Transforming your city — Step one: think about how your city could improve.

Think about this transformation along with others at Bates’ three part lecture series called “City, Neighborhood and Society.”

The first lecture is January 15th, at 4:15 pm in Pettengill G65.

Join Dr. Lorlene Hoyt from Tufts University to hear about “Transforming Cities and Minds through Sustained Civic Engagement.”

The next two lectures in the series also sound great – There Goes the Gayborhood? Sexuality and the City in a Post-Gay Era on March 15 and Getting Ahead: Social Mobility, Public Housing and Immigrant Networks on May 9. Check out Bates’ website to learn more.

This great video made by Voting Rights Watch features cool music, beautiful scenery and a person registering to vote. Check it out!

From The Nation:

Sixty-six percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives who were eligible to register to vote in 2008 did so. The other 34 percent—more than 1 million people—did not. There’s a concerted effort to register Native voters in 2012, and make an big impact on Election Day.

We’ve been talking about climate change here at the office today (we’re nervous about next week’s storm), so here’s a round-up of all the articles we’ve been reading this week.

Enjoy your Friday afternoon with a little bit of reading about climate change, and tell us what you think.

• Do you have questions about Efficiency Maine? Do you know how it’s funded, or who reaps the benefits? This great article in the Bangor Daily News.
• Here’s what Rolling Stone thinks President Obama should’ve said in response to the question about gas prices at the Town Hall-style debate.
•  Are you feeling proud of yourself because you recycled that soda can you found on the street? Well, it’s probably not enough, says this article from the New York Times.

What do you think of the ad? Of the state legislature?

Click on a candidate’s name to read their full questionnaire. Those candidates with no link did not turn in a questionnaire despite repeated contacts.

Any candidate with a “[ENDORSED]” following their name means they have been endorsed by the League’s members at our Project Vote meeting.

Here’s our full voter guide, with brief write-ups on each race: Download

President:

Gary Johnson/Jim Gray (L) vs. Barack Obama/Joe Biden (D) [ENDORSED]  vs. Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan (R) vs. Jill Stein and Cheri Honkala (G)

US Senate  - 

The League has decided not to endorse any of the candidates for U.S. Senate. We found the two most viable candidates to be Governor Angus King and Senator Cynthia Dill, but our write-ups of each candidate in our voter guide explain some of the reasons why neither is eligible to carry the League banner this year.

Danny Dalton (I) vs. Cynthia Dill (D) vs. Andrew Ian Dodge (I) vs. Angus King (I) vs. Charlie Summers (R) vs. Stephen Woods (I)

US House

Jonathan Courtney (R) vs. Chellie Pingree (D) [ENDORSED]

State Senate District 7

Rebecca Millett (D) [ENDORSED] vs. Michael Darren Wallace (R)

State Senate District 8

Justin Alfond (D) [ENDORSED] vs. Asher Platts (G)

State Senate District 9

Anne Haskell (D) [ENDORSED] vs. Kirsten Martin (R)

State House District 113

Mark Dion (D) [ENDORSED] vs. Jeffrey Langholtz (R)

State House District 114

Peter Stuckey (D) [ENDORSED] vs. Eric Bleicken (R)

State House District 115

Erik Jorgensen (D) [ENDORSED] vs. Seth Berner (G)

State House District 116

Denise Harlow (D) [ENDORSED]

State House District 117

Richard Farnsworth (D) [ENDORSED] vs. Frederic Miller (R) vs. William Linnell (G)

State House District 118

Matt Moonen (D) [ENDORSED] vs. Kevin Casey (R) vs. Thomas MacMillan (G)

State House District 119

Herb Adams (D) vs. Gwendolyn Tuttle (R) vs. Ben Chipman (I) [ENDORSED]

State House District 120

Davian Akers (R) vs. Justine Lynn (G) vs. Diane Russell (D) [ENDORSED]

State House District 122

Christopher Kessler (I) vs. Terry Morrison (D) [ENDORSED] vs. Thomas Sarbanis (R)

State House District 123

Roger Bishop (I) vs. Scott Hamann (D) [ENDORSED] vs. Kenneth Myrick (R)

State House District 124 - No Endorsement

Portland City Council At-Large

Wells Lyons [ENDORSED] vs. Nick Mavadones

Portland City Council District 1

Kevin Donoghue [ENDORSED] vs. Ben Pollard

Portland City Council District 2

Shane Boyington vs. Dave Marshall [ENDORSED]

Portland School Board At-Large

Sarah Thompson [ENDORSED]

Portland School Board District 1

Jenna Vendil [ENDORSED] vs. Thomas Kelley

Portland School Board District 2

Holly Seeliger [ENDORSED] vs. Jeanne Swanton

Portland Water District

Gary Libby vs. Nisha Swinton [ENDORSED]

Ballot Question 1 – The League recommends YES – Do you want to allow the State of Maine to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples?

Ballot Question 2 – The League recommends YES – Do you favor an $11,300,000 bond issue to provide funds for capital to build a diagnostic facility for the University of Maine System; for capital improvements and equipment, including machine tool technology, for the Maine Community College System; and for capital improvements and equipment at the Maine Maritime Academy?

Ballot Question 3 – The League recommends YES - Do you favor a $5,000,000 bond issue to purchase land and conservation easements statewide from willing sellers for public land and water access, conservation, wildlife or fish habitat and outdoor recreation, including hunting and fishing and deer wintering areas, and to preserve working farmland and working waterfronts to be matched by at least $5,000,000 in private and public contributions?

Ballot Question 4 – The League recommends YES – Do you favor a $51,500,000 bond issue for improvements to highways and bridges, local roads, airports and port facilities, as well as for funds for rail access, transit buses and the LifeFlight Foundation, which will make the State eligible for at least $105,600,000 in federal and other matching funds?

Ballot Question 5 – The League recommends YES – Do you favor a $7,925,000 bond issue to be expended over 2 years for revolving loan funds for drinking water systems and for wastewater treatment facilities, which will make the State eligible to secure $39,625,000 in federal grants?

Local Ballot Question– The League recommends YES The creation of an elected mayor starting in 2011 with a four (4) year term alters the City’s historic election pattern so that in some years no at-large councilors will be up for election. This amendment will create a system in which one (1) at-large position is up for election every year. It does that by making a one-time extension in the term of one (1) of the two  (2) at-large seats which are up for election in 2013 to a four (4) year term, ending in 2017. In 2017 and thereafter the term for the at-large position will be three (3) years.

 Separately designed nomination papers will be issued for each of the at-large seats in 2013. Candidates may only take out and file nomination papers for one (1) of the two (2) seats. There will be separate questions on the 2013 ballot, one for the four (4) year seat and one for the three (3) year seat.

President Obama doesn’t want those of us saddled with student loans to pay more in interest, yay!

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