The Latest
Track the issues shaping Maine’s future with up-to-date coverage on Maine politics, legislation, and statewide news. Explore current bills, news, and conservative commentary that helps us understand how the government affects our daily lives.
In the News
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Amid ongoing concerns over MaineCare oversight, hearing set for proposed rule changes
AUGUSTA — A public hearing is set for September on proposed rule changes for MaineCare that supporters say will tighten regulations without cutting benefits.…
Read full story: Amid ongoing concerns over MaineCare oversight, hearing set for proposed rule changes -
Maine health department to review Medicaid oversight after Republican push
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services initiated a process Wednesday that may lead to stricter oversight of the MaineCare program, which state…
Read full story: Maine health department to review Medicaid oversight after Republican push -
Lead Maine Releases List of 32 Mills-Era Tax and Fee Increases as Pingree Promises Affordability
AUGUSTA, Maine — A conservative advocacy organization founded, by state Rep. Laurel Libby, has released a detailed accounting of what it describes as 32 tax…
Read full story: Lead Maine Releases List of 32 Mills-Era Tax and Fee Increases as Pingree Promises Affordability -
DHHS to consider MaineCare oversight changes amid fraud concerns
A conservative advocacy group says it has gathered enough signatures to force the state to consider rule changes to its Medicaid program amid concerns…
Read full story: DHHS to consider MaineCare oversight changes amid fraud concerns -
Republican-led group petitions DHHS to pass tougher MaineCare oversight rules
A Republican-led group is seeking to require the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to adopt new anti-fraud rules for the state’s Medicaid…
Read full story: Republican-led group petitions DHHS to pass tougher MaineCare oversight rules -
Plan to boost child care in Maine gains support, but funding remains uncertain
Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, opposed LD 1955 and said it didn’t address the structural problems she sees and hears about from constituents. She said…
Read full story: Plan to boost child care in Maine gains support, but funding remains uncertain -
Maine towns are using AI for policing, lawmaking and budgets. Safeguards are optional.
Maine municipalities are turning to AI like ChatGPT for tasks including policy drafting, emails, and budgets amid staffing shortages, with some using surveillance cameras…
Read full story: Maine towns are using AI for policing, lawmaking and budgets. Safeguards are optional. -
A new charter school will open near Maine Mall this fall
Maine’s 10th charter school is coming to South Portland. MOXIE Public Schools’ building will be able to support up to 420 students.
Read full story: A new charter school will open near Maine Mall this fall -
Poll Finds New England Women Feel Misled About Climate Policies
With Winter Storm Fern wreaking havoc across the country, New England women are worried about energy affordability. Yet many do not connect rising energy…
Read full story: Poll Finds New England Women Feel Misled About Climate Policies -
Study: New England ratepayers would save up to $700 billion replacing wind, solar with natural gas, nuclear
A new study has found that New England ratepayers would save an estimated $400-$700 billion by replacing planned offshore wind and solar projects in…
Read full story: Study: New England ratepayers would save up to $700 billion replacing wind, solar with natural gas, nuclear
Opinions & Insight
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LTE: I support greater oversight of MaineCare
Read full story: LTE: I support greater oversight of MaineCareThis letter was initially published in the Portland Press Herald. As a retired financial advisor and taxpayer in southern Maine, I am writing in support of Lead Maine’s two petitions to require the Department of Health and Human Services to enact tighter rules on MaineCare providers. This is not to change who qualifies, but how the state oversees its responsibility to its taxpaying citizens. Maine taxes currently finance $1.4 billion in MaineCare, in addition to the billions spent by the federal government. Frequent audits are expected…
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Mainers forced a needed conversation on MaineCare accountability
Read full story: Mainers forced a needed conversation on MaineCare accountabilityThis op-ed was initially published in the Bangor Daily News On Aug. 19, the Maine Department of Health and Human…
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Blame Augusta Democrats for Closing Maternity Wards
Read full story: Blame Augusta Democrats for Closing Maternity WardsThis op-ed was published in The Maine Wire The MaineHealth board has voted to end labor and delivery at Lincoln…
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Augusta Takes More of Your Money Than Ever but the Roads Are Still Falling Apart
Read full story: Augusta Takes More of Your Money Than Ever but the Roads Are Still Falling ApartHere’s something that doesn’t add up… Maine state government is taking and spending more of your money than EVER before,…
Current Legislation
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An Act to Establish Procedures for Restricting Access to State Property, Access to State Services and Communication with or Through State Entities
Read more: An Act to Establish Procedures for Restricting Access to State Property, Access to State Services and Communication with or Through State EntitiesThis bill gives new authority to state agencies so they are allowed to restrict Mainers’ access to government property, services, and communications for up to 90 days *without* prior court…
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An Act Making Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations from the General Fund and Other Funds for the Expenditures of State Government… for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 2026 and June 30, 2027
Read more: An Act Making Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations from the General Fund and Other Funds for the Expenditures of State Government… for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 2026 and June 30, 2027This supplemental budget proposal exists because Augusta has overtaxed Maine people, even during tough economic times, and is faced with a “revenue surplus.” Lawmakers should use this to pay for…
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An Act to Bring Fairness in Income Taxes to Maine Families by Adjusting the Tax Brackets and Tax Rates
Read more: An Act to Bring Fairness in Income Taxes to Maine Families by Adjusting the Tax Brackets and Tax RatesChanges Maine’s income tax scheme starting in 2026, including an increase to top income tax rate from 7.15% to 8.95%. This increase would bump us from the 11th highest top…
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An Act to Permanently Fund 55 Percent of the State’s Share of Education by Establishing a Tax on High-income Earners
Read more: An Act to Permanently Fund 55 Percent of the State’s Share of Education by Establishing a Tax on High-income EarnersLD 1089 would impose a 2% income tax surcharge on income above $1 million for single filers, $1.5 million for heads of households, and $2 million for married couples filing…
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An Act to Facilitate the Development of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities by Exempting Certain Facilities from the Requirement to Obtain a Certificate of Need
Read more: An Act to Facilitate the Development of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities by Exempting Certain Facilities from the Requirement to Obtain a Certificate of NeedMaine’s Certificate of Need (CON) law requires healthcare facilities to get state approval before building, expanding, or spending more than $3 million on projects. Originally created in the 1970s to…
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An Act to Lower Electric Rates for Maine Ratepayers by Requiring the Payment of Certain Costs from the General Fund
Read more: An Act to Lower Electric Rates for Maine Ratepayers by Requiring the Payment of Certain Costs from the General FundRight now, every Maine electricity customer pays a hidden charge on their monthly bill to cover the cost of the state’s Net Energy Billing (NEB) solar subsidy program. These “stranded…
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An Act to Amend the Requirements Governing Self-insurance Plans in the Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program
Read more: An Act to Amend the Requirements Governing Self-insurance Plans in the Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits ProgramIn 2023, Maine created a Paid Family and Medical Leave program that costs businesses about 1% of every worker’s paycheck. Businesses can either buy insurance or pay for it themselves…
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An Act to Create a Residential Rental Unit Registry
Read more: An Act to Create a Residential Rental Unit RegistryLD 1806 would require owners of residential rental properties to register annually with the state, submitting detailed ownership and unit information to be maintained in a government-run database. While promoted…
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An Act to Define “Public Education” and Clarify That a Private School Receiving Approval for Public Tuition Must Be Located in the State
Read more: An Act to Define “Public Education” and Clarify That a Private School Receiving Approval for Public Tuition Must Be Located in the StateLD 2109 seeks to codify a specific definition of “public education” and impose a requirement that private schools seeking approval to receive public tuition funds must be located within the…
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An Act to Abolish 72-Hour Waiting Period for Gun Purchases
Read more: An Act to Abolish 72-Hour Waiting Period for Gun PurchasesLD 1230 would restore the ability of law-abiding Mainers to complete firearm purchases without an arbitrary 72-hour state-imposed delay, affirming that once an individual has passed all required background checks,…
One year ago TODAY we won at the Supreme Court!
Want to learn more about Ranked Choice Vote in the primary election for Governor? ⬇⬇⬇
📣 ANNOUNCING: RANKED CHOICE VOTING DECODED📣 In the last several weeks, we have heard from MANY folks who were sorry to miss the Lead Maine RCV Decoded event with Trent England and Maine Republican Party Executive Director Jason Savage, but are eager to hear the information… and we’re excited to announce that it is now available for ALL! Whether you attended live or are just catching up now, we encourage you to WATCH and SHARE the full recording with friends, family, and neighbors who want a clearer understanding of how Ranked Choice Voting works, and how it can be utilized in the primary for governor. We won’t tell you who to vote for, or whether to rank at all. We will make sure you walk into the booth confident! Link in the comments.
Last night’s Lead Maine Government 101 training in Waldoboro was a huge success! We had an incredibly engaged group of Mainers come together to learn more about how government works, how to make their voices heard, and how everyday people can make a real difference in their communities. Thank you to everyone who made this training possible and all who attended, asked thoughtful questions, and took part in the conversation. Events like these remind us that Mainers are ready to get involved and help shape the future of our state. We’re excited for the next one already!
Does Janet Mills’ endorsement of Hannah Pingree in the Democrat primary for Governor help or hurt??
Jason Isaac spent four terms on Texas’s Environmental Regulation Committee… which inspired him to question what he’d been told about the energy transition. On the latest episode of Speak Up with Laurel Libby, he explains what the “energy transition” ACTUALLY costs, why our air is already 80% cleaner than 50 years ago, what COVID lockdown data revealed about EVs, and the math on carbon capture that makes it impossible to take seriously. Find it wherever you get your podcasts. Link below.
Do you think suspending the gas tax will fix our energy prices?
$46,000,000… what does that number mean??💰
Do you think the government is doing a good job with healthcare?
Here’s what’s at stake if MaineCare’s oversight problems don’t get fixed. On March 19, President Trump signed an executive order establishing a Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. Maine was named in that order alongside California, Illinois, New York, and Colorado. JD Vance chairs the task force. CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz had already put Maine on 30-day notice in February, sending Governor Mills 33 questions about MaineCare billing practices. Mills asked for an extension. CMS rejected it. Oz said publicly: “We might have another Minnesota on our hands. And if we’re not satisfied with their progress, we reserve the right to cut off payments entirely.” That’s not a hypothetical. In Minnesota, CMS withheld more than $2 billion in Medicaid payments. That’s what happens when a state can’t demonstrate it has controls in place. Maine taxpayers fund about $1.5 billion of MaineCare’s $5.4 billion budget. The rest comes from Washington. If Washington decides Maine hasn’t fixed the problem, Maine families who depend on these services are the ones who get caught in the middle. The current payment caps already affecting hospitals and pharmacies are a preview of what that pressure looks like. Governor Janet Mills called Oz a “TV Doctor” and called the federal inquiry a “pretense.” BUT, her own state auditor, a Democrat, said the controls aren’t adequate. Maine deserves better oversight, and it deserves leaders who take this seriously… before we’re stuck holding the bill.
This is the story they never tell when they talk about net zero. Sri Lanka elected the world’s first “net zero candidate” in 2019. He banned nitrogen-based fertilizers. Food production fell 40 percent in a SINGLE year. Costs rose 80 percent. By the end of that year, nine in ten Sri Lankans faced hunger on a daily basis! Maine law mandates 100% renewable energy by 2040. This is worth knowing first… let’s learn from others mistakes and reverse course!
Maine is ranked DEAD LAST in the country for new business formation. Meanwhile, NH is BOOMING. Thank Governor Janet Mills and Augusta Democrats!
Thank you to everyone for the lovely birthday wishes yesterday! It has been a wonderful couple days with family, friends, and a little extra rest… amazing lunch at Krista’s Restaurant yesterday, time in the hammock with a good book, several long walks in the sun, and John and the kids are rustling up a homemade carrot cake! Hope you’re having just as great a weekend in our beautiful state!
Did you know… Maine DHHS has >5,200 MaineCare providers and $5.4 billion in spending?? How many on-site visits / inspections do you think actually happen? No wonder we’ve had so many issues with potential fraud!
Join the team and claim your Lead Maine mug by becoming a Lead Maine monthly donor TODAY! TOGETHER we can make the change we want to see, and achieve a more conservative Maine! Link in the comments.
Today, the Daily Wire published my latest op-ed: “Don’t Mamdani Our Maine.” With Governor Janet Mills out of the race, Mainers are finally getting a clearer look at the choice ahead of us in this Senate election. And what we’re seeing is VERY concerning. Graham Platner’s campaign is being built by the same activist networks and political operatives behind Zohran Mamdani’s rise in New York City… pushing the same far-left ideas that are driving up costs, growing government, and making it harder for working families to get ahead. Maine is NOT New York City. Mainers want affordable energy, safe communities, economic opportunity, and leaders grounded in common sense… not radical experiments and big-city socialism. I wrote this piece because Mainers deserve to know EXACTLY what’s at stake this election. READ the op-ed at the link in comments, and SHARE this post!
The most common reaction to the MaineCare oversight reporting: “OK, but what do I actually DO about it?” Our Gov 101 training coming up in Waldoboro can help give you the answer! It’s a free, plain-English session on how Augusta works: how bills become law, how rules get made (and unmade), how legislative oversight is supposed to function, and where ordinary Mainers have actual leverage… including changing the future of our state for the better! Register at the link in the comments below.
What do these states have in common?? Add your guess in the comment…
Today’s visit from JD Vance is an important step toward accountability and transparency for Maine taxpayers, but one of the highlights for me was who ELSE was there… the next generation of young Mainers, and they are passionate about a better future for our state! These young ladies are paying attention, and Maine will be all the better for it.
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