PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 1, 2022
Revenue raised through taxes is how we pay for things that benefit all of us, like schools, roads, parks, public safety and clean water. The state loses more than $1 billion in revenue to dozens of business tax incentives annually. Business tax incentives rarely produce the outcomes they promise or benefit people with low and moderate income. Most of the businesses that benefit are large entities such as Walmart that will still operate in Maine even without state subsidies. To compete in a global economy and attract investors, Maine should boast comprehensive supports for workers, like subsidized child care, quality early education and pre-K, and paid family and medical leave laws. And let’s not forget about quality schools, roads, parks, public safety and clean water. Scrutinizing the value of tax incentives, eliminating loopholes that allow people with wealth and corporations to avoid paying their fair share and closing the tax gap between what is owed and what is paid will provide resources to help Maine working families thrive and build a stronger, more inclusive economy. ~ Maura Pillsbury, Maine Center for Economic Policy