Reaction to Gov. Mills’ budget: Pro and con

Garrett Martin, executive director of Maine Center for Economic Policy:

“Gov. Mills’ budget plan makes progress on investments critical for Maine’s future, particularly in the area of health care. Those investments will improve the well-being of Mainers with low incomes and provide them an on-ramp to the economy.

“However, the budget lacks a solution to the state’s revenue challenges, resulting in a continued inability to make investments necessary for families and communities to thrive. These revenue challenges were caused by tax policies established under Gov. Paul LePage, which resulted in underfunded schools, cuts to local and state services, and an upside-down tax code where the top 1% pays less per dollar in state and local taxes than any other group. This budget cycle, the state is missing $864 million because of those tax cuts, which primarily benefit the wealthiest households.

“By maintaining LePage-era tax cuts, this budget does not provide the necessary resources to fully fund education and local services. As budget negotiations unfold in the coming weeks, MECEP will continue to advocate for a real, practical conversation on how to address the revenue challenges created during the LePage years so we can finally make real investments in good schools, good jobs, healthy families and thriving communities.”

Click here to read the full story, published February 12, 2019, in MaineBiz.