Douglas Rooks, Maine Author and Journalist
NEW and Available Now
Transformational: Ken Curtis, Maine’s Reform Governor
When elected in 1966 at age 35, Ken Curtis was the nation’s youngest Governor. He served eight years through war and social upheaval, a liberal Democrat who nonetheless transformed state government almost beyond recognition – all while working with a Republican Legislature. Creating Cabinet government, an income tax to fund the University of Maine System, vastly expanding public schools, conserving wilderness, and adopting landmark environmental legislation were just the beginning.
Among the new agencies launched were the Departments of Conservation and Environmental Protection, State Planning Office, Maine State Housing, Human Rights Commission, Commission on Aging, and Maine Historic Preservation Commission.
Sixty years later, the breadth and durability of these landmarks achieved amid daunting trials offer profound lessons from his time for our own.
Hardcover $39.95
Paperback $24.95
Maine author, journalist, and historian
Douglas Rooks is a Maine journalist, editor, author, and political history buff. He has edited daily and weekly newspapers in Maine and New Hampshire and written a weekly opinion column for over 45 years, winning state, regional, and national awards. Now a freelance writer and editor, the Colby alumnus covers Maine state government with a focus on environmental issues, public education, municipal affairs, business, and tax policy. He lives in the state capital of Augusta, Maine, with his wife, Janine, and their pets.
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