Employment trends threaten the economic security of working families

As if employment opportunities for low-income workers weren’t bleak enough―low-wages, no retirement savings, no health insurance―now these workers face a complete breakdown of the traditional employer-employee relationship […]

Jody Harris

Posted December 30, 2015

Tags Economic Security, Economy, Job Quality, Jobs

Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy

Shop ‘til you drop ― It’s no holiday for retail workers

Too many Mainers today work too few hours for too low pay. The data show over and over and over how part-time, low-wage, and benefit-less jobs trap […]

Jody Harris

Posted December 2, 2015

Tags Incomes, Job Quality, Wages

Education

New high school equivalency test providing opportunity for hundreds of Mainers

Over 400 Mainers who would have been passed over by the traditional GED received their high school diplomas in 2014. That’s 400 more Mainers who now have […]

Jody Harris

Posted August 6, 2015

Tags Education

Maine’s Economy

Legislators can help working families by overriding bonds release bill veto

“Governor LePage has it all wrong when he says LMF is only for the rich. LMF very specifically helps working families. In particular, it keeps farm lands in […]

Jody Harris

Posted June 30, 2015

Tags Bonds, Revenue

Jobs and Income

Protecting Mainers from unscrupulous debt collectors

“There has been an explosion of debt collection companies known as debt buyers in recent years. Debt-buyers buy old debt that creditors have written off as uncollectable. […]

Jody Harris

Posted June 29, 2015

Tags Consumer Protection

Maine’s Economy

Retirement crisis: Mainers in part-time and low-wage jobs face living out their retirement years in poverty

“One-third of workers in America have no retirement savings and those who have savings, do not have enough to live comfortably. Of those closest to retirement (age 55-64), one […]

Jody Harris

Posted June 24, 2015

Tags Infrastructure, Jobs

Maine’s Economy, Taxes and Budget

A crumbling road is not the route to economic growth

“If the governor and legislature want vibrant downtowns and a thriving economy, they must invest in our roads and highways. If they don’t want our downtowns to […]

Jody Harris

Posted June 4, 2015

Tags Budget, Economy, Infrastructure, Revenue

Maine’s Economy

Testimony in Favor of LD 933 – An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Task Force To End Student Hunger in Maine

The Maine Center for Economic Policy particularly supports the community eligibility working group. This community eligibility program allows high-poverty schools to offer nutritious breakfasts and lunches to […]

Jody Harris

Posted May 5, 2015

Tags Food Insecurity

Maine’s Economy

Debt buyers drain over $7 million out of Maine consumers

The Center for Responsible Lending reports that, because of weak protections in Maine law, Maine consumers will pay $7.3 million to just one out-of-state company, Encore Capital, […]

Jody Harris

Posted May 1, 2015

Tags Consumer Protection, Wages

Education

Education committee fails Maine college students

Maine’s neediest college students will get no relief from the crushing costs of a college education. In fact, this week the legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Education […]

Jody Harris

Posted April 10, 2015

Tags Education, Higher Education, Student Debt

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Employment trends threaten the economic security of working families

Shop ‘til you drop ― It’s no holiday for retail workers

New high school equivalency test providing opportunity for hundreds of Mainers

Legislators can help working families by overriding bonds release bill veto

Protecting Mainers from unscrupulous debt collectors

Retirement crisis: Mainers in part-time and low-wage jobs face living out their retirement years in poverty

A crumbling road is not the route to economic growth

Testimony in Favor of LD 933 – An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Task Force To End Student Hunger in Maine

Debt buyers drain over $7 million out of Maine consumers

Education committee fails Maine college students