Maine

Maine can’t afford to lose its rich — or forget its poor | Opinion

Published

10 months ago

May 10, 2025

Maine can’t afford to lose its rich — or forget its poor | Opinion

As a psychiatrist, I sit across from Mainers every day: retired electricians, young mothers, business leaders. Some come to me sick or scared. Others come to think out loud. But lately, one thread ties their stories together: fear that Maine is slipping away, either from rising taxes or from a fraying safety net. Let me tell you about three patients. Their names have been changed, but their stories are real.

Walter is 82. He’s a retired electrician with diabetes, arthritis and early signs of dementia. He lives alone in subsidized housing and relies on MaineCare for his medications. “Doc,” he once told me, “If I lose my nurse, I lose everything.” That nurse checks his blood sugar and keeps his fridge stocked. Her salary comes from taxpayer dollars.

Claire is 29. She fled an abusive relationship and lived in a shelter with her two children. She’s been clean for six months, sees a therapist weekly, and is working part time. Her child care is covered by a state voucher program that’s barely holding on.

Then there’s David, a wealthy entrepreneur from southern Maine. He built his company from nothing and gives generously to his community. But recently, he looked at me and said, “Doctor Jeff, if they raise taxes much more, I’ll move to New Hampshire. I love Maine, but I can’t be the only one writing the check.” And a financial planner in the Portland area shared with me that high-earning taxpayers are, in fact, leaving Maine for New Hampshire: “We lost five wealthy families just last year.”

Here’s the hard truth: all of these people are existentially connected. The safety net that keeps Walter alive and helps Claire rebuild her life? It exists, in part, because of taxes paid by people like David.

That’s why this isn’t a simple case of “tax the rich” versus “protect the poor.” Not some catchy three-word phrase attempting to solve one of the most important and complicated issues. It’s about balance. About keeping Maine whole. We are already one of the highest-taxed states in the country. Top earners here pay over 7% in state income tax compared to zero just over the border in neighboring New Hampshire.

According to Maine Revenue Services, the top 1% of earners contribute nearly a quarter of all income taxes collected statewide. And when they leave, they don’t just take their dollars. They take jobs, charitable giving and civic leadership with them. Again, wealthy high-taxed people do leave Maine. And when they do, it weakens our ability to help those who remain.

But that doesn’t mean we abandon the safety net. Quite the opposite. Right now, rural hospitals and birth centers are closing. Foster families are overwhelmed. Nursing homes are shuttering their doors. If we don’t invest in these services, we’ll all pay, not just in dollars, but in lives.

So, how do we move forward?

First, we need to stop framing this as a war between the wealthy and the vulnerable. Most Mainers, whether they own a business or rely on public services, want the same things: a state where people can live safely, raise families and grow old with dignity.

Second, we need better data. How many people are truly leaving due to taxes? What do we lose when they do? Let’s answer those questions honestly before writing new laws and budgets.

Third, let’s think creatively. What if we offered tax incentives for high earners to donate directly to Maine-based services such as rural health clinics, food pantries, legal aid, job training, and infrastructure? What if we made giving as rewarding as leaving?

And finally, let’s not forget who we are. Maine is a small state with a big heart. We dig each other out after snowstorms. We show up with casseroles. We wave at strangers on back roads. But we can’t do any of that if we drive away the people who help power our economy or if we look away from those sinking beneath its weight.

As a psychiatrist, I’ve seen what happens when the safety net fails. Patients end up in jail instead of treatment. Children go hungry and don’t graduate. Elders die alone. These aren’t abstract budget items. These are people. With names, fears and dreams. And as a Mainer, I see the value in keeping our most successful neighbors here, not out of guilt or fear, but out of both necessity and pride. Pride in a state that works for everyone.

So, let’s hold both truths close: that we need our wealthiest neighbors, and that we must never abandon our most vulnerable ones. Because in the end, Walter, Claire and David aren’t just stories. They are us. And if we lose even one of them, something in Maine is lost for good.

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Maine

How the Good Neighbor Day of Giving telethon is impacting Maine’s communities

Published

58 seconds ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

How the Good Neighbor Day of Giving telethon is impacting Maine’s communities

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Monday’s telethon held by WABI in partnership with Penquis and Heart of Maine United Way Monday raised money for the heating of homes, something so basic, yet so significant in a state like Maine.

Danielle Hewes, Penquis contributor and volunteer, says some people might not even know that they qualify for heating assistance.

“I think there’s this misconception that you can’t get that if you’re working. Like that’s just for people on general assistance. The truth of the matter is this is for the people that are maybe not able to work, but also for the people that are working. They’re making ends meet,” she said.

For Danielle, that’s what makes events like the telethon so special: it’s making a real difference in the community with people who need the help the most.

Speaking about Penquis in particular, she said, “You learn about all of the other things they do and how they help the community and you can’t help but want to be a part of that.”

If you weren’t able to donate Monday, donations are still being accepted.

You can go to homeunitedway.org/heat.

You can also call 941-2800.

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Maine

Arizona Sen. Gallego endorses Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner

Published

12 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Arizona Sen. Gallego endorses Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine Democrat Graham Platner has picked up another high-profile endorsement in his bid to flip a key Senate seat blue, marking another sign of the oyster farmer and combat veteran’s political resiliency even as he continues to face controversy throughout his campaign.

Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego announced Monday that he was backing Platner, saying that the first-time candidate “reflects the grit and independence that defines Maine.”

“Graham Platner is the kind of fighter Maine hasn’t seen in a long time, someone who tells you exactly what he thinks, doesn’t owe anything to the special interests, and wakes up every day thinking about working families,” said Gallego, who won a Senate seat in Arizona in 2024 by more than 2 points while Trump carried the state by nearly 6 points.

Platner has previously been endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, and New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat.

However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has endorsed Platner’s main opponent, Maine Gov. Janet Mills.

Both Platner, 41, and Mills, 78, are hoping to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins, 73, a five-term incumbent who announced last month that she was running for another term. A victory in Maine is crucial for Democrats’ efforts to take back control of the Senate. The Democratic Party needs to net four seats to retake the Senate majority, and they are aiming to do that in Maine, North Carolina, Alaska and Ohio.

READ MORE: Maine’s Graham Platner thinks voters will overlook his past to support a new type of candidate

Platner has gained traction with his anti-establishment image and economic equality message. He’s pressed forward despite controversies over old social media posts and a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he recently had covered up.

Gallego is among the Democrats named as possible 2028 presidential contenders. Last fall, he stumped in New Jersey, Virginia and Florida, where he campaigned for Democrats who went on to win their elections.

“I have an immense amount of respect for him and I’m looking forward to joining him as a fellow Marine and combat infantryman in the U.S. Senate,” Platner said in a statement.

Kruesi reported from Providence, Rhode Island.

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Maine

Building Hope: A Community Film Event to End Homelessness

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Building Hope: A Community Film Event to End Homelessness

On March 2, Spurwink will join community partners for a special viewing of Building Hope: Ending Homelessness in Maine at the University of Southern Maine’s McGoldrick Hall.

Directed by Richard Kane and produced by Melody Lewis-Kane, the film shines a compassionate light on the realities of Maine’s homelessness crisis. Through deeply personal stories, Building Hope explores the challenges faced by unhoused individuals and families, while highlighting the hope that emerges when communities come together to create solutions. It’s been praised for its honesty, dignity, and inspiring message: change is possible when we work together.

Following the screening, a panel of local leaders and advocates will discuss the film and the ongoing effort in Maine to end homelessness. Panelists will include Katherine Rodney, Director of Spurwink’s Living Room Crisis Center; Cullen Ryan, Chief Strategic Officer at 3Rivers; Donna Wampole, Assistant Professor of Social Work at USM; and Preble Street staff. Catherine Ryder, Spurwink’s Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, will bring her expertise in trauma-informed care and community collaboration to the panel as the moderator.

This event is free and open to the public.

McGoldrick Center, USM Portland campus

05:00 PM – 07:30 PM on Mon, 2 Mar 2026

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