Potholes & Politics: Local Maine Issues from A to Z

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This week we are highlighting one of the conversations from MMA's 87th Annual Convention held at the Augusta Civic Center, October 4 & 5, 2023.
This year's convention theme was "Lead, Motivate, Communicate" and featured dynamic speakers like Leila Brammer, Director of Outreach and Instructional Development of the Parrhesia Program for Public Discourse, University of Chicago on "Civic Leadership and the Imperative of Effective Communication" and Yellow Light Breen, President & CEO, Maine Development Foundation on "Leading for Economic Innovation and Prosperity", and an uplifting reminder of why we serve local government and how to not despair in these unprecedented times with a presentation from Ron Holifield, Chief Executive Officer, Strategic Government Resources and former City Manager, "It’s Not About Me, It’s Not About Now". An elections update session was one of many offered and provided by Julie Flynn, Deputy Secretary of State, Maine Secretary of State. In this episode we chat with Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows about security issues facing Maine's town and city clerks this election season on the convention floor.
The audio quality is not the best, and for this we apologize but the message is still important and one we think is worth a listen.

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Episode 12 - The Greed & Weed Episode
With surprise guest star, Dexter Kimball future MMA podcast host.
This week our Legislative Bulletin we cover MMA's platform bill for Cannabis Revenue Sharing LD 88 -An Act to Provide Qualifying Municipalities a Percentage of Adult Use Cannabis Sales and Excise Tax Revenues, sponsored by Rep. Sean Paulhus of Bath;
Provide and update on LD 422 - An Act to Eliminate the Requirement That Municipalities Provide Public Notice in Newspapers, sponsored by Rep. Daniel Newman of Belgrade;
Break down a bill to limit candidate speech on election day, LD 750 - An Act to Eliminate the Limits on Candidates' Speech at the Polls, Sponsored by Sen. Jim Libby of Cumberland County;
And preview MMA's platform bill LD 673 - An Act to Direct the Maine Criminal Justice Academy to Develop a Nonresidential Law Enforcement Training Academy, sponsored by Rep. Michel Lajoie of Lewiston.
Plus we have a sweet interruption by young Dexter Kimball!

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As we prepare for Holocaust Remembrance Day, Maine Municipal Association, Maine Chiefs of Police Association, and several other stakeholders had the opportunity to receive an important history lesson in context from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C.. In this episode, Rebecca Graham sits down with Noel March who facilitated bringing a special law enforcement program out of D.C. to Maine through the Maine Community Policing Institute and the Maine Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine.
The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum was able to take part of The Museum's Law, Justice, and the Holocaust Program on the road to Maine, one of only two places outside Washington D.C. who have benefitted from the learning opportunity.
The signature program, Law Enforcement and Society: Lessons of the Holocaust (LEAS), is presented in partnership with the Anti-Defamation League. Established in 1999 at the request of DC Metropolitan Police Department, the program is suitable for recruit, in-service, and command professionals in law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels. To date, this innovative program has reached more than 150,000 officers from the US and 80 countries worldwide.
The internationally recognized date for Holocaust Remembrance Day corresponds to the 27th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar. It marks the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. In 2023, that day is Tuesday, April 18.

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Our necessary hiatus from our weekly podcast has been afforded a brief reprieve. Advocacy staff have been drinking from a firehouse of legislation and hearings on platform bills that have been waiting since cloture for printing and assignment to committee hearings.
For the first time, MMA has needed to hold a May LPC meeting as bills are still cranking out with significant municipal impact, assigned short turn around public hearing dates and even shorter work session dates. This is the time of year when good public policy dies because of lack of time to dig in and understand or worse....bad public policy not well thought through passes without review. In the coming weeks, we'll be calling on municipal officials to weigh in with their voices directly to members of the legislature to help inform them of impacts, request adequately funding measures, and make corrections. We really need you now!
This week we break down what has happened on a couple of MMA's platform bills and how you can help their fate. This week we break down:

LD 1857 - An Act to Create the Public Safety Health and Wellness Reimbursement Fund to Benefit Public Safety Workers and Volunteers, sponsored by Rep. Lynn Copeland of Saco, was unanimously supported out of committee but in a form that requires and appropriations battle instead of on going funding.
LD 1493 - An Act to Increase Affordable Housing by Expanding Tax Increment Financing, sponsored by Rep. Raegan LaRochelle of Augusta, was amended to avoid a fiscal note, but still provides an incredibly powerful tool for communities to advance their housing goals with local policy, but received a divided report out of Taxation.
LD 130 - An Act to Eliminate Senior Citizen Property Tax Stabilization and Expand the Homestead Property Tax Exemption, Sen. Richard Bennett of Oxford County, also received a divided report in Taxation. While both versions advance sensible policy changes to the hastily enacted senior property tax freeze legislation LD 280 passed last year, the majority report removes the significant hardship placed on municipal tax collectors, assessors and communities.
LD 1223 - An Act to Clarify Cost Allocations and Insurance in the Joint Use of Public Utility Equipment, sponsored by Sen. Nicole Grohoski from Hancock County, attempted to address a corporate imbalance for municipal pole attachment projects, to advance broadband connections via use of utility poles that exist in publicly owned way "rent" free. The final version was amended with agreement from the major players and afforded a sunset date setting the stage for a future legislative battle.
Finally, in the good news category, we announce the winners of the first annual Douglas M. Eugley Memorial Scholarship for Public Service!
Congratulation to Zachary White, of Skowhegan, Carolyne Sauda, of Bangor. Mary-Hollie Whitmore, of Milford, who we wish well in their college endeavors and hope to see in a future LPC Committee!

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Episode 14 - Planning for ADU's, School Board Election Timing, Funding Jail Health Care
Much delayed episode in a midst of a crazy session!
This week we break down the public hearings on MMA Platform bills on:
LD 665 - An Act to Extend the Date by Which Compliance is Required for Affordable Housing Development, Increased Numbers of Dwelling Units and Accessory Dwelling Units, Sponsored by Rep. Allison Hepler of Woolwich;
LD 1022 - An Act to Allow School Budget Referenda on the Same Day as Primary Elections, Sponsored by Rep. Amy Arata of New Gloucester and a much needed edit on MMA's platform bill from the 129th Legislature;
LD 1204 -An Act to Improve the Health of Maine Residents by Closing Coverage Gaps in the MaineCare Program for Incarcerated Persons, sponsored by Speaker, Rachel Talbot Ross of Portland.
As we welcome spring weather and ache to spend less time outside the dome, we are digging in to the mountain of bills flowing through committees and hope you will stay tuned as things are getting heated in Augusta!