According to one of the top Democratic polling firms in America, Vice President Kamala Harris’ top performing ad from 2024 was one in which, among other cost of living protections, she called for nationwide rent control. On the campaign trail Harris had said she would cap rent increases nationwide at 5% (a proposal Pres. Joe…
On the podcast this week, Cate Blackford and Ben Chin are joined by Maine People’s Alliance board member Jim Parakilas to discuss some legislative primaries, MPA’s endorsements, and an important zoning conversation in Portland. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any…
This week on the podcast, Esther and Cate discuss new rules proposed for the implementation of the paid family and medical leave program passed by the legislature last year as well as the fight over funding for South Portland’s Human Rights Commission. They also talk about a sad book and a happier TV show. Ask…
Over the past six months, the Trelawny Tenants Union in Portland has recovered over $23,000 from landlords who were illegally overcharging their tenants. Those overcharges (“overcharges” = a nice way of saying “stolen”) occurred because landlords increased the rent more than the law allows, claimed exemptions they weren’t entitled to, tried to tack on illegal…
A couple weeks ago I tweeted the following: It generated over 8,000 thousand views and 60 comments — mostly attacks from developers, business lobbyists, and far right-wing climate change deniers. The developers and lobbyists, who mostly build or represent those that build for-profit housing, refuse to accept that their own buildings are contributing to climate…
Dozens of protesters, among them faith leaders and people who have experienced homelessness, formed a human chain to stop police from clearing a large encampment near the Casco Bay Bridge on Tuesday morning. They said city officials are criminalizing homelessness by enforcing a city-wide camping ban. “No one wants to be living outside in Portland…
As Portland Mayor Mark Dion and the Portland City Council begin their work, I pulled out for discussion below the best ideas of those most recently running around housing affordability and the environment. I do this in the hope that if we highlight their good ideas, they will feel even more empowered to pursue them.…
What do they say? If you don’t have something nice to say, say nothing at all? In our divided times, this is definitely not a mantra of current politics, if it ever was. But in an attempt to live by that credo for at least a week, I offer this list of things I am…
Esther, Cate and Ben recap and unpack this Tuesday’s election results, from town councils to statewide referenda to national trends. Plus: how to massage a shiba inu. Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182. Subscribe to the podcast feed using any podcasting app or subscribe on Apple Podcasts.
A large majority of Portland voters have resoundingly rejected yet another landlord-backed referendum seeking to roll back rent control in Portland. This marks the fourth time Portland voters have backed the city’s rent control law, which they first passed by ballot measure in 2020. With results in from all precincts, 66% of Portland voters rejected…