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New York Post
01-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Seniors could get a tax break in this state — at younger people's expense
Maine Republicans are pursuing a bill that would eliminate property taxes for longtime senior residents. The move could bring financial relief to retirees—but it also raises serious questions about who will cover the cost. The Pine Tree State ranks 17th in the nation for effective property tax rates, according to the Tax Foundation. It's a middling position on paper that can hit especially hard for seniors on fixed incomes. 'We have an aging population, and a lot of people on lower income in that age range, and it's just an incredibly unfair burden to put on them,' House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor) told WGME. But property taxes are the lifeblood of local government, and if seniors are removed from the tax rolls entirely, younger Mainers could be left footing the bill. 6 Maine Republicans are pursuing a bill that would eliminate property taxes for longtime senior residents, which could bring relief for those with fixed incomes. Getty Images What's in the proposal? LD 1541 would eliminate property taxes for Maine residents aged 65 and older who have lived in the state for 10 or more consecutive years. The state government would then be responsible for reimbursing local governments for the lost revenue. It's just one of several proposals across the country this year to abolish property taxes, which are pinching homeowners of all ages as home values remain elevated and push up tax bills, but it's unique in its focus on seniors. 6 The proposal would eliminate property taxes for Maine residents aged 65 and older who have lived in the state for 10 or more consecutive years. Universal Images Group via Getty Images For context, the median home in Maine cost just $249,000 in January 2020. Today, it's nearly doubled, to $462,500. That's pushed the state's median annual property tax bill to $4,223, according to data. For younger homeowners, that jump in equity can be a financial asset. But for retirees, the resulting spike in property taxes can become a serious burden. The Pine Tree State isn't alone in this. Nationally, tax burdens are driving older Americans to leave high-tax states in search of more affordable places to age in place. Maine's proposal could help stop that outmigration by allowing longtime residents to stay in their homes. But the bill's financial impact on the rest of the state remains a major question mark. 6 While the plan could help keep longtime residents in Maine, it raises concerns over who will cover the costs. Getty Images/iStockphoto LD 1541 does not yet include a fiscal note—an official estimate of what it would cost—and Faulkingham has acknowledged that he doesn't yet have a firm projection. Still, past efforts and Maine's demographics suggest the cost could be staggering. A similar, doomed program This isn't the first time Maine has tried to provide property tax relief to seniors in the state. A 2022 program froze qualifying seniors' property tax bills so they wouldn't increase year to year as home prices also rose. 6 A 2022 program froze qualifying seniors' property tax bills so they wouldn't increase year to year as home prices also rose, and was later repealed 11 months after enactment due to its cost. Getty Images/iStockphoto That initiative cost the state $26 million and was repealed just 11 months after enactment due to its cost. In addition to the price tag, critics of the freeze also pointed to loopholes that made it possible for well-off homeowners to apply the homestead exemption to their luxury homes. It's unclear if similar workarounds would be possible in LD 1541. Keep in mind, the 2020 initiative simply froze effective rates—meaning that seniors were still responsible for paying some property taxes. The new proposal would eliminate them entirely, threatening a shortfall that could have severe consequences for the rest of the state. 6 The new proposal would eliminate property taxes for seniors entirely, impacting the rest of the state. The Washington Post via Getty Images Who will pay the difference? Part of the difficulty in Maine might be related to the simple fact that it's home to so many seniors. When measured by median age, Maine is the oldest state in the nation, and nearly a quarter of its population is over the age of 65, according to a 2024 report by the State Economist of Maine. Nationally, nearly 80% of seniors are homeowners and boomers (those aged between 61 and 79) hold $84 trillion in real estate wealth. Assuming Maine seniors mirror these trends, local governments could lose a substantial portion of their revenue. 6 According to the State Economist of Maine in 2024, it is the oldest state in the nation, with nearly 25% of its population being over the age of 65. The Washington Post via Getty Images And if the state can't fully cover the shortfall, homeowners under the age of 65 might be left picking up the tab, shouldering higher property taxes in a housing market that's already unaffordable for many. An uncomfortable trade-off Proponents of LD 1541 see it as a lifeline for Maine's aging population—one that could help longtime residents stay in their homes despite rising costs. But with no fiscal analysis and few guardrails in place, others worry the proposal could shift the financial burden onto younger generations—especially in a state where nearly one in four residents is over 65. Without clarity on how the state would reimburse municipalities or offset the potential cost of this proposal, it's not just a question of whether Maine can afford to help seniors; it's a question of whether doing so might come at the expense of younger Mainers. As the bill moves forward, the challenge for lawmakers will be finding a way to support aging Mainers without undermining the financial future of the state they hope to keep calling home.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican lawmakers want to repeal Maine's 72-hour waiting period on firearms purchases
Apr. 16—AUGUSTA — Gun rights supporters urged Maine lawmakers Wednesday to roll back some of the safety measures put in place last year in the wake of the Lewiston mass shooting. House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham, R-Winter Harbor, has submitted one of two bills to repeal the 72-hour waiting period on firearm sales. Rep. Jennifer Poirier, R-Skowhegan, has proposed eliminating mandatory background checks for private sales. The waiting period and a law expanding background check requirements to include private, advertised sales were passed by the previous Legislature after a gunman killed 18 people in October 2023. Faulkingham said Wednesday the waiting period law was the result of government overreach. "This requirement may have been well-intentioned, but ultimately it is unnecessary, burdensome and of questionable constitutionality," Faulkingham said. Gun rights advocates also sued the state in November to overturn the waiting period law. The outcome of the lawsuit is pending, but a federal judge ruled in February to pause implementation of the law while the case works its way through the court system. Faulkingham pointed to Chief U.S. District Judge Lance Walker's injunction, which has been continued pending a decision by a federal appeals court, in making his case for LD 208 to members of the Judiciary Committee Wednesday. "This is a strong signal the courts believe this law will ultimately be found unconstitutional and if that is the case, it makes little sense for us to keep it on the books," Faulkingham said. Gun safety advocates, however, have said that 72-hour waiting periods are useful in preventing suicides by giving people a "cooling off" period before they're able to access a gun — an argument that resurfaced during Wednesday's public hearing. "It allows ... time for the suicidal person to have second thoughts and to change their mind before acting," said David Moltz, a physician and psychiatrist who testified on behalf of the Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians. "They still get to have their gun; they just have to wait a few days to get it. But those few days may mean the difference between life and death." Lawmakers only narrowly passed the 72-hour waiting period last year, with the House of Representatives voting 73-70 and the Senate voting 18-17. Gov. Janet Mills allowed the bill to become law without her signature, saying at the time that she was deeply conflicted over the bill and that similar laws were being challenged in other states, including Vermont. The Vermont lawsuit still has not been resolved. Rep. Quentin Chapman, R-Auburn, has proposed a second bill, LD 1230, identical to Faulkingham's, that would also eliminate the waiting period. Both bills have several Republican co-sponsors. Supporters of gun rights argued Wednesday that the new law, which was in effect for a few months before being paused by the court, hurt business at gun shops and has made it harder for people to be able to defend themselves. Andee Reardon, a Maine representative of the group Women for Gun Rights, told the committee that she lives just minutes away from where the Lewiston shooting took place and that she was overwhelmed hearing from women who felt unsafe in the aftermath as it took police two days to locate the shooter. "For those people, that 72-hour wait period is much too long," Reardon said. "If we have another tragedy in our state people are going to want to arm themselves, because the police are busy." Nacole Palmer, executive director of the Maine Gun Safety Coalition, which pushed for the reforms last year, testified against both 72-hour bills as well as a proposal from Rep. Jennifer Poirier, R-Skowhegan, to eliminate requirements for background checks on private gun sales. "These policies are two of the most basic tools in our toolbox to reduce crime and save lives," Palmer said. IMPROVING STORAGE Lawmakers also heard proposals Wednesday for improving the safe storage of firearms. LD 1120 would strengthen the criminal penalties associated with negligent storage of firearms and would require dealers to post public notices in areas where sales occur warning of the risks associated with having firearms at home. Another pair of bills, LD 1174 and LD 1104, would facilitate firearms hold agreements through which people could temporarily store their firearms with a gun shop. Rep. Vicki Doudera, D-Camden, the sponsor of LD 1104, said such arrangements would be useful in a variety of scenarios, including during the sale of a home, when children are visiting or during a tumultuous time such as a divorce. Doudera suggested the committee could combine her bill with LD 1174, from Rep. Stephen Wood, R-Greene, because she said the language in Greene's bill is stronger. She suggested also expanding Greene's bill, which would only provide the option for firearms owners who are veterans or emergency responders. Greene said gun shops are currently not allowed to offer such a service. He said it would be a valuable tool for helping people who are more likely to experience a mental health crisis, but expressed concerns about opening up hold agreements for broader groups of people, saying it could overwhelm firearms dealers with needs for storage. "If it's just military and first responders, it would be fewer people and they could make the room for them," Greene said. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawmakers advance plan to expand tax exemption for homeowners
House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor) testifies before the Taxation Committee in Augusta. (Photo by Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star) After hearing a litany of proposals to expand the state's tax exemption for homeowners, the Legislature's Taxation Committee moved forward with one amended plan that would increase the exemption for all people incrementally. In a unanimous vote among those present on Tuesday, the committee voted to advance a plan that would increase the Homestead Property Tax Exemption by $5,000 per year until it reaches a total value of $50,000 from the just value of a home over the course of five years. This plan, which is in LD 140, now heads to the Maine Senate and House of Representatives for approval. Currently, the Homestead Property Tax Exemption provides a reduction for property tax purposes of up to $25,000 from the value of a home. In order to qualify, a homeowner must be a permanent resident of Maine, the home must be their permanent residence and they have to have owned a home in the state for at least one year before applying. As originally proposed by Sen. Joseph Baldacci (D-Penobscot), LD 140 would have increased the tax exemption by $10,000 per year until the total exemption reached $95,000. Baldacci argued that incrementally increasing the tax exemption would be the most fiscally responsible method because it will be more feasible for the general fund to absorb costs. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The committee agreed, though opted for smaller increments and a smaller overall increase. The smaller increments would now cost the state roughly $14 million per year, compared to double that with the initial proposal, which Rep. Shelley Rudnicki (R-Fairfield) characterized as more reasonable. The amended bill also removes adjustments for inflation after the cap, which lawmakers argued felt less pertinent due to the gradual adjustments. 'It seems like it just makes it extremely complex for everyone and I'm not sure that most taxpayers would even notice that,' said Rep. Gary Friedman (D-Bar Harbor), who proposed the tweaks. Gov. Janet Mills' administration testified against LD 140, and the several other proposed reforms to the homestead exemption, arguing it will shift the property tax burden to other taxpayers and result in an increase in property tax mill rates over time. 'LD 140 would provide broad property tax relief to resident homeowners, regardless of their ability to pay the tax, at a very high cost, when more focused tax relief could be provided at a much lower cost using the Property Tax Fairness Credit or other programs,' Michael Allen, associate commissioner for tax policy in the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, told the committee earlier this month. Last year, lawmakers expanded eligibility to the Property Tax Fairness Credit — which provides refunds for property taxes or rent paid — and created a Property Tax Deferral Program, specifically to soften the blow from the short-lived Property Tax Stabilization Program that allowed older Mainers to freeze their property taxes. The Legislature repealed that program after just one year in effect, following skyrocketing cost projections, concern about wealthy property owners taking advantage due to a lack of income restrictions and the administrative burden it left on municipalities. The Taxation Committee is hearing other proposals aimed at controlling property taxes on Wednesday, including legislation to reinstate the Property Tax Stabilization Program and amend the state constitution to require greater state reimbursement for residential property tax exemptions and increase the minimum homestead exemption to $50,000. Bipartisan efforts to expand property tax exemptions face pushback from Mills administration While advancing Baldacci's proposal, the committee voted Tuesday against four other proposals to expand the homestead exemption in other ways, including through one lump increase or only for particular groups. These rejected proposals included LD 658, sponsored by House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor), which would double the exemption from $25,000 to $50,000 of the just value of a home. Two had focused specifically on residents who are 65 years old or older. LD 7, sponsored by Sen. Rick Bennett (R-Oxford), proposes increasing the exemption to $75,000 for that group, while LD 934, sponsored by Rep. Stephen Wood (R-Greene), proposed a greater exemption amount for that group, as well as veterans. LD 570, sponsored by Sen. Cameron Reny (D-Lincoln), would provide an additional tax exemption of $75,000 to families and individuals who make below a certain income, bringing the total tax exemption available for those eligible up to $100,000. The votes against these other plans were also unanimous among those present. The committee has yet to take action on LD 559, sponsored by Sen. Donna Bailey (D-York), which would allow municipalities to adopt a property tax stabilization program for their senior residents approved by local ordinance. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
In uproar over low test scores, Republicans try to shift blame to DEI, social emotional learning
Billy Bob Faulkingham, Republican minority leader in the Maine House of Representatives, during a joint House-Senate debate on the justice system. Feb. 25, 2025. (Photo: Jim Neuger/ Maine Morning Star) The national fight over diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in schools has reached Maine, with some Republican lawmakers blaming the state Department of Education for prioritizing instruction that elevates a diversity of perspectives over traditional curriculum, which they connected to students' poor assessment scores. DEI practices span a wide range of curriculum and policies, including lessons, books and learning materials that highlight inclusivity as well as trainings for educators in anti-racism. The Maine DOE supports these practices by providing resources and encouraging Black and Indigenous history lessons, for example, and celebrating various languages, cultures, histories, and identities of students and staff, according to the DOE website. Maine does not have any mandated DEI curriculums or educator training, but the state has committed to the practices, backed by research, since 2020. The department also offers trainings and resources for educators to implement social-emotional learning — which is intended to develop students' interpersonal skills and help them manage their emotions. In a press conference on Tuesday, two Republican lawmakers said schools should shift their focus away from DEI and toward learning 'the basics,' which they defined as English, math and science curricula. 'Schools should be teaching these subjects, not all this DEI stuff,' said House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham of Winter Harbor. 'Maine can be a leader once again if we reject the failed policies that have corrupted our education system and move on to things like reading, writing and arithmetic.' Rep. Barbara Bagshaw of Windham, a recently retired teacher, said she has heard complaints from parents who are pulling students out of public school because they aren't sufficiently educating their children. She said that's happening because the Maine DOE seems to 'ignore the basic measures of learning and instead, it's focusing on things that cannot be tested.' 'DEI and gender identity not only detracts from traditional learning, it often leads to kids in schools being bullied,' she said. Maine students haven't recovered academically post-pandemic. Here's why Similarly, Rep. Sheila Lyman (R-Livermore Falls) said in a House GOP radio address that the administrations of former President Joe Biden and Gov. Janet Mills have pushed a political agenda by supporting inclusive education, curricula and offering trainings for teachers to support all students. 'Many Maine teachers do not want to teach sex or politics, especially when it is not age appropriate,' she said. Lyman, a retired teacher, also said in an interview earlier this month with WVOM host Ric Tyler, that she 'dealt with social emotional learning every day' in the classroom, but that she thought it has gone too far recently. 'The level of what they're bringing into the schools now, that is not necessary,' she said. 'It's not the public schools' job to address some of these issues … leave the parenting to the parents, focus on the academics for the school.' Republicans have been pointing to recent national assessment scores that showed Maine students are still not fully recovered from the pandemic. However, experts said that while poor performance can be attributed to a lot of factors, DEI and a focus on social-emotional learning are not among them. Rachel Brown-Chidsey, a professor of educational and school psychology at the University of Southern Maine who consults with several school districts on academic progress, said this sort of rhetoric ignores research that shows the academic benefits of this approach. 'I think that's a convenient political argument that has nothing to do with current outcomes,' said Brown-Chidsey. 'In fact, I would make a strong argument that if we use effective instructional programs, we would increase learning outcomes across all subgroups.' As Brown-Chidsey notes, a broad range of educational and mental health experts and organizations have found that when students feel supported and have the skills to express themselves, interact with others and treat everyone well, they are more equipped to learn. Maine's poor academic recovery has also been attributed to districts not using evidence-based literacy and math programs, the strong prioritization of local control that leaves curricular decisions— including academic recovery strategies — up to each district, as well as the need for further investment in public education. The Maine DOE has so far resisted the push from Republican lawmakers, including the Trump administration, to walk back DEI efforts in K-12 schools, citing the Maine Human Rights Act, which protects students from discrimination based on race, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation. Last month, the Trump administration gave America's schools and universities two weeks to eliminate diversity initiatives or risk losing federal money — a move that is facing several legal challenges. In a 'Dear Colleague' letter on Feb. 14, Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Education, warned institutions receiving federal funds against considering race as a factor for hiring, educator training and financial aid. He also directly criticized DEI programs, which he said 'frequently preference certain racial groups and teach students that certain racial groups bear unique moral burdens that others do not.' Maine DOE pushes back on Republicans' call to end gender support in schools 'In recent years, American educational institutions have discriminated against students on the basis of race, including white and Asian students, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds and low-income families,' he said. He said that institutions' 'embrace of pervasive and repugnant race-based preferences and other forms of racial discrimination have emanated throughout every facet of academia.' Following up on that directive, the U.S. Department of Education announced last week $600 million in cuts to institutions and nonprofits that were 'using taxpayer funds to train teachers and education agencies on divisive ideologies.' It's hard to know how much is spent on teacher training for DEI, or how widespread inclusive curricula or diverse learning materials are in Maine schools, but as of this week the state DOE website still includes educator resources on inclusive teaching practices. That could change as the state reviews guidance from the federal government. 'The Maine DOE is reviewing the Dear Colleague letter and monitoring its implementation, which will include assessing any forthcoming legal guidance from the [U.S. DOE] and its interaction with existing state of Maine law,' Chloe Teboe, the state department's spokesperson, said last week. With changing guidance, schools are in an increasingly difficult position of how best to serve all students, explained Steven Bailey, executive director of the Maine School Management Association. Exclusively focusing on reading and math while ignoring the benefits of incorporating holistic supports such as DEI and social-emotional initiatives would be doing students a disservice, he said. 'It's a difficult position to be in, to make its daily choices in terms of what's needed today: Is it math? Reading? Or something that would help a student develop more and gain more confidence?' he said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maine House casts party-line vote as Legislature remains deadlocked on budget
Feb. 25—The Maine House of Representatives voted along party lines Tuesday to advance a plan to close a state budget shortfall, lacking the necessary two-thirds support needed for the proposal to take effect immediately and avoid potential delays in payments to hospitals for care provided to MaineCare patients. House Republicans were unified in opposition to the proposal and sought to send the $121 million spending proposal back to the Legislature's budget-writing committee to try to reach a compromise. The committee previously endorsed the proposal in a unanimous vote of those present, but a Republican committee member who was absent at the time of the vote later rallied his party to oppose the deal. Democrats rejected the effort and called for a vote to pass the budget package as a bipartisan emergency measure so it could take effect immediately. But it only generated Democratic support and was unanimously opposed by Republicans, falling well short of the 101 votes needed to enact the budget as an emergency. Democrats then tabled the bill before coming back into session Tuesday evening and voting 75-68 to pass the measure with a narrow majority. It is expected to go to the Senate next week. If ultimately passed without the two-thirds support, the budget adjustments will not take effect until 90 after the Legislature adjourns. That would mean the proposal does not take effect until September, unless the Legislature adjourns ahead of schedule. Historically, the Legislature has passed compromise budgets with bipartisan support. But twice in recent years, the Democratic majority has adjourned early after passing budgets without Republican support. Republicans vowed to withhold support unless Democrats agree to cut the state's General Assistance program, which is a safety net program of last resort for people who can't afford basic needs, or to enact work requirements for MaineCare, the state's Medicaid program. House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham, R-Winter Harbor, said Republicans agree that providing funding for hospitals and approving funds to control a spruce budworm infestation in northern Maine are important objectives. But he said his party would not "sign a blank check without seeing some fiscal responsibility in the form of cost savings." "If that doesn't come in the form off General Assistance reform or work requirements, we are open to suggestions form the other side," Faulkingham said. "But we have yet to see any proposals that suggest a willingness to put cost savings into the budget." Democrats criticized Republicans for reneging on a deal negotiated and endorsed by the party's own members who were present for the budget committee's vote. Rep. Drew Gattine, D-Westbrook, said the proposal is a stripped-down version of Gov. Janet Mills' original version — which included GA reforms and a suspension of cost-of-living increases for direct care workers — that also includes several other Republican priorities. Both sides initially agreed to put off the debate on more contentious issues until the Legislature debates a new two-year budget in the coming weeks. The supplemental budget includes $118 million for the state's MaineCare program. The administration and Democrats warned that failure to pass with the required two-thirds support needed for it to take effect immediately means health care providers would see a delay or reduction in MaineCare reimbursements from the state, which could reduce access to care, especially in rural areas. "Real Mainers," Rep. Michele Meyers, D-Eliot, said, "frankly don't give a damn about our political squabbling. They care about their kids, their aged parents, their disabled parents, their foster child, their patients." Gattine said payments to MaineCare providers could be cut or suspended beginning in March. The supplemental budget received a unanimous endorsement from the Legislature's budget-writing committee, signaling smooth passage. But committee member Rep. Ken Fredette, R-Newport, missed the meeting and later tried to register a vote against the deal. Fredette's opposition prompted his Republican colleagues to withdraw their support and demand additional changes. Republicans offered a series of floor amendments, outlining their budget demands, but Democrats said those policy discussions should be taken up within the context of the next biennial budget. Senate Democrats signaled a willingness to add cost-of-living raises for direct care workers if the Republicans would support the budget, but it was clear the minority party wanted additional concessions. The budget faces an additional votes in both the House and Senate, before it can be sent to Mills, who has urged Republicans to back the spending plan. "I want to be clear: There is absolutely no need to obstruct a two-thirds passage of this bill," Mills previously said. "It will only hurt Maine people," she added. "Republicans would be wise to support passage of the supplemental budget now and ensure that Maine health care providers receive the payments they need in a timely way. Once the supplemental is done, I will join them in vigorously pushing for much-needed reforms to General Assistance — something that I agree needs to happen — during negotiations on the biennial budget." Copy the Story Link
