Jobs and Income Portland voters to decide on minimum wage increase to $19 by 2028 The Maine Center for Economic Policy projects that this vote will affect more than 15,000 workers, representing one in five employees in Portland. A similar proposal was […] WGME Posted October 15, 2025 Tags Incomes, Job Quality, Minimum Wage
Jobs and Income Mainers face higher inflation with tighter incomes than rest of nation James Myall, an analyst with the Maine Center for Economic Policy, said it is important to distinguish between median income and average earnings from wages, rather than […] Portland Press Herald Posted September 12, 2025 Tags Incomes, Wages
Health Care, Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy, Taxes and Budget Legislative Rundown: First regular session of the 132nd Co-authored by James Myall, Arthur Phillips & Maura Pillsbury In the first half of 2025, MECEP presented 110 pieces of testimony before the Maine Legislature that affect […] MECEP Posted July 30, 2025 Tags Appropriations Committee, Budget, Caregiving, Child Care, Consumer Protection, Corporate Power, Direct Care Work, Economic Security, Farmworkers, Health Care, Housing, Immigration, Income Tax, Incomes, Inequality, Job Quality, Jobs, Minimum Wage, Revenue, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Jobs and Income, Taxes and Budget Guaranteed Income — An Explainer Updated July 30, 2025 What is Guaranteed Income? Guaranteed Income is a method of providing regular, unrestricted cash payments to supplement individuals’ income. It is one of […] Karin Leuthy Posted July 25, 2025 Tags Children, Food Insecurity, Guaranteed Income, Incomes, Poverty
Jobs and Income Portland could raise minimum wage to $20 an hour A study from the Maine Center for Economic Policy indicates that while the increase would benefit workers across all industries, those in low-wage sectors would experience the […] Fox 23 Posted May 20, 2025 Tags Incomes, Job Quality, Jobs, Minimum Wage
Jobs and Income LD 599: Expanding overtime protections for 21,000 salaried workers in Maine At a glance: LD 599 would align Maine’s salary threshold for overtime pay with the federal standard of $58,656, ensuring an additional 21,000 salaried workers are eligible […] James Myall Posted March 28, 2025 Tags Incomes, Job Quality, Overtime, Wages
Jobs and Income, Taxes and Budget Direct care workers fight for restoration of cost-of-living increases in Maine budget Arthur Phillips, policy analyst for the Maine Center for Economic Policy, a progressive think tank, said that without the COLAs, the average direct care worker will lose […] Sun Journal Posted March 6, 2025 Tags Direct Care Work, Incomes, Job Quality, Jobs
Jobs and Income, Taxes and Budget Maine shouldn't balance the budget on the backs of direct care workers At a glance: Proposed budget cuts would lower direct care labor reimbursements, reducing pay and worsening workforce shortages Low wages for direct care professionals already impose significant […] Arthur Phillips Posted March 5, 2025 Tags Budget, Caregiving, Direct Care Work, Incomes, Inequality, Job Quality, Jobs
Taxes and Budget Golden’s Family Income Security Credit: strong fundamentals undermined by some problematic provisions Congressman Jared Golden has shared a new idea to change the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and make it better for families. The fundamentals of his plan, called […] James Myall Posted February 28, 2025 Tags Budget, Child Care, Child Tax Credit, Federal, Incomes, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Health Care, Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy, Taxes and Budget Proposed Medicaid cuts put Maine families’ incomes at risk At a glance: Proposed Medicaid cuts could affect over 400,000 Mainers, especially children, older adults, and families with low income, reducing access to essential health care and […] Megan Michaud Posted February 21, 2025 Tags Budget, Health Care, Incomes, Inequality, Medicaid, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes, TCJA, Trump Tax Cuts
