| Greetings!
As we welcome to a new year and a new president, we also celebrate our fifteenth anniversary year. In 2009, all eyes will be on the economy and we are ready and willing to make a difference!
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Stimulating Maine's Economy. MECEP's 2009 Tax & Budget Conference
We have been receiving lots of positive feedback about  our January 12th conference attended by over 150 people. There was a lot of bad news in the numerous presentations by experts and practitioners, but also many good ideas and shared commitment for getting our economy back on track. Presentations and materials from the conference are now available. Stimulating Maine's Economy: Key Public Investments |
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Spotlight: 2009 Board of Directors
 MECEP has always been fortunate to have talented board members. This year is no exception as we welcome new board members; Beth Kilbreth, PhD, Associate Professor of Health and Public Policy at the USM Muskie School; David Wihry, PhD, Associate Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Maine; Lynn Davey, Vice-President of Frameworks Institute; and Lock Kiermaier, a former legislative analyst (not all are pictured). Special thanks to all our returning board members for their continuing service.
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Reports and Publications  Our annual Revenue & Spending Primer is out. This forty-eight page primer is a road map to state, municipal and county government
revenues and expenses in a simple, graphic format. It provides common vocabulary and data for upcoming tax and budget discussions.
2008 Maine Revenue & Spending Primer
Also, in this month's Choices, Dr. Erik Steele delivers an indictment of Maine's spiraling healthcare costs and seven recommendations to help put out the fire.
Maine Is Burning: Soaring Healthcare Costs Fuel the Fire
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On the Air
State of the State is our weekly cable television show about issues facing Maine. Check here for programs, airtimes, schedules and podcasts, or contact us for a DVD.
State of the State is now available on Time-Warner cable in York, Cumberland and Aroostook counties! Recently aired and upcoming programs:
- The auto industry crisis
- Homeless in Maine
- A conversation with Congressman Michael Michaud
- Paying for the health care we value
- Stimulating Maine's economy
- How foreclosures have affected Maine
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Our Partners: Initiatives for Health Care Cost Containment
This December, the Maine Center for Economic Policy along with seven other nonprofit organizations, was awarded a two-year grant from the Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) to promote strategic cost-containment policies to preserve and expand access to health care. These organizations will be working on multiple initiatives to bring Maine's burgeoning health care costs down without sacrificing quality of care or access. MeHAF will convene the funded organizations regularly so groups can learn and build on each other's work. Now is the time for health care reform on the state and national level, and MECEP is proud to be at the forefront of this important work.
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