Taxes and Budget Editorial: Crime and treatment The ACLU and Maine Center for Economic Policy make the case for decriminalizing the use and possession of drugs and investing instead in things like treatment, recovery […] Mount Desert Islander Posted April 7, 2022 Tags Budget, Economic Security, Economy, Inequality
Education Students, advocates applaud new law that bans withholding transcripts over debt The Maine Center for Economic Policy, which advocated for the law, said that nearly 10,000 students in the University of Maine system and attending Maine’s community colleges […] Beacon Posted April 5, 2022 Tags Education, Higher Education
Education, Jobs and Income MECEP applauds Governor Mills, legislative leaders’ passage of bill to empower students by expanding access to transcripts and diplomas AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP) applauds Governor Mills and legislative leaders for passing LD 1838, which will substantially reform the harmful practice of transcript […] Posted April 5, 2022 Tags Employment, Jobs, Student Debt
Taxes and Budget Despite spending more than $100 million a year, Maine’s drug crisis is getting worse According to the report by MECEP and the ACLU of Maine, state and local governments spend $111 million a year – more than $8,000, on average, per drug arrest […] Bangor Daily News Posted April 4, 2022 Tags Budget, Economic Security, Economy, Inequality
Health Care Lawmakers vote to give more Maine children access to affordable healthcare At the hearing, groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics, Maine Children’s Alliance, United Way of Greater Portland and the Maine Center for Economic Policy came out […] Portland Press Herald Posted March 31, 2022 Tags Budget, Children, Health Care
Taxes and Budget Poll: Mainers prefer investments in housing, infrastructure over one-time checks Policy analysts at the Maine Center for Economic Policy have argued that if the one-time checks were more narrowly targeted, and the amount deposited in the Rainy […] Beacon Posted March 30, 2022 Tags Budget, Revenue
Taxes and Budget Biden proposes billionaire tax to pay for increased spending on military, public health Megan Michaud, vice president of programs and policy with the Maine Center for Economic Policy, said by closing offshore tax loopholes and taxing the unrealized capital gains on […] Beacon Posted March 29, 2022 Tags Budget, Federal, Revenue, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Our View: The question at the heart of Maine’s overdose epidemic According to a new report from the Maine chapter of the ACLU and the Maine Center for Economic Policy, state and local governments here spend $111 million on arresting […] Portland Press Herald Posted March 23, 2022 Tags Budget, Health Care, Revenue, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Legislature OKs bill to address ‘dark store’ tax scheme, measure to lift limits on clean syringes As Beacon previously reported, large chain stores try to exploit a “dark store” tax scheme by arguing their retail properties should be valued the same as abandoned shopping centers that […] Beacon Posted March 23, 2022 Tags Budget, Dark Stores, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Report calls for Maine to decriminalize drugs, outlines dangers of punishing substance use The study was produced by the ACLU of Maine and the Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP). Based on conversations with more than 150 people — including […] Beacon Posted March 22, 2022 Tags Budget, Health Care, Revenue, Taxes