Potholes & Politics: Local Maine Issues from A to Z

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Kerry Leichtman, Camden and Rockport tax assessor and newly appointed member of the Real Estate Property Tax Relief Task Force, shares his first impressions of the Progress and Poverty Institute‘s interim report. While Kerry found the data to be thoughtfully presented and thoroughly analyzed, he believes further study is needed to fully understand the core issue.  As he puts it, the central question remains—do property owners simply dislike paying taxes, or as he suspects, are many genuinely unable to afford their tax bills.  Podcast hosts, Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell discuss the key issues Kerry believes the task force should prioritize as it enters its second year of work.

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In the May 11 edition, your podcast hosts, Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell met with members of MMA’s Legislative Policy Committee to discuss the roles and responsibilities of the illustrious committee.  This edition continues that conversation with Elaine Aloes (Solon) and Roberta Boczkiewicz (Castine), who bring the elected official’s perspective to the discussion.

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MMA’s 70-member Legislative Policy Committee, comprised of two members elected by the councils and selectboards in each of Maine’s Senate districts, plays a critical role in shaping the association’s priorities on the issues before the Maine State Legislature.  As the election of the 2026-2028 LPC gets underway, current members Steven Buck, Marc Meyers, and Dwayne Young join Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell to discuss the process and its importance.

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With the Legislature poised to finally adjourn after veto day on April 29, Tanya Emery joins Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell to highlight the successes, disappointments and near misses of the 2026 session.

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With committee work wrapped up, the supplemental General Fund budget finalized, and the last edition of MMA’s Legislative Bulletin published and emailed on March 27, the Legislature is on pace for an April 15 adjournment.  In this episode of the podcast, Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell discuss how bills move between the chambers, highlight the municipally relevant components of the supplemental budget, and provide updates on the legislation debated this week.