Health Care Mainers among millions benefiting from new federal rule on medical debt “This new rule will help more than 100,000 Mainers who hold medical debt, which in most cases was incurred simply for trying to take care of their basic health […] Beacon Posted January 7, 2025 Tags Economic Security, Federal, Health Care
Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy How Maine can safeguard economic policies to protect consumers and workers In Maine, companies are already prohibited from forcing non-compete agreements for employees earning at or below 400% of the federal poverty level (which in 2024, is around […] Beacon Posted December 19, 2024 Tags Federal, Job Quality, Jobs
Maine’s Economy What I am thankful for in politics I am thankful to the Maine Center for Economic Policy for always showing us how Maine’s economy can work better for everyone. Click here to read the full […] Beacon Posted November 26, 2024 Tags Economic Security, Economy, Inequality
Taxes and Budget As Mills administration plans to ‘get to zero’ on new spending, advocates say a fairer tax code is the way ahead But that’s the wrong way to look at the situation, says economic analyst James Myall of the Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP), in a recent blog post. […] Beacon Posted November 21, 2024 Tags Budget, Revenue, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Jobs and Income Podcast: The ongoing abandonment of older Mainers Arthur Philips of the Maine Center for Economic Policy joins Cate Blackford to discuss the results of their report on Maine’s direct care workforce. It’s not good. Click […] Beacon Posted July 6, 2024 Tags Caregiving, Direct Care Work, Employment, Job Quality, Jobs
Jobs and Income Overworked and underpaid: Lack of investment in direct care workers leave Mainers without services According to a new report released this week by the Maine Center for Economic Policy, Maine needs to hire more than 2,300 full-time care workers to provide adequate services […] Beacon Posted June 20, 2024 Tags Caregiving, Direct Care Work, Employment, Job Quality, Jobs
Jobs and Income Advocates dismayed by Gov. Mills’ veto of her own bill to improve farmworker wages In a statement, the Maine Center for Economic Policy said Mills vetoed the bill “simply because it ensured farmworkers have the same access to the courts that […] Beacon Posted April 25, 2024 Tags Inequality, Job Quality, Jobs, Racial Equity
Taxes and Budget Opinion: Slugger wants his money Special thanks to Maura Pillsbury at the Maine Center of Economic Policy for her research, which contributed greatly to this piece. Click here to read the full op-ed, […] Beacon Posted March 24, 2024 Tags Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Jobs and Income Maine lawmakers could still raise the minimum wage to $15 James Myall, a policy analyst with the Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP), asked members of the AFA and Labor and Housing committees to think of the […] Beacon Posted March 6, 2024 Tags Job Quality, Jobs, Minimum Wage, Wages
Taxes and Budget Unions, economists blast Mills’ call for ‘fiscal restraint’ amid so many unmet needs “The governor’s new supplemental budget is a good start in bolstering Maine’s economy, but with so many unmet needs and an already full rainy day fund, now […] Beacon Posted January 31, 2024 Tags Budget