Jobs and Income Brunswick library series to examine housing affordability [Library manager Sarah] Brown said she was inspired to hold the series after reading a blog post from James Myall, a policy analyst with the Maine Center for Economic […] The Forecaster Posted October 3, 2018 Tags Economic Security, Economy, Housing
Jobs and Income MECEP Policy Brief: Minimum wage increase brought higher wages, reduced child poverty in 2017 Summary: Maine’s voter-approved minimum wage increase in 2017 led to the fastest wage increase in a decade for low-income Mainers and helped lift 10,000 Maine children out […] James Myall Posted September 24, 2018 Tags Children, Economic Security, Minimum Wage
Jobs and Income Seniors’ quality of life on a shaky foundation “The LePage administration appears to be trying to solve the federal deficit at the state level,” said MECEP Associate Director Jody Harris. “(It) doesn’t agree with applying […] Portland Press Herald Posted September 9, 2018 Tags Economic Security, Seniors
Taxes and Budget Experts disagree whether Maine home care referendum will result in ‘marriage penalty’ MECEP’S Executive Director Garrett Martin says [the proposal would not penalize married couples for filing jointly] because the tax on earned income is a payroll tax, deducted […] Maine Public Posted August 17, 2018 Tags Caregiving, Economic Security
Taxes and Budget ‘Marriage penalty’ debate takes center-stage in Maine home care fight Garrett Martin, the executive director of the Maine Center for Economic Policy, a progressive group that has taken no position on the referendum, said the LePage administration’s […] Bangor Daily News Posted August 17, 2018 Tags Caregiving, Economic Security
Maine’s Economy Could you cover an unexpected $400 expense? Nearly half of Mainers could not A modest unexpected expense could overturn the finances of nearly half of all Mainers, and one in five Maine residents cannot pay all their bills on time. […] James Myall Posted June 26, 2018 Tags Economic Security
Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy In some Maine counties, federal food assistance pays for one in six grocery sales New analysis by MECEP demonstrates just how crucial the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is for hundreds of thousands of Mainers, for local economies and for […] James Myall Posted May 3, 2018 Tags Economic Security, Food Insecurity, SNAP
Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy Despite Poliquin's praise, Maine is no model for food insecurity As Congress move toward sweeping changes to SNAP, the federal food assistance program, U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin is touting Maine’s experiment in stricter eligibility as a model […] James Myall Posted April 19, 2018 Tags Economic Security, Food Insecurity, SNAP
Jobs and Income Out of work, out of hope – This is what a depressed economy looks like Tens of thousands of Mainers disheartened by the dim prospects of good paying, middle-class jobs have given up looking for work. Some are discouraged to the point […] James Myall Posted September 21, 2017 Tags Economic Security, Jobs
Maine’s Economy State of Working Maine 2017 Contents Introduction A lagging economy leaves rural Maine behind Employment rates mask a troubling trend away from work Eroding middle-class jobs and growing inequality worsen economic outlook […] MECEP Posted September 18, 2017 Tags Economic Security, Economy, Food Insecurity, Health Care, Incomes, Unemployment, Wages