Policy Minute: Lawmakers face distractions
Courtesy Portland Regional Chamber
Chris Hall, CEO, Portland Regional Chamber
Welcome to Policy Minute, a quick recap of recent policy and politics at the State House and in the Portland region from a business perspective. For more information you can read my weekly Policy Update.
While you've been enjoying the Memorial Day weekend, here's what's been happening at the State House:
• Recently there's been a battle between distractions (TV sets, office locations and who speaks for the administration) and substance (hospital repayment and Medicaid expansion, energy and education) — stay focused on what's important.
• An energy bill emerged last week that's bipartisan and substantive. If it succeeds it will lower energy costs in Maine.
• Work force skill gaps need closing and we're urging funding for LD 90, a bill that does just that. Our region's economy will be stronger if the bill gets the funding it needs to educate more workers.
• The federal immigration reform bill has a provision to expand the number of highly qualified foreign workers available to help close our STEM skills gap — many business leaders in our region are urging passage.
• The 'Gang of 11' tax reform is still alive in committee and speculation is increasing that parts of the bill will find their way into a state budget compromise. The question remains: which parts?
• The governor's late-session education reform agenda (more charter schools, vouchers, teacher evaluation rules, K-12 remediation penalties) hit a wall in committee last week.
In the Portland region: Falmouth voters will decide on proposed improvements to Route 1 when they vote on June 11th. A public hearing on Wednesday on the renovation plan for Congress Square Plaza in Portland will help decide the plaza's future. In Scarborough, the council and school board are preparing a new school budget for voters who turned down the first one.
Up next: Today, the State Senate is scheduled to vote on the governor's veto of the bill paying the hospitals' debt, while also expanding Medicaid in Maine. It takes a two-thirds vote to override a veto. Leaders are focused on Tuesday's vote but already preparing for what comes next if the governor's veto is sustained.
Chris Hall is the CEO if the Portland Regional Chamber. Policy Minute is part of the Chamber's effort to keep Mainebiz readers up to date on important business-related issues that impact our workplace, our community and our future.
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