What are this year's referendum questions?

Election Day is this Tuesday, November 2nd, and there are three referendums on the ballot this year. We’re here to tell you more about the questions on the ballot and what they represent.

Question 1: The CMP Corridor

“Do you want to ban the construction of high-impact electric transmission lines in the Upper Kennebec Region and to require the Legislature to approve all other such projects anywhere in Maine, both retroactively to 2020, and to require the Legislature, retroactively to 2014, to approve by a two-thirds vote such projects using public land?”

This question is designed specifically to address the controversial CMP corridor, a project designed to deliver hydropower from Quebec to Massachusetts via an energy corridor in the North Maine Woods. This is a citizens’ referendum, meaning the question was placed on the ballot through a signature campaign. It is also the most expensive referendum fight in Maine’s history, with over $60 million in spending.

A “yes” vote bans the construction of the CMP corridor. A “no” vote allows construction to continue.

Some background: When CMP first made its deal to build the corridor in 2014, it did so without legislative review. This angered a number of Mainers because the proposed route of the corridor cut through public lands. Opponents of the corridor sued, and a Superior Court ruled against CMP. The company appealed to the Maine Supreme Court, but no ruling has been handed down yet.

For more information, including debunking many of the claims in TV ads and mailers, visit these resources:

• Bangor Daily News: Fact-checking the most misleading claims on both sides of the CMP corridor debate

• Bangor Daily News: We answer your biggest questions about the CMP corridor referendum

• Portland Press Herald: Here’s what you need to know about Question 1

Question 2: Transportation Bonds

“Do you favor a $100,000,000 bond issue to build or improve roads, bridges, railroads, airports, transit facilities and ports and make other transportation investments, to be used to leverage an estimated $253,000,000 in federal and other funds?”

Bond votes are pretty standard on ballots. They concern funding used for state projects like infrastructure. In this case, $85 million would go towards improving highways, roads, and bridges, and $15 million would improve railroads and ports.

Question 3: The Right to Food Amendment

“Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to declare that all individuals have a natural, inherent and unalienable right to grow, raise, harvest, produce and consume the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health and well-being?”

This measure, introduced by State Senator Craig Hickman, would add an amendment to the state Constitution guaranteeing a right to food, but it’s not as straightforward as that. This is less about guaranteed access to food as much as it is about where the food comes from.

Supporters of the measure say it promotes growing and consuming locally-grown food, as Maine imports 90 percent of its food from out of state. Opponents worry it may limit regulations on hunting and food safety.

For more information, see this Bangor Daily News article: What you need to know before voting on Maine’s ‘right to food’ referendum.

No matter where you stand on these issues, it’s vital that you make your voice heard. Make sure you vote on Tuesday, November 2nd!

Maine PFML Commission Starts Today!

Maine’s Commission on Paid Family and Medical Leave will meet for the first time on Friday, October 29 at 9:00 AM to begin developing a statewide paid leave program. The Commission, established this year by the passage of LD 1559, is designed to create a policy that works for employees, small businesses, and large companies alike.

A coalition of Maine-based advocacy groups representing tens of thousands of Mainers, including Mainers For Working Families, the Maine Women’s Lobby, the Maine People’s Alliance, Maine Center for Economic Policy, and Planned Parenthood, have voiced strong support for the Commission and its aim to provide Maine workers with comprehensive paid leave.

“Paid family and medical leave has been one of my top priorities since I was first elected to the Legislature,” said Assistant Senate Majority Leader Mattie Daughtry. “As both a young woman who wants to start a family someday and a business owner, I know how important it is that we create a policy that works for both workers and employers. I’m so excited for this commission to get to work, so we can share our best ideas and move Maine forward.”

“New parents need time to bond with their babies. Adults need time to care for their older parents when they’re in need. And everyone needs time to recover from a medical condition or accident,” said Representative Kristien S. Cloutier. “These are not privileges, they are necessities in order to have healthy families and a healthy economy. This commission will give our state the framework to design a strong paid family and medical leave program that works well for Maine’s people and gives our workforce the boost it needs.”

"The pandemic has shown how critical caregiving is to the economy and keeping Maine's workforce healthy and stable,” said Destie Hohman Sprague, Executive Director of the Maine Women’s Lobby, which convenes the Maine Paid Leave Coalition. “A statewide system of paid family and medical leave will support employers as well as families, and our coalition is excited to work with the Commission to find the right solution for Maine".

“Every person deserves to take time off to care for themselves or the ones they love, without risking their livelihood,” said Evan LeBrun, Executive Director of Mainers for Working Families. “This commission, which includes policymakers, business owners, and labor and health experts, will ensure that Maine develops a tailor-made Paid Family and Medical Leave program that’s right for our families, small businesses, and communities."

Noël Bonam, State Director AARP Maine, added, "Maine’s unpaid family caregivers are the backbone of our care system. Across Maine, 181,000 family caregivers contribute more than 152 million hours of unpaid care each year, valued at about 2.2 billion dollars. Many of these caregivers also work full or part-time. Staying home when a loved one is sick shouldn’t mean losing your pay, or even your job. AARP Maine applauds the commission’s efforts to investigate the many ways that paid family medical leave can support Maine’s family caregivers."

Members include Senator Matthea Daughtry of Brunswick, lead sponsor of LD 1559; Representative Kristen Cloutier of Lewiston; Senator Kim Rosen of Hancock; Representative Paul Stearns of Guilford; Wendy Estabrook, Director of Human Resources at L.L.Bean; Drew Christopher Joy, an expert in issues affecting labor and independent contractors; Sarah Brydon, an expert in issues related to family and medical leave benefits; small business owner Emily Ingwersen; Charlie Mitchell, an employer in the hospitality industry; Laura Fortman, Commissioner of the Department of Labor; Bonita Usher, a former legislator from Buxton; and Barbara Crowley, MD, an executive VP at MaineGeneral Health and former pediatrician.

The Commission will study paid family and medical leave programs implemented in nine other states, as well as an actuarial study on the economic impact of the plan, to develop Maine’s program. Its final report and recommendations must be presented to the State Legislature by February 1st, 2022.

"The Paid Family Leave Commission plays an important role in determining the best Paid Family Leave program for Maine. A quality Paid Family Leave program is imperative for the economic stability and strength of our employers, families, and communities," said Julie Schirmer, Board President of the Maine Chapter of National Association of Social Workers.

"The PFML Commission has an important role in developing the kind of systemic support new families need in order to recover from birth, bond with their babies, and meet their feeding goals and recommendations,” said Kara Kaikini, Board President of the Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition. “Returning to work after having a baby is a physically and emotionally trying time for many reasons. Paid Family & Medical Leave will support the financial, physical, and mental health of Maine's new families."

"The current commission is a great first step in building a paid family medical leave program that works for all Mainers," added Elinor Lisa, founder of Paid Leave for ME.

“Paid medical and family leave policies that enable parents to spend critical bonding time with a newborn or newly adopted child contribute to healthy child development,” Stephanie Eglinton, Executive Director, Maine Children's Alliance. “The commission’s work will recognize the realities of balancing family, employment, and financial security for the benefit of Maine’s current and future workforce.”

“Research shows that paid family and medical leave is critically important for Mainers’ wellbeing and economic security,” said James Myall, Policy Analyst, Maine Center for Economic Policy We welcome the work of the commission to craft a policy that empowers all Mainers to care for themselves and their loved ones without fear of financial ruin or job loss.”

“Everyone, no matter who they are or how much they get paid, should be able to take care of themselves or a loved one in times of illness or other crises without going into debt or losing their job. But that’s not true for so many of us, especially for people of color, who often work in jobs that pay less,” said Cate Blackford, Public Policy Director for Maine People’s Alliance. “This commission is a great first step toward creating a Paid Family and Medical Leave program in Maine that protects people regardless of their income or the kind of work they do, and gives us all the time we need to take care of ourselves and each other.”

For more information on the Maine Paid Family Leave Coalition and its members, please visit mainefamilyleave.com.

Maine Workers Can Access Retirement Planning Through Statewide Program

Planning for retirement can be a terrifying prospect for many working families. Between housing, healthcare, and child care costs, plus loans to pay back, retirement savings may feel out of reach. Nearly half of all Maine workers in the private sector lack an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan such as a 401(k).

But thanks to new legislation, working Mainers have another way to save for retirement. LD 1622, aka the “Work and Save” Law, establishes a Maine Retirement Saving Program open to workers without an employer-sponsored retirement plan and those who are self-employed. A portion of one’s paycheck can be set aside for retirement in a state-run Roth IRA fund overseen by the Office of the Treasurer. (Unlike a traditional IRA, Roth IRAs tax deposits now so you don’t pay fees when you withdraw your money later.) This fund is in the employee’s name and, once created, follows the employee if and when they change jobs.

Senate Majority Leader Eloise Vitelli is the lead sponsor of this law. She wanted to provide people with the tools to be secure financially well into their golden years.

”The whole premise here is to make it simple and automatic, so that in fact people will start to save,” Vitelli told WABI. “They’ll start to see that they’re building a cushion for their future, and that in itself will provide them incentive to keep going.”

In a recent op-ed for the Portland Press Herald, Vitelli explained that the benefits of the program will extend to all Mainers, not just those who use the program:

“Right now, because so many retired Mainers have such a small fixed income, they rely on social safety nets, including state welfare programs, just to make ends meet…if retired Mainers had just $1,000 more in income from savings per year, the state would save a total $15.6 million per year by 2032. That means more Maine retirees will be living their later years in dignity, and the program will simultaneously take pressure off Maine taxpayers.”

The program would also support our state’s small businesses, many of which lack the resources to provide their staff with a retirement fund.

Mainers for Working Families is a proud supporter of this law, and we’re grateful to Senator Vitelli for her efforts to ease the difficult transition into retirement.