Jobs and Income Maine expands back-to-work bonuses after seeing just 300 applications in 2 weeks Adding the benefit for workers who take part-time jobs could boost participation in the program, said James Myall, an analyst for the liberal Maine Center for Economic […] Bangor Daily News Posted July 1, 2021 Tags Employment, Job Quality, Jobs, Wages
Maine’s Economy There is hope for a rural Maine renaissance At the same time, I directed a Maine Center for Economic Policy project, Spreading Prosperity to All of Maine, which also highlighted opportunities for rural revitalization. The keys, we […] Bangor Daily News Posted June 8, 2021 Tags Economy, Recession
Taxes and Budget The state of Maine’s budget debate ahead of Janet Mills’ virtual speech But Sarah Austin, a budget analyst for the progressive Maine Center for Economic Policy and a member of the state’s economic forecasting commission, argues the opposite is true. […] Bangor Daily News Posted March 15, 2021 Tags Budget, Revenue
Jobs and Income The pandemic is pushing many Mainers into new lines of work The pandemic had already erased 3 out of every 5 jobs in the hospitality and leisure industry by last April, according to the Maine Center for Economic […] Bangor Daily News Posted March 3, 2021 Tags Jobs, Unemployment
Maine’s Economy Top Democrats propose bill to assess racial biases in Maine laws “There’s all this information that’s out there that legislators don’t even know is available until they ask for it,” said James Myall, a policy analyst for the […] Bangor Daily News Posted February 3, 2021 Tags Racial Equity
Taxes and Budget The Daily Brief: Janet Mills boxed herself in on virus aid taxes before reversing course Republicans have argued that Mills should fund the tax cuts with spending cuts rather than federal funding, but Wednesday marked a victory in their first real tax […] Bangor Daily News Posted January 28, 2021 Tags Budget, Coronavirus, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Jobs and Income Court case begins in Portland to settle hazard pay disputes An independent study by the Maine Center for Economic Policy, a liberal think tank, found that at least 9,700 workers would be impacted by the emergency hazard […] Bangor Daily News Posted January 20, 2021 Tags Coronavirus, Incomes, Wages
Maine’s Economy 4 Maine Burger King restaurants are closing for good But overall, quick-service restaurants like Burger King have fared better than other kinds of restaurants during the pandemic, James Myall, policy analyst at the left-leaning Maine Center […] Bangor Daily News Posted December 28, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Economy, Jobs
Maine’s Economy Maine’s economic recovery relies on vaccines and a stimulus in 2021 Myall: If Congress doesn’t take the right approach to relief for individuals and governments, we could see a slower recovery or even a second recession. In particular, […] Bangor Daily News Posted December 24, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Federal, Recession
Jobs and Income Pandemic leads more Mainers to work fewer hours or in less-skilled jobs The number of underemployed workers typically increases during times of economic downturn, as individuals who are struggling to get by or lose unemployment benefits are more likely […] Bangor Daily News Posted December 19, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Employment, Jobs