Wed, Mar 10, 2010
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Opinion

A chronological compilation of local columns, letters and editorials from all four editions of The Forecaster, covering 14 Maine cities and towns: Portland, Falmouth, Cumberland, Yarmouth, Freeport, North Yarmouth, Chebeague Island, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Bath, Brunswick, Harpswell and Topsham.

Have a Letter to the Editor or a Forecaster Forum op-ed piece to submit? Send them to the editor, Mo Mehlsak, editor@theforecaster.net. Or register on our site and submit your comments online.

Opinion

  • Letter: Critical analysis hurts Brunswick's image

    Mar 09, 2010 1:50 pm

    Is Brunswick "anti-business"? No. Could we do more to improve our attitude towards business? Absolutely.

    The Forecaster's recent character assassination of Steve Levesque, chairman of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, is an unfortunate example.

    Steve has an unparalleled career in public service, a proven record of success in economic development and, moreover, unmatched integrity. I know I echo the opinion of anyone who has worked with him during his 25-year career in state and local government.

  • Letter: 'Color of Community' on display at Cape church

    Mar 08, 2010 4:50 pm

    "Color of Community" is a nonprofit group of college students who come from different cultures, different religions and different experiences. These young adults have endured tremendous challenges, most of which are beyond our imagination. They have, in the process, discovered what is most important to them. Although they may be much younger than many of us, their words teach lessons and may remind us of things we often forget.

    This group will give a public presentation at St. Alban's Parish on Shore Road in Cape Elizabeth on Tuesday, March 16, at 6:30 p.m.

  • Letter: Falmouth plan will devalue land

    Mar 08, 2010 4:40 pm

    The Lowell family has had a long history of owning land in Falmouth and the surrounding communities, land that has been passed from generation to generation. Along the way the family has worked with state and local towns to ensure much of their land could be enjoyed by the community and future generations.

  • Letter: South Portland Food Cupboard says thanks

    Mar 08, 2010 4:40 pm

    When we started, the South Portland Food Cupboard never imagined we would have so many visitors. Just in February, we had a 36 percent increase over last February; many visitors had lost their jobs.

    The Mill Creek Hannaford has recently donated $1,000. It seems they sold the most "Fund a Feast" boxes in their region during the holidays and chose to donate the monetary award to us.

  • Forecaster Forum: METRO bus service is worth Falmouth's investment

    Mar 08, 2010 4:30 pm

    The METRO regional bus service provides an important and efficient transportation choice for many in our community. Buses provide lower transportation costs to riders, including commuters for work, senior citizens, young people, tourists and others. Public transportation also improves the quality of life for everyone in greater Portland by reducing traffic congestion, lowering oil consumption and air and global warming pollution, and generating economic activity.

  • Universal Notebook: The arrogance of the human animal

    Mar 08, 2010 12:00 am

    Just about the first thing you read when you open the Bible is that God gave man “dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” If by “dominion” we mean the power to capture and kill animals, it’s probably true. But if we mean the power to control them, I’m afraid that’s just anthropocentric arrogance.

  • Letter: Frank wrong about instant run-off voting

    Mar 08, 2010 12:00 am

    To the editor:

    It does not surprise me that Halsey Frank, as the former chairman of the Republican City Committee, would be warning of the dangers of instant runoff voting. He offered an unlikely example of how IRV might lead to distorting the will of the voters in an extremely close election.

  • Short Relief: The dangers of using run-off voting to elect Portland's mayor

    Mar 01, 2010 10:30 am

    At its January 28th meeting, Portland’s Charter Commission voted 9-1 to let Portland residents consider revising the City Charter to employ Instant Runoff Voting, also called Rank Choice Voting, for mayor.

  • Probing Politics: Don't blame the unions, look in the mirror

    Mar 01, 2010 9:40 am

    Few would dispute that the labor movement in the United States has helped deliver safer working conditions, higher wages and generous benefits. Along with the GI Bill that enabled tens of thousands of veterans to pursue higher education, the unions have helped build the middle class.

    Despite that success, the union movement of today has dwindled in numbers.

    In 1982, more than 20 percent of the nation's workers were union members but, today, just a little more than 12 percent claim union membership, the same percent as we have in Maine.

  • Universal Notebook: Raise taxes, please!

    Mar 01, 2010 9:00 am

    In these dire economic times, it’s easy for politicians to take the No New Taxes pledge. How could you possibly raise taxes when people are hurting, right? Wrong. A refusal to raise taxes when needed is political cowardice, plain and simple.

    Fiscal responsibility doesn’t just mean cutting the cost of government, it means making sure that essential programs and services remain adequately funded. In an economic crisis, we need to look both for where we can save money and where we can raise it.

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