AUGUSTA, Maine — Garrett Martin, president & CEO at the Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP), released the following statement in reaction to the budget deal announced early this morning:
“A fair state budget is vital to lifting up Maine people and communities. We applaud the Mills administration and the AFA committee for their work to boost incomes for families, expand access to health care, increase access to education, and uphold the state’s commitment to funding our schools and local services.
In particular, families with low and moderate incomes will benefit from hundreds of dollars each year in expanded earned income tax credit and property tax fairness credit, income tax credits that support workers with low incomes and Mainers facing high housing and property tax costs. 7,500 Maine children will now have access to health insurance that didn’t before and every child attending K-12 schools will have access to free school meals. Recent high school graduates who continue their education at community colleges will be able to do so without taking on debt. Child care workers will see increased wages and retired state workers and teachers will receive pension payments that better adjust to rising costs. And schools and local communities will finally get the funding they are owed by the state to provide education and services for everyone.
By supporting our neighbors struggling the most and making important investments in our communities, all Maine people are lifted by these policies.”
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