Category Politics

Feb 16 2016

Citizens’ initiative for minimum wage increase found valid with 75,275 signatures

02/16/2016 01:37 PM EST

 

AUGUSTA – The citizens’ initiative petition effort to increase the minimum wage has been found valid, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap confirmed today.

The petitions for “An Act To Raise the Minimum Wage” had been in circulation since June 2, 2015. On Jan. 14, 2016, the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions received 13,212 petitions with 86,438 total signatures of those who support the initiative.

Staff members at the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions have completed the process of certifying all of the petitions and have found 75,275 valid signatures, while 11,163 were not valid. A minimum of 61,123 signatures from registered Maine voters is required in the citizens’ initiative process, thus the petition has been deemed valid by Secretary Dunlap.

The initiative to increase the minimum wage will now go to the Legislature for consideration, per the provisions of the Maine Constitution. The Legislature can choose to enact the bill as written or to send it forward to a statewide vote in November 2016.

The bill proposes raising the minimum wage to $9 per hour in 2017 and by $1 per hour each year after that until it is $12 per hour in 2020. The minimum wage then increases at the same rate as the cost of living. The minimum wage for workers who receive tips increases to $5.00 per hour in 2017 and then by $1.00 per hour each year until it matches the minimum wage for all other workers, which occurs no sooner than 2024. Visit http://maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/citizens/index.html to view the proposed legislation in its entirety.

Feb 16 2016

Maine GOP Announces Caucus Sites, Schedules

Maine GOP Announces Caucus Sites, Schedules

This is Your chance to make your voice heard on who will be the next President of the United States.

People all across Maine will gather at 22 unique, regional sites to cast votes in the Maine Republican 2016 Caucus and help choose our next President.

Make sure your voice is heard and counted on Saturday, March 5th!
Sites and schedules for 14 counties just released
AUGUSTA – The Maine GOP today officially announced caucus sites and schedules for fourteen of Maine’s sixteen counties. These sites and schedules, with a listing of municipalities participating at each site, is available at mainegop.com/caucus

“With a strong anticipated turnout, we have worked with local Republican officials to provide the most suitable venue in each caucus region to give Republicans not only a place to securely cast a ballot for their preferred Presidential candidate, but also to meet and work with other local Republicans to build a stronger grassroots network,” said Maine GOP Chairman Rick Bennett.

“Caucuses are a wonderful opportunity to meet and network with other Republicans, listen to important speeches, and get to know your local candidates. We encourage Republicans across Maine to fully embrace this opportunity to help build the Maine GOP stronger from the grassroots up,” said Mr. Bennett.

“Each site will have a one hour voter registration/enrollment period for voters who are currently registered as ‘unenrolled’ and those who are not registered to vote. Immediately following this hour, each site will have three hours in which Republicans from those municipalities can cast a ballot for President,” said Mr. Bennett.

“While we have built a system to ensure every Republican, especially young families and those with tight schedules, have a chance to vote in the Presidential race, we strongly encourage Republicans to listen to speeches from the Presidential campaigns, and visit with our many wonderful Republican candidates and committees at the caucus sites before casting their Presidential ballots,” concluded Mr. Bennett.

The two remaining county caucus (Cumberland County and York County) site locations and schedules will be announced pending finalization of schedule details.
###

The Maine Republican Party is the state’s premier political organization holding the State’s highest office, a U.S. Senator, a U.S. Congressman, and a chamber of the Maine State Legislature as well as many local elected municipal offices.
Feb 15 2016

West Virginia Lawmakers to Consider Workplace Freedom Bill

With the news that West Virginia has overridden the Governor’s veto to become a Right-To-Work State, I thought I would repost this article that I wrote for the Heartland Institute after interviewing Senate President Bill Cole on the his bill, which has now become law.
West Virginia Lawmakers to Consider Workplace Freedom Bill

In 2016, West Virginia lawmakers will consider making changes to state laws requiring union membership as a condition of employment in workplaces.

If passed, the legislation would make West Virginia the 26th state to allow workers to decide whether they want to join and be represented by a union.

The president of the West Virginia State Senate, Sen. Bill Cole (R-Mercer), says the status quo of mandating forced-unionism is not working.

“When you’re first in unemployment, last in workforce participation, and next-to-last in average pay, what are we trying to protect?” Cole said. “Maybe we can tip the balance the other way.”

Key to Economic Recovery

Cole says implementing right-to-work legislation is a key to boosting the state’s sluggish economic recovery.

“Our manufacturing sector in this state is virtually nonexistent in the grand picture of employment numbers,” Cole said. “It’s my job to take the initiative to do what it takes to get all of our industries working, and I see passing a right-to-work law as a critical piece of that puzzle.”

Right-to-work laws are all about free choice, Cole says.

“Right-to-work laws don’t prohibit unions at all; they just offer employees the choice of whether to belong to one,” Cole said. “If a workplace isn’t covered by a union, and members do want to organize, there’s nothing in this law that prohibits that from happening.”

Eliminating the ‘Have-Tos’

“The goal, as I see it, is to simply allow the option to be on the table,” said Cole. “Allow the workers to choose, let the free market set the wages for labor, eliminate the ‘have-tos,’ and see what happens. It’s giving the workers the freedom they’ve not had in this state before.”

Jim Shaffer, president of the Public Policy Foundation of West Virginia, says right-to-work laws empower workers to demand better representation from union bosses.

“With little accountability, unions forcibly take dues and create large, influential, special-interest groups,” Shaffer said. “An old saw goes, ‘You have no say about your taxes nor your dues.’”

Shaffer says the freedom to join or abstain from organizations is an important right.

“Economic freedom [is] the ability to participate [in and the ability to negotiate with] the exchange of goods and services between consenting transparent individuals, unencumbered by the auspices of government …  this is the very essence of a free market,” Shaffer said. “By being forced to join a union as a condition of employment, individuals give up their right to free association [and are] forced to acquiesce to the agenda of a group that does not respect the right to voluntarily organize as a personal choice.”

Andy Torbett (meconservativevoice@gmail.com) writes from Atkinson, Maine.

Internet Info:

Walter J. Wessels, “Economic Effects of Right to Work Laws,” Journal of Labor Research:https://www.heartland.org/policy-documents/economic-effects-right-work-laws/

Feb 13 2016

Poliquin’s Statement on Justice Antonin Scalia’s Passing

 

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Bruce Poliquin released the following statement:

 

“It is heartbreaking to hear the news today of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s passing,” said Congressman Poliquin.  “Justice Scalia served our Nation and the Supreme Court with loyalty and great integrity.  We will all keep Justice Scalia’s family and loved ones in our prayers as we mourn the loss of a great American scholar.”