Health Care Before his death at a local jail, Billy Tucker had big dreams In March, the Maine Center for Economic Policy and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine published a report that made the case for decriminalizing the use and […] Portland Press Herald Posted June 19, 2022 Tags Health Care, Inequality
Health Care Opinion: Expanded Good Samaritan law is simple and will save lives A recent report by the ACLU of Maine finds that out of the 38,893 arrests in 2019, 3,614—or roughly one out of 11— were for drug-related offenses and almost […] Beacon Posted June 7, 2022 Tags Economic Security, Health Care, Inequality
Education, Jobs and Income Student debt cancellation would help working families, improve equity, and expand access to higher education Last week, President Biden stated he is considering cancelling some amount of student debt and expects to make a decision on the issue in the coming weeks.1 […] Arthur Phillips Posted May 10, 2022 Tags Education, Employment, Housing, Incomes, Inequality, Jobs, Racial Equity, Seniors, Student Debt
Health Care, Maine’s Economy Overturning Roe undermines Americans’ economic security The US Supreme Court’s apparent intention to overturn Roe v Wade strikes a calamitous blow against decades of legal precedent, dangerously impacting health, privacy, and self-determination for […] MECEP Posted May 4, 2022 Tags Economic Security, Health Care, Inequality, Poverty
Taxes and Budget Restoring fairness for the Wabanaki requires Congressional action, too The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Passamaquoddy Tribe, Penobscot Nation, and Mi’kmaq Nation are recognized under federal law. But unlike the 570 other federally recognized tribes, these […] Garrett Martin Posted April 20, 2022 Tags Children, Economic Security, Federal, Inequality
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
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
Taxes and Budget Economic relief should target people who need it most Governor Janet Mills has proposed using the majority of Maine’s historic $1.2 billion budget surplus to pay for economic relief checks to 800,000 Mainers. While the rising […] James Myall Posted March 29, 2022 Tags Budget, Children, Economic Security, Food Insecurity, Housing, Inequality
Taxes and Budget How to create more bang for Maine’s budget bucks This year’s historic budget surplus offers a rare opportunity to invest in Mainers in ways that will have a lasting and tangible impact. While many of the […] MECEP Posted March 23, 2022 Tags Budget, Children, Economy, Education, Health Care, Higher Education, Immigration, Inequality, Racial Equity
Maine’s Economy Equal footing for Maine tribes At its core, tribal sovereignty is about fairness. LD 1626, “An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Claims Settlement […] James Myall Posted February 25, 2022 Tags Economic Security, Economy, Inequality, Racial Equity, Tax Fairness