Press Releases
Legislators, advocates, experts urge Augusta to tax the wealthiest Mainers to fund vital programs – NOT make cuts
June 5, 2025
Advocates, parents, educators, and lawmakers called on the legislature today to fund vital state programs like childcare, housing and health care, NOT make cuts to programs people rely on.
Speaking outside the State House in Augusta, a diverse group of speakers called for legislators to advance tax fairness legislation including LD 1089, LD 229, LD 1082, and LD 1879. More broadly, they called on them to pass policies to ensure that the wealthiest Mainers and most profitable corporations doing business in Maine pay what they truly owe in taxes.
These bills would raise taxes on corporations with profit of more than $3,500,000 (LD 1879); add a surcharge to the tax individuals pay on their income above $1,000,000, specifically to fund K-12 public education (LD 1089); change our state tax brackets so a person who makes a million dollars a year isn’t paying the same tax rate as someone who makes $100,000 (LD 229); and institute a real estate transfer tax for high-value homes, to fund rural housing and other programs (LD 1082). (More information.)
Rep. Cheryl Golek (D-Harpswell), spoke about her bill, LD 1089. If passed, the bill would be expected to raise about $75 million per year.
“As a society, we rely on one another. As a child, I remember going to a neighbor to borrow a cup of sugar, and in exchange, they may have asked for a cup of milk. By sharing a portion of what we had, we all benefited. Today, I am asking that our richest share a slice of bread to those who turned the dough and made the loaf for them to eat.”
Maryann Larsen, a retiree who lives in Bangor, described a similar perspective: “For those individuals and corporations who have prospered here in Maine, good for you, and for all of us. It’s important to remember, though, that you have benefitted from the resources we’ve all paid for…We can’t ask for more from the thousands of us who are giving as much as we can. Asking thriving corporations and individuals to pay what they owe is reasonable, equitable and the right thing to do.”
Maura Pillsbury, tax policy analyst at the Maine Center for Economic Policy, spoke about how those bills would bring in revenue that could be used to fund programs like health care, childcare and housing, rather than making cuts that would hurt ordinary Mainers.
“Maine faces a choice,” she said. “Ask more of those who have the most, or demand even more from those already struggling. Let’s choose fairness.”
Charlotte Jacobs, program director for Seedlings to Sunflowers, a non-profit child care and family center in Gorham, said while the math on tax fairness is clear, “the morality is even clearer. We can’t keep pretending that we can underfund schools and child care centers and expect successful outcomes. We can’t keep choosing millionaires over Maine and call it good governance.”
Kathy Kilrain del Rio, advocacy and programs director at Maine Equal Justice, spoke specifically about the need to raise revenue to fund essential housing priorities in the state budget.
“We can pay for housing programs that keep our communities healthy and strong if we ensure the wealthiest among us and corporations pay what they truly owe in taxes. We can stop evictions, and make sure everyone has a safe, affordable home. A home where we rest when we’re sick and need time to get well; a home where we get up every morning to go to work; a home where we tuck our kids into bed every night.”
New polling finds that across the political spectrum (and statewide), a majority of Mainers support raising taxes on profitable corporations. Moreover, 65% of Republicans and 65% of those who described themselves as “very conservative” support increased taxes on income over $1 million a year.
Today’s action was part of the work of Mainers for Tax Fairness, a coalition that includes organizations from across the state, including MPA, Maine Center for Economic Policy, Maine Equal Justice, Maine Education Association, Maine Women’s Lobby, AARP Maine, Maine Council on Aging, and many others focused on housing justice, labor, childcare, and economic equity.
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With more than 32,000 members, MPA is the largest community organization in Maine, and one of the largest in the country. We work together on issues that include but are not limited to housing, care, climate change and environmental justice, health care access, racial justice, and immigrant rights.
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Contact: Nora Flaherty-Stanford, [email protected], (207) 370-8314