Maine’s Economy

Letter: Needed bill reins in big business

Unfairly monopolizing industries is already illegal under federal and Maine law. But monopolization can be exceedingly hard to prove, especially under modern, pro-bigness court precedents. L.D. 1815 injects much […]

Portland Press Herald

Posted January 20, 2024

Tags Consumer Protection, Corporate Power, Economic Security

Jobs and Income

Rent-a-bank schemes would undercut Maine’s borrower protections

Maine has a long tradition of consumer protection, drawing on a shared commitment to transparency and fairness for borrowers. Lawmakers recently extended Maine’s track record by shoring […]

Arthur Phillips

Posted April 10, 2023

Tags Consumer Protection, Economic Security, Predatory Lending, Racial Equity

Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy

Predatory Lending — An Explainer

What is predatory lending? Lenders are considered predatory when they use practices that involve fraudulent, unfair, and abusive loan terms, including ultra-high interest rates and fees, aggressive […]

MECEP

Posted March 24, 2023

Tags Consumer Protection, Economic Security, Explainer, Inclusive Economy, Predatory Lending

Maine’s Economy

Feeling the Pinch: Inflation and corporate consolidation

Prices are rising and Mainers are feeling the pinch. At the same time, some of the world’s largest corporations are reporting record profits. The mismatch between Mainers […]

James Myall

Posted June 20, 2022

Tags Children, Consumer Protection, Economic Security, Economy, Food Insecurity, Inflation, Tax Fairness, Taxes

Education

To help students finish their degrees and ease workforce challenges, Maine should reform transcript withholding

College education is a critical tool for Mainers to boost their income and for a stronger economy. We should be seeking opportunities to support students, especially individuals from households with […]

Arthur Phillips

Posted February 15, 2022

Tags Consumer Protection, Economic Security, Education, Higher Education

Education

Protections for private student loan borrowers protect seniors and people with disabilities

In 2019, Maine led the nation by passing the Student Loan Bill of Rights (SLBOR) to address the predatory loan servicing practices that are exacerbating Maine’s student […]

MECEP

Posted May 18, 2021

Tags Consumer Protection, Education, Higher Education, Student Debt

Maine’s Economy

Maine must continue its clampdown on predatory lenders

Lawmakers in Augusta have done good work in recent years to begin curbing predatory payday lenders from saddling Mainers with crushing, unfair debt. Now, they have an […]

Jody Harris

Posted March 16, 2021

Tags Consumer Protection, Economic Security

Jobs and Income

New federal rules give shady lenders green light to scam Mainers

Payday lenders are exploiting loopholes to evade Maine’s consumer protection laws. Their shadowy practices are leaving Mainers in the lurch. Now, the Trump administration is floating a rule change that would let predatory corporations fleece […]

Jody Harris

Posted October 2, 2020

Tags Consumer Protection, Federal

Maine’s Economy

Consumer Finance Watchdog Agency Delivers a Gut Punch to Maine Consumers

Last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released new regulations on payday lenders. Instead of reigning in the notoriously greedy industry, the Bureau eliminated common sense […]

Jody Harris

Posted July 17, 2020

Tags Consumer Protection, Federal

Maine’s Economy

Facing income crunch from coronavirus, debt-burdened Americans need relief now

As tens of thousands of Mainers face lays offs and unemployment, two things will happen: With no earnings coming in, they will default on their loans and […]

Jody Harris

Posted April 7, 2020

Tags Consumer Protection, Coronavirus, Student Debt

Consumer Protection

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Letter: Needed bill reins in big business

Rent-a-bank schemes would undercut Maine’s borrower protections

Predatory Lending — An Explainer

Feeling the Pinch: Inflation and corporate consolidation

To help students finish their degrees and ease workforce challenges, Maine should reform transcript withholding

Protections for private student loan borrowers protect seniors and people with disabilities

Maine must continue its clampdown on predatory lenders

New federal rules give shady lenders green light to scam Mainers

Consumer Finance Watchdog Agency Delivers a Gut Punch to Maine Consumers

Facing income crunch from coronavirus, debt-burdened Americans need relief now