MAJORITY LEADER SPONSORS MEASURE TO KEEP JOBS AFLOAT IN HOULTON
Halts Maine Revenue Services office closing in Houlton
AUGUSTA—On Wednesday, the Legislative Council, a bipartisan committee of legislative leaders, will consider a bill sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Troy Jackson that will reverse Governor LePage’s decision to close the Houlton office of the Maine Revenue Service (MRS).
Earlier this month, Governor LePage circumvented the Legislature by unilaterally authorizing the closure of the MRS office in Houlton laying off 11 people.
“Now is not the time to be cutting jobs. We need more jobs in Aroostook not less,” said Senate Majority Leader Troy Jackson of Allagash. “The workers in Houlton are providing essential services to the people in northern Maine. We need to make sure that the people in northern Maine continue to have access to services and feel connected to their government.”
If passed by the panel of ten, the Legislature will consider Jackson’s bill during the Legislature’s special session on Thursday, August 29th.
Jackson added, “The Governor made the decision to close this office without any input from the public or lawmakers. No one had a voice in this process—except for Governor LePage.”
Jackson’s bill has widespread local support and is cosponsored by Assistant House Minority Leader Alex Willette (R-Mapleton) and supported by the Houlton Town Council, the Southern Aroostook Development Corporation, the Houlton Community Development Office, the Houlton Chamber of Commerce, and the Maine State Employees Association.
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