2023 Legislative Priorities

MECEP’s legislative priorities in 2023 aim to advance economic justice and opportunity, including racial equity. We want to bring fairness and accountability to the corporate tax code, ensure Mainers have access to affordable child care and paid family leave, and build a budget that helps families who need it most.

Funding Maine’s future with the state budget 

We are living through the recovery of an economy built on a foundation of inequality. We now have a choice to make better policy decisions that intentionally fund the brightest future for the Mainers who face significant hardships and barriers.

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Supporting Maine families with kids

The federal experiment of monthly, direct aid to families led to a massive reduction in child poverty. We can do that on the state level as well by increasing our existing Child Tax Credit and making it accessible to those who need it most by making it fully refundable. 

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Ensuring corporations pay their fair share of taxes

We will pursue the following bills aimed at closing tax loopholes used by powerful corporations.

*Real Profits Tax (Conformity) 

Uses the momentum created by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act to create a new minimum tax for large, profitable corporations who currently pay little to no taxes.  

Tax Havens

In the face of no federal action to reign in the use of tax havens, Maine should implement Worldwide Combined Reporting to ensure that multinational corporations are not using loopholes to avoid paying what they owe. 

Corporate Income Tax Transparency

Taxpayers and legislators should know whether or not the millions of dollars that are being spent on tax breaks for corporations are effective and which companies are actually paying what they owe. 

Increasing worker power

Paid Family Leave

Mainers shouldn’t have to choose between spending time with their newborn and paying their rent, or between putting food on the table and caring for their aging parents. A statewide paid family and medical leave policy would solve this problem. 

Farm Worker Collective Bargaining and Wage and Hour Rights

The status quo is both harmful and rooted in racism. People who grow our food and power our agricultural economy deserve the same rights as everybody else.

  • MECEP blog (4/7/21): Maine must end carveouts that take rights away from essential farmers and food producers

Overtime

People should be paid fairly for time worked.

Scheduling Reform

Mainers have a right to safe work schedules that honor their humanity.

  • MECEP blog (4/10/19): Proposed “Fair Workweek” law will give workers the stability they need to care for their families

*Wage Transparency

Greater transparency in wages during the hiring process gives more power to workers and helps address racial and gender inequality.

Strengthening Maine’s child care system

Maine needs more child care opportunities in more places that is more affordable. This package that we are supporting with partners in the Right from the Start coalition will immediately seek to increase subsidies for the current providers while seeking better, actionable information about how to strengthen the child care system as a whole. 

Fighting for tribal sovereignty

MECEP supports the Wabanaki Alliance and the pursuit of the state’s recognition of their inherent sovereignty.

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MECEP will be supporting additional bills to secure improved economic opportunity for Maine workers, families, and communities.

*MECEP analysis coming soon. Please check back.