Welcome back to school! Portland is Maine’s largest school district, serving over 7,000 students and 5,000 adult learners in our ten elementary schools, three middle schools and four high schools. Across the district there are exciting new developments, including new principals, five more days of school, and more fresh foods being served to our students. Click here to get a taste of what’s happening across the district.

Community Events

Cumberland County Civic Center

Civic Center Discussion

On Monday, September 12th, I joined the Cumberland County Commissioners, the Portland Downtown District, and representatives of the Portland Pirates for a neighborhood meeting on the Cumberland County Civic Center. In November, Cumberland County will vote on the $33 million bond that will modernize the thirty-five-year-old Civic Center. The modernization will include upgrades to the entire facade, electrical, heating and cooling systems, increasing the concessions and improving the loading dock, to name a few. The renovations will create approximately 175 jobs and will ensure that the county keeps $15-20 million of economic benefit from the Civic Center’s operations. The Civic Center’s numbers show that the bond will carry about a $2.1 million debt service. The Civic Center and Cumberland County Commissioners approved a plan that will not increase property taxes by using $1 million of revenue from a retired Cumberland County jail bond and the other $1.1 through increased revenues through operations at the Civic Center.

What do you think of the bond and renovation plan?

Upcoming Events

Natural Resource Council of Maine hosts former US Senator George Mitchell at their 2011 annual meeting on Friday, September 23rd at Hannaford Hall on the Portland campus of the University of Southern Maine. The event starts with a dessert reception from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., followed by the annual meeting from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. NRCM’s annual meeting is free and open to the public.  Register today.

American Jobs Act and Maine

On Thursday, September 8th, President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress and unveiled the American Jobs Act, his plan to put Mainers and Americans back to work. It is a wide-ranging bill, coupling investments in our communities and tax-breaks for middle-income Mainers. Among the proposals are:

  • Expanding the payroll tax cut passed last year, which cut payroll taxes in half. A household with an income of $48,000 will receive a tax cut of around $1,490.
  • Investing about $20 million to refurbish and revitalize local communities in Maine, putting construction workers back to work fixing vacant and foreclosed homes and businesses. There will also be funds available through a competitive application.
  • Investing $12.8 million in community colleges in Maine, one of the greatest tools for preparing Mainers for the workforce and retraining workers for the jobs of the 21st Century.
  • Investing $138,700,000 in highway and transit modernization projects in Maine, which could support a minimum of approximately 1,800 jobs.

These are some of the investments Maine needs to get working again, and I hope our Congressional delegation will work to pass this legislation as soon as possible to put Maine back to work.

Click here to read the President’s plan for Maine. (PDF)

Inside Augusta

LURC Commission Begins

On September 23rd, the Land Use Regulatory Commission Reform Commission (LURCRC) will meet to review the authority and practices of the LURC. Conservation Commissioner Bill Beardsley is heading the committee, along with 12 members appointed by Senate President Kevin Raye and House Speaker Robert Nutting.

Click here to read more from the Bangor Daily News.


Education Board Nominations
One of my duties as a member of the Education and Cultural Affairs is to interview nominees to the State Board of Education and make recommendations about their nominations to the full Legislature. Here are the names of the nominees before the Education Committee:

  • Maine Community College Board of Trustees: Steven Howe, James Libby, Christopher McCormick
  • Maine School of Science and Mathematics Board of Trustees: Jason Judd, David Haines, Frederick Woodman, Kalevi Kostas, Walter Specht, Michael Edgecomb, Susan Hunter, Charles Wray
  • Maine Public Broadcasting Corporation Board of Trustees: Ann Robinson
  • Maine Maritime Academy: Jean Mattimore, Earle Cianchette, Lance Meadows
  • Governor Baxter School for the Deaf: Terri Thompson, Laurel Kelly, Matthew Hoidal, Jason White, Frances Frost

Closing

Have a great rest of the week and maybe I see you this weekend at the Stoudwater Village Days starting at 10 am.

-Justin