One of the most important issues facing Maine in 2020 is the Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI), a regional cap and trade program that would impose a five to 17 cent per gallon tax on gas and diesel. The intent of the initiative is to force Mainers to transition to expensive electric vehicles and public transportation options. Maine Policy is circulating petitions for concerned citizens and urging them to contact Governor Mills in opposition to the TCI. Maine Policy is also circulating model language to lawmakers.
Maine is an incredibly large and rural state, and more than 160,000 Mainers live in poverty. Not only can Mainers not afford a gas tax increase, the revenues collected from the TCI wouldn’t be used to fix our crumbling roads and bridges—or plug the $232 million transportation funding shortfall facing the state. It would also result in an increase to prices of goods shipped by trucks. Maine Policy will educate the public about the harmful impacts of this policy and mobilize them to convince Governor Mills to publicly reject the TCI and become another state that withdraws from this regional coalition.
Maine Policy is also focused on correcting a regulatory issue that has brought a local business close to shutting down its operation. Last summer, Maine’s Secretary of State sent a letter to all municipalities, informing them that town officials were no longer allowed to register, title, or assign vehicle identification numbers for tiny mobile homes.
Only one company in Maine, Tiny Homes of Maine, produces these units. Government is clearly getting in the way to protect special interests and prevent competition in the manufactured housing sector. Maine Policy is working to pass a bill that would allow people to title a tiny house as a trailer to ensure Tiny Homes of Maine can keep its doors open and seamlessly sell their product to consumers.
