Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 7 A P R I L 3 , 2 0 1 7 Lawmakers make case for scrapping 3% tax surcharge State lawmakers seeking to repeal the controversial 3% tax surcharge or limit its eff ects fi red their opening pub- lic salvos in Augusta on March 20. Sponsors of fi ve bills made their case at an afternoon hearing before the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. e surcharge took eff ect this year after vot- ers approved it by a narrow margin last November. Supported by the Stand Up for Students initiative, the measure aims to raise up to $157 million a year for edu- cation by increasing the top marginal income tax rate to 10.15% on house- holds earning $200,000 or more. e 3% comes on top of the 7.15% regular income tax rate for everyone, and would aff ect more than 16,000 taxpayers, including owners of small businesses. State Sen. Dana Dow, R-Lincoln, a small business owner and former schoolteacher, said he's mainly con- cerned about the 11,000 small businesses aff ected by the tax. Dana Connors, president of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, told Mainebiz after the hearing that Dow's bill is the one that's the "most consistent with our position" to support education, but with an alter- native funding source that doesn't do as much harm to the economy. LePage: Merge MDOT and MTA Gov. Paul LePage, speaking at a town hall meeting in Gorham March 22, fl oated the idea of merging the Maine Turnpike Authority with the Maine Department of Transportation, suggest- ing that it could lead to the elimination of most turnpike tolls on Interstate 95. e Portland Press Herald reported that LePage suggested that only the turn- pike's southernmost tollbooths should remain in place to capture revenue from visitors to the state. He also suggested that MDOT could be given the respon- sibility of maintaining the 109 miles of the turnpike and that the turnpike's authority to borrow money could be suspended. LePage told the Gorham audience that the idea was consistent with the original goal of the turnpike when it was completed in 1947 of even- tually eliminating its tolls once the high- way construction costs were paid. N O T E W O R T H Y S T A T E W I D E The Maine Health Access Foundation in Augusta selected Consumers for Affordable Health Care, Disability Rights Maine, Maine Children's Alliance, Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Maine Equal Justice Partners to participate in a nine-month, customized strategic fi nancial consulting engagement with the Nonprofi t Finance Fund, a national consulting group. Each organization will receive a grant of $75,000 to support the time spent working with the fund consultants. Maine's oldest bank comes to Portland's Old Port Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution opened its fi rst branch in Portland, at 136 Commercial St. in the Old Port. "As we opened branches in Cumberland S T A T E W I D E S O U T H E R N Dawn of a new 'Aura' for music and mixers in Portland — Let the sunshine in UNE, Kennebunk High School sign college transfer agreement — Filling Maine's education gap Tilson lands $4.23 million contract with NHDOT — A road to prosperity Unum's charitable giving exceeds $3.7M in Maine — Doing well by doing good Mainers' thirst for craft beer continues as brewers pour $228M into economy — Drink up, the economy depends on it Feds shut down scallop fishing area — Larger vessels taking a larger share Wiscasset restaurant calls it quits after four decades — Last call at chowder house Maine job match service hit with data breach — Hacking wreaks havoc LePage's budget proposal cuts funding for three 'incubator' programs — 'Top Gun' program looks for new wingman J.C. Penney closing one Maine store — Retail evolution continues C R E D I T S & D E B I T S 866.736.2804 mainebls.com EQUIPMENT REAL ESTATE BUSINESS ACQUISITION Maine Loans for Maine Businesses Loans from $50,000 to $20,000,000 Streamlined Process Gets Deals Done Quickly Decisions Made in Maine www.norrisinc.com Advancing security, life safety, and communications. Norris Inc. See the big picture.

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