Maine Center for Economic Policy

Last week's Census data drop matches what we're hearing from Mainers: the work to rebuild a post-pandemic economy is paying off, but we're not done yet.

MECEP Policy Analyst James Myall found:
🟣Maine's median household income rose in past 5 years, but the bottom 20% dropped.
🟣Child poverty is at a historic low, and the poverty rate for Black Mainers fell to 21%.
🟣The number of Mainers without health insurance dropped to 5.9%.

Read more 👇

Census data shows most Mainers ahead compared to pre-pandemic — but poorest still struggling - MECEP At a glance: Between 2019 and 2023, Maine’s median household income rose 5% to nearly $74,000, while the bottom 20% saw a 1% drop to just over […]

Are you ready for "The Super Bowl of Taxes"? We are.

We and other members of the Mainers for Tax Fairness coalition met this week with U.S. Senator Susan Collins Angus King Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Congressman Jared Golden to hear where they stand on tax fairness and ask them to:

⚖️ Allow tax cuts for the rich to expire in 2025
⚖️ Oppose any new tax breaks for the rich
⚖️ Raise the corporate tax rate for big, wealthy corporations
⚖️ Invest more in programs that help working families

Fair Share America Maine People's Alliance Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition Maine Education Association Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Americans for Tax Fairness

We’re proud to be a part of this effort, fighting for FAIR tax systems. We are in DC with Fair Share America, members of Mainers for Tax Fairness, and hundreds of advocates from 19 states, calling on Congress to stop giving tax giveaways to wealthy people and corporations. Maine has plenty of needs. Padding the bank accounts of wealthy folks is not one of them.

Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Americans for Tax Fairness Maine People's Alliance Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition

Progressives make big play on 2025 tax debate Progressive groups are rolling out a new coalition this week, for what's expected to be a costly, time-consuming campaign next year over the future of the tax system.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 disproportionately benefits corporations and people with wealth. It expires at the end of 2025, giving the next Congress a chance to rethink tax policy and undo the regressive measures that have weakened the U.S. tax system.

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expiration is a chance for Tax Fairness to flourish - MECEP At a glance: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 expires in 2025, offering Congress a chance to reshape tax policy and reverse regressive measures […]

Today's data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey showed that most Mainers are ahead compared to pre-pandemic, but the poorest still struggle. “While the data shows progress, lawmakers shouldn’t celebrate too soon,” says MECEP's James Myall. “Many low-income Mainers still face tough choices amid rising costs.”

Read our complete statement here: https://bit.ly/3XgIdaw

New data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Maine’s minimum wage will increase by 50 cents per hour in 2025 to keep pace with increased costs of living. MECEP estimates this increase will boost the wages of 96,000 workers in Maine who are earning at or just above the new minimum wage.

Maine’s minimum wage to increase to $14.65 next year, boosting wages for 96,000 workers - MECEP New data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Maine’s minimum wage will increase by 50 cents per hour in 2025 to keep pace with increased […]

It's ! Today we received national-level data on income, poverty, and health care. Here's what MECEP policy analyst Arthur Phillips had to say:

“Families are seeing the benefits of a strong economy and rising wages, especially in rural areas. These income gains are key to improving financial security for millions of Americans. However, at the national level, the sad reality remains that people of color and women did not have the same gains as white households and male workers. Policymakers at the federal and state level should do more to ensure our economy can help all people thrive.”

State level estimates of poverty using the Supplemental Poverty Measure show that Maine maintained its place as the state with the lowest share of its population living in poverty on average between 2021 and 2023. While 82,000 Mainers were still considered poor after accounting for government assistance programs, this was just 5.9% of the population. The combined effects of state and federal assistance helped move tens of thousands of Mainers out of poverty. Given that some of this was due to the one-time relief payments sent out in 2021 and 2022, lawmakers still have work to maintain this progress.

State and local data will be released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday.

Data incoming!
We've been following progress on a number of cash assistance pilot programs, including Project HOME Trust here in Maine. Survey results from the first cohort will be released at this event at the Stevens Square Community Center in Portland on Tuesday evening. Please come!

Want to learn more about Guaranteed Income? Check out our NEW explainer:
https://www.mecep.org/blog/guaranteed-income-an-explainer/
Maine Equal Justice

Trust In Moms Program Reception DON’T MISS THIS POWERFUL CHANCE TO LEARN ABOUT TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF MOTHERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

As Maine prepares to launch Paid Family and Medical Leave, researchers at the Roux Institute at Northeastern University in Portland are interested in parents' current leave experiences. If you have a child under age 2 and were working while pregnant, they want to hear from you! Fill out the survey here: bit.ly/maple-survey

Questions? Contact [email protected]
Maine Paid Family Leave Maine Women's Lobby Maine People's Alliance

This , farmworkers in Maine are STILL denied the right to be paid no less than the state minimum wage, to receive overtime pay, to collectively bargain with their employers, and many other basic rights most workers take for granted. Get the facts — and learn what we can do about it — in our latest explainer.

Farmworker Rights — An Explainer - MECEP Under current Maine law, farmworkers are denied many basic rights most workers take for granted.

Both Vice President Harris and former President Trump have recently endorsed the idea of exempting tipped income from federal income taxes. But there are better ways to improve financial outcomes for tipped workers and families with low income.

3 reasons why “no tax on tips” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be  - MECEP If lawmakers want to help service workers who are struggling to get by, there are much better proposals available than exempting tipped income from taxation.

The people who do the hard work to power Maine’s agricultural sector deserve the same labor rights as everyone else. But under current Maine law, farmworkers are denied many basic rights most workers take for granted. Learn more in our newest explainer.

Farmworker Rights — An Explainer - MECEP Under current Maine law, farmworkers are denied many basic rights most workers take for granted.

Stephanie has worked in the field of developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and autism for 31 years. She has worked in day programs and residential care facilities, and now trains other direct support professionals. Stephanie is a member of the Direct Care and Support Professional Advisory Council.

"For my first eight years as a direct support professional, I worked two full-time jobs with very little time off. That’s how we had to do things because that’s how I had to pay my bills. I loved what I was doing. I still do. But it impacted my personal life terribly. It’s the same for the people that I’m training now. They often have two or three jobs because the pay is so poor. Without that good pay, people aren’t going to stay. They’re going to leave for a better paying job.

"I see people in similar roles in other fields making far more than I do. My sister is a physical therapist in a hospital, and she makes $52,000 more than I do. My other sister is a teacher, and she makes $30,000 more. I think that shows an undervaluing of the people we support, not just an undervaluing of those providing the support. We are looking after your mother and your grandmother. What do you think your mother and your grandmother are worth?

"To attract and keep workers, we need to be looking at the cost of living. We have to take that into account when we determine what is a reasonable wage. Once people are in the door, keeping them involves making people feel valued, and recognizing what they do. It’s providing support with child care and health insurance, and making sure people can take care of themselves so that they can provide the best care for others. If we can see progress on wages, benefits, and respect, I think it will draw in more people who will come in and stay. Because people could sustain their life, and people stay in jobs that sustain their life.

"When you work with individuals with disabilities, you see the impact in their quality of life. People who don’t have good caretakers tend to have more health issues. They tend to have more interfering behavior issues, where they spend more time trying to get their needs met than they do just living a good, happy life. People who have good caretakers are happy. They’re going out and doing things. They’re healthier. A person with a disability is always going to have that disability. But they could be healthier because they’re happier. And that’s what a good care team can do.

"My mom also worked in this field, and when I started she tried to talk me out of it. She told me I’d never make a livable wage because she also had a hard time doing it. But most of the people who get into this line of work aren’t doing it for the money. We do it because we want to care for people who can’t care for themselves.

"That’s why I still do it, and that’s why I thank people who are still here doing this devalued job. Because if they weren’t here, the people they support wouldn’t have the care they need."

Stephanie shared her story as part of MECEP’s "Closing the Gap: Maine’s Direct Care Shortage and Solutions to Fix It" report. Read the report here: https://mecep.org/directcare-2
Maine Council on Aging

In the words of workers: Stephanie - MECEP Stephanie shared her story as part of MECEP’s Closing the Gap: Maine’s Direct Care Shortage and Solutions to Fix It report. Click here to read the full […]

Justin is a direct support professional, mental health rehabilitation technician, certified residential medical aid, and a qualified brain injury specialist with 20 years’ experience. He currently provides care at several Kennebec County group homes for adults with brain injuries. Justin is a member of the Direct Care and Support Professional Advisory Council.

"I’ve worked for several different agencies, and it feels like we’re viewed as replaceable. They see us as glorified babysitters. No, I’m not a glorified babysitter. This job is hard, unforgiving, and affects every aspect of your life. Most of us feel like we are out there all by ourselves, doing a thankless job with no support.

"I’m working longer, harder hours now, and so are my colleagues. We’re getting burnt out. We’re tired, but we stay because of loyalty to the people we provide care for. I’ve seen the low pay identified as a problem, but across the board I’ve seen very little effort to address it. It really irritates me. For what I make and the years I’ve been doing this, I should have walked away a while ago. There’s no incentive for somebody to stay in this field when they can go into a different one and make more money, have better work-life balance, and get better benefits and supports.

"Legislators could solve many of the problems in direct care by offering free training through the technical colleges that can build towards a four-year university degree. First, develop a core curriculum that covers all the common subject matter in the different care giver certifications and give it a college credit. Then, for every year of service care workers provide, they should get two or three free classes towards a degree in psychology, mental health, or social work. College is expensive. But if your work can earn a base of credits that can be applied to a four-year degree at a university, that’s a real incentive. That will attract people. And it will also save companies money on all the training. The money they save could be put towards wages and benefits, instead. When wages and benefits increase, they’re more likely to retain those workers once they’ve completed their four-year degree.

"I would invite any lawmaker or the governor to come tour any of these facilities. I want them to know that these people aren’t numbers. They’re real people and they need help. There are a lot of great companies out there that just need more funding to keep things going. I mean, I get it, taxes will go up. But I would pay higher taxes to help these people. I would. We are all one step away from a residential home, a nursing home, or a hospice house. Who would you want to be there, taking care of you?"
Justin shared his story as part of MECEP’s "Closing the Gap: Maine’s Direct Care Shortage and Solutions to Fix It" report. Read the report here: https://mecep.org/directcare-2
Maine Council on Aging

In the words of workers: Justin - MECEP Justin shared his story as part of MECEP’s Closing the Gap: Maine’s Direct Care Shortage and Solutions to Fix It report. Click here to read the full […]

What is Guaranteed Income, how is it different from other safety net programs, and who might benefit in Maine? Get the facts in our newest explainer:

Guaranteed Income — An Explainer - MECEP Targeted to people with the greatest need, Guaranteed Income is intended to supplement, not replace, more restrictive social safety net supports.

MECEP Policy Analyst Arthur Phillips joined Maine Calling on Maine Public today to talk about challenges in long term care (HINT: we must do far more for direct care workers). Listen in and then read the stories of direct care workers included in our latest report, "Closing the Gap: Maine's Direct Care Shortage and Solutions to Fix It" here: https://mecep.org/directcare-2

Maine Council on Aging

Long-Term Care Services and support for those who are aging, and how to find facilities that provide the care they need

Emily has almost 30 years of experience as a certified residential medication aid (CRMA) and direct support professional (DSP), working with adults with developmental disabilities and in assisted living settings. We first spoke with Emily for our 2023 report, The High Cost of Undervaluing Direct Care Work. Since then, Emily has left the field of direct care. She now works as a medical receptionist in Portland. Emily is a member of the Direct Care and Support Professional Advisory Council.

"The assisted living facility where I was working changed ownership last year. We stopped getting Christmas bonuses and extra vacation hours for perfect attendance. Raises that were scheduled before the sale were ignored. It felt like a kick in the teeth. About 90% of the staff left. There were very few days when I worked only eight hours, and I often couldn’t take any kind of break because my wing was single staffed. There were so many days that I would leave in tears, feeling like I had failed my residents, because I was set up to fail. The system is just so broken. It feels like they will just use and abuse us until we’re all dried up and we’re just husks. I was so invested in these people, and it makes me angry that I’m not doing that work anymore because it was just so untenable.

"Low pay is the main reason we can’t hire and retain workers in this field. People that are thinking about going into caregiving take one look at the pay and realize that they can go work at Five Guys or McDonalds or Dairy Queen and make as much if not more, and not have to worry about the stress and not have to worry about the overtime because somebody didn’t show up and you can’t leave.

"There’s also the cost of education and training. It can cost hundreds of dollars to get your 40-hour CRMA, and companies want you to have it before they hire you, even if you already have your 24-hour CRMA, DSP, and [Personal Support Specialist] PSS certification. They’re all basically the same thing, but they won’t accept those in assisted living facilities. There’s a lot of confusion with training and qualifications that can deter people from wanting to get into direct care.

"Legislators should come and see what it’s like for a single care worker to try to prioritize between helping the resident with explosive diarrhea and the resident sitting in her own urine and the resident who has fallen down and can’t get himself back up. They should see what it’s like when those things happen during mealtime, when regulations require that worker to get all the trays delivered in just 20 minutes. Or when residents have wounds that need dressings changed three times a week, but the wound nurse authorized to change them only comes once a week. It would be nice if they could see what care workers go through and how they are put in impossible situations all the time.

"I loved what I did. I hated the overtime and I hated the low pay, but I loved the job itself. I could go home at the end of every day knowing that I made someone’s life a little better. I see this as a societal issue. Every job has value. How is it that this job of taking care of human beings and keeping them alive and happy and comfortable and clean has less value than almost every other job? As a society, we need to wake up and make a shift in our perceptions."
Emily shared her story as part of MECEP’s "Closing the Gap: Maine’s Direct Care Shortage and Solutions to Fix It" report. Read the report here: https://mecep.org/directcare-2
Maine Council on Aging

https://www.mecep.org/blog/in-the-words-of-workers-emily/

In the words of workers: Emily - MECEP Emily shared her story as part of MECEP’s Closing the Gap: Maine’s Direct Care Shortage and Solutions to Fix It report. Click here to read the full […]

Mechelle is a certified nursing assistant (CNA) with 28 years of experience working in home health care, assisted living, and residential care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Shortly after sharing her story for this report, Mechelle learned that the Presque Isle nursing home where she works is preparing to close permanently. Mechelle is a member of the Direct Care and Support Professional Advisory Council.

"When we don’t have enough staff, we really rely on the staff we do have. When someone calls out sick, it makes us even shorter. We get called in on our day off. I find myself agreeing to shifts that I really don’t have the energy to do. I’m making myself even more tired, more worn out, and after a few weeks of that I end up missing a couple of days of work myself, because now I’ve made myself sick. It’s a vicious cycle. I’ve seen a lot of good CNAs leave the field altogether because they’re just completely burnt out. They just didn’t have any more in them.

"When I started working here four years ago, I made $14.75 per hour. After a couple of years, I made almost $4 in raises. I was making $18 when the base rate was changed to $20 during the pandemic. On paper it was a wage boost, but in reality, it was a wage cut, because it didn’t factor in all my years of raises and experience. I’ve been a CNA for nine years, but now I’m getting paid the same as someone who’s been a CNA for nine days. That’s really frustrating. It makes me feel like all the experience I have doesn’t mean anything. The skills I bring to the table are lessened because it’s reflected in how I’m paid. It doesn’t feel fair.

"I’m lucky enough to have health insurance and a 401K. We can get meal tickets here. But what would really help a lot of people is having child care. Staff members with kids set their schedules so that their shift ends in time to pick their kids up from school. But if the person scheduled to follow that shift calls in sick, the staff member can’t leave. They’re stuck there. They’re obligated. If they leave, that’s abandonment. So that leads to frantic phone calls, “Can you go get my kids?” They’re stressed, they’re crying, “What am I going to do?!”

"There really needs to be some kind of fail safe for situations like that. Because for parents with young children, sometimes it just takes one experience like that to convince them to find a new job.

"I don’t think lawmakers really understand the value and importance of this role in people’s lives. At some point in their life, every single person is going to need someone like me. I don’t think that a person who has this important of a job should have to stand in line at the food pantry. I don’t think we should be struggling, trying to figure out if we’re going to pay our electricity bill or get groceries. I know I matter. I know I make a difference. And that’s OK, but I would not mind my wallet to be padded a little. It sure would make my life a lot easier."
Mechelle shared her story as part of MECEP’s "Closing the Gap: Maine’s Direct Care Shortage and Solutions to Fix It" report. Read the report here: https://mecep.org/directcare-2
Maine Council on Aging

In the words of workers: Mechelle - MECEP Mechelle shared her story as part of MECEP’s Closing the Gap: Maine’s Direct Care Shortage and Solutions to Fix It report. Click here to read the full […]

a.m.k worked in hospitality before moving in with her 86-year-old mother and taking on her full-time care. Since taking on that role four years ago, a.m.k received certification as a personal support specialist, qualifying her to receive some compensation for the care she provides.

"I was told there might be a 30 or 60 day wait before my mother would get to the top of the waiting list for home and community-based services. Even though mom qualified for the program, and I was living with her and providing the care, it took over a year before I got paid as a caregiver. Thank goodness for the pandemic
unemployment money. We never would have survived on just her income. There were so many out-of-pocket expenses beyond food and rent. My mom could no longer drive, so I had to get a car. I now have 12,000 miles on my car and all but about 50 came from taking my mom somewhere. I wonder how much I would have
been reimbursed for that if transportation was a covered expense?

"I was asked how I spend my time as a caregiver. There are at least
25 regular tasks that are a part of managing my mom’s life. Some are financial, some are medical, some are housing-based, and many are related to personal care, hygiene, and physical therapy. I’m doing the job of the entire staff of a nursing home. I work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing care and being available for anything that happens in the middle of the night or during the day. I get paid for 24 hours per week.

"When you think about a nursing home – the number of employees, the property, the maintenance, the human resources, the paperwork, the oversight – and then you think about home-based care, with one person doing all of that, I would say I deserve more. I’m managing my own long term care facility right here. I’ve worked just over 1,300 days as a full-time caregiver over the last four years. That’s about a quarter of a million dollars in lost wages if I were paid for every hour I worked at my current wage.

“I’ve barely contributed to social security in the four years I’ve been a caregiver. I don’t have retirement savings. There are 53 million unpaid caregivers. Guess who’s going to be needing the safety net because they weren’t paid for the 5, 10, or 15 years they cared for a loved one? It’s all going to cost more in the long run.

“If we were provided incentives, training and support, if we got rid of the red tape, and were paid a fair wage for every hour worked, it would reduce costs. We’d be able to pay market rate for an apartment or even buy a house, freeing up subsidized housing for others who really need it. Making this job a viable choice for family members would reduce over-stays in hospitals and the stress on long-term care facilities. We’d be able to contribute more to Social Security and save for retirement. We’d also spend a lot more money in our community.

“Long-term care is anywhere, and we are the front line. Pay us. Pay us for every hour we work.

“We shouldn’t have to leave the workforce to take care of a loved one. We should be able to switch jobs to provide that care if we want to. It should be an option.”
a.m.k. shared her story as part of our report, Closing the Gap: Maine’s Direct Care Shortage and Solutions to Fix It. Read the report here: https://mecep.org/directcare-2

Maine Council on Aging

In the words of workers: a.m.k. - MECEP a.m.k. shared her story as part of MECEP’s Closing the Gap: Maine’s Direct Care Shortage and Solutions to Fix It report. Click here to read the full […]

Did you know that in 2017, Maine workers lost about $30 million as a result of minimum wage violations? Workers are entitled to ALL the wages they earn. Thanks to the new labor protections that went into effect last week, unscrupulous employers will now be held accountable when they shortchange their workers.

Maine Can Now Order Employers to Pay Workers Damages for Missed Wages Maine workers will now benefit from a law that allows the state to order businesses to pay back wages as well as damages from missed wages

The best way to celebrate Farmworker Appreciation Day is to give them the same labor rights as everyone else.

Saying you want to help families make ends meet and then voting against expanding the Child Tax Credit makes no sense. When the program was expanded during the pandemic, it cut child poverty nearly in half. This bill would have expanded the benefit to 16 MILLION KIDS, including 39,000 in Maine, and yet 52 senators voted against it.

Maine People's Alliance Economic Security Project Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

If all undocumented immigrants were granted work visas, the resulting higher wages and tax compliance would provide an additional $40.2 billion in tax revenue per year. That would pay for expanding broadband access to rural communities across the US.

MECEP Policy Analyst James Myall breaks down the important new study from Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition

Undocumented immigrants contribute millions in taxes to Maine - MECEP A new report from the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) confirms undocumented immigrants contribute to the strength of our economy and the health of public […]

It's a myth that undocumented immigrants don't pay taxes. In fact, they paid almost $100 BILLION in taxes in 2022 alone. What's not a myth is that those same hardworking people are prohibited from benefitting from many of the programs and services their tax dollars fund.


Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition National Immigration Law Center

Study finds undocumented immigrants in Maine contributed $15.6 million in taxes • Maine Morning Star Undocumented immigrants in Maine contributed $15.6 million in state and local taxes in 2022. A study released Tuesday from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a left-leaning, nonprofit think tank, found that undocumented immigrants paid nearly $100 billion in federal, state and local tax....

Americans generally feel the economy isn’t working right now, even if they're personally doing okay. Economic data is more in line with respondents’ assessments of their personal economic wellbeing and is cause for optimism about the economy more broadly.

5 reasons to be optimistic about Maine’s economy - MECEP Policymakers can build on the gains brought by a strong labor market and federal investments, while also recognizing the need to bring down costs.

The new study from Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy quantifies just how much undocumented immigrants contribute in taxes. It clearly shows what we’ve known all along: ALL immigrants, including those who are undocumented, contribute to Maine’s economy and to our public finances. One of the best ways we can ensure employers have the workers they need and Maine has the revenue to fund our needs is to give all New Mainers the legal authority to live and work here as quickly as possible.

Read ITEP's study here: https://itep.org/undocumented-immigrants-taxes-2024/

📣CHILD TAX CREDIT ALERT! 📣
We just heard the bill to expand the Child Tax Credit (CTC) has been scheduled for a vote in the Senate on THURSDAY. Please take 2 minutes to let Angus King and U.S. Senator Susan Collins know that you want them to support it! Why? Because when the CTC was temporarily expanded during the pandemic, it reduced child poverty by nearly HALF. It's tried and true.

Follow this link to send a fast and easy message directly to them:
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/urgent-tell-sens-king-and-collins-to-expand-the-child-tax-credit/

Learn more about the Child Tax Credit with our explainer: https://www.mecep.org/blog/the-child-tax-credit-an-explainer/

URGENT! Tell Sens. King and Collins to expand the Child Tax Credit! We've been waiting for this for months and it's finally time — the Senate will be voting to expand the Child Tax Credit (CTC) on Thursday! Way back in March, the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan tax package that includes expanding the CTC. It's not perfect, but it's a great step forwar...