Editorials

Published
September 29, 2010

Our View: Southwest Airlines welcome addition for jetport

Connecting with the largest discount air-travel network will give Mainers and visitors choices.
Published
September 28, 2010

Our View: ‘Smart meter’promises need to be kept

There were objections from unions and warnings from computer security experts, but neither was sufficient to halt the Public Utilities Commission's approval of a $200 million program to install "smart meters" to measure residential electric use – and, perhaps, to steer consumers to alter their patterns of usage. The meters, being set up with the help of a $96 million stimulus grant, within a relatively short time will be measuring electrical use at all 600,000 homes serviced by Central Maine Power Co. Designed to be read remotely by computer links, the meters are replacing all the old meters that feature small odometer-like dials. Utilities in other states have been engaged in similar upgrades in recent years. The project has several goals, one of which will save CMP the salaries of 141 employees who used to travel from house to house to read the old-style meters, or who supported the work of the field crews.
Published
September 27, 2010

Our View: Higher ed belongson state’s front burner

It's impossible to look at the numbers and miss their symmetry. When it comes to the percentage of state residents with education after high school, Maine has the lowest in New England. When it comes to median income, well, that's the lowest, too. In this current recession, workers with high school diplomas or less were the most likely to lose their jobs. In the projected recovery, they are the least likely to find new ones. Post-secondary education has a powerful impact on an individual's life earnings, which also directly relates to the economic health of the entire state. That's why it's one of the key public policy challenges that face Maine and belongs at the forefront of the gubernatorial election.
Published
September 27, 2010

Another View: Sebago column illustrates need for tough enforcement

A columnist's complaints about anti-pollution rules at the lake show why they are needed.
Published
September 26, 2010

Our View: Put social program goals high on the agenda

Every dollar the state spends is coming under serious scrutiny. That's inevitable when Maine's state government is under intense pressure to make its budget conform to a revenue stream severely impacted by an economic downturn. Along with education, the state spends a lot of its own money -- and many more millions from federal sources -- to assist Mainers who have lost their jobs, lack education, require treatment of physical and mental illnesses, and face incomes that aren't sufficient for their families' needs.

Published
September 25, 2010

Our View: Volunteer park cleanup recalls Great Depression

The legacy of a past financial crisis is still with us in our parks and public lands.
Published
September 24, 2010

Our View: Convention centeridea should stay on agenda

We’re not surprised that the Cumberland County Civic Center board of trustees has come up with some very pointed questions about developer Jason Snyder’s proposal for a new sports arena and downtown convention center. The trustees have been working on a civic center renovation or replacement plan for a long time, and Snyder’s idea comes late in the process with a lot of rounded-off numbers and not much information about where the money will come from. For instance, Snyder estimates that it would only cost $60 million to build a state-of-the-art arena, while the trustees’ estimates put the bill closer to $100 million. If they are really talking about the same thing, there needs to be a detailed explanation about why the numbers are so different.
Published
September 24, 2010

Our View: Maine case shows problems with foreclosure processing

An industry that profits from quick decisions doesn’t serve the whole community’s interests.
Published
September 23, 2010

Our View: Boothby Square will look better without work of art

The city gave 'Tracing the Fore' its best shot, but it's time to let it sink into memory.
Published
September 23, 2010

Our View: Recession ended last year, but many didn’t notice

So, the "Great Recession" has come to an end. That news may have come as a surprise to those who measure the economy's health by unemployment rates, housing starts or other general measures of prosperity that currently are "lagging indicators" -- economic sectors that still fall behind overall growth. It might be even more of a surprise to such observers that the downturn didn't end last month or last quarter, but in the middle of last year.