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Proper to a wholesome setting
No matter somebody’s commerce, you will need to have many instruments of their toolbox. They’ve a greater likelihood of reaching their purpose if they’ve a selection about which instrument is acceptable and only.
The purpose that Peter Triandafillou is discussing in his column on Might 18 is defending this earth. We all know that creation is beneath assault. The water and air usually are not clear in all places and the setting just isn’t wholesome for all folks in Maine. The Pine Tree Modification will likely be a information for the manager department, the legislature, municipalities and the courts as they’ve the job of defending these parts that make Maine so engaging to Mainers and out-of-state vacationers.
The modification additionally sends any difficulties that can’t be mounted by the legislature and government department to the courts for his or her knowledge and help. Triandafillou appears involved that frivolous lawsuits will overwhelm the courts they usually gained’t be capable to contemplate them nicely. Courts are fairly able to figuring out what instances are crucial to defend each human beings and the remainder of creation. There are processes in regulation for winnowing out frivolousness with out getting slowed down.
The Pine Tree Modification makes it simpler to fight environmental degradation and can assist assure that laws is not going to be accepted by one governor or legislature and rejected by the following. Ensuring the folks of Maine have constitutionally protected rights to a wholesome setting would be the strongest instrument to ensure
The Rev. Richard Killmer
Yarmouth
Free college meals an funding in Maine’s future
The Meals Fuels Studying community believes all college students have the correct to nutritious, culturally applicable meals that allows them to realize their full potential. Recognizing the significance of college meals for college kids’ well being and readiness to study, we strongly help the College Meals for All invoice, LD 1679.
Maine may very well be the primary state to ensure youngsters the correct to free meals at college. Whereas COVID-19 has elevated the vulnerability of kids to meals insecurity in our state, baby starvation has been a longstanding challenge in Maine and can persist past this pandemic if we don’t act.
In Portland, nearly half of public college college students are eligible without cost meals, which means that their household’s revenue is at or under 130 % of the poverty line. And but, because of the present technique of accumulating household revenue information, the USDA revenue tips and the deep stigma connected to accessing sponsored college meals, the Nationwide College Lunch Program by no means absolutely meets the necessity. Common meals would remove burdensome paperwork and normalize college meals as a free and zero-barrier service, like using the college bus or utilizing college web.
This college yr, colleges throughout the nation have been offering college students with meals at no cost in response to the pandemic emergency. However the baby starvation emergency just isn’t over. LD 1679 presents a possibility to offer consistency, stability and collective neighborhood take care of Maine youngsters prone to starvation, investing of their future and the way forward for our state.
James Hanna
Government Director
Cumberland County Meals Safety Council
Portland
Grateful for Maine defending animals
As a lifelong lover of animals, I’m so pleased with our nice state for its new Courtroom Animal Advocate Program
This authorized program empowers attorneys or supervised regulation college students to advocate for animal victims in typically advanced legal cruelty instances, serving to the court docket to achieve a good end result that acknowledges the wants of animal victims.
Due to Maine’s new regulation, the nationally acknowledged influential Animal Authorized Protection Fund has awarded the Pine Tree state the highest spot within the nation for animal safety legal guidelines. Undoubtedly praiseworthy!
No authorized system is ideal, however Maine has made vital progress in its concern for animals with the CAAP.
Talking for the animals, I’m grateful!
Trudy Nelson
Winterport