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"Money is better than poverty if only for financial reasons."
Woody Allen
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Facts
Tax Avoidance vs. Tax Evasion
Tax avoidance is the legal utilization of the tax code in order to avoid paying some or all taxes. Finding tax "loopholes," where you can use existing laws to your advantage, is an example of tax avoidance.
By contrast tax evasion is the general term for efforts to avoid paying taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion is what sent Al Capone to prison back in the 1930s.
Source: Wikipedia
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Tax Evasion
52,000
The number of U.S. secret accounts at Swiss Bank UBS
250
The number of account holders UBS has been willing to disclose
14.8 Billion
The amount of estimated assets in these accounts
780 Million
The amount UBS has agreed to pay so far in criminal settlement charges
Source: CNN Money
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| Greetings!
Public policies are moving at a fast clip as we strive to keep our economic ship of state afloat. At both the federal and state level, ideas for shared prosperity are more important than ever. At MECEP we're working hard to do our part.
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Getting to the Middle: Policies to Restore Economic Security - MECEP's February Policy Forum
 Ross Eisenbrey, Vice President of the Economic Policy Institute, spoke at our policy forum held February 13th at the University of Southern Maine. In addition, Maine leaders participated in two panels to discuss federal initiatives to promote a middle class recovery and state initiatives to improve income security. Thanks to all participants and audience members. Ross Eisenbrey's remarks and power point presentation are available for download on the 'What's New' section of our website. |
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Spotlight: Garrett Martin, MECEP's New Policy Analyst
MECEP is pleased to welcome Garrett Martin to our staff.  Many of you know Garrett from his previous job as Director of Program Strategy at the Maine Community Foundation or as Associate Director at the Genesis Community Loan Fund. What you may not know is that Garrett brings years of experience in community economic development including work in the Mississippi Delta, India and Ecuador. Garrett has an undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master's degree in public affairs (economics and public policy concentration) from Princeton. At MECEP, Garrett will be focusing on health policy and sustainable development. As a former MECEP board member, we know Garrett will hit the ground running.
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Reports and Publications 
In this month's Choices, we explore Maine's education and workforce challenges. Uniform data collection and benchmarking is a proven method to follow students beyond K-12 out into the workforce. By adopting successful protocols from other states, Maine will be able to better understand how educational programs affect workforce preparedness and workers earnings.
Maximizing Maine's Educational Investments, Optimizing Results by Kurt Wise and Alexis Mann
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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:
- Marriage Equality
- Budget Challenges in Higher Education
- Challenges in Long Term Care
- Affordable Housing in Maine
- Maine's Downtown Coalition and Downtown Revitalization
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Our Partners: Maine's Congressional Delegation
The passage of The American Recovery and  Reinvestment Act of 2009 put Maine on the map, thanks to the bipartisan support of Maine's two Senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins.
Maine has a history of smart, strong and independent leadership. We are proud of our entire Maine delegation for their courage, compassion and dedication to the people or our state.
Policymakers depend on research and analysis from many sources when hard choices need to be made. MECEP is one of those sources as is our national partner, the Center on Budget & Policy Priorities.
Recovery.gov is the official Administration website to let taxpayers track where the money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is going
Here is Governor Baldacci's official site to follow ARRA in Maine
Speech by Robert Greenstein, Director of the Center on Budget & Policy Priorities at President Obama's Fiscal Responsibility Summit
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Sincerely,
Deborah Felder
Maine Center for Economic Policy |
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