Letters

Published
February 3, 2014

Letter to the editor: Revenue sharing no good for cutting property taxes

Wow! The revenue sharing editorial (“Our View: Cuts to revenue sharing force local tax hikes,” Jan. 24) strikes hot issues; for me, it’s the subsidizing of nonresident property taxes. And while the Legislature may not agree, it actually provides subsidies when “revenue sharing” with the communities. How? State tax revenue is passed to communities, which […]
Published
February 3, 2014

Letter to the editor: Nursing homes need action in Augusta

As the administrator of South Portland Nursing Home, I was pleased to see the recent op-ed by Rick Erb on the state’s long-term care study committee recommendations (“Maine Voices: Nursing-home care for Maine’s elderly is at risk,” Jan. 19). The outline he provided regarding the challenges facing nursing home operations really captured my day-to-day experience […]
Published
February 2, 2014

Letter to the editor: Architects of mining rules should live with the effects

I was in Colorado this summer when torrential rainfall caused massive mudslides. The amount of rainfall also caused tailing ponds – or what recent Maine rule changes call “wet waste management units” – to overflow. The toxic liquid covered and poisoned large tracts of land that are now contaminated and unusable. Given the flooding Maine […]
Published
February 2, 2014

Letter to the editor: Child labor robs children of childhood

The headline in the Jan. 8 Portland Press Herald read: “LePage says 12-year-olds should have work option.” He cites as an example his own early experience starting to work at age 11 and suggests today’s Maine children follow his example. I had comparable childhood experiences. Growing up as I did in Chicago during the post-Great […]
Published
February 2, 2014

Letter to the editor: Rehab center at Fox Hill makes sense for Camden

I am writing to commend the use of Fox Hill in Camden for a self-contained residential rehabilitation center for those in need of appropriate recovery and care. I support the narrowly written zoning change that will allow McLean to operate there. Fox Hill is a lovely existing property that is well suited for the needs […]

Published
February 2, 2014

Letter to the editor: Big changes in education warrant a much closer look

The current Legislature will willingly respond to the following terms – “federal funds,” “children” and “schools” – as would Pavlov’s dogs. The desire to expand our failing educational system to include 3- and 4-year-olds is nothing more than a salivary response. Minimum reading of various studies of pre-K programs nationwide – some of which included […]
Published
February 2, 2014

Letter to the editor: Maine communities of faith addressing climate change

I was raised a Protestant minister’s daughter in rural Maine, and now attend a United Church of Christ church in my local community. I grew up on sermons reminding me that the earth is a precious gift from God. Now when I hear such sermons I often end up in tears. I see the changes […]
Published
February 1, 2014

Letter to the editor: ‘Heroic’ organ donors need aftercare

It is gratifying that Gary Rutter received a long-awaited kidney and that Hallie Twomey has found solace in donating one of hers (“Six linked patients, three saved lives in series of kidney transplants,” Jan. 17). The marvels of modern medicine and the generosity of the human heart are breathtaking. However, while the article cited possible […]
Published
February 1, 2014

Letter to the editor: Editorial on Morsi could be informative to Rep. Pingree

I see in some foreign news outlet headlines that President Mohamed Morsi of Egypt is to shortly go on trial for breaking out of jail. He’d been a political prisoner of the Mubarak regime. Then he was elected president in internationally approved elections. Then he was overthrown by the military. I assume the jailbreak came […]
Published
February 1, 2014

Letter to the editor: Maine Voices writers offer nuanced views on issues

Two different Maine Voices writers converge on our culture’s need to exercise the qualities of humility and respect for complexity. Either/or labels (e.g., left and right, red and blue, pro-choice and pro-life, etc.) only make it easier to escape from difficult ethical struggles on issues both national and personal. Nicole Clegg of Planned Parenthood of […]

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Letters