☀️ Lawmakers must choose between rival bills on embattled solar policies.
◉ The Legislature's energy committee is coming to the end of its work on Maine's community solar policies. They have been assailed by Public Advocate William Harwood, who warned earlier this year of steep rate increases and prompted heavy backlash from the solar industry as a result.
◉ Two major bills on these policies are under consideration. The one that is likeliest to pass comes from Sen. Mark Lawrence, D-Eliot, the chair of the energy panel, that would continue the Democratic-led Legislature's trend of paring the program back modestly to balance reining in costs while not alienating the industry. Republicans want to end the subsidies under a proposal from Rep. Steven Foster, R-Dexter.
◉ The Republican prescription goes further than Harwood has called for, but it remains in line with their general position on solar subsidies all along. The deal that emerges will be important for ratepayers.
🔴 Absentees bring another rough sign for Democrats in a Tuesday election.
◉ Democrats had only a 9.5-percentage point edge on Republicans in absentee ballots requested so far in Tuesday's race for an open Republican-leaning House of Representatives district based in Waldoboro, according to data from the secretary of state's office.
◉ It's normal for Democrats to vote absentee at higher rates than Republicans, but Democrats have historically needed bigger advantages to win in closely divided areas like this one. Their voters had requested 275 absentee ballot to Republicans' 219 in the race between former Rep. Abden Simmons, R-Waldoboro, and former Rep. Wendy Pieh, D-Bremen. It means Democrats are set for only a small advantage going into Election Day.
◉ Simmons is also benefiting from raising $10,000 more than Pieh and having a major edge in support from his party. He looks to be the favorite entering the election, which would flip a seat that went to Democrats in 2022. |
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