Where do you want the focus of government power to reside – in Augusta, ME or Washington DC? From the price of fuel to the type of light bulbs we can use to how we run our local schools, the federal … Continue reading
As I blogged recently, projections of Maine’s population paints a grim demographic picture that will also have severe negative economic consequences. Of course, projections may not be what happen in reality. New 2012 population data from the Census Bureau adds credibility … Continue reading
So late last night, the Democratically-controlled Legislature took the first step in raising taxes to close Maine’s budget gap. The latest tax increase proposal includes a “temporary” increase in the sales tax by 10 percent (to 5.5 percent from 5 … Continue reading
As Mainers reel from the 13 new taxes imposed this year by Uncle Sam, a new plan emerges in the Democratically-controlled legislature that would repeal Gov. LePage’s historic tax cuts–increasing the total number of tax hikes on Mainers to 14. … Continue reading
The sponsors of LD 1496 (pdf) have deemed themselves the Gang of Eleven. Unfortunately, for Maine’s taxpayers, the Gang of Eleven is an apt name because their tax plan amounts to nothing more than highway robbery. While we don’t have official … Continue reading
Recently the Governor’s Office of Policy and Management (thanks to State Economist Amanda Rector) released new detailed projections of Maine’s population. As I blogged in “Maine’s Demographic Winter by County,” Maine is now only 1 of 2 states where there … Continue reading
Amazingly, there are some people that continue to deny that changes in taxes impact taxpayer behavior. Put simply, if you increase taxes on something you can expect to have less of it. This is straight from the LAW of supply … Continue reading
Today the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis released their 2012 personal income estimates. Personal income is an important economic measure of a state’s well-being. Higher levels of personal income mean that a state’s residents are able to … Continue reading
Some bad policy ideas never die. In 2008 I wrote a study on LD 1697, “An Act to Ensure Fair Wages,” that would have increased Maine’s minimum wage by $1.00 and then indexed the minimum wage to inflation forever after. … Continue reading
As I blogged recently, Maine is now one of only two states in 2012 with a negative net natural population growth rate meaning there are more deaths in the state than births (West Virginia is the other state). Today, the … Continue reading
