Education Maine lawmakers moving to provide free meals for students James Myall, an analyst at the Maine Center for Economic Policy, told the committee food insecurity can affect a child’s physical and mental health, academic achievement and […] The Center Square Posted June 9, 2021 Tags Children, Economic Security, Education, Food Insecurity
Maine’s Economy MECEP statement on Biden's American Families Plan AUGUSTA, MAINE — James Myall, economic policy analyst at the Maine Center for Economic Policy, released the following statement regarding the American Families Plan, a new legislative […] Posted April 28, 2021 Tags Coronavirus, Economic Security, Federal
Health Care Dental care is health care. MaineCare should cover it. Our mouths are part of our bodies, so dental care is heath care. But a limited view of what counts as health care is leaving Mainers with […] James Myall Posted April 26, 2021 Tags Economic Security, Health Care, Inequality, Medicaid, Medicare, Poverty
Jobs and Income Increasing Maine’s minimum wage to $16 would boost wages for more than 350,000 Mainers Mainers’ wages have risen in recent years thanks in part to increases in the minimum wage approved by voters in 2016. Those increases have led to raises […] James Myall Posted April 12, 2021 Tags Coronavirus, Economic Security, Job Quality, Minimum Wage, Wages
Jobs and Income Anti-minimum wage bills would cut Mainers’ wages by $193 million, with big impact on essential workers A strong minimum wage supports Maine’s workers and creates an economy that is stronger for all of us. But year after year, opponents of the minimum wage […] James Myall Posted April 12, 2021 Tags Coronavirus, Economic Security, Job Quality, Minimum Wage, Wages
Maine’s Economy Transformative “American Rescue Plan” will deliver $6 billion to Maine’s economy The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act recently approved by Congress will deliver roughly $6 billion to Maine’s economy, according to recent MECEP analysis. The top initiatives that will support Maine’s economic […] James Myall Posted April 2, 2021 Tags Children, Coronavirus, Economic Security, Economy, Education, EITC, Federal, Housing, Infrastructure, K-12 Education, SNAP, Taxes, Unemployment
Taxes and Budget With baseline budget settled, lawmakers must shift focus to Maine's long-term recovery AUGUSTA, MAINE — Garrett Martin, executive director at the Maine Center for Economic Policy, released the following statement after the Maine Legislature approved a baseline biennial budget […] Posted March 30, 2021 Tags Budget, Coronavirus, Economic Security
Maine’s Economy Maine must continue its clampdown on predatory lenders Lawmakers in Augusta have done good work in recent years to begin curbing predatory payday lenders from saddling Mainers with crushing, unfair debt. Now, they have an […] Jody Harris Posted March 16, 2021 Tags Consumer Protection, Economic Security
Maine’s Economy MECEP applauds passage of American Rescue Plan to provide much-needed relief to Mainers AUGUSTA, MAINE — The Maine Center for Economic Policy applauds the passage today of the American Rescue Plan. This legislation is the kind of action the country […] Posted March 10, 2021 Tags Coronavirus, Economic Security, Federal
Maine’s Economy With pandemic hardship as high as ever, Congress must move quickly on COVID relief The COVID-19 public health and economic crisis is bigger than any seen in our lifetimes, leaving tens of thousands of Mainers struggling to work, feed their families, and keep a roof over their […] James Myall Posted February 17, 2021 Tags Coronavirus, Economic Security, Economy, Federal, Food Insecurity, Housing, Unemployment