USDA - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced John Butera is appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as the USDA Rural Development State Director for the state of Maine. Butera previously served as Senior Economic Advisor and Commissioner of Labor to Maine Governor Paul LePage. John received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.
Newsweek - Susan Collins' chances of being reelected in Maine are improving, according to latest polling. A new survey shows the Republican Senator's favorability rating has risen compared to previous polls, ahead of the November 2026 midterms. Why It Matters
Collins, a moderate who spoke out against Donald Trump during his first term, has represented Maine since 1997. The state is politically split because it is also represented by independent Senator Angus King, and Governor Jane Mills, a Democrat. Former vice president Kamala Harris won the state by seven points in 2024 and former President Joe Biden won it by nine points in 2020.
....If Collins loses her seat, it will prove more difficult for Republicans who currently control the Senate with a 53 to 47-seat majority. According to a Pan Atlantic Research poll of 840 Maine likely voters, 49 percent of people see Collins favorably, 45 percent unfavorably, making her net favorability +4 percent.
Maine Beacon - Supporters of a proposal for what’s known as a millionaire’s tax in Maine are drawing inspiration from the success of similar policies in other blue states. They say legislation to create a 2% tax on incomes over $1 million would generate significant revenue to help cover more than half the costs of public education.
Maura Pillsbury, tax policy analyst with the Maine Center for Economic Policy, said a similar tax in Massachusetts has added billions to its state coffers.
“There are a lot of important priorities that are on the chopping block that Mainers could lose,” said Pillsbury, “so it really feels like the right time now to ask folks with more to pay their fair share.”
Opponents of the bill say it would reduce the state’s economic competitiveness and drive away wealthy households. Pillsbury countered that claim with data showing the number of millionaires in Massachusetts has increased since its new tax was implemented in 2023.
Republicans in the U.S. House recently passed legislation that would cut funding to states, in order to finance tax cuts for top earners. Maine now faces a more than $600 million budget shortfall affecting healthcare, childcare, and food assistance.
Income in Maine (1=Best, 25 =Avg.):
- Overall Rank: 47th
- 48th – Average Annual Income of Top 5% (Adjusted for COLI): $358,542
- 21st – Median Annual Income (Adjusted for COLI): $83,800
- 39th – Average Annual Income of Bottom 20% (Adjusted for COLI): $14,540
Pineland Farms sells its historic Maine dairy herd
In the 1950s, there were 4,500 dairy farms in Maine; today there are 135 that still ship milk commercially, according to Julie-Marie Bickford, executive director of the Maine Milk Commission.