I hope Portland voters think past the feel-good vibes of the Charter Commission recommendations. Take Question 3, for example, a Clean Elections fund for local races sounds good until you consider that somebody – the Portland taxpayer – has to pay for all the politicking that politics entail. There ain’t no such thing as a […]

Republican Paul LePage proclaimed himself “Trump before Trump” several years ago, deluded that being aligned with the would-be dictator and wannabe king would be of political advantage to him during his term as governor. Well, here we are again, and he wants the people of Maine to think he has changed his stripes? I don’t […]

On Nov. 8, Scarborough residents will be asked to approve a $12.9 million bond for a massive and largely unnecessary expansion of the public library. The plan would nearly triple the size of the library from 13,000 to 35,000 square feet. This huge expansion comes despite fewer than 2 percent of Scarborough residents indicating any […]

The dearth of credible newspapers and media outlets has put American democracy on life support. Conspiracy theories proliferate on the internet. It takes diligent work to pursue the truth. Sources like Fox News, Breitbart and Newsmax spew animosity daily. The more air time they have (please don’t give me a freedom of speech lecture, I’m […]

As a longtime server at Becky’s Diner, I appreciate that Portland is known for its restaurants. But shouldn’t it also be known for its public schools? That’s why I’m voting “yes” on Question 5. Right now, our city government isn’t structured to prioritize public education. We can and need to do better for Portland’s children […]

Retired Navy Seal and Republican Ed Thelander is running to represent the 1st District in the U.S. Congress. America is heading in the wrong direction. Ed will course correct. Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree has supported policies that have led to higher heating oil, gasoline and electric prices. Unrestrained federal spending resulted in my family finances […]

Recently, I have been bombarded by Enough is Enough’s messages to “vote ‘no’ on all (Portland) ballot questions.” While my sympathies are with the proposals’ backers, I am open to arguments for and against them all. However, I can tell everything I need to know about Enough is Enough by how their effort rejects even […]

A few weeks ago, I started noticing lawn signs in Yarmouth urging a “yes” vote on the referendum that is on the town’s Nov. 8 ballot. Last week, upon closer look, I saw “For an Inclusive Town Council” also on the signs. I was previously on the fence about my vote. My equivocation now includes […]

Tax-supported free public libraries are an American invention. They are fundamental to the preservation of our democracy, providing support for education and access to information. Scarborough’s current library was designed for a 1990 population. The digital revolution since has impacted all libraries, and our population has nearly doubled. More than ever, we need access to […]