It’s a simple fact: Maine needs to grow our solar energy
industry to create good paying jobs and reduce electricity prices. I have promoted
passive solar and SEE (Super Energy Efficient) housing in Maine for the past 38
years. Finally, solar electric has
arrived as a tool that can economically enable the building of environmentally
necessary Net Zero housing, which on an annual basis, produces as much energy
as it uses.
It’s time to change our old ways of doing
business. Over the last ten years, the
price of transmitting and distributing power has increased by 80 percent in
Maine. Driving those rising costs are new and expensive transmission lines that
promise a good return on investment to utility companies; while increasing electricity
rates means customers pay more to satisfy their electricity needs. It’s a
classic win-lose scenario.
Solar power offers a viable solution. Making solar power
systems more accessible for Maine small businesses and residents helps lower
and stabilize energy costs for everyone by reducing the need for new
transmission lines.
It’s an opportunity to, literally, put the power back into
the hands of Mainers. To do this we need sensible legislation to get there.
Representative Seth Berry’s bill, “An Act to Protect and
Expand Access to Solar Power in Maine,” will supersede the punitive, anti-solar
rule just finalized by Maine’s Public Utilities Commission that favors large
corporate interests over those of average Mainers. The bill will also restore
the state’s solar rebate program, eliminate the cap on participants in solar
arrays and allow for third-party ownership of solar projects.
Combined, these measures will offer a powerful incentive for
solar expansion, while creating technical jobs and delivering a boost to
Maine’s economy by making it a more attractive place to do business.
In this scenario, everyone wins.
I am thankful Windham Representative Patrick Corey
understands the benefits solar can bring to Maine and that he voted in support
of solar in the last legislative session. I ask that he vote “yes” this session
on Berry’s bill.
Thomas Peterson
Windham, Maine
Dear Editor,
Thanks to Rep. Jessica Fay for putting the people of Maine ahead of ideology. I certainly concur with her observation in her letter last week to The Windham Eagle, that property taxation is the prime issue. For me it's not income taxes, but I'm not a millionaire. I am sure the governor is sincere and believes that his budget as proposed, is best for Mainers, but he is sincerely mistaken. Income taxes have not been a big issue for most of us over the years, it is property taxes that cause rents to jump, and force older folks like me out of our homes.
Each drop in municipal revenue sharing and State school funding means another rise in property taxes. And the Circuit Breaker Program used to be helpful, before it was gutted so that now I get a break that’s a fraction of what I used to receive. I'm retired on a fixed income, and the tiny amount of relief Paul LePage recommends for my age group in the Property Fairness Refund is better than nothing; not by much though, and no relief at all, no property tax fairness at all, is his recommendation for the rest of his fellow Mainers? Nothing fair about that.
John A. Dow
Windham, Maine 04062
Dear Editor,
School officials issued an email on March 3, 2017 with
attached documents notifying that MEA testing would take place on April 3 to 7,
2017 for students at the Windham Middle School. The purpose of this message is
merely to notify parents of Windham Middle School students that they have the
option to opt their children out from this specific testing.
More importantly, the MEA requires that school systems
notify the parents of the ability to opt-out their children from the testing,
but the school has chosen to ignore this requirement.
Furthermore, I notified school officials on 3/3/17 that
they had sufficient time to meet the requirement as outlined by the MEA by
simply sending out an email to parents, but nothing has taken place to date.
This has prompted me to write this letter, in order to
provide notification to parents within the community, so that they can make the
decision on what is best for their child and not leave that decision to school
officials. My purpose is not to express an opinion on whether the MEA testing
is appropriate, but many would find it interesting to note that the MEA does
not particularly favor the testing.
If you want to learn more, I would suggest visiting the
following site: maine.nea.org/home/1643.htm so that you can make
an informed decision on whether you want your child to take part in the
testing.
Steven Kennedy
Windham Resident
Dear Editor,
The impact of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the
so-called alternative to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), will be devastating for
older Americans.
That the newly proposed “fix” would deprive more than 24
million Americans from health insurance coverage over the course of the next
ten years is reason enough to oppose this horrible new bill. However, the
fact that the proposal would also allow insurance companies to charge older
people five times as much - or more - than they charge younger people, is
unconscionable. A 64 year old making
$26,500 a year would go from $1,700 to $14,600 in premiums annually. Imagine
how this person would then pay for housing, food, heating, and out-of-pocket
health care costs.
If you are 65+, you will be impacted too. The guaranteed
safety net coverage of Medicaid would end, including coverage for those who
need long-term care services at home or in a nursing home. This bill does not
consider Maine’s large and growing aging population. The bill also discourages
at-home care and encourages more costly nursing home care. Even worse, the new
proposal would make it harder for older Mainers, who need long-term care, to
qualify for Medicaid.
As if the negative impacts for older Mainers aren’t bad
enough, the bill also provides an additional $200 billion worth of tax breaks
to special interest groups, while at the same time doing absolutely nothing to
help lower health care or prescription drug costs. This is outrageous - given
these tax breaks will impact the solvency of Medicare for you and your loved
ones down the road.
Please join me in urging every member of Congress to
oppose this measure as adamantly as possible. Please urge everyone to vote
no - the AHCA must be stopped before it does unnecessary harm to thousands of
Mainers and older Americans nationwide.
Sincerely,
Rich Livingston
AARP Maine Volunteer State President
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