In this update, you will read about two great upcoming events, learn about applying for heating assistance, and read about the Streamlining Task Force’s work to find $25 million of savings.

Community Update WLMH

There are two great community events I would like to share with you this week:

We Love Munjoy Hill Festival

On Saturday, Oct 22nd, from 10am-3pm, the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization will hold its annual “We Love Munjoy Hill” Festival at the East End Community School. There will be vendors, food and plenty of great activities for kids. I will be there, and I hope to see you there!
Reading & the Brain
On Monday, October 24th from 6:30-8:00pm, Reading Matters to Maine and USM Southern Maine Area Resource Team (SMART) for Schools will present a free, public discussion about reading and the brain. This event will be held at the University of Maine, Portland campus, Payson Smith Hall, 96 Falmouth Street, Room 1. The featured speaker will be Dr. Christopher Kaufman who will describe what we now know from the work of neuroscientists and brain imagery about the process of learning to read.

Energy and Efficiency Help
Home Heating Assistance
Fall has officially arrived, and although we just experienced record warm temperatures, we all know that cold weather and the heating season will soon be upon us. Here are some great programs to help those who need it to stay warm this winter:

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, provides a once-a-year benefit to cover a portion of the costs of purchasing heating energy. Heating energy includes fuel oil, kerosene, electricity, wood and coal. LIHEAP does not provide funds to heat a home for the entire winter. The program gives priority to persons who are elderly or who have children under the age of two. All applicants will be screened for income eligibility.

The Central Heating Improvement Program (CHIP) is another useful program for keeping warm. With CHIP, if your heating system is broken and you fall within the income guidelines for the LIHEAP program, then the program will either repair your broken furnace, or pay to replace it with a new, more efficient one.

To apply, contact the People’s Regional Opportunity Program at (207) 553-5900 or LIHEAP@ProPeople.org. If you have any problems with heat this winter, please send me an e-mail and I’ll work with you.

PACE Loans

The City of Portland adopted the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program to help residents upgrade their heating systems, weatherize their homes, and make other improvements to cut energy bills. Borrow up to $15,000, at a fixed rate of 4.99% APR for up to 15 years, for energy efficiency upgrades that can save you money and make your home more comfortable.

To understand PACE please watch this video.

If you want to learn more about PACE financing please either contact Efficiency Maine at 1-866-376-2463, or go to their website.

Inside Augusta

State Response to Barber Foods Lay Offs

As some of you may have heard, Barber Foods will lay off 71 employees. They cite old equipment and the need to move cooked food operations to a plant in Oklahoma. Click here to read more from the Portland Press Herald.

While this is devastating to our community and the families that rely on those jobs, the Department of Labor is taking swift action to help those affected. Today and tomorrow, a Rapid Response team will be deployed to meet with the laid off workers to go over the training and employment opportunities, how to apply for unemployment and how to work with Career Centers.

These lost jobs underscore the need for those of us serving in Augusta to work aggressively to attract businesses to Maine, keep existing businesses here, and help business owners grow and create the jobs we need.

Click here to read more about the Rapid Response teams.

Streamlining Task Force
When the Legislature passed the current budget, they intentionally left a gap of $25 million. The assumption was that this money could be found through increases in government efficiency. To find those savings, a Streamlining Task Force was set up. This Task Force consists of twelve members, including current and former legislators and members of the public, and it is Chaired by the Commissioner of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Sawin Millett. They are tasked with performing an analysis of state government and prioritizing programs and services, consolidating functions, eliminating duplication and identifying positions that can be eliminated or consolidated. While the Task Force is required to come up with savings totaling at least $25 million, they are working to find as much as they can.

The Governor’s Office started the process by making proposals for a general breakdown of the cuts. Their recommendations are as follows:

  • Health and Human Services -$22,470,772
  • Higher education – $6,809,044
  • K-12 Education – $1,102,734
  • Economic Development – $602,090
  • Administrative & Financial Services – $905,417
  • Corrections -$1,600,513

These cuts amount to more than the $25,000,000 called for, but there was the assumption that not all of the proposals would be accepted.

Click here to read more.

Closing

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts and questions. My next email will be full of information on the November 8th election!
-Justin