Portland Charter Commission Question No. 2 will not lead to more democracy, accountability or transparency. An executive mayor is about power. How is concentrating power with one person more democratic, more transparent, and more accountable? Strong mayors are dominated by political favoritism and corruption. One hundred years ago, the residents of Portland replaced a strong […]

Governor Janet Mills has proven her commitment to Maine through hard work, collaboration and action. As a grandparent and retired teacher, it is great to see Maine children coming first through investment in public schools that will fund the state’s obligation to pay 55 percent of the cost of K-12 education. This accomplishment represents the […]

Election Day in Portland is particularly important this year because there are eight questions posed by the Portland Charter Commission (a body charged with suggesting changes to our governing procedures), and five initiative proposals brought forward by citizen groups. Suffice it to say, there’s a lot here for voters to digest – perhaps too much. […]

I write in opposition to Question B in the upcoming Portland election. While Question B’s stated purpose is to address the housing shortage, it goes too far in eliminating short-term rentals on the islands. By banning these rentals, mostly made up of seasonal cottages, it will not add a single home to the housing inventory. […]

It will be some time before the National Transportation Safety Board unravels the cause of the tragic accident involving the Beechcraft A36 on approach to Biddeford on Oct. 5. In the meantime, speculation is risky. As yet, there is no reason to think this pilot’s health, or, by inference, his age, was a factor. Pilot […]

Michael Kebede’s Oct. 7 commentary on the Portland Charter Commission’s proposed Questions 2 and 3 is a slick piece of propaganda, but not persuasive. He cites the city manager overruling three councilors on the recent food truck controversy. Has he considered that the strong mayor envisioned by the charter would have the power to do […]

Cape Elizabeth: town of failing schools! Wait! That statement isn’t true. So, why is there a $116 million bond referendum, with anticipated property tax increases at 27 percent, on the November ballot to build new schools? The arguments for this proposed economic boondoggle range from “classrooms are cramped” to my favorite: “Families will leave the […]