Childcare may not always get the same attention as issues like health care or housing. But it’s something about which voters are seriously concerned. Poll after poll shows that general election voters’ top concern is the cost of living, and an Impact Research poll conducted in July showed that 82% of voters say that the…
In recent weeks, Congress passed a budget proposal seeking additional billions to fund federal immigration operations. Despite widespread public opposition to the inhuman actions of the Trump administration’s immigration agencies, Congress is moving forward with these budget plans that would further harm the stability and well-being of Maine’s families and immigrant communities. As the budget…
This week on the podcast Esther is joined by Andrea Paluso, Director of The Child Care for Every Family Network, and Charlotte Jacobs, community organizer and former program director of a childcare center. They share how both their experience as experts in the field and as parents has shaped their worldview on why free universal child care is crucial — and how we can…
Mainers can now begin applying for benefits under the state’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave program, marking a major step toward a system designed to support workers during some of life’s most challenging (and joyful) moments. The Maine Department of Labor opened applications on Monday, March 30, allowing people to submit requests ahead of…
A proposal to restructure Maine’s income tax system by creating new tax brackets and raising taxes on the highest incomes is moving forward in the legislature, with amendments to fund property and homestead tax credit increases, and end the tax on diapers. The measure, LD 229, sponsored by Rep. Ann Higgins Matlack (D-St. George), would…
A new report released Wednesday by Maine Equal Justice revealed that relatively small amounts of flexible financial support can make the difference between parents completing college programs or dropping out. The report findings are from the Build HOPE project, a four-year initiative that provided up to $2,000 per year to low-income parents enrolled in postsecondary…
This week on the podcast, Ben, Cate and Channa dig into the Trump administration’s restrictions on federally funded programs, including Head Start, which serves about 3,000 kids in Maine. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has joined a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general suing to block these restrictions that target immigrants without legal status and would…
A federal judge has overturned a Biden-era rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports but Maine residents will still be protected under a new state law. Starting in September, medical providers and debt collection agencies will be prohibited from reporting medical debt to any consumer reporting agency. Kate Ende, policy director at Augusta-based…
Maine lawmakers have approved funding that will keep the state’s network of family planning providers operating for another year. On Tuesday, the Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee passed an amended version of LD 143, “An Act to Improve Women’s Health and Economic Security” — sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Teresa Pierce (D-Cumberland) — which…
Childhood poverty is down slightly in Maine, but pandemic-era learning challenges remain, according to a new report. The 2025 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows 75% of eighth graders are not proficient in math, while 74% of fourth graders are not proficient in reading. Kristen Kinchla, research associate with Maine Children’s…