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 Read More
Land for Maine's Future & Conservation
Fact Checking LePage’s Statements on Land Trusts
by Susan Sharon Maine Public 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 property owners. But there’s a Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
Gov. LePage Misinforms Public in Push to End Land Trust Tax Exemptions
About 95% of the land is already on the tax rolls, and the fiscal impact of taxing the others would be negligible. by Tim Glidden, David Trahan, and Kate Dempsey Portland Press Herald op-ed At the 11th hour and with state government teetering on the edge of a shutdown, the governor has stirred up a Read More
Battered but Still Standing, Land for Maine’s Future Turns 30
by Christine Parrish Free Press Online news story Since 1987, when Maine voters approved the first Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) bond, the program has been working to help protect land of statewide significance from development. Now 30 years old, the LMF program, by most measures, is a success. As of this year, LMF has Read More
Opposition to LD 727, An Act to Protect the Tax Base of Municipalities by Removing Property Tax Exemption for Land Held for Conservation or Public Access Purposes
Good afternoon Senator Dow, Representative Tipping, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. My name is Eliza Donoghue. I am here today on behalf of the 20,000 members and supporters of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) to speak in opposition to LD 727, An Act to Protect the Tax Base of Read More
