Maine’s Economy, Taxes and Budget American Rescue Plan Act funding creates opportunity for Maine counties Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to provide relief to states and localities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with its passage, an […] Maura Pillsbury Posted October 8, 2021 Tags Economic Security, Economy
Maine’s Economy, Taxes and Budget Guidance for county spending of American Rescue Plan Act funds The Maine Center for Economic Policy recently submitted this guidance to counties to help ensure ARPA funds adequately respond to local data-demonstrated needs and reduce inequality in […] Maura Pillsbury Posted October 8, 2021
Jobs and Income, Taxes and Budget Build Back Better promises to transform child care The Biden administration’s Build Back Better plan is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fundamentally change the lives of working people, families, and children in Maine. Among other pillars, the plan […] Arthur Phillips Posted September 29, 2021 Tags Budget, Caregiving, Children, Jobs, Wages
Taxes and Budget House Ways and Means Committee tax plan rebalances tax code, boosts incomes for Mainers New analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found provisions in a bill recently approved by the House Ways and Means Committee would improve tax […] Sarah Austin Posted September 29, 2021 Tags Economic Security, Incomes, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Child Tax Credit expansion reducing hunger, increasing security for Maine kids — Congress must continue this life-changing program The Biden administration’s improvements to the Child Tax Credit (CTC) are cutting child hunger and improving economic security for families nationwide. About 4 out of 5 kids […] Sarah Austin Posted September 27, 2021 Tags Children, Coronavirus, Economic Security, Economy, Food Insecurity, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Legislative watchdog finds Maine seed capital program needs fixing Maine spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year in business tax incentives. Because allocating money for this purpose reduces potential investments in other priorities including education […] Maura Pillsbury Posted September 21, 2021 Tags Budget, Tax Breaks, Taxes
Taxes and Budget State lawmakers make unprecedented investments in Maine communities and families this session Lawmakers delivered unprecedented resources to Maine people and communities this year as federal dollars and strong state tax revenues supported historic levels of investment in response to […] Sarah Austin Posted September 10, 2021 Tags Budget, Caregiving, Children, Education, Higher Education
Jobs and Income Latest data shows up to 95,000 Mainers risk losing unemployment benefits this week As noted by Maine Center for Economic Policy in a previous article, September 4 marks the end of new federal Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs enacted by Congress […] James Myall Posted September 6, 2021 Tags Coronavirus, Economic Security, Federal, Unemployment, Wages
Education The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program is broken — let’s fix it Congress created the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program in 2007 to provide public service workers with student debt relief in exchange for a decade of service […] MECEP Posted September 1, 2021 Tags Education, Federal, Higher Education, Student Debt
Jobs and Income Progress for Maine Workers in the first part of the 130th Legislature After a particularly difficult year for Maine workers — during which many people labored under intense pressure and the looming threat of the COVID-19 pandemic — the […] James Myall Posted September 1, 2021 Tags Inequality, Job Quality, Jobs, Minimum Wage, Overtime, Paid Sick Days, Wages