This week on the Beacon Podcast, Esther, Ben, and Cate discuss the end of the legislative session. They reflect on some of the wins from the session, including $18 million for rent relief, funding for more recovery community centers, and a bill that will create options for development of offshore wind power in Maine. They also lament some of the big frustrations, such as Gov. Mills’ veto of a wage increase for farmworkers, who are currently exempt from minimum wage. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any podcasting app or ..read more

Gov. Janet Mills has again vetoed a bill that would have improved working conditions and wages for farmworkers, though this one was proposed by her own administration. LD 2273 would have made farmworkers eligible to earn the minimum wage, which is $14.15 per hour. Farmworkers in Maine currently make a sub-minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Mills issued the veto Tuesday, saying “the Legislature’s changes to the bill leave me no choice.” As originally drafted by Mills, the bill wouldn’t have allowed farmworkers to bring private lawsuits against their employer. Instead they would have had to go thr ..read more

In Portland and Lewiston on Tuesday, housing advocates delivered a petition to all four members of Maine’s congressional delegation urging lawmakers to take meaningful action to end our state’s housing crisis.  More than 1,100 renters, homeowners, and landlords signed the petition by Maine People’s Alliance, of which Beacon is a project, this fall, winter, and spring. The advocates also urged the federal lawmakers to take action to create housing that’s permanently affordable, publicly-funded, and environmentally sustainable – known as “green social housing.”  Advocates describe soc ..read more

Gov. Janet Mills has signed legislation to increase temporary assistance payments to families experiencing deep poverty. Payments will increase by 20%, meaning a single-parent family of three will now receive nearly $870 per month. Ann Danforth, policy advocate with Maine Equal Justice, said the aid will help families get beyond just surviving. “It enables parents to be able to have child care, to go to work,” said Danforth, “and enables kids to grow up in strong families, where they are then able to participate in the workforce, too.” Nearly one in eight Maine children live in poverty. The b ..read more

This week on the Beacon Podcast, Cate interviews Hillary Knight with the Capital Region Public Defenders Office in Augusta, who clarifies what the right to counsel means for Mainers, some of the realities of meeting the constitutional right to counsel, and some hopeful developments in the state. After a lawsuit in 2022 (which is ongoing) claimed the state was violating poor defendants’ constitutional rights by failing to provide them with adequate counsel, Maine opened its first public defender office in Augusta in 2023 (More on this ongoing saga here.) Resources for talking with your Members ..read more

Last November, I found myself crouched on the tile floor of my bathroom. Its coolness grounded me, helped remind me I’m still breathing. On the counter above sat a pregnancy test with two pink lines — positive.  I knew I would terminate the pregnancy, but despite my certainty, I was terrified, because we live in uncertain, judgmental times with disturbing health outcomes for women.  Two days later, I sat on an exam table in my doctor’s office, the paper beneath me crinkling with my anxious attempts to settle. She confirmed my at-home test. I slumped to my car clutching a paper bag w ..read more

Conservationists in Maine said reinstated protections of the Endangered Species Act could help wildlife already struggling to adapt to climate change. Economic impacts will no longer be considered when listing certain species as threatened or endangered but the threat of climate change will be a factor. Anya Fetcher, federal policy advocate for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said so-called “blanket rule” protections will also be revived. “This is basically, while they are considering whether they should become endangered, they’re going to continue to protect those species as if they ..read more

Last week, Gov. Janet Mills vetoed a small bill, one that received no formal opposition in committee and would have helped some of our most vulnerable Mainers stay out of jail, get jobs, and rebuild their lives. LD 2246 would have ended our three strikes law against petty theft. As Michael Kebede of the ACLU of Maine put it, under current law, “Stealing three loaves of bread on three separate occasions… could mean five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.” “[LD 2246] will ensure that Maine does not needlessly punish people who commit crimes of poverty,” he added. It would also ensure that someo ..read more

What is tax fairness? Taxes help pay for things that benefit everyone, like good schools, clean air and water, and safe roads. Businesses also need these things to succeed, along with a healthy, housed, and educated workforce, modern infrastructure, and affordable energy. Fair taxes mean everyone pitches in according to their means, so those who have less pay less, and those who have more pay more. Unfortunately, the vast majority of states still have upside-down tax structures, meaning that families with wealth pay a smaller portion of their income in taxes than families with low income. That ..read more

Today on the Beacon Podcast, Ben and Esther discuss updates from the legislative session including the new pilot program for housing subsidies, the outcome of Planned Parenthood’s proposed constitutional amendment regarding protecting access to abortion, and the Sears Island offshore wind proposal. Additionally, the two discuss Pres. Biden’s new plan to help erase or lower student debt for approximately 30 million people. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any podcasting app or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. The post Podca ..read more