Cumberland County low-income transportation funding cut in half
The issue has started to move to
the center of the race between Senator Susan Collins, a vulnerable fifth-term
Republican, and her Democratic challenger, Troy Jackson, who has blamed Ms.
Collins for the rising fuel oil costs. Their contest could be critical to
determining which party controls the Senate.
For Ms. Collins, who initially
supported the war but has opposed it for months, the rising fuel costs pose a
significant headwind as she works to fend off Mr. Jackson, voters and
strategists in both parties say.
“It’s a huge issue up here,”
Lance Dutson, a Republican strategist in Maine, said Tuesday night as
temperatures in parts of the state dipped into the 40s. Ms. Collins can point
to her work to bring federal heating assistance funds to the state, he added, but
that might go only so far in assuaging an “emotional electorate” facing deep
financial strain because of the price increases.
(newscentermaine.com) — Rising heating oil prices are pushing more Midcoast families to seek free firewood from the Midcoast Wood Bank, which serves Brunswick along with nearby towns. Households in need can receive up to two cords of donated wood, but organizers say they urgently need more volunteers, trucks, and wood donations to keep up. The program aims to prevent residents from going cold this winter.
5 Takeaways From the First Maine Senate Debate