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. “A look at past projections reveals sizable budget shortfalls are nothing new,” he writes, and past attempts to deal with the situation purely by limiting spending have resulted in cuts to funding for schools, health care, and not meeting pension obligations. In the coming years, Myall says, “if lawmakers attempted to close the deficit by cutting spending alone, they would inevitably have to cut aid to school districts, prompting new property tax increases, or take away health care from vulnerable Mainers.”

Click here to read the full story, first published November 21, 2024 in Beacon.