Live Breaking News & Updates on Fair Elections Portland|Page 4
Stay updated with breaking news from Fair elections portland. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
Advocates ask high court to force Portland to hold vote on clean elections The Maine Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments Thursday, after a lower court dismissed the lawsuit brought by Fair Elections Portland, which wants to create the state s first public financing option for municipal candidates. Share Portland advocates asked Maine’s high court Friday to force the City Council to put a proposal for creating the state’s first municipal clean elections program directly to city voters. Fair Elections Portland argued that city councilors violated the constitutional rights of 6,800 residents who petitioned for the change by refusing to hold a referendum, and instead proposing a city charter commission be created to consider the idea and decide whether to present it to voters. Portland voters approved creating the commission last year and its members will be elected in June. ....
Portland council gives top city attorney retroactive raise The City Council awarded attorney Danielle West-Chuhta, whose official title is corporation counsel, retroactive raises of 3 percent for 2019 to 2020, raising her salary to $148,473 a year. Share Portland’s top municipal attorney will receive a retroactive raise and nearly $12,000 in back pay dating to 2019. The City Council voted unanimously Monday to award Corporation Counsel Danielle West-Chuhta retroactive raises of 3 percent for 2019 and 2020, raising her salary to $148,473 a year. Mayor Kate Snyder said during the meeting that the raise was in line with increases granted to other nonunion employees but West-Chuhta did not receive because the council had not conducted the required performance evaluations for several years. She said the city was “very, very lucky” to have West-Chuhta as its attorney. ....