Said she is “disappointed” over federal action providing relief as more than half the states follow the feds’ lead

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, March 26, 2020

MEDIA CONTACT: Julie Rabinowitz, Director of Policy and Communication, 207-292-2722 ext. 102, Julie@mainepbp.com

AUGUSTA – One of Maine’s largest citizen activist organizations, Maine People Before Politics, is bringing attention to the fact that Janet Mills has to date sidestepped the issue of providing tax filing relief in Maine.

The Trump Administration extended the April 15 tax-filing deadline to July 15 to give people and businesses more time to prepare and pay their taxes and to use that cash to pay their workers instead of filling government coffers.  At least 26 states have moved their dates to July 15, including California, Connecticut, and North Carolina.

Workers are losing jobs and businesses are closing, many of those closures per the order of Governor Mills.  Yet Janet Mill stated in a press conference Tuesday that she was “disappointed” the President moved the IRS tax deadline. 

Maine Revenue Services requires tax filers to pay taxes owed by April 15, any payments after that date are subject to interest and penalties, even if an individual filer takes advantage of an extension.

“A tax payment and filing delay like that of the federal government would allow businesses to keep employees paid with the funds which would otherwise go to the tax payment, and hardworking Mainers who owe taxes can use that money during a trying time to make ends meet,” said Julie Rabinowitz, Director of Policy and Communication for MPBP.

When Governor LePage left office, Maine had a roaring economy, with the lowest unemployment rate in decades and record tax revenue that continued to exceed projections.  MPBP calls upon Governor Mills to make the right decision by prioritizing Maine people in this  financial crisis.

“Now is the time for Maine to join other states and the federal government in moving the tax filing deadline.  It is a moment for leadership,” added Rabinowitz.

Maine People Before Politics has raised alarms over the last year about spending levels in state government.  Just last week, the Legislature passed $73 million more in state spending in the supplemental budget, more than half of which had nothing to do with coronavirus response or health care, based on revenue projections that will likely now never be realized.