Progressive candidates secured a solid majority on the Charter Commission using ranked-choice voting and an energized political base in an off-year election.
Randy Billings
Staff Writer
Randy Billings is a government watchdog and political reporter who has been the State House bureau chief since 2021. He was named the Maine Press Association’s Journalist of the Year in 2020. He joined the Press Herald in 2012 as the Portland City Hall reporter, where his beat touched on a wide range of topics, including municipal government, immigration, homelessness, housing and social services. Prior to that, he worked at various weeklies as well as business and arts publications. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine, Orono. He lives in North Yarmouth with his wife and two children and enjoys the outdoors and playing his upright bass.
Posted inLocal & State, Local Elections, News, Politics
Voters elect progressive slate to Portland Charter Commission
The four at-large races were decided by four separate ranked-choice runoffs, a process that upended preliminary totals based on voters’ first choices.
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Posted inLocal & State, News
Portland council approves shelter moratorium in Bayside
The moratorium is intended to give the council time to finish drafting a new annual licensing program for emergency shelters in the city. It does not affect existing shelters or services.
Posted inLocal & State, Uncategorized
Portland adopts $212 million city budget, restoring some pandemic cuts
The approval came the night before voters head to the polls to vote on the Board of Public Education’s $125.5 million budget.
Posted inLocal & State
Portland’s economic development director steps down after decade of rapid change
Greg Mitchell, 61, ‘got in on the ground floor’ as the city underwent a major transformation.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, News
Luxury hotel, rooftop bar planned for Portland’s iconic Time & Temperature building
T.T. Maine Ventures proposes 186 hotel rooms, a rooftop bar, meeting and banquet spaces, retail shops and a restaurant at 477 Congress St.
Posted inLocal & State, Local Elections, News, Politics
Outside group’s negative tactics shake up Portland’s charter commission race
Even some candidates supported by People First Charter have taken to social media and written newspaper columns to distance themselves from the group before the vote June 8.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Portland officials say fall referendum may be too late to block homeless shelter
City officials believe they can build a 200-bed homeless services center in Riverton even if a citizen initiative meant to derail the project gets on the ballot and is approved by voters in November.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Portland councilors may vote on shelter moratorium in Bayside
The neighborhood currently has more than 500 emergency shelter beds and accounts for 20% of police calls and 10% of EMS calls, despite having only 5% of the city’s population and 1% of the land area.
Posted inLocal & State
Developer proposes 48 apartments in Portland’s East Deering neighborhood
The plan is one of the first to be subject to the new affordability requirements established in the Green New Deal for Portland, which was enacted by voters in November.