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In a recent letter to the Bangor Daily News, Linda Caprara of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce applauded Gov. Janet Mills’ veto of a new top tax bracket on high earners. I think there are inconvenient truths that Caprara’s letter ignores.
Some of the chamber’s own members would have benefited from this bill, especially small-business owners with upper-middle income who are most likely to have fledgling operations that could use the most support.
Caprara repeats what I believe are misleading and disproven claims about the state’s tax rate, and its impact on attracting new residents and businesses. If the chamber is serious about growing our population and economy, supporting investments in Maine people and communities is a good place to start.
Mainers cannot work if they are not healthy and lack access to stable, affordable housing or child care. They cannot support local businesses if they have no extra income. Workers and businesses alike rely on job training and educational opportunities, reliable transportation and communications infrastructure that are supported by our tax dollars.
Instead of doubling down on an economy that only works for some, the chamber should support policies that benefit the workers, customers and small businesses that are the lifeblood of our state.
Maura Pillsbury
State and local tax policy analyst
Maine Center for Economic Policy
Freeport
