A poll released Tuesday by the Maine Center for Economic Policy found that 63 percent of Mainers believe the wealthy and large corporations pay less than their fair share of taxes, while 70 percent believe the poor pay their fair share or too much.
The survey of Democrats, Republicans and independents, conducted by Lake Research Partners, suggests that most Mainers do not support the trickle-down tax policies put forward by Republicans as well as many Democrats and independents in the state legislature and in national politics.
The poll follows a September report by MECEP which found that because of tax cuts passed by outgoing Governor Paul LePage, the state is projected to have $864 million less in revenue for its next two-year budget than compared to revenues brought in under the 2010 tax code. And half of the state’s projected loss in revenue has been redistributed to the top one-fifth of Maine households — a fact that Governor-elect Janet Mills and Democratic leadership in both chambers of the Maine Legislature now have a chance to rectify, says MECEP’s leadership.
“Unpopular tax cuts that have given most of their benefits to the wealthiest households and largest businesses have made it harder for us to make the investments necessary for our families and our economy to succeed,” MECEP director Garrett Martin said in a statement following the release of the poll. “Mainers know these tax cuts make it harder to keep our economy moving. This month’s elections create an opportunity to get back on track.”
Click here to read the full report, published November 14, 2018, in Beacon.
