Conservative think tank crafts plan to nix income tax
The conservative Maine Heritage Policy Center plans to lobby state lawmakers to support its plan for eliminating the state’s income tax gradually, starting in the poorest counties, a plan it says will boost the economy.
The Portland Press Herald reported the plan is the first concrete proposal for eliminating the state’s income tax, an idea that Gov. Paul LePage said he supports and plans to make a central issue of his reelection campaign.
Scott Moody, CEO of the think tank, compared the plan to economic development strategies used under Democratic Gov. John Baldacci, who supported tax cuts for companies in certain sectors, like biotechnology. The center says the plan would benefit the state by ultimately reducing the number of people receiving welfare and Medicaid.
Garrett Martin, executive director of the left-leaning Maine Center for Economic Policy, told the paper the plan would compromise the state’s ability to support spending on infrastructure projects and education and could stand to put more pressure on municipalities to raise local property taxes.
Should a plan to eliminate the state’s income tax make it into the next legislative session, Rep. Seth Berry, one of the House Democratic leaders, says Democrats are likely to oppose the proposal.
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