Taxes and Budget Raising taxes on large, profitable corporations will help build strong communities without affecting small businesses Corporations in Maine benefit from our educated workforce, our public roads and other infrastructure, and our clean air and water — not to mention our reputation for […] Sarah Austin Posted March 18, 2021 Tags Revenue, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Taxing the unearned income of the top 1 percent would help un-rig Maine’s tax code, boost resources for communities Most Mainers get the bulk of their income from wages. But those at the top of our economy often earn money in another way: They often have unearned income, from things like capital gains and […] Sarah Austin Posted March 16, 2021 Tags Budget, Inequality, Revenue, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Maine’s Economy, Taxes and Budget Why is Maine’s revenue picture better than expected? Past recessions wreaked havoc on Maine’s state budget and the COVID recession was expected to do the same. While Maine’s current revenue forecast, finalized in early December […] Sarah Austin Posted March 5, 2021 Tags Coronavirus, Federal, Recession, Revenue, Taxes
Taxes and Budget After more than a decade of cuts, it’s time to invest in Maine’s communities Strong communities are the backbone of a good quality of life. Local services like parks, libraries, fire departments, safe roads, and clean water are integral to creating high-quality places where Maine families […] Sarah Austin Posted February 19, 2021 Tags Budget, Revenue, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Maine doesn’t need a new special interest sales tax loophole The Maine Legislature is considering a bill, LD 140, that would allow businesses that sell prepared food and beverages to keep one penny of the eight–cent sales tax on prepared foods. The bill would create […] Sarah Austin Posted February 9, 2021 Tags Budget, Tax Breaks, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Lawmakers should reject scheme to turn PPP into double tax cuts for profitable businesses Maine’s top priority for a robust, fair COVID recovery must be to provide relief to struggling families and make investments in schools, communities, infrastructure, and services that will […] Sarah Austin Posted January 27, 2021 Tags Budget, Coronavirus, Federal, Revenue, Tax Breaks, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Tax Policy Options: Maine needs progressive revenue solutions to build a stronger, fairer future Download the PDF version Download The incoming Legislature has the opportunity to address longstanding problems in the state’s tax code that have made life harder for Maine […] Sarah Austin Posted January 27, 2021 Tags Budget, Estate Tax, Income Tax, Revenue, Sales Tax, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Taxes and Budget REPORT: Solving Maine’s Pandemic Revenue Crisis States that responded to the Great Recession by maintaining or increasing state jobs and spending outperformed states, such as Maine, that responded with layoffs and spending cuts. […] Sarah Austin Posted September 28, 2020 Tags Budget, Coronavirus, Revenue, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Forecasted 3-year, $1.4 billion revenue shortfall reinforces need federal, state action to protect critical jobs and services New revenue projections released by state officials on Wednesday reiterate that Maine faces jaw-dropping revenue shortfalls that demand a strong federal response and a willingness by state […] Sarah Austin Posted July 29, 2020 Tags Budget, Coronavirus
Maine’s Economy Policy Memo: Distribution of Coronavirus Relief Funds in Maine The following is a reproduction of a memo produced by MECEP policy analysts Sarah Austin and James Myall for the Governor’s Economic Recovery Committee. To see the […] Sarah Austin Posted July 1, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Recession