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April 29, 2013

Border towns worried about border-crossing fee study

Maine towns with economies that rely in part on day visitors from Canada are worried about a U.S. Department of Homeland Security study that considers establishing a fee for crossing the border.

MPBN reported that Eastport Town Manager Jon Southern is among those concerned that a new fee could be a disincentive for visitors, who he said make up much of the traffic at area stores, like Walmart.

Author Jacques Poitras, a reporter with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. who wrote a book about living near the border, told the station that the broad concept of a border-crossing fee doesn't take into account the daily traffic from people who live near the border.

The station reported that Sen. Susan Collins has already stated opposition to the new fee, saying it sends the wrong message to both Mexico and Canada. Money to study the impacts of a new border-crossing fee is included in the president's budget.

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