LEWISTON — During an hourlong town hall meeting Tuesday, Maine’s Republican Gov. Paul LePage continued his campaign against the state’s Legislature and its leaders, again promising to push the powers of the executive branch of government to achieve his policy goals. Before a largely friendly audience of about 100 people, LePage spoke at the Green […]
taxes
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine GOP starts citizen initiative on tax and welfare reform
AUGUSTA — Maine Republican Party Chairman Rick Bennett said Wednesday that the party intends to send major tax and welfare reforms it hopes to enact through citizen initiative in 2016 to voters as a single ballot question. Though Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, a Democrat, has final say regarding how the question will be worded, […]
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Kiplinger knocks Maine as among ‘least tax friendly’ despite tax burden report
AUGUSTA — A day after Maine Republicans were touting a decrease in the overall tax burden for most Mainers based on a report by the nonpartisan Truth in Accounting think tank, another report shows the state is still among the worst for overall tax burden. On Tuesday, the iconic American financial newsletter Kiplinger released an […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Report: Maine residents’ tax burden on decline
PORTLAND — Maine’s taxpayers are responsible for less of their state’s bills than they were five years ago, according to a report issued by a nonpartisan think tank on Monday. The report, by Chicago-based Truth In Accounting, calculates “taxpayer burden” by subtracting each state’s bills from its assets and dividing that figure by its number of […]
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Lawmakers pass Maine $6.7 billion budget despite LePage veto
AUGUSTA – In a show of bipartisan strength Tuesday, the Maine Legislature stood up to Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a new $6.7 billion state budget that cuts the state’s income tax rate and stretches the sales tax in an attempt to shift more of the state’s costs to visitors. The House voted 109-37 […]
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Gov. Paul LePage promises a citizen’s initiative to lower income tax
Gov. Paul LePage is still stewing about the Legislature’s rejection of his proposed constitutional amendment to kill the income tax. The bill would have put the question out to Maine voters, who LePage says should be given the choice. LePage is already so mad about the bill’s failure that he’s pledged to veto every piece […]
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I. Faunce: Legislators passing the buck
The Maine Legislature is totally missing the point. While considering income tax cuts that would benefit higher incomes and lowering the sales tax to 5 per cent, legislators are handing property taxpayers the bill. In Wilton, the proposed annual budget will increase by $303,711 (1.5 mills). It is unclear what the RSU 9 budget will […]
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LePage renews push to end Maine’s ‘death tax’
AUGUSTA — As the top party officials at the State House continued their ongoing negotiations on a two-year budget for Maine, Republican Gov. Paul LePage on Friday renewed his push to do away with the state’s estate tax. LePage and his conservative allies call the tax paid on inheritances valued at over $2 million a “death […]
Posted inLetters
R. Nadeau: A breath of fresh air
When I first voted for Paul LePage for governor, I felt he was like a good breath of fresh air. I still believe it today. I would vote for him again, if I could. LePage’s plan for the great state of Maine is an ambitious one. It will definitely help the poor and help job […]
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LePage says shutdown unnecessary, will call for continuing budget resolution
AUGUSTA — Republican Gov. Paul LePage said Monday that State House Democrats resorted to scare tactics around a state government shutdown and he would attempt to avoid a shutdown with a short-term budget resolution. In a short and impromptu news conference in his office Monday afternoon, LePage said he would offer lawmakers a bill that […]