All posts tagged "Taxes"
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Maine doled out more than $31 million in tax abatements in 2018
In 2015, the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) released Statement Number 77, advising...
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Gas and diesel tax outlined in TCI framework would hurt Maine’s most vulnerable
The following letter was submitted by The Maine Heritage Policy Center to the...
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As 2020 approaches, threat of Health Insurance Tax looms
With the fourth quarter underway, small-business owners in Maine and across the country...
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Lawmakers missed a prime opportunity to cut taxes in first session
It’s no secret that Maine state government’s primary sources of revenue are generated...
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Mainers can’t afford corporate welfare
Conservatives are often accused of favoring wealthy individuals and corporations over those in...
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Maine’s burdensome death tax should be repealed, not expanded
When it comes down to it, Maine is an amazing place to live...
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Is it time to rethink how we fund our roads?
I’ve lived in Maine all my life, and I can’t remember a time...
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What Maine could learn from New Hampshire about fiscal responsibility
Last month, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu vetoed a two-year state budget because...
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The inconvenient truth about Maine’s tax code
Every two years, the Maine Office of Tax Policy releases a lengthy report...
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Maine’s estate tax should be repealed, not expanded
The effort to expand Maine’s estate tax, more aptly known as the “death...
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On taxes, lawmakers should exercise restraint
It is a fallacy that individual clauses in the Constitution can be considered...
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Speaker Gideon’s paid leave plan illustrates lawmakers’ propensity to tax and spend
The First Session of the 129th Maine Legislature has been filled with proposals...
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Portland should put people at the heart of economic development
What creates jobs? What goes into building a healthy and vibrant economy that...
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Now is the time to reduce Maine’s tax burden
There has been plenty of legislation proposed this session that would increase taxes...
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Sin taxes are not the solution to Maine’s public health problems
Lawmakers on Maine’s Taxation Committee on Thursday, April 11 held public hearings on...
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Don’t fall for the seasonal gas tax gimmick
Roads across Maine are in rough shape this time of year, and a...
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Efforts to broaden the ‘death tax’ in Maine will backfire
The estate tax, often referred to as the “death tax,” is assessed by...
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Free college, Medicare for All and other insanities of the extreme left
Clichéd as it may be, conservatives live in “a target rich environment” for...
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New York governor has revelation: Progressive tax policies are hurting his state
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo may have come to his senses on tax...
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Governor Mills’ budget should include meaningful tax reforms
Governor Mills is preparing to unveil her budget proposal for the next biennium...
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Maine taxpayers cannot afford the costs of universal health care
Among the many harebrained schemes that will be considered in the Maine Legislature...
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Is the three percent surtax back from the dead?
During the biennial budget battle in 2017 that led to Maine’s first government...
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Our revenue surplus should be returned to the people through tax cuts
Over the next three years, the State is projected to collect more than...
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Whoever wins, Maine’s next governor needs to address these challenges
After the sounds of boisterous campaign rallies fade and the realities of the...
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Progressives try to debunk tax flight by ignoring the data
The Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP) recently released an analysis of interstate...
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Question 1 will fail those it is intended to help
Question 1 promises a false sense of security that is destined to fail...
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Question 1 on November’s ballot is bad policy
There are so many bad policies rolled into Question 1 on November’s ballot...
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Question 1 will raise taxes and create new, unnecessary bureaucracy
Question 1 on the ballot this November will read as follows: “Do you want to...
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Question 1’s new surtax would be detrimental to Maine’s economy
This commentary was originally published in the Bangor Daily News. The state economist recently...
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Why are ‘experts’ so determined to mislead the public on Universal Home Care taxes?
When Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap was accepting public comment on the...
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Democrats’ failure now means big hassles on tax day next year
Americans paid their 2017 federal and state income taxes this week. Filing taxes...
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Democrats delay the tough decisions until after the November election
As the legislative session enters its last weeks, Democrats are sitting on their...
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Tax conformity crucial for Maine’s small businesses
This article was originally published in The Ellsworth American. The Maine Legislature is...
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Conforming to the federal tax code is the right policy for Maine
The federal tax cuts will provide about $1 billion in tax relief this...
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Taking conservation land off tax rolls increases the burden on homeowners
Too many Maine families are facing skyrocketing property taxes that strain household budgets....
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Mainers can truly thrive under the Republican tax reforms
The tax reform bill working its way through Washington is good for Maine families and...
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Tax relief effort will benefit Maine families, workers, and small businesses
If you only listened to Democrat politicians and their allied special interests, you...
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Congress must delay health insurance tax
Leaders in Washington are seeking ways to stabilize the health care system and...
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We need a fiduciary approach to income taxation and government spending
For conservatives, the need to reduce taxation and curtail government spending are immutable...
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MPA unveils plan to raise taxes on Maine families
If you (and your wallet) are fed up with progressive tax-and-spend ballot initiatives,...
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Tax reform is long overdue
Over the past seven years, the state of Maine has made enormous strides...
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Join the fight to lower taxes and help Maine families prosper
It is so refreshing to have a President in the White House who...
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LePage Named Most Fiscally Responsible Governor in America
Today, the Cato Institute, a national public policy research organization, released the 13th...
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Entrepreneurship: America’s Modern-Day Frontier
If you work hard enough and create sufficient value for your fellow man,...
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Tax Code Shaken, Economic Outlook Not Stirred
A common argument put forth by proponents of tax-and-spend schemes is that pro-growth...
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A Taxpayer Exits New Jersey… And the State Panics
“Any state that depends on income taxes is going to get sick whenever...
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It’s Not About the Children, It’s About the Union
The Maine Education Association is putting a dishonest initiative on the November ballot....
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Increasing Accountability at the IRS
The IRS should work for Maine taxpayers—not the other way around. This year’s...
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The 127th Maine Legislature Cut Taxes, Controlled Spending and Reformed Welfare
The 127th Maine Legislature has now adjourned for good and House Republicans are...
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Rich States, Poor States: Maine Gets Richer, but Still Among the Poorest
In the recently-released ninth edition of the Rich States, Poor States: ALEC-Laffer State...
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Fair Treatment for the Men and Women of Our National Guard
In February, I met with Command Sergeant Major Steve Curtis, a retired member...
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It Should Be Safe to Die in Maine
“Confiscatory and ill-spent taxes, including its estate tax, have forced a flight of...
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Good Policy Must Overcome Political Games
Legislative Democrats have decided to brazenly support policy that hurts our state’s businesses...
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LePage Rightly Moves to Increase Maine’s Rainy Day Fund
Today, Governor Paul LePage announced he will introduce common-sense legislation that will help...
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Bill LD 365 is a “Hand up” Not a “Hand out”
Coming before the Appropriations Committee this month is bill LD 365 that creates...
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Maine Still Struggling to Improve Business Tax Climate
For several years Maine has ranked among the worst states to conduct business,...
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New Study: Maine Manufacturers Suffer From Above-Average Taxes
According to a recent report from the non-partisan Tax Foundation, manufacturers in Maine...
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Posik: Cost of Doing Business Is Still Too High In Maine
If I had a dollar for every time a liberal professor of mine...
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Committee on Taxation Rejects Elimination of the Income Tax
On Wednesday, the Committee on Taxation voted along party lines to reject a...
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Jonathan Williams of ALEC Joins Governor LePage in Touting Benefits of Income Tax Cut
On Wednesday, Governor Paul R. LePage was joined by Jonathan Williams, Vice President of...
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Maine Ranks 42 in Latest ALEC Economic Index
On Wednesday, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) released the 8th edition of Rich States,...
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Cigarette Smuggling a Problem in Maine
Last month, the Tax Foundation released a study analyzing the relationship between cigarette...
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Taxing Nonprofits Is Not Worth the Cost
Voters and legislators across Maine are just beginning to sort through Governor LePage’s...
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Maine Remains Near the Bottom in Forbes Business Report
In the newest iteration of Forbes’ Best States for Business report, Maine ranked...
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Increased Sales Tax Hurts Maine’s Rankings
Last month, the non-partisan Tax Foundation released its 11th annual State Business Tax Climate...
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Cato Institute ranks LePage among top four U.S. governors on fiscal policy
The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C., released its...
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Lockman: Dem majorities crush welfare reform, workplace freedom
Greetings from Amherst to all readers of the Maine Wire: With fewer than...
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NFIB Survey: Small Business Owners Opposed to Medicaid Expansion
AUGUSTA – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) on Monday released a...
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"Responsible" budget needs more tax increases, spending
AUGUSTA – Maine Democrats are calling the 126th Legislature’s Democrat-backed budget “responsible” —...
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Maine lawmakers' approve $6.3 billion budget, tax increases; LePage's veto looms
AUGUSTA – The Maine Legislature on Thursday night gave final approval to a...
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M.D. Harmon: Texas Gov Rick Perry revives competitive federalism
The Politico website has noted that there is a Republican governor giving Democrats...
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Op-Ed: Life, Liberty and the Gang of Eleven
Here, I’d like to discuss the so-called Gang of Eleven’s LD 1496, designated...
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Robin Hood: Democratic Leaders Contemplate Massive Tax Hikes for Maine
AUGUSTA – Lawmakers at Tuesday’s public hearing of the Taxation Committee heard testimony for...
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Democrats Allow $3 Million Vehicle Fee Increase
AUGUSTA – Less than six weeks after its first stint in the Maine House of...
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Gallup: 55% say taxes are fair
As Americans nationwide prepare to fork over Uncle Sam’s pound of flesh, 55...
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Sirocki: Controversial Activist Group Gets It Wrong on Taxes
By Rep. Heather Sirocki – Here in Maine, we value our privacy and our...
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Fair Share Now: Leftist Groups Demand Higher Taxes
The leftist political organizations that control much in Maine politics on Thursday unveiled...
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New ALEC Study Debunks 7 Tax Myths Used to Justify Tax Increases
A new study released Wednesday by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) debunks...
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Senator Collins: "Working on Behalf of Maine"
By Senator Susan Collins It is a privilege to represent Maine in the United...
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The Frary Files: Tax code inflicts unconscionable burden on taxpayers
By Prof. John Frary On January 9 of this year the National Taxpayer...
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Higher cigarette taxes lead to smuggling, lucrative black market activity
A report by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Michigan shows that high cigarette...
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Polls: Obama's job rating, gun control and across-the-board spending cuts
By Rasmussen Reports Last week began with a “fiscal cliff” deal that surprised no...
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LePage Video: "The Truth About Tax Cuts"
Governor Paul LePage has released a new video detailing his efforts to reduce...
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12 Days of Obamacare Surprises: Taxes
The Alyene Senger The Heritage Foundation Not all surprises are good. When it comes...
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Obama’s Dirty Little Tax Secret: He’s Already Raised Taxes on the Rich
By Curtis Dubay The Heritage Foundation The one glaring omission in President Obama’s fiscal cliff demands...
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M.D. Harmon: Taker-to-Maker ratio ranks Maine as a fiscal "Death Spiral State"
Here’s a headline seen on forbes.com on Nov. 25: “Do You Live in a Death...
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Maine leaps to 30th place in Business Tax Climate ranking
These are excerpts from The Tax Foundation’s “2013 State Business Tax Climate Index.” See...
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Op/Ed: Angus King raised taxes, increased spending as governor
By David Sorenson Over the years, Angus King and his friends have built...
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Government Dependency Rises as Number of Taxpayers Declines
By Amy Payne The Heritage Foundation The leak of a video featuring former Governor...
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EDITORIAL (updated): Liquor, taxes, shopping—when will Maine ever be competitive?
The Portland Press Herald ran an editorial on September 8 stating that lowering...
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Op-Ed: Obamacare promises higher taxes, more expensive health premiums and added burden for business
By Joel Allumbaugh Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that Obamacare, the...
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Editorial: Sun Journal erroneously compares N.H. and Maine taxes
By J. Scott Moody, CEO The Maine Heritage Policy Center The Lewiston Sun...
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"Taxmageddon" will add $2,662 in taxes to each Maine tax return in 2013
The Heritage Foundation, a national, conservative think-tank says that what they call “taxmaggedon”...
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M.D. Harmon: Liberal "fairness" puts us on the road to ruin
As I read the news this week, I’m starting to get nostalgic for...
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Obamacare 2nd Anniversary Present: Tax Hikes for the Middle Class
On the second anniversary of the law that gave government control of our...
