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While Mainers were digging out from yet another snowstorm, podcast hosts Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell provided updates on several legislative initiatives. Their discussion covered proposals seeking to establish a recall process for school board members (LD 849); protecting the safety of certain judiciary and state and federal officials (LD 2121); amending the process for revoking a code enforcement officer’s state certification (LD 2097); and repealing the requirement that the state provide GA administrators access to a database necessary to determine applicant eligibility (LD 1996). Listen now.

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Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell take to the air for their first Potholes & Politics podcast of 2026. Seeing that both hosts are members of MMA’s advocacy team, it is only fitting that this episode dives straight into the 2026 Legislative Session. The show kicks off with an overview of the work already underway, as legislative committees convened on January 5.

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From the turbulent enactment of the FY 2026-FY 2027 biennial budget and new limits placed on concept draft legislation to conversation about home rule and the January 7, 2026, return of the Maine State Legislature, Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell revisit some of the issues discussed on the Potholes & Politics podcast in 2025.

Episode Links:

Real Estate Property Tax Relief Task Force public comment can be sent to legislative staff via this email: re.ptax.relief@legislature.maine.gov

MMA’s Grassroots Advocacy one-page resource is HERE

Current LPC Listing is HERE

Check out editions of the Legislative Bulletin from the first session of the 132nd Legislature HERE and contact Laura Ellis at lellis@memun.org to subscribe or update your subscription preferences!

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Although MMA Risk Management Services (RMS) staff can’t keep the snow from flying, they can help prevent people from slipping on snow and ice. This week, Dan Whitter, RMS’s Loss Control Manager, joins Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell to share practical tips for avoiding slips, trips and falls. He also outlines the steps municipalities can take to ensure their facilities, equipment, and staff remain safe throughout the winter season. In addition, Dan discusses the grant programs available to members enrolled in RMS programs—the Ed MacDonald Safety Enhancement Grant and Risk Reduction Grant—designed to keep staff and equipment safe from harm and costly damage.

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Nick Cloutier, current assessor for the Town of Scarborough, and soon-to-be Waterville city manager, joins Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell to provide an update on the Legislature’s Real Estate Property Tax Relief Tax Force. Appointed by the Speaker of the House, Nick represents the interests of Maine’s tax assessors on the task force. In this episode, he outlines a range of solutions, from amending current programs such as the Property Tax Fairness Credit, to deliver immediate relief to homeowners, to long-term reforms requiring constitutional amendments. Among these proposals is the introduction of a tiered mil rate system. Nick also urges listeners to share their perspectives with the task force before it begins to draft its official recommendations.

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In this episode, Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell explore the work of the 18-member Right to Know Advisory Committee, which oversees and supports the Maine Freedom of Access Act. They discuss who serves on the committee, what the committee does, why the work maters, and how it impacts municipalities across the state. For those looking for a clear and concise overview of the committee’s role and responsibilities, this episode is worth a listen.

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Tanya Emery, the newest member of MMA’s advocacy team, joins Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell to discuss housing, which is a hot topic in many circles. With the rapid pace of change and growing demands being placed on municipalities and residents who have helped shape their communities, the intergovernmental relationship is being tested. In what can best be described as a “CliffsNotes” approach, the advocacy team succinctly summarizes the many housing issues that await the Maine Legislature’s return in January. The takeaway from this episode is clear: for Maine to advance its housing goals, the concerns being raised by municipal leaders must be taken seriously. It’s all about partnership.

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On this edition of the podcast, Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell are joined by Kathleen Billings, Stonington’s renowned town manager, a dedicated member of MMA’s Legislative Policy Committee, and one of three municipal appointees serving on the Real Estate Property Tax Relief Tax Force. Kathleen brings a strong coastal community perspective to the discussion. From the rise in second-home ownership and the dwindling availability of year-round housing, to inflationary pressures driving up the cost of providing essential public services and the ongoing struggle to recruit and retain public safety personnel and other municipal employees, Kathleen is on the front lines of it all. Motivated to find thoughtful solutions, Kathleen would “rather try to do something and fail, than nothing at all.”