Category Archives: Citizens’ Initiative

Question 1: Rent Seeking Run Amok

Citizens' Initiative, Economic impact, Economics, Gambling, Maine, Maine Politics, Maine Question 1, Opinion, Public Policy, Rent Seeking, Taxes
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Mailboxes are flooded with direct mail fliers.  The roadsides are littered with plastic signs.  We are admonished to Vote Yes On Question 1 on November 7.  This is one of the clearest examples of rent seeking behavior I have ever seen.  It is text book quality. Rent seeking occurs when an economic actor, in this […]

What’s Wrong With This Story?

Citizens' Initiative, Education Funding, Maine, Maine Government Shutdown, Maine Politics, Opinion, Paul LePage, Taxes
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The narrative goes something like this: The Maine Legislature and Governor require all Maine schools to provide certain “essential” services.  This is out of a sense of fairness for all Maine school children, wherever they may live.  Everyone is entitled to a minimum education. Many localities struggle to pay the costs of these minimum services […]