As a resident of South Portland, whose local taxes have helped to pay for every recent new school or existing school renovation in the past 25 years, I am writing in support of the proposed new South Portland Middle School. Recent headlines would lead taxpayers to believe that voters will vote on an expenditure of […]

Now that Portland and many other U.S. cities have banned plastic straws, an innovative Maine manufacturer should start producing paper straws. Maine has plenty of the wood resources to make the pulp to produce them. The demand will increase as more cities come aboard with the ban, thus expanding the industry. Let Maine become the […]

Travis Curran brings to the mayoral contest the cares and concerns of a generation profoundly impacted by the changing nature of Portland. As a member of the service industry and the creative economy, he has a street-level knowledge of both what makes our city so appealing and how those characteristics are under increasing strain. The […]

I am a birthright resident of Biddeford, and I feel like my voice and votes do not count here. Recently our City Council voted 5 to 3 for a parking garage that went against the citizens of Biddeford. This current mayor, also a birthright resident, did not listen to the citizens and continues to lie […]

As a resident of Bayside Village Apartments, I am concerned about the rent going up, and wages staying low. I am concerned about people like Tom Watson, with no regard for the homelessness created when turning affordable units into luxury apartments for the rich. I am concerned about politicians like Spencer Thibodeau, who would rather […]

When I needed help, Mayor Mike Sanphy came through. With safety concerns regarding several dead and dying trees on the property next to mine, I contacted city officials. My then-Ward 1 council member did not respond, but Mayor Sanphy and Economic Development Director Daniel Stevenson did. They visited the site, brought the city arborist, Doug […]

In 2012, Ed Suslovic was on the Portland City Council and commissioned a consulting firm to analyze fire department staffing in a 523-page study, for $39,000. The study recommended hiring to reduce overtime costs. Mr. Suslovic released hand-picked data undermining the study’s findings. He argued that staffing should be reduced, based on doing a per […]