The Promise Of Floating Offshore Wind Power In The Gulf Of Maine: New Developments And New Challenges, Jack Shapiro

Maine Policy Review

Maine has set ambitious climate and clean energy goals in the past few years, requiring an economy-wide transition away from fossil fuels. This includes displacing fossil fuel power generation, as well as electrifying end-uses of energy in heating our buildings and fueling our vehicles. This transition will require significant amounts of new renewable energy. This commentary will explore the key role that floating offshore wind will play in in meeting Maine – and New England’s – climate and clean energy goals, including the challenge and promise of being a leader in newer floating offshore wind technology, floating offshore wind technologies …

The Disposal Mode Of Maine’S Waste Governance, Travis Blackmer, Brieanne Berry, Michael Haedicke, Cindy Isenhour, Susanne Lee, Jean Macrae, Deborah Saber, Erin Victor

Maine Policy Review

Maine’s materials management system is stuck in a disposal mode of waste governance. Despite significant investments in programs and policies designed to reduce the amount of waste the state buries each year, recent shocks and uncertainties have resulted in increased waste generation and disposal. This paper analyzes specific ways through which materials management in Maine has become locked in to a disposal mode of waste governance. We build a framework to help understand various forms of lock-in and how they might be unlocked. This framework is applied to the extended producer responsibility packaging law that is presently under the rule-making …

Maine’S Potential To Be A Global Leader In Sustainable Seaweed Harvesting And Management, Hannah M. Webber, Stefan Claesson, Shep Erhart, Catherine V. Schmitt, Jessica F. Muhlin

Maine Policy Review

A multitude of macroalgae (i.e., seaweed) species that are harvested in Maine are economically and ecologically important. Currently, management of these resources in Maine is focused on rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum). This seaweed grows in abundance along intertidal rocky shores and provides a number of benefits including serving as habitat and nursery for many species including fin-fish, coastal protection from storms and sea level rise, carbon sequestration, and is a harvestable natural resource used primarily in fertilizer and animal feed production. It is critical that these functions and benefits are maintained and harvesting activities managed to ensure a sustainable …

Small Town Government With Big World Challenges, Valerie Peacock

Maine Policy Review

Bar Harbor's relationship with tourism is shifting from a focus on attracting visitors to the need to balance economic interests with the quality of life for residents. As a coastal community, cruise ship tourism is at the center of the debate about the appropriate scale of visitation. This article focuses on the challenges and recommendations for how a small town with a Town Meeting-Town Council form of government might manage cruise ship tourism over changing times.

Structural Inequalities In The Opportunity Maine Tax Credit, Daniel S. Soucier

Maine Policy Review

Daniel Soucier discusses the structural inequalities in the Maine Opportunity Tax Credit.

The Comedy Of Maine’S Commons: Private Ownership As Economic Development, Michael Cianchette

Maine Policy Review

In Maine, we have managed to avoid the tragedy of the commons in several arenas. One way we have supplanted tragedy with comedy is through supporting and respecting private ownership of property. Some of this support is by necessity, as areas that might be publicly owned in other states—such as our expansive forests—are predominately privately owned in Maine. Other times, it is through a recognition that the private sector supports responsible public investment and is willing to financially support it through increased tax revenue. As Maine prepares for its next 200 years, policymakers should take heed of these examples. Government …

Preparing For A Changing Climate: The State Of Adaptation Planning In Maine’S Coastal Communities, Eileen Sylvan Johnson, Esperanza Stancioff, Tora Johnson, Sarena Sabine, Haley Maurice, Claire Reboussin

Maine Policy Review

Climate change is having a range of impacts on Maine’s coastal communities, impacts that will be further exacerbated by increased coastal flooding, storm events, and a warming Gulf of Maine. To better understand the status of adaptation planning by Maine coastal communities, we conducted a survey and in-depth interviews with decision makers from coastal communities. We found that communities are addressing the effects of climate change and have moved towards specific implementation strategies. Adaptation planning to date includes incorporation of climate change impacts in comprehensive planning and addressing impacts on roads, culverts, and waterfront infrastructure. Respondents indicated the need for …

At The Confluence Of Public Policy And History: The Value Of Historical Thinking In Public Policy Development, Daniel S. Soucier

Maine Policy Review

Daniel Soucier explains why conversations between those who study how policy decisions affected society in the past and those tasked with shaping the future are beneficial.

Where Has Maine Been? Where Is Maine Going? Taking The Long View Of Maine’S Policy Context, Linda Silka

Maine Policy Review

Linda Silka initiates what we hope will become a regular MPR column, which looks forward and looks back at policy issues in Maine. In this piece, she reflects on discussions she had with Aram Calhoun, Andy Coburn, Carla Dickstein, and Evan Richert.

Margaret Chase Smith Essay: Priorities Of The U.S. Senate Aging Committee, Susan M. Collins

Maine Policy Review

Senator Susan Collins of Maine discusses the three major priorities of the U.S. Senate Aging Committee: investing in biomedical research targeting diseases that dispro­portionately affect older Americans, such as Alzheimer’s and diabetes; protecting seniors against financial exploitation and scams; and improving retirement security.

Are Libraries Necessary? Are Libraries Obsolete?, Linda Silka, Joyce Rumery

Maine Policy Review

Libraries are under siege. They face competing demands not only from different people but also from the same people at different times. Some assert that libraries must continue to strengthen their role as physical centers at the heart of their communities. Others argue that the future of libraries is at the leading edge of the revolution in digital information technologies. The authors introduce this special issue of Maine Policy Review on libraries and information. They provide an overview of the importance and complexity of the issues underlying these varying visions for how Maine libraries should serve their communities in the …

Maine Libraries: A History Of Sharing And Collaboration, James Jackson Sanborn, David Nutty

Maine Policy Review

The high degree of collaboration among all types of Maine libraries is a unique and defining characteristic of the Maine library community. This article explores the history of sharing and cooperation among Maine’s libraries, identifies several ongoing collaborations and current projects, and explores some of the underlying factors that support this culture of collaboration. An argument is made for policies that would further collaboration through better coordination and funding of cooperative library activities.

Issues In Tax Reform In Maine, Richard Woodbury

Maine Policy Review

Tax reform has been a prominent topic of public policy discussions in Maine for many years. And, while changes have been made to aspects of Maine’s tax structure over time, reforms have been piecemeal rather than comprehensive. Maine’s tax system continues to be described by critics as some combination of imbalanced, burdensome, unfair, uncompetitive, complex, archaic, and volatile. This study describes some of the features of Maine’s current tax system, and some of the approaches to reform that have been considered in recent years. The study evaluate how alternative approaches to reform might be evaluated and structured to achieve different …

The Impact Of Post-Recession State Revenue Reductions On Maine's Municipalities, Emily Shaw

Maine Policy Review

Maine municipalities have received substantially less revenue from the state over the past several years, due to a combination of financial pressures on state budgets and state administrative policy preferences. The result is that municipalities have been forced to restructure the provision and funding of local services through a combination of reducing spending in some categories, raising additional money from residents and other users of town services, or taking on additional municipal debt. However, on average, Maine’s municipalities have so far been unable to reduce their total spending. This discussion of municipal responses to reduced state revenue is based on …

Policy Changes For A Nutrition Education Program In Maine: Issues And Implications, Alan Majka, Janet C. Fairman, Kathryn Yerxa

Maine Policy Review

Food insecurity and preventable chronic disease have profound impacts on quality of life and health care costs in Maine. Many government programs have been developed to address these issues; however, effectiveness has often been limited by restrictive policies and less than optimal coordination. In this paper the authors draw upon their research and experiences in Maine, research conducted by others, and state and national statistics to elucidate some of these programs, including their efficacy, limitations, potential and threats to their sustainability. The authors contend that recent federal rule changes allow for greater impact through implementation of evidence-based strategies at the …

The Distributional Effects Of Recent Changes To Maine’S Tax System, Joel Johnson

Maine Policy Review

Both classical economic theory and recent empirical research support the notion that taxes should be progressive: that the wealthiest citizens should pay a larger share of their income in taxes than the middle class, and the middle class should pay a larger share of their income in taxes than the poor. Like every other state in the U.S., Maine’s state and local tax system is not progressive, or even proportional with respect to income, but regressive. This article summarizes recent changes to income, sales, and property taxes that have made Maine’s state and local tax system more regressive.

Attraction And Retention—Maine’S Challenge, Ed Cervone

Maine Policy Review

In the Margaret Chase Smith Essay Ed Cervone, Presdent/CEO of the Maine Development Foundation, discusses Maine’s demographic challenges in attracting and retaining population if the state is to grow its economy and sustain that growth. He makes recommendations for attracting a larger, younger, and more diverse population.

In The Public Interest: A Discussion With Theda Skocpol About The Scholars Strategy Network, Luisa Deprez, Amy Fried

Maine Policy Review

Luisa Deprez and Amy Fried interview Theda Skocpol about the Scholars Strategy Network (SSN). The SSN was founded to serve as a bridging organization to help university-based researchers and teachers to get involved in public debates and make their research and ideas accessible to fellow citizens, legislators, and journalists. The SSN includes scholars from many disciplines who share research about public policy issues, elections and civic life, as well as ideas for improvements in legislation and government practices.

Celebrating Maine Policy Review’S 20th Anniversary, Ann Acheson, Ralph Townsend, Kathryn Hunt, Merton G. Henry, Peter Mills, Linda Silka

Maine Policy Review

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Editor, Ann Acheson

Maine Policy Review

No abstract provided.

An Abundant Food System, Russell Libby

Maine Policy Review

Russell Libby imagines what an abundant food system would look like for Maine and what it would take to get there. His recommendations include expanding the production and financing base, encouraging year-round production systems, building up mid-sized markets, and integrating farms into the ecosystem

Getting What We Pay For (And Other Unintended Consequences): An Overview Of Federal Agricultural Policy, Maryann Hayes

Maine Policy Review

The reauthoriza­tion of the Federal Farm Bill in 2012 means that activity is heating up to reform U.S. agricultural, nutrition, and energy policy. Mary Ann Hayes provides an overview of the Farm Bill’s history, its intended and unintended consequences, and what can be hoped for in 2012.

Maine’S Food System: An Overview And Assessment, D. Robin Beck, Nikkilee Carleton, Hedda Steinhoff, Daniel Wallace, Mark Lapping

Maine Policy Review

From an agrarian and seafaring past, Maine’s food system has seen profound changes over the past two centuries. Grain, milk, livestock, fish, potatoes, vegetables and fruits used to come from small, family farms. Today, most people in Maine don’t know where their food comes from. Many are dependent on federal, state and local “emergency food systems” such as food stamps, food pantries, and childhood nutrition programs. Food-processing facilities, distribution systems, and value-added products are in short supply. Nevertheless, Maine has a diversity and abundance of food prod­ucts. In this article, the authors provide a historical overview and current analysis of …

It’S Growing Season For Maine’S Food System, Deborah Felder

Maine Policy Review

In the introduction to this special issue, guest editor Deb Felder lays out the elements of a sustainable food system. She notes that the increased interest in more ecologically sustainable, safe, humane, and economical community-supported food systems has “put Maine in the forefront of the food movement.”

Healthy Food Access And Affordability: “We Can Pay The Farmer Or We Can Pay The Hospital", Gus Schumacher, Michel Nischan, Daniel Bowman Simon

Maine Policy Review

The authors provide a history and overview of Federal food assistance efforts, especially food supplement programs, and the policy implications for Maine and national nutrition-incentive programs. They present a profile of the work of Wholesome Wave which aims to increase affordability and access to locally-grown food.

Reinventing Maine Government: How Mainers Can Shape A Sustainable Government And A New Prosperity, Alan Caron, David Osborne

Maine Policy Review

In this commentary the authors highlight the challenges Maine faces. They suggest areas where the state could spend less, based on national comparative figures. They discuss what they call the “three ticking time bombs” in the state: the aging workforce, unfunded pension liabilities, and escalating costs of healthcare, and review what they consider to be inefficient structures in government at all levels. They argue that new thinking and new approaches are needed, and make a number of recommendations for “reinventing government” in Maine.

Putting Equity Back In Reverse Mortgages: Helping Seniors Retire With Dignity, Andrew C. Helman

Maine Policy Review

Policymakers can help some seniors age in place through policies to strengthen private-sector reverse mortgages. In reverse mortgages, individuals who may be “house rich but cash poor” can use their home’s equity to receive regular income or get money through a credit line. Andrew Helman argues that state legislatures can help seniors avoid the “tricks and traps” of reverse mortgages by estab­lishing programs in which lenders who agree to play by rules that ensure the safety and security of such mortgages are placed on a “preferred” list for seniors seeking a loan. He observes that laying the groundwork now can …

Bite-Sized Democracy: The Virtues Of Incremental Change, Peter Mills

Maine Policy Review

In the Margaret Chase Smith Essay, Peter Mills draws on his long years of public service in both houses of the Maine Legislature to reflect on the values of gradual, incremental change in public policy.

The Dynamics Of Investments In Young Children, Philip A. Trostel

Maine Policy Review

Philip Trostel presents compelling evidence of the importance of early investment in young children, citing research demonstrating the economic and social benefits of such investments. He suggests that the lack of understanding of the cause-and-effect relationship between early childhood experiences and later-life consequences and a failure to conceptualize how things might be done in new ways are both obstacles. Trostel argues that investing in early childhood devel­opment benefits children for the rest of their lives, benefits government with reduced spending in other areas, and moreover is the “right thing to do.”

Data Collection In Maine: Assessing The Return On Public Investment In Maine’S Early Childhood System, Judy Reidt-Parker

Maine Policy Review

To better understand the outcomes of investments in early childhood, we need comprehensive data to measure benchmarks, according to Judy Reidt-Parker. She describes the current state of data collec­tion in Maine and discusses data that are needed and where there are opportunities for improvement. The greatest need is for the development of a common set of child and program outcomes that can be shared across departments and systems and for linking systems so that children’s progress can be followed longitudinally