Maine GOP: News You Can Trust (Tax Reform, Budget Packages, etc.)

Maine GOP Presents: News You Can Trust Here is a quick round-up of some key news items.  At the Maine GOP we plan on providing you with a periodic update of key articles and opinions from around the state on topics that matter to you.  If you are aware of a news article or event that should be included here, please email garrettmurch@mainegop.com with the link and information. News You Can Trust Video Edition

Top Maine and National News Senator Collins and Congressman Poliquin lead on providing tax relief for working families This week, Congress passed historic tax relief legislation to give working families bigger paychecks. With key provisions added by Senator Susan Collins and Congressman Bruce Poliquin, the final bill is a winner for the middle class. This tax relief will go into effect very soon, and when it does, working Mainers will see the difference in their paychecks.  Starting this winter, there will be no tax on the first $24,000 a married couple earns. Parents with two children will get $4,000 a year for their child tax credits, instead of $2,000. Tax rates are cut for ALL tax brackets. Tax deductions for state and local property taxes are preserved for the VAST majority of Mainers.  And in a critical win by Senator Collins that Congressman Poliquin also fought for in the House, the tax deduction for medical expenses was not only saved, but made even bigger.  Maine's Republicans in Congress played a HUGE role in making this tax relief good for workers. They were national leaders and reminded us why the Maine people elected them. We at the Maine GOP want to offer Senator Collins and Congressman Poliquin a BIG THANK YOU. Senator Collins statement on passing tax reform for Maine working families In advance of voting, Senator Collins explained the benefits of the tax relief bill she supports. Senator Collins stated: This bill puts money back in the pockets of the American public with tax cuts beginning January 1st. As soon as the IRS updates withholding tables this winter, taxpayers will see the benefit of this bill in higher take-home-pay. Over time, Americans will continue to benefit from this legislation in the form of higher wages. Businesses, small and large, will make the investments that create more jobs... While this legislation is by no means perfect, on balance, it will provide much-needed tax relief. It will benefit lower- and middle-income families, while spurring the creation of good jobs and greater economic growth for our nation. Click here to read Senator Collins full release. Congressman Poliquin statement on passing tax reform for Maine working families Following House passage of tax relief for working Maine families and small businesses, Congressman Bruce Poliquin stated: I agree with my colleague Senator Collins that this new law will drastically simplify our tax code for the vast majority of Mainers and save more money for more of our hardworking families...   “Under this simpler tax code, we are doubling the standard deduction, meaning the average married couple in Maine will not pay any federal income tax for the first $24,000 they earn, a huge boost for our families. In addition, this increases the child tax credit to $2,000, meaning the average Maine family will save an additional $2,000 on their taxes per child in their family. This makes it easier for ordinary Maine families to benefit from the tax code...   This improved tax code will also greatly benefit the more than 140,000 small businesses and job creators throughout Maine and their 275,000 employees by lowering the effective rate for pass-throughs, of which almost all small businesses are organized. It will allow small businesses in all industries to benefit from it. We are giving our small businesses—the backbone of Maine’s economy—relief so they can grow and create more jobs for our fellow Mainers. Click here for Congressman Poliquin's statement. Maine Examiner: Sen. Justin Chenette Used Tax Dollars To Buy Campaign Ads From Himself This week, Maine Examiner reported: ...documents reviewed by Maine Examiner show that in the 2016 campaign cycle, Chenette used taxpayer funds to purchase advertising from his private sector employer, the Journal Tribune, to support his own candidacy for Maine Senate... The transactions, discovered in filings with the Maine Ethics Commission, show Chenette purchasing nearly $4,500 in advertising from the Journal Tribune, which bills itself as York County’s only daily newspaper. Chenette is the sole Digital Advertising Executive for the paper and has promoted himself as being available to sell customers print, digital and other services at the paper on his personal Facebook page... Recent online job postings indicate that advertising jobs such as Chenette’s at the Journal Tribune are paid a commission on sales... In total, Chenette spent more than $42,000 in taxpayer funding on his campaign, returning $17.34 in unspent funds to the MCEA fund on November 28, 2016, according to reports available from the Maine Ethics Commission. Click here to read the full Maine Examiner article. Maine Gubernatorial candidate announces hiring of senior campaign staff This week, Senate President Mike Thibodeau today announced his campaign for governor will be headed up by Tom Dickens and Christie-Lee McNally. Click here to read the full announcement.

MassGOP Bulletin: Mass-ive Victories Now and To Come in 2018

  

Friends,

 

The past week has made it clear: Democrats' one-party rule in the Legislature is toxic for Massachusetts, and voters are fed up with it.

 

Last Monday, embattled Senate President Rosenberg (D) stepped aside after he lost all credibility with the public amid a scandal involving sexual abuse and abuse of power by his husband. Unfortunately for Democrats, Rosenberg's temporary move has done nothing to restore the voters' trust in the Senate's Democrat majority.

 

News about Democrats' corruption continued on Friday when a top Democrat was arrested and indicted by federal authorities on hundreds of corruption-related charges. According to prosecutors, Sen. Brian Joyce (D) "ran his Senate office as a criminal enterprise." Even more outrageous, Joyce served as Rosenberg's hand-picked chair of a "committee to improve government" as recently as last year.

 

Fortunately, voters last week got the chance to send a message to Democrats - and they did so loud and clear. Republicans flipped a Democrat-held state senate seat in Worcester County when Dean Tran (R) won a special election last Tuesday. Dean will head to Beacon Hill as our newest GOP senator, and will be a champion for lower taxes and small businesses. Learn more about Dean's inspiring story. 

 

With Democrats running amok on Beacon Hill, now is the time to step up and get involved! We can continue the momentum from Senator-elect Tran's victory and see GOP success across the board in 2018 --> Click here to support the MassGOP today!

 

To Victory,

Kirsten Hughes

MassGOP Chairman 

 
The last three years of GOP leadership have been tremendously beneficial for our Commonwealth, and next year, voters will have the chance to stand with the Baker-Polito team again. Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito announced that they are seeking re-election, their sustained success gives Republicans a great opportunity to hold the Corner Office and win in districts across Massachusetts next year. 

The Baker-Polito team has delivered commonsense Republican reforms for MA:

• Tax relief for 400,000 working families and no new taxes
• Cutting the size of the state's bureaucracy for the first time in nearly 20 years
• Opposing MA becoming a sanctuary state, and working to give law enforcement the tools they need to keep us safe
• Over 120,000 new jobs, with household incomes on the rise

Click here to join the MassGOP's team so we can hold the Corner Office and win across the Commonwealth in 2018!

With 2018 right around the corner, the MassGOP is excited about supporting GOP candidates for office across the Commonwealth - and we're looking for committed individuals who want to help those candidates! We're working to build a pipeline of talented potential staffers who are able to work for campaigns on the GOP team for statewide and other offices. This will be a great opportunity for younger individuals to gain valuable campaign experience during what is sure to be an exciting election cycle! If you're interested in discussing further, please send a resume to info@massgop.com.

 

READ: Governor Demands Accountability In Rosenberg Investigation

"Baker told the Herald yesterday, 'It’s incumbent on the Senate to make sure that whoever they pick here has big-time standing and the independence that’s going to be required to actually do this in a way that ensures the victims and others that come forward feel that they can do so without repercussions.'"

 

WATCH: Baker, Polito Announce Re-Election

Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito announced their plans while touring a Massachusetts factory and touting the success of a public-private partnership.

 

READ: Herald Editorial Criticizes Dems On Failing To Back Baker's Vetoes

"But Spilka was the one leading the charge on the Senate floor these last few years to override most if not all of Gov. Charlie Baker’s budget vetoes — spending reductions that, had they been allowed to stand, could have helped the commonwealth ride out the most recent choppy seas. Take her calls for prudence in that context."

 

READ: Governor Pursues Opioid Reforms

"Governor Charlie Baker proposed Tuesday a sweeping package intended to boost the state’s battle against opioid addiction, including an effort to ensure higher-quality addiction treatment and a new provision allowing doctors to commit unwilling patients to 72 hours in a treatment facility."

  

READ: MassGOP Congratulates Senator-Elect Dean Tran On Victory

"In a statement Tuesday night, MassGOP Chairman Kirsten Hughes said, 'Senator-elect Dean Tran will be a terrific advocate for the people of the Worcester & Middlesex district, and a champion for taxpayers and small businesses on Beacon Hill. The MassGOP is proud to congratulate him on his victory, which is a testament to the fact that voters stand with Governor Baker's vision of fiscal discipline and commonsense reform.'"

 

WATCH: Chairman Hughes Talks 2018 With Jon Keller

Chairman Hughes joined WBZ's Jon Keller to discuss the GOP's plan to defeat Elizabeth Warren and retain the Corner Office in 2018.