10 Mar WCME Midcoast News March 10, 2015

A Positive Omen

New figures from Maine Revenue Services indicate that our state’s taxable sales soared to a record high in 2014 of nearly 19 billion dollars. Mild early winter weather, rising consumer confidence and strong holiday shopping are all listed as factors. This year’s taxable sales total is four percent higher than 2013 and far exceeded the last pre-recession sales total of nearly 17 and a half billion in 2007.

A Financial Challenge

The University of Southern Maine is expected to face new financial challenges in its next budget cycle beginning this summer, and interim USM president David Flanagan says the same could happen at other University of Maine system campuses without significant changes. After overseeing deep cuts at U-S-M over the past year, Flanagan is now planning to use over one and a half million dollars in campus reserves to balance USM’s 127 million dollar budget.

The End Is In Sight

In Bath, police chief Michael Field says the city’s winter overnight parking ban will be extended to April 1. Normally, the ban ends on March 15, but this year’s heavy snowfall has resulted in a heavy buildup that continues to challenge public works crews.

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