maine is still the most heating-oil dependent state in the country, but a growing share of Mainers are sourcing heat from electricity and other types of fuel.
Posted inBusiness, Maine, News
Is cash still king at Maine’s agricultural fairs?
More fairs are accepting digital payments, but processing fees and shoddy internet access make some vendors hesitant to change cash-only policies that have served them well for decades.
Posted inBusiness, Maine, News, Schools and Education
Gov. Mills announces new Maine Life Sciences Center
State officials hope the center and an accompanying lab space will help turn Maine into a leader in the lucrative and expanding field of life sciences.
Posted inMaine, News
More Maine wells are drying up this year as drought continues
With 12% of the state in an extreme drought, more than 10 times as many wells have been reported dry so far this year than in all of 2024.
Posted inMaine, News
Maine launches Department of Energy Resources
The Cabinet-level department will replace the Governor’s Energy Office, bringing Maine in line with most other states.
Posted inBusiness, Maine, News
Large data center could come to Wiscasset
The proposal, on land also being considered for housing, is ‘in its earliest stages,’ town officials said. Artificial intelligence has spurred the development of similar centers across the country.