Troy Jackson Unveils Policy Platform - "Contract with Working Mainers”

PHOTO: Troy Jackson speaks at a press conference on Monday.

Former Maine Senate President and candidate for Governor Troy Jackson unveiled his the first phase of his policy platform - Contract with Working Mainers - at a press conference in Bangor on Monday. Jackson was joined by parents, workers, health care professionals, and supporters. The plan outlines policies to cut taxes for working families, lower prescription drug costs, address the state’s housing crisis and lower child care costs.

“It seems like the government only works for those at the top – career politicians cater to people with money, power and influence, ignoring the voices of everyday working people. The divide between the wealthy elite and ordinary Americans is only widening, and the American dream moves further out of reach,” said Jackson. "The status quo isn’t working for folks. It hasn’t for a long time. And Mainers can’t afford to wait for action any longer. It’s time for a new contract - a new deal between working Mainers and their Government.”

Jackson’s full plan can also be found on his website: https://jacksonformaine.com/issues/

Troy’s plan to protect workers’ rights and well-paying jobs:

Pass the Buy American, Build Maine Act. to ensure the state uses its resources to local people living and paying taxes in Maine are given preference in hire to work on state-funded projects. It would also ensure that materials or parts needed to do the job are American-made whenever possible.
Promote good-faith negotiations in public sector employment contracts. Right now, agreements reached through the arbitration process are meaningless for public employees and employers because they aren’t binding. As a result, management doesn’t have any incentive to keep their end of the bargain. Governor Mills previously vetoed Jackson's bill to make arbitration binding on economic issues for public sector workers.
Eliminate bogus noncompete agreements. Bogus noncompete agreements stand in the way of healthy economic competition and innovation by unfairly trapping workers in jobs under the guise of protecting trade secrets. According to Jackson, "There is a time and place for noncompete agreements but they should be used appropriately."
Protect heritage industries. Protecting and promoting Maine fishing and seafood processing to create well-paying jobs and support our working waterfront. Jackson also calls for passing laws so that "hardworking Maine truckers aren’t watching the jobs in their own backyard go to Canadians."

Troy’s plan to lower health care costs:

Lower the price of prescription drugs by prohibiting excessive, often overnight, price increases for generic and off-patent prescription drugs sold in Maine.
Crack down on pharmacy benefit managers, the “insidious middlemen,” that drive up prescription drug prices.
Improve access to reproductive health care by fully and continually funding family planning services.
Enact a moratoriumpreventing private equity firms from buying up health care practices in Maine.
Prioritize investments and improve reimbursement rates for long-term care facilitiesto ensure families have access to these services. Jackson noted that there were 132 nursing homes in 1995, but now that number is closer to 80.

Troy’s plan to lower housing costs:

Prevent Wall Street private equity firms from buying up housing.
Provide tax credits for renters, incentives for full-time residents, and down payment assistance programs for people committed to living and working in Maine.
Expand the low-income housing tax credit, strengthening the rural rental tax credit, and removing the sunset on the state affordable housing tax credit.
Cutting the red tape on housing developments with a statewide housing appeals board.
Set up a tax relief task force to explore creating asurcharge on luxury homesvalued at over a million dollars to help stabilize local property taxes and support municipal services.

Troy’s plan to make childcare more accessible and affordabale includes:

Make the first year of child care free.
Cap child care costs at7 percent of a family’s income.
Provide a living wage for child care workers.
Ensure child care worker wage stipends and subsidies for children in foster care and families who qualify for child care scholarship are paid on time.

Troy’s plan to lower taxes for working Mainers includes:

Doubling Maine’s Earned Income Tax Credit, providing $3,468 for families with three or more kids, $649 for individuals. This is estimated to benefit 100,000 Maine households
Strengthen the Child & Dependent Tax Credit.
Tax Exemptions for diapers, menstrual, medical products.

Earlier this year, Jackson rolled out his plan to lower energy costs at a press conference calling on the PUC to reject CMP’s request to increase electric rates on Mainers. The energy plan can be found here.