Eye on Augusta: Legislature Passes Tax Breaks for 28,000 Businesses and 160,000 Unemployed Workers
by Andy OâBrien (Photo: Dan Kirchoff)
Andy O’Brien is communications director at Maine AFL-CIO. He is a former managing editor of The Free Press and a former state legislator. His Eye on Augusta column appears every other week in The Free Press. Last Thursday, the Maine Legislature passed a supplemental budget package that will provide a full state tax exemption to federal Paycheck Protection (PPP) grants for 28,000 profitable businesses as well as tax breaks on the first $10,200 of federal unemployment benefits for 160,000 unemployed workers.
Republicans initially blocked the two-thirds votes necessary to pass the spending package in order to demand another $32 million in additional business tax cuts, including foreign-derived intangible income, to mirror the federal tax code. However, during floor debate, Republican leaders could not ex
AUGUSTA A group of state lawmakers has introduced LD 231 “An Act To Establish Open Primaries” to pave the way for semi-open primaries in Maine elections.
The bill would allow, if passed, an unenrolled voter to vote in a primary election, including a presidential primary election, without having to enroll in a political party. An unenrolled voter may vote in only one party s primary election.
Republicans would not be able to vote in Democratic primaries and Democrats would not be able to vote in Republican primaries.
Open Primaries Maine, a group working to support the passage of LD 231, will be holding a virtual town hall Sunday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. to discuss the path to passing semi-open primaries legislation.