Or rather, don't bring the noise, as many of my constituents have requested over the last two years. Whether we're talking about concerts on the Maine State Pier, nightlife in the Old Port, or tunes outside tasting rooms, I've heard a lot of concerns about noise in the city over the last two years. It's because of these concerns that I've been pushing for a rewrite of the City's code as it pertains to noise.

​The good news is that a rewrite is in process. The bad news is that it's more complicated than just tweaking a few decibel levels and calling it good. 

Since November 2017, the City Council's Health & Human Services and Public Safety (HHS &PS) Committee has been working its way though a proposed mandatory paid sick leave ordinance. For a little background, check out my April Paid Sick Leave Update.

​To find out where we are in the process now, read on.

I’ve been getting a lot of email about the school budget this year. Some people are expressing concern that the Council is making deep cuts that will be detrimental to education, while others are concerned that the Superintendent’s proposed budget is too high and that the increased spending will cause them to be taxed out of their homes.
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Below are the most common concerns I’m hearing, addressed in a Q&A format. I want to thank Councilors Kim Cook and Justin Costa for their contributions to the answers. They both allowed me to lift large chunks of text from emails they’ve been sending to help explain the budget process to their constituents, and for that I am grateful. 

A lot of people have been asking about the proposed mandatory paid sick leave ordinance being considered by the Portland City Council's Health & Human Services and Public Safety Committee. Considering the implementation of such a policy is a very complicated task, especially as we contemplate the potential impacts for people living, working, and employing others in and around the Portland area. As the chair of the HHS & PS Committee, I'm pleased to say that the committee realizes this, and that we are working to proceed in a highly transparent and inclusive manner. To that end, here's an update of where we are in the process, and where I expect it to go from here. 

On April 24, 2018, the Portland City Council's Health & Human Services and Public Safety Committee will hold a public hearing on the proposed mandatory paid sick leave ordinance. For more about where the committee is in the process of reviewing that ordinance, see my April 19th Paid Sick Leave Ordinance Update. To find out how the public comment period will work, read on!

On February 5, 2018, the Portland City Council unanimously approved a festival license for Waterfront Concerts, which allowed the company to begin booking acts for its 2018 concert series at the Maine State Pier. The Council approved this license despite the fact that the owner of Waterfront Concerts, Alex Gray, had pled guilty to domestic violence assault in October of 2017.

I’ve received a few requests to explain my original vote on this issue—a yes vote, approving the festival license—so here's an account of my reasoning leading up to that vote along with an explanation of my current thinking on this issue. 

On Thursday morning (2/22), I was surprised to see the following information at the beginning of an article in the Portland Press Herald:

"Portland officials will hold discussions on whether to establish Maine's first safe-injection site for drug users. Councilor Belinda Ray said a council subcommittee will discuss the idea next week...."

I was surprised, because it's not true.

In January, I was appointed to serve on the school building committee that will oversee renovations to four Portland elementary schools: Lyseth, Longfellow, Presumpscot, and Reiche. These renovations are being funded by a $64 million bond that was passed by Portland voters in November of 2017.
 
Now, it’s no secret that I was opposed to the $64 million bond, and that has caused some people to wonder if I should serve on the building committee overseeing this work. To me, this is easy to reconcile. 

Bonds tend to pass in Maine—especially when they involve transportation, research and development, or education. And that’s no surprise. We all want good roads, better jobs, and great opportunities for our kids. But if you’re a Portland voter who values education and wants excellent schools, teachers, and materials citywide, you should vote “NO” on the $64 million school bond (Question 3 on the local ballot). Here are four reasons.