Jobs and Income Pine Tree Development Zones promised jobs but didn’t deliver. It’s time to end them. In 2003, the Maine Legislature created Pine Tree Development Zones, a tax expenditure program designed to spur job creation in economically distressed areas of the state. The […] Sarah Austin Posted March 24, 2021 Tags Jobs, Tax Breaks, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Maine lawmakers weigh income tax hikes, despite opposition from Mills Sarah Austin, a tax and budget policy analyst at the Maine Center for Economic Policy, said the measures would “raise significant and needed revenue and would do […] The Center Square Posted March 24, 2021 Tags Budget, Income Tax, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Raising taxes on large, profitable corporations will help build strong communities without affecting small businesses Corporations in Maine benefit from our educated workforce, our public roads and other infrastructure, and our clean air and water — not to mention our reputation for […] Sarah Austin Posted March 18, 2021 Tags Revenue, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Analyst: COVID relief provision seeks to ensure funds are spent on services, not tax cuts The federal provision doesn’t entirely prevent state officials from cutting taxes. Some scenarios, such as slashing one tax but offsetting it with a tax increase, wouldn’t be […] Beacon Posted March 16, 2021 Tags Budget, Coronavirus, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Taxes and Budget MECEP statement on passage of supplemental budget AUGUSTA, MAINE — Garrett Martin, executive director of the Maine Center for Economic Policy, released the following statement in response to the Legislature’s approval early Friday morning of […] Posted March 12, 2021 Tags Budget, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness
Taxes and Budget Maine’s proposed corporate tax break would be better spent on other priorities, advocates say MECEP communications director Mario Moretto said that it is ill advised for legislators to consider a new tax break that will disproportionately benefit the corporations that have […] Beacon Posted February 18, 2021 Tags Budget, Coronavirus, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Maine doesn’t need a new special interest sales tax loophole The Maine Legislature is considering a bill, LD 140, that would allow businesses that sell prepared food and beverages to keep one penny of the eight–cent sales tax on prepared foods. The bill would create […] Sarah Austin Posted February 9, 2021 Tags Budget, Tax Breaks, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Double tax cut for PPP grants would compromise funding for Maine's recovery AUGUSTA, Maine — Garrett Martin, executive director of the Maine Center for Economic Policy, released the following statement in response to the governor’s proposal to provide a […] Posted February 9, 2021 Tags Budget, Tax Breaks, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Gov. Mills offers compromise to give tax break to 99% of business loan recipients Garret Martin, executive director of the Maine Center for Economic Policy, said the governor’s proposal creates a tax loophole and costs state revenue that could be better […] Portland Press Herald Posted February 9, 2021 Tags Budget, Coronavirus, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Taxes and Budget 'Is This Our Party Anymore?' — Maine's Establishment Republicans Who Got Canceled That was the dilemma for Mills, whose budget writers were confronting an estimated $100 million hole in the current budget if the state conformed to the federal tax code […] Maine Public Posted January 29, 2021 Tags Budget, Coronavirus, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes