Progressive Portland

Senator Susan Collins Introduces Senator Jeff Sessions at Judiciary Committee Hearing on His Nomination to be Attorney General | U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins joined Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) in introducing...

www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/sen...

SNAP is incredibly popular with the American people. Voters do not want cuts to supplemental nutrition assistance.

🏘️ Trump's budget will slash HUD's budget 43.6% and slash rental assistance 42.8%. 55,400 Maine people (senior citizens, people with disabilities, children) rely on federal rental assistance. Act! nlihc.org/resource/tru...

Escalating costs and zoning restrictions sideline Portland housing projects Three downtown housing projects were approved and developers were poised to move forward earlier this year, but all three developers now say their projects are on hold.

🏘️ Perhaps tariffs and construction costs, interest rates and buyer hesitancy in an economic environment with a high level of uncertainty have something to do with it. www.mainebiz.biz/article/esca...

A 10,000-unit housing development at Suffolk Downs is on hold indefinitely. Here’s why. - The Boston Globe The construction pause is a testament to how high interest rates and materials costs are preventing developers from building much-needed projects.

🏘️ Perhaps constructions costs are expensive and interests rates are high. www.bostonglobe.com/2024/07/05/b...

‘The numbers should work, and they just don’t’: Is Cambridge’s affordable housing rule backfiring? - The Boston Globe Housing is so expensive to build right now that some developers say the city's requirement that 20 percent of units be aside at below-market rents is making otherwise profitable projects too costly.

🏘️ There used to be a thing called a reasonable return on investment. Perhaps investors are seeking much, much more than what is reasonable. www.bostonglobe.com/2025/05/05/b...

Reminder: Today's nationwide mobilization. Monument Square 11-1. www.mobilize.us/handsoff/

Hands Off! Portland, Maine Fights Back · Hands Off **Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them.** Portland, Maine is fighting back! They're taking everything they can get their hands on—our health care, our data, our jobs, our ser...

🚨 Please take a moment to read this important notice about this Saturday's nationwide Hands Off! mobilization to stop Donald Trump and Elon Musk's illegal billionaire power-grab. www.mobilize.us/handsoff/eve...

🎒 "As a District, we will not deviate from our path of supporting all of our students and staff to achieve at high levels. This will require us to dig deep into our data, to investigate differences in outcomes and act aggressively to address those gaps." www.portlandschools.org/superintende...

Maine joins lawsuit to reverse Department of Education layoffs Maine is one of 20 states suing Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and President Donald Trump to reverse layoffs at the federal Department of Education.

Maine is one of 20 states suing Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and President Donald Trump to reverse layoffs at the federal Department of Education.
www.mainepublic.org/education-ne...

Parents Sue Trump Administration for Allegedly Sabotaging Education Department’s Civil Rights Division The lawsuit claims that decimating the agency’s Office for Civil Rights will leave it unable to address issues of discrimination at school — violating the equal protection clause of the Fifth Amendmen...

Parents and the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, a national disability rights group, sue Trump for violating the equal protection clause of the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. www.propublica.org/article/depa...

The U.S. Department of Education was established by the U.S. Congress and only the U.S. Congress can "dissolve" it. House of Representatives: (202) 225-3121; Senate: (202) 224-3121.

https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/how-dismantling-department-education-would-harm-students

Cheverus High School denied pesticide waiver amid grub infestation concerns The school argued that organic options have not been effective in stopping the infestation.

Cheverus High School will not be able to use pesticides to combat a grub infestation that has been damaging its athletic fields. wgme.com/news/local/c...

Study finds prevalence of firearms is driving soaring gun deaths in U.S. – not mental illness • Maine Morning Star The prevalence of firearms in the U.S. – not mental illness – is driving the surge in gun deaths across the country, a new study concludes.

"The prevalence of firearms in the U.S., not mental illness, is driving the surge in gun deaths across the country." #portlandme mainemorningstar.com/2024/09/12/s...

Portland’s Kiwanis Pool closing for renovations, but the project is $5 million short on funding Two of the city's 3 community pools soon will be shut down for planned upgrades, leaving area swimmers with limited options.

Two of the City of Portland, Maine's three community pools will be closed due to the need for maintenance and inadequate funding from the city to do this work. #portlandme www.pressherald.com/2024/07/26/p...

‼️ 🏊 Heads up, #portlandme people.
Come work for the City of Portland, Maine! Its Parks, Recreation & Facilities team is seeking an Aquatics Supervisor. Read the full details + apply: bit.ly/4bFiPR5

‼️ 🎒 Share, #portlandme people.

PPS is operating summer meal sites at 11 locations across the city this summer. All children & teens 18 years old and younger can receive a nutritious free meal to be enjoyed on site. Learn more & come join us! tinyurl.com/PPSsummermeals

Opinion | The Supreme Court Gives a Free Pass to Trump and Future Presidents In a step toward monarchy, the bedrock principle that presidents are not above the law has been set aside.

www.nytimes.com/2024/07/01/o... @nytimes.com

Project would mix housing-first, affordable and market-rate apartments in Portland’s Bayside The 3 adjacent buildings would be built on Cedar, Lancaster and Oxford streets at the site of the former Oxford Street Shelter.

🏘️ 197 Oxford Street in #portlandme's Bayside neighborhood of Portland could become housing-first, affordable and market-rate apartments. www.pressherald.com/2024/06/26/p...

From Bernice King on Instagram @berniceaking:

#TamirRice should be celebrating his 22nd birthday today. I am praying for Tamir’s family. My heart especially goes out to his mother, Samaria Rice, who can’t say “Happy Birthday” to her young adult son face to face. #SayHisName #ShiftTheCulture

Portland complex to feature condos with attached apartments Eighteen of the 90 condos in Stroudwater Commons include a studio that could house relatives or be rented out for extra income. Its developers say the project reinvents the starter home.

🏘️ 108 units. 20% of 90 condos to be available to people making 80% of AMI. #portlandme www.pressherald.com/2024/06/26/p...

‼️ Troubh Ice Arena at 225 Park Avenue is open Thursday, June 20 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM too.

‼️ From City of Portland, Maine: Cooling centers are available to the public. Come to the Downtown Library location on Thursday, June 20 from 10 AM-6 PM to get out of the heat! #portlandme

Prince George’s Co. Council reaches deal on ‘rent stabilization’ - WTOP News After hours of debate and numerous amendments, the Prince George’s County Council has put together its plan for what it calls “rent stabilization.”

🏘️ Prince George, Maryland's County Council unanimously voted in favor of rent stabilization this week. #portlandme wtop.com/prince-georg...

🏘️ Inclusionary Zoning Fee in lieu is $177,559 per unit. Hotel Inclusionary Zoning Fee in lieu is $4,692 per guest room. Maybe the second fee needs to be changed, if #portlandme people feel there is an adequate number of hotel accommodations in the city.

Proposed as housing, Old Port project headed for opening as luxury hotel The Portland Planning Board approved the change to a hotel with 14 apartment-style rooms, a shift that required a $65,500 fee.

🏘️ #portlandme apparently has a dearth of hotel rooms: The Planning Board approved the change from residences to a hotel for 54 York Street. www.pressherald.com/2024/06/12/p...

Group launches petition to limit Portland’s hazard pay law The change, if it gets on the ballot and is approved by voters in November, would mean hazard pay in the city would only take effect if Portland itself declared a state of emergency, regardless of wha...

Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce supports change revoking #portlandme hazard pay law if the State of Maine declares a State of Emergency but City of Portland does not. www.pressherald.com/2024/06/12/g...

Tell City Council: Landlords Aren't Above the Law Here's the situation: We won a huge case at the Rent Control Board and we need Portland City Council to make sure the landlord pays her fines. It's simple. This landlord broke the law, she has been fi...

#portlandme people, please send a letter to City Councilors demanding your city enforce its laws. actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...

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