ON THE ISSUES
CONTRACT WITH WORKING MAINERS
Too many Mainers feel like state government isn’t working for them. Washington is lost in chaos. The wealthy get heard. Working people get the shaft.
Troy Jackson believes Maine government should answer to the people who keep the state running. And protect them from Donald Trump and ICE.
That means we need a new contract with working Mainers: lower costs, fair taxes, good jobs, affordable health care, free child care, homes and affordable heat, and a fair shot for the people who have been squeezed for too long.
Troy has spent his life fighting for working people. As governor, he’ll keep fighting until Maine works for them again.
The Details
STOP ELECTRICITY RATE HIKES
Mainers deserve electricity that’s reliable, affordable, and clean. But in recent years our utilities have moved far more money to Wall Street investors than they have into regular upkeep of our grid and the workers who maintain it – all while raising costs for ratepayers. And now CMP is back at it again, asking our PUC to saddle ratepayers with a $1.5 billion rate hike. Enough is enough. As Governor, Troy will stop these electricity rate hikes, cut egregious utility profits and reinvest in the grid so it’s more reliable and less prone to outages, and make Maine energy independent by tapping into our abundant clean energy resources.
GIVING WORKING FAMILIES A BREAK
- Double the Earned Income Tax Credit. Troy will double Maine’s Earned Income Tax Credit which means $3,468 for families with three or more kids, $649 for individuals. Workers from more than 100,000 Maine households work full-time and still can’t pay the bills while corporate profits hit all-time highs. Here’s the choice: we can hand working families the money they’ve earned, or we keep padding corporate bank accounts. Troy knows which side he’s on.
Children or relatives claimed | Filing as single, head of household, married filing separately or widowed | Filing jointly |
Zero | $19,104 | $26,214 |
One | $50,434 | $57,554 |
Two | $57,310 | $64,430 |
Three | $61,555 | $68,675 |
Maximum credit amounts: 1 qualifying child: $2,164; 2 qualifying children: $3,576; 3 or more qualifying children: $4,023.
- Strengthen the Child & Dependent Tax Credit. Troy will expand the Child & Dependent Tax Credit to put money back where it belongs: in the pockets of working families, not corporate CEOs. Everyday Mainers are doing everything right, paying their bills, working hard, but are still falling behind while the wealthy keep getting richer. Expanding the tax credit puts real money back in working Mainers’ pockets. No more watching from the sidelines while everyone else gets ahead. Troy’s fighting to make sure when you work hard and raise a family, you actually get to keep more of what you earn.
- Tax Exemptions for Diapers, Menstrual, Medical Products. We need to bring Maine’s tax code into the 21st Century. Mainers aren’t supported to pay sales tax on basic essentials, but somehow menstrual products and diapers don’t fit the bill. It’s wrong and needs to change.
PATIENTS OVER PROFITS
First and foremost, Maine needs a public option. While Troy believes in Medicare for All, he believes that it would be a challenge for Maine to implement on its own. That’s why he supports the pursuit of a public option.
As we work to get a public option up in running Maine, we must also rein in the price of prescription drugs, protect access to reproductive care and invest in rural health care. These policies include:
- Lowering the cost of prescription drugs. Maine patients shouldn’t be at the mercy of greedy pharmaceutical companies when it comes to the medication they need to live. Part of the solution must include prohibiting excessive, often overnight, price increases for generic and off-patent prescription drugs sold in Maine. We also need to clamp down on pharmacy benefit managers, the insidious middlemen, that drive up prescription drug prices. And when Big Pharma threatens to sue, Troy will say bring it on.
- Improving access to reproductive health care. For too long, funding for family planning services has remained stagnant. With widespread attacks on reproductive freedom, access to quality, affordable reproductive care across Maine is more important than ever. It’s time to fund family planning services sustainably so access to care isn’t in jeopardy every two years.
- Put patients over profits. Private equity companies have one goal – make their corporate shareholders even richer. So when they buy up rural hospitals, nursing homes and the primary medical care practice on Main Street, they aren’t focused on patient care, health outcomes or the community. They just want to make a whole bunch of money as quickly as possible. And it is patients and communities who pay the price. Maine patients are already struggling to access and afford the care they need and deserve. We cannot let what private equity firms are doing in other states, happen in Maine. As Governor, Troy would enact a moratorium preventing private equity firms from buying up health care practices in Maine.
- Nursing homes and long-term care. In 1995, our state had 132 nursing homes. Now, that number is closer to 80, with no nursing homes in the entirety of Hancock County. This shows what a systemic problem we have on our hands. As Governor, Troy will prioritize investments and improve reimbursement rates to ensure that quality long term care is available for our loved ones when they need it most.
As Governor, Troy will do everything in his power to keep healthcare providers afloat and give doctors and nurses the staffing resources to safely serve all Maine communities – stepping in and temporarily taking over hospitals and critical healthcare services if necessary. Maine should not let reckless decisions by politicians in Washington DC or the corporate healthcare giants leave Maine high and dry without the healthcare services we need and deserve!
ESTABLISH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
Working families are being priced out of Maine while Wall Street investors and out-of-state millionaires buy up our communities. From Kittery to Fort Kent, too many of the people who actually make this state run can’t afford to live here anymore. Troy will elevate Maine Housing into the Department of Housing Affordability and give it new powers and resources to tackle the housing crisis with the speed, scale, and focus working families deserve.
- We’ll stop Wall Street from buying up Maine. Private equity firms are snatching up homes and pricing out working families. They’re treating our communities like an investment opportunity while teachers and nurses can’t afford rent. It’s time for policies that give families a pathway to home-ownership over corporations and investment firms.
- We’ll reward Mainers who stay and build their lives here. Tax credits for renters, incentives for full-time residents, and down payment assistance programs for people committed to living and working in Maine. If you work here, you should be able to afford to live here.
- We’ll expand and make permanent the programs that actually work. Expanding the low-income housing tax credit, strengthening the rural rental tax credit, and removing the sunset on the state affordable housing tax credit. No more temporary fixes and political games. These tools work, so let’s stop pretending they’re experiments.
- We’ll cut the red tape with a statewide housing appeals board so good projects don’t die in endless bureaucracy.
- We’ll deliver on meaningful property tax relief. With rising valuations and the increase of luxury vacation homes, year-round Maine residents are being priced out of their communities. As Governor, Troy will explore surcharges on luxury homes valued at over a million dollars to help stabilize local property taxes and support municipal services. He will convene a property tax relief task force to develop and implement long-term solutions so Mainers don’t get priced out of their communities, and communities can meet the needs of Maine people.
CHILDCARE FOR ALL
TROY JACKSON WILL DELIVER FREE UNIVERSAL CHILDCARE FOR MAINE WORKING FAMILIES
Child care is the backbone of our economy, but it’s breaking the backs of working families. We’ve got parents in Maine paying more for childcare than they pay for rent. Childcare workers can’t afford to take care of their own families on what they’re getting paid. And young families are leaving the state because they can’t find or afford child care.
Troy won’t accept that. Here’s his plan to deliver free, universal childcare for Maine working families:
MAKE CHILDCARE FREE FOR WORKING FAMILIES.
- FREE CHILDCARE FOR FAMILIES EARNING UP TO 125% OF STATE MEDIAN INCOME. Under Troy’s plan, childcare would be completely free for any working family earning up to 125% of the state median income. For a family of four, that’s about $145,000. An estimated 35,000 children in Maine aged five and younger are currently eligible at this threshold. Right now, only 7% of eligible children participate in the state’s Child Care Affordability Program – roughly 2,200 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers – and about 1,000 children are stuck on a waitlist due to underfunding. Troy’s plan will end the waitlist and open the doors to every eligible family.
- CAP COSTS FOR FAMILIES ABOVE THE THRESHOLD. For families earning more than 125% of state median income, no one will pay more than 7% of their household income toward the cost of childcare. For example, a family of four with two working parents earning $160,000 per year could enroll two young children in high-quality, full-time childcare for less than $1,000 per month – a savings of over $18,000 per year compared to their current costs. An estimated 14,000 additional children aged five or younger in households earning between 125% and 250% of state median income will benefit from reduced costs.
- COVER INFANTS THROUGH PRE-K. Troy’s plan covers infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children – the years when childcare is most expensive and hardest to find. Full-time childcare in Maine currently costs around $15,000 per child per year. This plan ensures that cost is no longer a barrier for families during the most critical years of a child’s development.
GROW MAINE’S ECONOMY & KEEP FAMILIES IN MAINE.
- BRING 18,000 MAINERS BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE. An estimated 18,000 people in Maine are currently out of the labor force due to a lack of childcare. The childcare crisis costs the state economy an estimated $403 million a year in lost earnings, productivity, and revenue – roughly the same as the cost of this plan. Free universal childcare isn’t just a family policy. It’s an economic development strategy.
- STOP THE OUT-MIGRATION OF YOUNG FAMILIES. Maine’s future depends on keeping and attracting young families. When parents can’t find or afford childcare, they leave. Troy’s plan makes Maine one of the most family-friendly states in the country and sends a clear message: this is a state where you can afford to raise your kids.
- INVEST IN CHILDCARE WORKERS. The people taking care of our children deserve to be able to take care of their own families. Troy was a champion for childcare workers in the Legislature, fighting to put more money in their pockets. As Governor, he will continue that fight, ensuring that expanded public investment in childcare translates into better pay and better conditions for the workforce that makes it all possible.
PAY FOR IT FAIRLY.
- THE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN CHILDCARE IN MAINE HISTORY. Troy’s plan represents an estimated $350 million per year in new state investment above current spending. The state currently invests roughly $50 million between state funds and federal Child Care and Development Block Grant dollars toward childcare affordability. This plan will transform that investment to meet the full scale of the crisis.
- A FAIR TAX PLAN – COMING SOON. Now, Troy knows folks are going to ask how we pay for it. Maine needs a fair tax system where the wealthiest pay their fair share. Full-time childcare in Maine costs around $15,000 per child per year, and the childcare crisis costs the state economy an estimated $403 million a year in lost earnings, productivity, and revenue: roughly the same as the cost of this plan. Troy will roll out a detailed revenue plan by the end of the month to fully fund universal childcare without raising taxes on working families.
PROTECTING GOOD-PAYING JOBS & THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS
- Passing the Buy American, Build Maine Act. If there is work that needs to be done in this state and in this country, and taxpayers are footing the bill, then the people living, working and paying taxes in this state and country should have the opportunity to do the job. And if there are materials or parts needed to do the job, those materials should be American-made whenever possible.
- Promote good-faith negotiations in public sector employment contracts. Right now, agreements reached through the arbitration process are meaningless for public employees and employers because they aren’t binding. As a result, neither management nor employees have any incentive to keep their end of the bargain. Our public employees – our teachers, our firefighters, and snowplow drivers – deserve better.
- Eliminating bogus noncompete agreements. Bogus noncompete agreements stand in the way of healthy economic competition and innovation by unfairly trapping workers in jobs under the guise of protecting trade secrets. There is a time and place for noncompete agreements but they should be used appropriately.
- Protecting heritage industries. Protecting and promoting Maine fishing and seafood processing to create good-paying jobs and support our working waterfront. Enforcing laws so that hardworking Maine truckers aren’t watching the jobs in their own backyard go to Canadians. Supporting Maine farmers and food producers who feed our communities, our seniors and our families.
TROY JACKSON WILL STAND BETWEEN TRUMP'S ICE AGENTS AND MAINE FAMILIES
Donald Trump has unleashed ICE agents across Maine in military-style raids he’s calling “Operation Catch of the Day.” Trump is treating our neighbors like fish to be caught and thrown away. Agents are showing up at schools, hospitals, and churches. They’re entering homes without warrants. They’re violating the constitutional rights of Mainers, including U.S. citizens, because of how they look or sound.
Troy won’t let that stand. Here’s his plan to protect Maine families and hold bad actors accountable:
ESTABLISH, ENFORCE & SUPPORT PROTECTED ZONES.
- ISSUE AN EXECUTIVE ORDER ESTABLISHING PROTECTED ZONES.
For years, ICE avoided enforcement at schools, hospitals, churches, and social services. Trump ended that policy. Now ICE agents can show up anywhere, anytime. As Governor, Troy will issue an executive order that:
- Bans ICE enforcement on state property unless agents have a warrant signed by a judge.
- Creates a hotline where Mainers can report ICE agents operating on state property without a warrant.
- Sends Maine State Police to investigate and document every reported violation.
- RAPID RESPONSE TO PROTECT SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, AND CHURCHES. Mainers have the right to go to school, seek medical care, worship freely, and access food pantries and shelters without fear. Troy will create red-line zones around schools, hospitals, churches, and social service centers. If ICE shows up at any of these locations, one call will trigger an immediate response from Maine State Police. The Public Safety Commissioner and the Attorney General will be notified every time.
- PROTECT MAINERS FOURTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS. As Governor, Troy will take legal action to protect the rights of Maine residents “to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.” Troy will direct the Attorney General to file lawsuits against these illegal searches. If ICE violates your constitutional rights, Maine will fight back in court.
HOLD BAD ACTORS ACCOUNTABLE
- APPOINT A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSIONER WHO WORKS FOR MAINERS. Troy will appoint a Public Safety Commissioner committed to enforcing the law fairly AND protecting our residents’ rights. If ICE agents break the law, they will be charged and held accountable under state law – just like anyone else.
- ENACT THE MAINE ICE ACCOUNTABILITY COMMISSION. Troy will create the Maine Truth Commission to build a public record of what ICE did during “Operation Catch of the Day.” The Commission will document how Trump’s raids harmed Maine families and recommend policies to make sure it never happens again.
- ESTABLISH ONLINE COMPLAINT SYSTEM FOR MISCONDUCT BY FEDERAL AGENTS. Troy will set up a simple online portal where Mainers can report ICE agents who use excessive force, conduct illegal searches, make wrongful arrests, or violate civil rights. Every complaint will be tracked and investigated by the Attorney General’s office.
- CREATE A MAINE CIVIL RIGHTS ACTION TEAM: Troy will create a dedicated unit in the Attorney General’s ready to take immediate legal action when ICE breaks the law. Whether it’s excessive force, unlawful searches or arrests, illegal detentions, voter intimidation, or other civil rights violations, Maine will fight back fast.
Fair Share Tax Plan
Maine’s tax code is upside down. Working and middle-class families pay their taxes every paycheck, while the wealthiest people and biggest corporations too often benefit from loopholes, low rates, and special treatment. Troy Jackson believes it is time to fix that. As Governor, he will fight for a tax code that rewards work, asks more of those at the top, and invests in the people who make this state run.
1. Making Millionaires Pay Their Fair Share
For too long, working and middle-class families have carried too much of the load while the very wealthy have been allowed to skate by. The Millionaires Tax is about basic fairness.
As Governor, Troy is proposing a 4 percent surtax on income over one million dollars. That money would be invested directly in the services Maine families need most.
We also cannot treat passive income the same as earned income. As Governor, Troy would raise taxes on investment income to ensure that wealth generated through investments contributes fairly to the state’s resources.
Troy also supports a tax on wealth proceeds so that income generated through accumulated wealth is no longer shielded from the kind of responsibility working people already carry every day. Wealth should not get special treatment just because it is structured differently on paper. Maine can and should ask more of those making enormous sums from investments and other wealth-based income streams.
These steps would work alongside broader reforms to Maine’s tax code for high earners, ensuring that the very wealthiest households pay more not just through one surtax, but through a tax system that is fairer at every level.
2. No Free Ride for Billionaires
A handful of billionaires should not be able to accumulate massive fortunes while working families struggle to afford housing, child care, and rising costs. Extreme wealth concentration is bad for democracy, bad for fairness, and bad for Maine.
Troy supports working with other states on an interstate compact to pursue taxation of ultra-high net worth households, including a minimum 5 percent annual tax on assets above $1 billion. Because that kind of policy requires coordination and will face legal and administrative hurdles, Troy views this as a multistate reform effort, not a short-term Maine-only budget gimmick. But he believes the direction is right: billionaires should not be able to hide behind state lines while working people pay the bills.
4. Making Successful Corporations Pay Their Fair Share
Maine families and small businesses are paying the price for a child care system that does not meet the need. If we want quality, affordable child care, we need the biggest and most profitable corporations to do their part.
As Governor, Troy would propose raising the top corporate tax rate on profits over $3.5 million by 1 percent. This modest change would create $50 million in revenue each year, providing the necessary funding to expand access to quality, affordable child care across Maine.
Troy would also work to close wasteful corporate tax breaks and loopholes that reward powerful interests without delivering enough for Maine workers and communities. Maine should not be giving away tax advantages to corporations while ordinary people are being told there is not enough money for the basics.
5. Making Maine’s Tax Code Fair
In 2011, former Governor Paul LePage slashed funding for education, property tax relief, first responders, pensions for state workers and more, all so he could give tax breaks to his wealthy friends. Troy was one of only a handful of Democrats who stood strong and refused to support that bogus plan. Now it is time to reverse course and make Maine’s tax code fair again.
