State predicts Maine will lose nearly 16,000 jobs by 2028

While a tight labor market may raise wages, Maine would be in a better position if it had more in-migration, said Garrett Martin, executive director of the Maine Center for Economic Policy. However, local and state policymakers should help create the jobs, communities and high standard of living that can draw people in, such as a robust state minimum wage and paid time-off laws, Martin said.

“Good public policy can attract more and diverse workers to Maine and build a stronger, people-powered economy,” he said. “We shouldn’t rely on market forces alone to get us there.”

Click here to read the full story, first published October 13, 2020, in the Portland Press Herald.