Author: Dana Dow

In the early ‘90s, times were very different than they are today. Maine’s economy was in a tailspin, state revenues were declining and legislators were considering enactment of a $3.2 billion budget. Most notably during that time, workers’ compensation insurance was increasingly difficult for employers to come by as insurance providers were pulling out of the state market, leaving very few options for coverage. During this time, Maine had the most expensive workers’ compensation coverage in the country. As an employer, I remember this time all too well. Times were turbulent during the early ‘90s for employers in Maine, and…

This article was originally published in the Bangor Daily News Many tax filers use online programs such as TurboTax to file their state and federal tax returns. These programs are simple to use and result in significant savings for filers as professional tax preparation can be expensive. Now imagine that next year Maine filers go to use TurboTax only to find out it isn’t available for state returns. If we fail to act on tax conformity this session, this is exactly what will happen. In order for these companies to offer Maine tax returns as a product next tax season,…

Over the past seven years, the state of Maine has made enormous strides in reducing the tax burden on its citizens. But tax relief at the state level, as we all know, is only part of the equation. That is why I am very encouraged to see that Washington is now looking at tax reform on a national level. As a business owner and as a tax-paying citizen, I can tell you there is much important work to be done. The United States’ tax code is burdensome and overly complex, especially for small businesses that provide a large number of…