Author: Alec Porteous

This commentary was originally published in the Bangor Daily News. The state economist recently issued a report on the likely impact that a proposed 3.8 percent surtax to fund universal home care would have on Maine’s economy. The report demonstrates that the surtax, which will appear as Question 1 on the November ballot, would have a detrimental impact on Maine’s economic growth. Specifically, if implemented, the surtax would result in the following outcomes relative to a projected five-year baseline: — Cumulative net loss in total personal income up to $2 billion from 2019-2023. — Population decline, relative to current projections, of 1,200…