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Poll results

Gov. Janet Mills on Tuesday unveiled her administration’s 2019 bond package, describing the $239 million proposal as a “series of targeted investments to expand Maine’s economy, build a strong, skilled workforce, repair Maine’s aging infrastructure, and usher in clean, renewable energy.” Last week, she nominated former Senate Majority Leader Phil Bartlett to be the next chairman of the Maine Public Utilities Commission, citing the key roles he played in gaining bipartisan support for several of the state’s landmark energy initiatives, including Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative legislation, a bill to increase Maine’s renewable portfolio standard and another to support renewable energy development. She also launched an initiative to develop a 10-year strategic economic development plan for Maine that would focus on strategies to enhance economic growth, particularly in rural Maine, and address Maine’s workforce challenges — calling it the first of its kind in more than two decades.

But Maine People Before Politics, a public policy nonprofit whose honorary chairman is former Gov. Paul LePage, issued a news release this week accusing Mills of breaking her “no tax increase” promise. It backs that up by citing two bills supported by the Mills administration: LD 1777, “An Act To Add Rivers, Streams and Brooks to the Department of Environmental Protection's Compensation Fee Program,” and LD 1784, “An Act To Increase Land Permit by Rule Application Fees”  — observing in a news release “both of which raise fees on Mainers.”

“In raising the fees Mills is breaking a promise,” Julie Rabinowitz, the nonprofit’s director of policy and communication, stated in the release. “There is absolutely no question that Janet Mills claimed she would not raise or create a fee. Janet Mills is breaking that promise.”

How would you rate Gov. Janet Mills’ performance so far, related to improving Maine’s business climate?
A, Excellent (31%, 52 VOTES)
B, Good (20%, 34 VOTES)
C, Average (8%, 13 VOTES)
D, Below average (18%, 31 VOTES)
F, Failing (24%, 40 VOTES)
Poll Description

Gov. Janet Mills on Tuesday unveiled her administration’s 2019 bond package, describing the $239 million proposal as a “series of targeted investments to expand Maine’s economy, build a strong, skilled workforce, repair Maine’s aging infrastructure, and usher in clean, renewable energy.” Last week, she nominated former Senate Majority Leader Phil Bartlett to be the next chairman of the Maine Public Utilities Commission, citing the key roles he played in gaining bipartisan support for several of the state’s landmark energy initiatives, including Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative legislation, a bill to increase Maine’s renewable portfolio standard and another to support renewable energy development. She also launched an initiative to develop a 10-year strategic economic development plan for Maine that would focus on strategies to enhance economic growth, particularly in rural Maine, and address Maine’s workforce challenges — calling it the first of its kind in more than two decades.

But Maine People Before Politics, a public policy nonprofit whose honorary chairman is former Gov. Paul LePage, issued a news release this week accusing Mills of breaking her “no tax increase” promise. It backs that up by citing two bills supported by the Mills administration: LD 1777, “An Act To Add Rivers, Streams and Brooks to the Department of Environmental Protection's Compensation Fee Program,” and LD 1784, “An Act To Increase Land Permit by Rule Application Fees”  — observing in a news release “both of which raise fees on Mainers.”

“In raising the fees Mills is breaking a promise,” Julie Rabinowitz, the nonprofit’s director of policy and communication, stated in the release. “There is absolutely no question that Janet Mills claimed she would not raise or create a fee. Janet Mills is breaking that promise.”

  • 170 Votes
  • 8 Comments
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8 Comments

  • June 5, 2019

    I know several businesses moving out of Maine because of the laws she signed. I know others that are considering expanding in other states or moving away. This is a job-killing administration.

  • June 5, 2019

    She is not good for business as she believes in taking care of people from cradle to grave instead of helping them to become self sufficient. More programs that pay people to not work is not good for businesses that need workers or the extra taxes people will have to pay to take care of all of these people. We are not doing people any favors by just paying for them to live on welfare. People seem to think it is acceptable to live their whole lives like that. There should be limits to how long you can get a helping hand. That is what the programs should be there for, not a lifetime. Today she is proposing $190M in bonds to come up for a vote. Mainers have never seen a bond they didn't like. Stop bonding. If this stuff is that important, then put it in the budget and start making difficult cuts to ridiculous programs to pay for it. We keep spending money in the budget that should go for roads, bridges, broadband expansion, etc. instead of bonding for it. How about we start taking care of our senior population more and get the people of working age off their behinds and to work. We pay able-bodied young people more in support than we do seniors who worked their whole lives and now need some help! They shouldn't have to choose between food, heat or medicine.

  • June 5, 2019
    Her policies are finally taking us in the right direction. The fee increases still do not reflect that actual cost to citizens for others who take advantage of the development potential. It is a small encumbrance on those who most stand to benefit, not the general population of the state; and to describe it otherwise is faulty.