Jobs and Income

Increasing Maine’s minimum wage to $16 would boost wages for more than 350,000 Mainers

Mainers’ wages have risen in recent years thanks in part to increases in the minimum wage approved by voters in 2016. Those increases have led to raises […]

James Myall

Posted April 12, 2021

Tags Coronavirus, Economic Security, Job Quality, Minimum Wage, Wages

Jobs and Income

Anti-minimum wage bills would cut Mainers’ wages by $193 million, with big impact on essential workers

A strong minimum wage supports Maine’s workers and creates an economy that is stronger for all of us. But year after year, opponents of the minimum wage […]

James Myall

Posted April 12, 2021

Tags Coronavirus, Economic Security, Job Quality, Minimum Wage, Wages

Education

COVID compounds Maine’s education debt crisis. The time to act is now.

MECEP economic policy analyst James Myall contributed to this blog post. There was a student loan crisis before the pandemic, now it is even worse. Despite gains in recent […]

Jody Harris

Posted April 9, 2021

Tags Coronavirus, Education, Higher Education, Student Debt

Jobs and Income

Maine must end carveouts that take workers’ rights away from essential farmers and food producers

Everyone deserves the same basic protections and rights on the job. Laws guaranteeing the minimum wage, overtime, and the right to form a union are foundational to creating […]

James Myall

Posted April 7, 2021

Tags Inequality, Job Quality, Minimum Wage, Racial Equity, Unions, Wages

Maine’s Economy

Transformative “American Rescue Plan” will deliver $6 billion to Maine’s economy

The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act recently approved by Congress will deliver roughly $6 billion to Maine’s economy, according to recent MECEP analysis. The top initiatives that will support Maine’s economic […]

James Myall

Posted April 2, 2021

Tags Children, Coronavirus, Economic Security, Economy, Education, EITC, Federal, Housing, Infrastructure, K-12 Education, SNAP, Taxes, Unemployment

Jobs and Income

Pine Tree Development Zones promised jobs but didn’t deliver. It’s time to end them.

In 2003, the Maine Legislature created Pine Tree Development Zones, a tax expenditure program designed to spur job creation in economically distressed areas of the state. The […]

Sarah Austin

Posted March 24, 2021

Tags Jobs, Tax Breaks, Taxes

Jobs and Income

At-will employment is cover for discrimination. Maine should abolish it to protect workers from unfair firing

No worker should be fired from their job without a good reason. That’s why we have anti-discrimination laws, which protect Mainers from being fired on the basis […]

James Myall

Posted March 24, 2021

Tags Employment, Inequality, Job Quality, Jobs

Jobs and Income

Recognizing foreign credentials would help New Mainers and our state prosper

Maine’s economy is at its best when Mainers of all backgrounds can make full use of their experience, skills, and education. But New Mainers who arrive in […]

James Myall

Posted March 23, 2021

Tags Economy, Employment, Immigration, Inequality, Jobs, Racial Equity

Taxes and Budget

Bill to strengthen EITC would boost incomes for 92,000 Maine families, improve Maine’s tax code

The Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC, is a proven tool to reduce poverty and give kids from families with low incomes a better shot at success […]

Sarah Austin

Posted March 23, 2021

Tags Children, EITC, Tax Fairness, Taxes

Jobs and Income

Extra pay for extra work: How Maine can restore overtime pay for 28,000 Mainers

When Mainers work long hours, they deserve to be compensated fairly for their extra work. Overtime protections exist to ensure extra work is rewarded with extra pay, […]

James Myall

Posted March 22, 2021

Tags Incomes, Job Quality, Overtime, Wages

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Increasing Maine’s minimum wage to $16 would boost wages for more than 350,000 Mainers

Anti-minimum wage bills would cut Mainers’ wages by $193 million, with big impact on essential workers

COVID compounds Maine’s education debt crisis. The time to act is now.

Maine must end carveouts that take workers’ rights away from essential farmers and food producers

Transformative “American Rescue Plan” will deliver $6 billion to Maine’s economy

Pine Tree Development Zones promised jobs but didn’t deliver. It’s time to end them.

At-will employment is cover for discrimination. Maine should abolish it to protect workers from unfair firing

Recognizing foreign credentials would help New Mainers and our state prosper

Bill to strengthen EITC would boost incomes for 92,000 Maine families, improve Maine’s tax code

Extra pay for extra work: How Maine can restore overtime pay for 28,000 Mainers