PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 21, 2025
The Legislature appropriated $2 million in the baseline budget to help combat the spread of spruce budworm, which will certainly help Maine’s forest economy. The Legislature also unanimously supported LD 1313 to establish a permanent sales tax exemption for log trucks and trailers used primarily within the state by commercial wood harvesting companies. What good are spruce trees in northern Maine if no one is around to harvest and truck them to a mill? Logging contractors in Maine are struggling to remain afloat in a rising tide of cost increases as their profit margins shrink. If we are not careful, we could eventually end up losing the majority of one of Maine’s heritage industries. Letting loggers keep a little more of what they earn is one way we can help avoid that. We strongly encourage legislative leadership to help finish the job by funding LD 1313 when it returns in January. ~ Dana Doran, Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast