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The latest edition of our Impact newsletter is now available!
Weekly edition of IMPACT, a publication of the Maine State Chamber | March 11, 2022
 
View this edition online
 
View an archived edition online

“Dark Stores” bill passes House
 
Maine State Chamber opposes bill 
 
 
 
The Maine House of Representatives voted 77 to 55 “ought-to-pass as amended” on LD 1129, An Act Relating to the Valuation of Improved Real Property,  sponsored by Rep. Ann Matlack (D-St. George). The Maine State Chamber testified in opposition to LD 1129 at the public hearing.
 
The bill is expected to be on the Senate calendar next week for their consideration. The Maine State Chamber urges its members to contact their legislators and ask them to vote no on LD 1129. We have prepared talking points for you here.
 
 
Read more...

Camp tax defeated in House
 
 Maine State Chamber opposes bill to impose another local option tax
 
 
On Thursday, March 9, the Maine House of Representatives voted 76 to 53 rejecting the ought-to-pass as amended motion on LD 1337, An Act To Increase Affordable Housing And Decrease Property Taxes Through An Impact Fee On Vacant Residences, sponsored by Rep. Christopher Kessler (D-South Portland), also known as the “Camp Tax.” The Senate is expected to take up the bill when they meet on Tuesday, March 15.
 
Read more...

 
Maine State Chamber Senior Government Relations Specialist Linda Caprara discusses LD 1337, the "Camp Tax”
 
Linda Caprara, senior government relations specialist for the Maine State Chamber, joined substitute co-hosts Chris Greeley and Andy Neff on the George Hale Ric Tyler Show Wednesday morning to discuss the Maine State Chamber’s opposition to LD 1337, also known as the “Camp Tax,” which would allow municipalities, through an ordinance, to impose an impact fee on second homes in Maine, three-quarters of which are owned by Mainers.
Listen to her segment here.

 
 
Tax committee passes former tax haven bill
 
Bill turned into resolve to require MRS to look into worldwide reporting
 
On Thursday, March 10, the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation voted along party lines “ought-to-pass as amended” on LD 428, An Act to Prevent Tax Haven Abuse, sponsored by Rep. Denise Teppler (D-Topsham). Democrats on the committee voted in favor of LD 428 while Republicans voted against it.
 
Read more...

Upcoming Public Hearings
& Work Sessions
 
Legislation
of Interest
     
With the end of session (typically mid-April) quickly approaching, public hearings and work sessions are winding down. Committees will only be working for another few weeks. At that point, our focus will shift to the floor debates in the House and Senate.
 
Each week, Maine Chamber staff studies each of the recently printed bills to assess potential impact on business trends. We are sharing those bills of concern with you here.
 
A total of 111 business-related bills have been tracked to date since the session began on January 5, 2022!
View the list of Public Hearings
for March 14 through March 25...
  View the complete list of legislation we are watching for you...
     
If you have concerns regarding any bill, please communicate those concerns to a member of our advocacy team by calling (207) 623-4568.

 
Taxation committee votes to pass Employment Tax Increment Financing legislation
 
The Joint Standing Committee on Taxation held a work session on Thursday, March 10. The committee unanimously voted “ought-to-pass as amended” on LD 1156, An Act to Reduce Errors in Employment Tax Increment Financing, sponsored by Rep. Amy Arata (R-New Gloucester). The bill, as originally drafted, attempts to simplify the way benefits under the Employment Tax Increment Financing (ETIF) program are calculated. The bill would base the benefits on gross wages of qualified employees rather than on income tax withholding for those employees.
 
Read more...

 
 
Maine business and municipal leaders urge state lawmakers to sustain the gas tax supporting critical infrastructure
 
Suspending Maine’s gas tax: Good intentions, but a bad idea
 
Earlier this week, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, Maine Better Transportation Association, Associated General Contractors of Maine (AGC Maine), and the Maine Municipal Association released a statement urging state lawmakers to sustain Maine’s gas tax. The statement was in response to a legislative proposal put forth to institute a nine-month gas tax holiday, which would cost the State Highway Fund $173 million.
 
Read more...

Maine Employers: We need to hear from you!
Deadline extended to March 25
     

 
The Maine State Chamber would like to include YOUR input in the survey portion of its Making Maine Work project. This brief survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete, and will close on Friday, March 25, 2022.
Complete the survey here.
 
Learn more...
 

From the Headlines:
Expanding natural gas pipeline capacity is key to cutting Maine energy costs
 
Across New England and in our state, natural gas is used to generate our electricity, heat our homes and offices and fuel our manufacturing. The region’s demand for natural gas is strong, yet supplies are scarce. It’s an artificial scarcity driven by a lack of pipeline capacity, not a lack of supply. There is a solution to this dilemma – expand pipeline capacity in the region. It’s a challenge we need to address now.
 
Read more...

 
 
LD 697 would impact more than just electric utilities
 
Maine State Chamber expresses concerns about proposed changes that could make it harder for utilities to attract investment
 
On March 8, the Maine State Chamber submitted the following letter to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Technology regarding the proposed amendment to LD 697, An Act To Reduce Risks To Maine’s Critical Infrastructure.
 
Read more...


Education Innovators Series:
 
"Imagining What
School Could Be"
 
Monday, March 21, 2022
6:00 to 7:30 p.m. EST
 
Click here or on the event image
to register and learn more.

From the Headlines:
 
Legislature’s Joint Resolution commends UMaine’s R1 designation
 
Among those in Augusta for the reading of the resolution and congratulations were UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy; former UMaine professor George Jacobson, a member of the “Faculty Five” that helped advocate for state research and development funding, leading to the passage of the Maine Economic Improvement Fund (MEIF); Maine State Chamber of Commerce President and UMaine alumnus Dana Connors; and James Donnelly, vice chair of the University of Maine System Board of Trustees who who helped create MEIF when he served in the Legislature.
 
Read more...

Join us for our next episode at noon on Tuesday, March 15
   
Be sure to watch The Maine Take streaming every Tuesday at noon during the legislative session, or check the archives for previous episodes, including our March 8 show with special guest U.S. Senator Susan Collins, who joined for a discussion on the crisis in Ukraine, President Biden’s SCOTUS nominee, the Senator’s asylum seekers work authorization proposal, International Women’s Day, and more. Please visit our website or contact Jen Webber for more information about The Maine Take, including sponsorship opportunities.
 

From the Governor's Newsroom:
 
Governor Mills applauds legislative committee for unanimous support of bill to raise wages for child care workers
 
 
On March 8, Governor Janet Mills applauded the Legislature’s Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business (IDEA) for unanimously supporting a bill sponsored by Speaker Ryan Fecteau to raise the wages of Maine’s child care workers. Governor Mills has proposed $12 million to fund the legislation in her supplemental budget to increase pay for child care workers and early childhood educators to strengthen our child care system across Maine.
Read more…

Did you miss The Bottom Line podcast this week?
 
The Bottom Line podcast airs on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. To listen live or to the archived recordings, please visit The Bottom Line page on the Maine State Chamber’s website or on iTunes, iHeart Radio, Soundcloud, Stitcher Radio, Spotify and radio.com. For more information about The Bottom Line, please contact Melanie Baillargeon by emailing [email protected].
 

From the Manufacturing Institute:
 
STEP Women’s Initiative commemorates 10 years honoring exceptional women in manufacturing
 
130 manufacturing leaders to be recognized at 2022 Awards Gala
 

The Manufacturing Institute (MI), the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, announces the recipients for the 2022 STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Awards. From the factory floor to the C-suite, the STEP Ahead Awards honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers across all levels of the manufacturing industry. On April 28, the MI will recognize 130 recipients of the STEP Ahead Awards at an in-person gala in Washington, D.C., highlighting each Honoree and Emerging Leader’s story, including their leadership and accomplishments in manufacturing.

Read more…


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Copyright Maine State Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved.
 128 State Street | Suite 101 | Augusta, ME 04330-5630
 Phone: (207) 623-4568
For media inquiries, please contact Katie Clark (207) 233-2230
For membership inquiries, please contact Mark Ellis. (207) 623-4568
  • About Us
    • Connect with Us
    • Affiliates & Partners
    • Meet the Team
    • Our Board
    • Local Chambers of Commerce
  • Membership
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Join the Chamber
    • Member Companies
    • Member Search
  • Public Policy
    • Public Policy Committees
    • Grassroot Resources
    • Find Your Legislator >
      • Representatives
      • Senators
  • Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • Annual Meeting and Dinner
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Business Day at the Statehouse
    • Board Meetings & Board Events
    • DC Fly-In
    • Legislative Strictly Social
    • Regional Breakfasts
    • Scramble for Scholars
    • Webinars by The Maine State Chamber of Commerce
  • Initiatives
    • Education Foundation
    • Keep Maine Competitive
    • Maine Economic Research Institute (MERI)
    • Senior Leaders of Tomorrow Development Program
  • Newsroom
    • Impact Newsletter
    • MSCC Blog
    • The Bottom Line
    • The Maine Take
    • Making Maine Work
    • MERI Roll Call
    • OneVoice Maine Magazine
    • Policy Brief Series with Educate Maine
    • Press Kit
    • External Social Media Policy
  • Member Login
  • AI In Action