Reduced state aid to municipalities and schools is what’s putting the pinch on taxpayers. Portland Press Herald editorial For years, Gov. LePage has blamed schools for being unwilling to control costs. Now, he says, it was the land trusts all along. On the radio, in his recent State of the State address and in a… Continue Reading
Land for Maine's Future & Conservation
Maine Land Trusts Say Governor Uses Bogus Data in Pitch to Tax Them
Conservation advocates call his claims misleading and say he ignores payments made to host towns in lieu of taxes. by Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage is once again accusing conservation groups of “ripping off” taxpayers in Maine by not paying local taxes on vast swaths of… Continue Reading
LePage Policies, Not Land Trusts, Have Driven Up Property Taxes
Bangor Daily News editorial In Tuesday’s State of the State speech, Gov. Paul LePage highlighted a serious problem that deserves attention in Augusta and beyond. Maine’s property taxes are too high, and they are rising. LePage, however, identified the wrong source of the problem. The governor, a long-time critic of land conservation, blamed land trusts… Continue Reading
LePage Flunked Homework on Land Trusts, Bipartisan Legislators Conclude
by Christine Parrish Free Press news story A legislative committee unanimously concluded this week that conserved lands benefit the state overall and that Governor LePage’s claim that the state was losing millions of dollars due to land trusts not paying taxes was false. As part of the budget deal last summer, the Agriculture, Conservation and… Continue Reading
Fact Checking LePage’s Statements on Land Trusts
by Susan Sharon Maine Public news story Listen to full news story. Governor LePage used a portion of his 90-minute State of the State address Tuesday to attack one of his favorite targets: land trusts. The governor blames them for taking too much land from the tax rolls in Maine and shifting the burden to… Continue Reading
From Rocky Coast to Mossy Trails, Maine Land Trusts Preserve Our Access to the Outdoors
By Tim Glidden and Kate Dempsey Bangor Daily News op-ed In recent years, there has been increased scrutiny of Maine’s land trusts. As representatives of two statewide land conservation organizations, we welcome the attention. But for too long public debate on the land trust community has been plagued by speculation and misinformation. The public deserves… Continue Reading
Land for Maine’s Future Board Proves that Conservation Program has Integrity
When a well-connected applicant gets turned down, it shows that Gov. LePage was wrong. By Portland Press Herald Editorial Board Gov. LePage has never been a big fan of Land for Maine’s Future. He shared his idea of how he thinks the popular land conservation program works in a radio interview in 2015. “It’s the… Continue Reading
My Maine This Week: Celebrating 30 Years of the Land for Maine’s Future Program
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) program, which has protected more than 490,000 acres of land, working waterfronts, and working farms. We encourage you to explore the more than 100 LMF sites throughout Maine, in all 16 counties. Use our Explore Maine Map to help you find a… Continue Reading
Katahdin Woods and Waters Leader Turns Attention to Portland’s Parks and Open Spaces
Lucas St. Clair, who led his family’s effort to create the national monument, says the foundation he presides over will provide startup funds for a parks conservancy in Maine’s largest city. by Dennis Hoey, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The man who led his family’s long effort to create the Katahdin Woods and… Continue Reading
