Winners of legislative and gubernatorial elections will have a chance to fully fund public schools, health care and local services in the next budget
ADVISORY:
September 10, 2018
CONTACT:
Mario Moretto, Communications Director
mario@mecep.org
(207) 620-1101
AUGUSTA, Maine – As campaigns for governor and state legislative seats swing into high gear, one thing is certain: The winners of this fall’s elections need to be able to hit the ground running when the election is over.
To help candidates prepare for the next budget, MECEP has produced three new policy briefs, titled “Fiscal Policy Foundations.” The papers examine the connection between budget-busting tax cuts enacted during Gov. Paul LePage’s two terms in office; the ongoing difficulty the state has had in meeting its core commitments in education, health care and local services; and increasing property taxes.
Members of the news media are invited to join a conference call to discuss the budget challenges and opportunities awaiting the winners of this year’s legislative and gubernatorial elections.
- WHO: MECEP Policy Analyst Sarah Austin
- WHAT: Conference call about the next budget, and the “Fiscal Policy Foundations” shared with candidates for state office
- WHEN: 10 a.m. Wednesday, September 12
- WHERE: Conference call details to be provided upon RSVP. To RSVP, email Mario Moretto at mario@mecep.org
The policy briefs have been mailed to all 397 candidates for the Maine Legislature and governor. Together, they provide a clear-eyed understanding of Maine’s current budget challenges, the decisions that have created shortfalls and solutions to improve the state budget with policies that work for Maine people.
Tax cuts enacted during Gov. Paul LePage’s two terms will cost the state $864 million in the next biennium. That foregone revenue would be more than enough to fund the additional $643.5 million appropriations necessary to fully fund public K-12 education, health care for 70,000 Mainers and the state’s contribution to local services such as public safety, road maintenance and clean water.
The Fiscal Policy Foundations examine the tax changes enacted during the LePage administration that have tilted the tax code in favor of the wealthiest households and businesses and made it harder for the state to fund its core commitments to families and communities. Each brief offers solutions to re-balance Maine’s tax code to pay for the services and investments that allow communities to thrive.
The Fiscal Policy Foundations briefs may be accessed at the following links:
- Fiscal Policy Foundations I: Re-Balancing Maine’s Tax Code
- Fiscal Policy Foundations II: Budgeting for the Future
- Fiscal Policy Foundations III: Property Taxes
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