Lecture: Christopher St. John, Executive Director of the Maine Center for Economic Policy, on “Pocket Tremors: The Growing Chasm Between Maine’s Rich & Poor.”

Past Event ....... January 15th, 2009 — 12:00 pm

Thursay, Jan. 15, noon to 1 p.m. in Callahan Hall, the Great Falls Forum lecture series presents Christopher St. John, Executive Director of the Maine Center for Economic Policy, speaking on “Pocket Tremors: The Growing Chasm Between Maine’s Rich & Poor.” Free. Attendees are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch; bottled water will be available.
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On Thursday, Jan. 15, from noon to 1 p.m. in Callahan Hall at the Lewiston Public Library, the Great Falls Forum lecture series presents Christopher St. John, Executive Director of the Maine Center for Economic Policy, speaking on “Pocket Tremors: The Growing Chasm Between Maine’s Rich & Poor.”

According to St. John, “The growth in income inequality over the last 30 years has made life increasingly difficult for families in the bottom 20-40% of the Maine income distribution.” In his local Forum appearance he will discuss potential changes in government policies that would not only address this increasing hardship, but also stimulate more general economic activity that would prove beneficial to all Mainers.

Following studies at Harvard College, the London School of Oriental and African Studies, and Yale Law School, Christopher St. John worked for two decades at Pine Tree Legal Assistance in Augusta prior to taking over the reins at the Maine Center for Economic Policy in 1994. From 1981-1994 he was also a registered lobbyist at the Maine State Legislature, where he represented low-income groups on such issues as health care, welfare, unemployment insurance, utility regulation, and taxation. He currently serves on the Board of Mainewatch Institute.

Rick Speer, director of the Lewiston Public Library, described both St. John and the Maine Center for Economic Policy as “leaders in addressing the economic needs of Maine’s working class. We expect Kit’s Forum presentation to be both intellectually stimulating and provocative, and certainly timely, given the nation’s current economic situation.”
St. John will take questions from the audience following his talk.

Admission is free to the Great Falls Forum, with attendees invited to bring brown-bag lunches. Bottled water will be available on site.

In an effort to make the Forum programs more accessible to those rushing in on their lunch hour, the library has forged a partnership with Guthries cafe through which attendees can have a custom-made, gourmet sandwich delivered to the library in advance of the talk. Those taking advantage of this option should place their orders by calling Guthries at 376-3344 no later than 7 p.m. on the day before the event. The menu is available at www.myspace.com/guthriesplace.

Partnering with the Library as cosponsors of the Great Falls Forum series are the Lewiston Sun Journal, Bates College, and St. Mary’s Medical Center.

More information on Thursday’s lecture or upcoming events in the Great Falls Forum series is available by contacting the Lewiston Public Library at 513-3135.

Posted: Monday, January 12th, 2009 in Lecture

Lewiston Library: Lecture: Christopher St. John, Executive Director of the Maine Center for Economic Policy, on “Pocket Tremors: The Growing Chasm Between Maine’s Rich & Poor.”

Thursay, Jan. 15, noon to 1 p.m. in Callahan Hall, the Great Falls Forum lecture series presents Christopher St. John, Executive Director of the Maine Center for Economic Policy, speaking on “Pocket Tremors: The Growing Chasm Between Maine’s Rich & … continues …