Bit of a smorgasbord of news topics today, so please bear with me.

The tax reform debate continues to intrigue. For those not following it, the proposal appears stalled in the Legislature and today is supposed to be the last day of the session. The big questions we have are:
1. Why hasn’t Gov. John Baldacci taken a more active public role in the debate and what are his concerns?
2. Why don’t the Democrats, who hold a majority in both the House and Senate, put the plan up for a vote?
3. What are the prospects for a special session later this year to deal with tax reform?

We’re getting a lot of e-mails and calls about the public hearing that the Federal Communications Commission has scheduled in Portland next Thursday (June 28). All five FCC commissioners will be here for the hearing, which comes as the agency is reviewing its limits on the number of TV and radio stations a company can own in one area. Another topic of interest: The FFC’s rule that prevents companies from owning a TV or radio station, and a major daily newspaper, in the same market.

Greg Kesich, our legal affairs reporter, is working on a story for Sunday’s paper that will outline what the hearing is all about. We’ve already heard from a lot of advocates like Common Cause, who are concerned about media consolidation and the loss of local ownership. But if you have some thoughts on the issue, feel free to send Greg an e-mail at gkesich@pressherald.com.

Finally, our health reporter, Josie Huang, is working on a story about an increase in emergency room visits. The big question behind this story is what’s driving the increase? This story hasn’t been scheduled to run yet, but she’s looking for people who recently went to the ER to talk about their situations and what prompted them to go. If you know anyone who’s willing to talk on the record, have them contact Josie at jhuang@pressherald.com.

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