Proposed funding includes $3.5 million for the city’s planned homeless services center and $3.6 million to replace a community pool.
Randy Billings
Staff Writer
Randy Billings is a government watchdog and political reporter who has been the State House bureau chief since 2021. He was named the Maine Press Association’s Journalist of the Year in 2020. He joined the Press Herald in 2012 as the Portland City Hall reporter, where his beat touched on a wide range of topics, including municipal government, immigration, homelessness, housing and social services. Prior to that, he worked at various weeklies as well as business and arts publications. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine, Orono. He lives in North Yarmouth with his wife and two children and enjoys the outdoors and playing his upright bass.
Posted inMaine, News
Portland’s unsheltered homeless population is on the rise as temperatures drop
A winter of uncertainty looms for those living on the streets, with shelters operating at reduced capacity and federal funding for hotel rooms set to expire at the end of the year.
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Posted inLocal Elections, Maine, News, Politics
Developers backing Portland’s shelter plan spend $40,000 on referendum
A commercial real estate agent and a local developer have formed a ballot question committee to support Option C, which would allow the city’s 208-bed homeless services center in Riverton to move forward.
Posted inLocal Elections, Maine, News
Portland charter commissioners warned of pitfalls of voting rights for noncitizens
Portland is once again debating whether to be the first city in Maine to allow noncitizens to vote in municipal elections. But immigration experts warn of unintended consequences.
Posted inMaine, News
Portland City Council explains 2019 clean elections vote to court
The council issued a formal explanation to Maine’s top court for why it required a proposal to create a local clean elections program to be reviewed first by a charter commission, rather than sending it to the ballot.
Posted inMaine, News
Portland mayor appoints panel to guide search for city manager
Mayor Kate Snyder will lead the committee, which will include three city councilors.
Posted inElections, Maine, Politics
Portland ballot question would limit size of new homeless shelters
The citizen referendum, which asks voters to choose one of two policies or none of them, is in response to the city’s plan to build a 208-bed homeless services center.
Posted inMaine
Freeport family gives $500,000 to SMCC’s nursing program
The gift will allow Southern Maine Community College to train more nursing students and help address a critical nursing shortage in Maine, the college said.
Posted inMaine, News
Portland charter commission delves into balance of power between elected mayor and city manager
In a meeting this week, former Portland mayors shared their thoughts on the challenges of the job and how the elected position could be improved.
Posted inLocal Elections, Maine, Politics
Toxic politics taking its toll on Portland’s public servants
The tension that has been building in recent years between an energized, aggressive progressive movement and more moderate city officials seems to have spiked in the last week.