Politics & Co.
Campaign finance reports came out Jan. 15, but money's not the only thing talking in Augusta. The top issues facing lawmakers during their second session are generating heated debates as the Legislature eyes its April adjournment.
Expansive talks
As lawmakers gear up for a fight over Medicaid expansion, a national analyst called into question calculations in a state-commissioned study of the state's costs for expanding the health care program under the Affordable Care Act. Kathy Gifford, a Medicaid analyst for Indianapolis-based Health Management Associates, told the Portland Press Herald that her calculations showed the Alexander Group study commissioned by the LePage administration overstated the 10-year cost of expanding Medicaid by around $575 million. The study said expansion would cost more than $800 million in the first decade. That review came just before the first hearing on a slate of Medicaid expansion bills last week.
Campaign dollars
The latest campaign finance reports for Maine's 2014 race for the Blaine House show Democrat Mike Michaud in the fundraising lead, followed by Independent Eliot Cutler and incumbent Republican Gov. Paul LePage. Analysis by Mainebiz found Cutler and Michaud sourced a majority of their war chests in the greater Portland area while LePage received nearly equal — but significantly smaller — amounts among Waterville, Augusta and Portland. Michaud's campaign had greater geographic diversity than Cutler's within Maine, while Cutler led the three candidates in out-of-state fundraising, primarily from New York. See a detailed interactive map at mainebiz.biz/govrace2014.
Back in session
With lawmakers back in Augusta, committees are sorting out the wheat from the chaff and hearing testimony and deliberating on a wide range of bills. Mainebiz wants to know which bills you have your eyes on in the second session and what impact you think they'll have for your business if they were to become law. Let us know by contacting Online Editor Darren Fishell at dfishell@mainebiz.biz.
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