Maine’s Economy General Fund dollars are no solution for Maine's transportation needs Maine faces an annual shortfall of $232 million annually to fund priority transportation infrastructure projects, with the largest unmet needs in bridge projects and highway reconstruction. This […] James Myall Posted February 28, 2020 Tags Bonds, Infrastructure, Taxes
Maine’s Economy Proposed “Whistleblower” law will help restore workers’ right to hold bad bosses accountable Maine’s lawmakers are revisiting a bill introduced in 2019 that would restore the legal rights of workers trapped in a rigged system that prevents them from having […] James Myall Posted February 24, 2020 Tags Jobs, Minimum Wage, Overtime, Wages
Maine’s Economy Fair Chance Employment Act will help reverse racial disparities and reduce likelihood of recidivism Getting and keeping a job is a critical element of economic security, particularly for Mainers who face barriers to opportunity and prosperity. That includes Mainers with criminal […] James Myall Posted February 20, 2020 Tags Employment
Maine’s Economy REPORT: Overtime bill would guarantee living wages for workers with long hours A bill before the Maine Legislature would give middle-class Mainers a much-needed raise by restoring lost overtime protections for 28,000 workers. The bill — LD 402, “An […] James Myall Posted February 11, 2020 Tags Overtime, Wages
Health Care After one year, Medicaid expansion is delivering for Mainers One year ago, newly inaugurated Governor Janet Mills used her first act in office to implement the voter-approved Medicaid expansion law. With the stroke of her pen, tens of thousands of Mainers […] James Myall Posted January 10, 2020 Tags Health Care, Medicaid
Maine’s Economy More than a quarter of Maine workers will get a raise from minimum wage increase in 2020 On January 1, Maine’s minimum wage will increase from $11 to $12 per hour — the last of three scheduled $1 increases approved by voters in a […] James Myall Posted December 30, 2019 Tags Minimum Wage
Maine’s Economy Report: More than one in ten Maine families lacks adequate, nutritious food Food is fundamental to human life, but more than 77,000 Maine households — more than one in ten — lacks the nutrition needed to thrive, while one […] James Myall Posted December 23, 2019 Tags Economic Security, Food Insecurity
Maine’s Economy Report: State of Working Maine 2019 Introduction How should we measure Maine’s economy? An economy is strongest when it works for everyone. That means everyone has a fair shot at success, everyone’s contributions […] James Myall Posted December 18, 2019 Tags Economic Security, Economy, Employment, Food Insecurity, Incomes, Inequality, Jobs, Unemployment, Wages
Health Care Five numbers to understand Obamacare's impact in Maine As of November 1, Mainers can shop for health care plans through the federal insurance marketplace at healthcare.gov. Consumers have until December 15 to buy a marketplace […] James Myall Posted November 12, 2019 Tags Affordable Care Act, Federal, Health Care, Medicaid
Jobs and Income For people of color and less-educated workers, Maine unemployment figures don't tell the whole story The US Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released estimates showing that Maine’s unemployment rate was a seasonally-adjusted 2.9 percent in September, marking three consecutive months of the […] James Myall Posted November 1, 2019 Tags Education, Employment, Inequality, Racial Equity
