In the News
Senate Passes Supplemental Budget with Full Support
AUGUSTA—The Senate Democrats voted unanimously in full support of the $151 million supplemental budget for fiscal year 2011. The vote on the Senate floor was 34 – 0. The budget passed in the House of Representatives prior to it arriving on the Senate floor. “With the passage of the supplemental budget, we have jumped over...
Senate confirms 3 more for LePage Cabinet
AUGUSTA — The Maine Senate today approved three LePage Cabinet nominees, giving two unanimous support and one a 26-9 vote of approval. The Senate voted unanimously in support of Bill Beardsley as commissioner of the Department of Conservation and for Norman Olsen as commissioner of the Department of Marine Resources. But nine Democrats voted in...
Can Maine’s Democrats come back from the dead?
… “You can’t cut and unregulate yourself into prosperity,” concludes Democrat Justin Alfond, a Portland state senator and new deputy Senate minority leader. He’s also a member of the regulatory reform committee. Alfond is interested in developing alternatives to the expected aggressive Republican legislative program. A member also of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee...
Cloture deadline reveals peek at Legislature’s upcoming agenda
… Senate [Assistant] Minority Leader Justin Alfond, D-Portland, said his party’s legislative focus is the same as the Republicans’ even if the ideas for improvement are different. “We’re looking forward to working with them and finding compromise,†he said. “I don’t think Democrats or Republicans have a monopoly on good ideas.†Read more at the...
LePage sworn in as governor, touts job creation as way to retain grads
… [Sen.] Justin Alfond, D-Portland, said though he is looking forward to seeing the details of LePage’s five-year high school plan, he is concerned about the possible effects on budget. He said states like North Carolina, which has been a leader in the movement, have massive costs for the program. Alfond said he’s not sure...
Panels will be merged
… “Republicans backed off the proposal in the face of strong public opposition,†said Sen. Justin Alfond of Portland, the assistant Senate minority leader, said in a press release. “We put working people before politics to develop a real solution that Republicans and Democrats could agree on.†Read more at The Morning Sentinel.
