The American Association of Retired Persons and a coalition of groups called CA$H Maine have united to establish tax assistance sites throughout the state. Every year many Mainers do not realize they qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).  Approximately 25% of eligible residents do not apply for the EITC, leaving unclaimed a tax credit that could total up to $5,657 for each eligible household.  Tax preparation services can help you file for the EITC and other tax credits that may be available.

In order to participate, you must have your tax statements from all income received in 2009 as well as Social Security cards for each person you will claim on your return. You should then dial 211 (which is toll-free) to find the tax site nearest you and call that site for an appointment.

You may find the site nearest you by visiting the CA$H Maine website at http://www.cashmaine.org.  There you can also find summaries of Maine tax benefits, lists of local resources in your area, and information about other programs the CA$H Maine coalition offers.

The NextGen College Investing Plan is a tax-advantaged way to save for future higher education expenses. The funds can be used at accredited post-secondary schools, including colleges and universities, community colleges and trade schools. The NextGen Plan’s earnings grow tax-free from Maine and federal taxes and remain so long as the withdrawals are used for qualified higher education expenses, such as tuition, room and board, books and supplies and expenses related to special needs beneficiaries.

No initial or subsequent contributions are needed and no family income restrictions apply. The account’s owner, usually a parent or legal guardian, must be at least 18 years of age. Applications for the grant must be made before the child reaches his or her first birthday. Once a NextGen account is established, parents and grandparents can take advantage of a special five-year gift rule to contribute up to $130,000 per couple or $65,000 per individual for each beneficiary.

To arrange for enrollment in the Harold Alfond College Challenge, contact the Finance Authority of Maine at 1-800-228-3734 or visit online at info@500forbaby.org.

“We have a major insurance fraud problem in Maine, and it has been made worse by the recession,” said Rep. Fossel (R-Alna), a first-term legislator who serves on the Insurance and Financial Services Committee. “The fraud unit would be funded by insurance companies, so it wouldn’t cost taxpayers a dime. Maine is one of only a few states without a fraud investigation unit.

“We should keep in mind,” he added, “that insurance fraud hits all of us in higher rates for homeowner’s insurance, auto insurance and other standard insurance products. This is not a victimless crime.”

The Legislative Council consists of leaders of both parties, including the speaker of the House and the president of the Senate. The Council convened on October 15 to vote on whether to accept or reject each of the 374 bills submitted for the Second Regular Session, which begins in January. The Council accepted 44 percent of bills proposed by Democrats and 19 percent of Republican submissions. It will reconvene on November 5 to hear appeals from legislators whose bills were rejected.

“Bills accepted for the Second Session supposedly must be of an emergency nature,” Rep. Fossel said. “The Council makes many exceptions to that rule, but my bill clearly qualifies under the emergency consideration. State Fire Marshal John Dean supports this bill because arson has broken out in a big way across the state, mainly for economic reasons. His investigators are literally running from fire to fire. And to make the situation worse, the Legislature took $2.75 million from his dedicated revenue account to help balance the budget; so his agency is in a financial crisis.”

Rep. Fossel’s bill would establish the Insurance Fraud Division within the Bureau of Insurance, part of the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. It requires insurers with knowledge or suspicion of fraudulent insurance acts to report them to the Bureau of Insurance. The bill permits the Insurance Fraud Division to share investigatory information with certain national and international agencies. It also extends the immunity provision in current law to certain communications between insurers with respect to insurance fraud.

Insurance fraud units typically investigate and prosecute a wide range of offenses. While cases involving a single instance of fraud may be pursued, fraud units around the country also are active against organized, ongoing activity, such as staged auto accident rings and phony and inflated claims rings that may involve a variety of people, including insurance professionals, lawyers, health care professionals and others.

In Maine, arson has escalated during the recession, as some homeowners and business owners burn down their buildings and use the insurance money to get out from under debt. According to the State Fire Marshal’s office, Maine had 116 cases of incendiary fires in 2006. The number increased to 127 in 2007 and 148 in 2008.

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The Maine Secretary of State operates a website allowing registered Maine voters in participating municipalities to request their absentee ballot online. So far 189 cities and towns across the state are accepting absentee ballot requests through this service. Even if your municipality does not participate, you may use the site to print an absentee ballot request form. You can then fill out the form and take it to your town office. This service is available at http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/AbsenteeBallot/index.pl.

If you are not registered to vote or are unsure if you are registered, you should contact your local elections official. A list of local elections officials may be found online at http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/votreg.htm. If you have any questions about absentee voting or how to register, you may contact the Office of the Secretary of State by phone at (207) 624-7650.

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Veterans and active-duty military personnel may receive a free day-use pass by presenting valid identification at any state park or historic site. The free day-use access is issued only for veterans who are Maine residents and for active-duty military personnel whose home residence is in Maine. There is no limit on visits or sites, but valid identification must be shown upon arrival each time to receive the free day access. This identification includes veteran discharge papers such as a DD214, military or VA identification cards, or veteran’s license plates.

The Maine Department of Conservation and the Maine Bureau of Veterans Services are working together to implement a process allowing veterans and active-duty military personnel to apply for a free annual pass in the future. The application process for the pass will begin on October 1st and instructions will be posted on the Maine Department of Conservation and the Maine Bureau of Veterans Services websites.

Rep. Fossel (R-Alna), a first-term legislator, said he is honored by the appointment and by the opportunity to represent Maine at the national level. “This particular committee deals with some of the most critical issues in the country, and I’m looking forward to sharing ideas and solutions with legislators from other states,” he said. “I believe that the really innovative thinking is happening at the state level versus Washington.”

The NCSL Standing Committee on Communications, Financial Services and Interstate Commerce has jurisdiction over state-federal relations with regard to electronic commerce, banking, insurance, securities and other financial sector issues. It also deals with interstate commerce, taxation of electronic transactions, telecommunications and interstate business activity.

The committee’s broad charter allows it latitude to explore an expansive set of contentious issues, such as Internet regulation, insurance redlining, credit cards and credit bureaus, insurance fraud and natural disaster insurance.

In general, the committee is responsible for protecting states’ interests in federal decisions regarding those areas. It serves as a forum for legislators and legislative staff to exchange information on state policy approaches and to identify emerging issues of importance to state legislatures.

Rep. Fossel said the NCSL assignment is a good fit with his work in the Maine Legislature, where he serves on the Insurance and Financial Services Committee.

The NCSL, based in Denver, is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation’s 50 states, its commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues; and it advocates for the interests of state governments before Congress and federal agencies.

“I had hoped to provide a reasonable middle ground,” said Rep. Fossel (R-Alna). “I understand emotions are running high over the same-sex marriage issue. My bill, LD 1118, would have extended to registered domestic partners the same rights and benefits that accompany traditional marriage. But I think the sides have already formed. Legislators on both sides want an up-or-down vote on LD 1020, without considering my alternative.”

LD 1020, the bill to legalize same-sex marriage, passed the committee later in the day, with 11 members in favor, two members opposed, and one member who proposed an amendment to send the issue to the voters.

In the early afternoon, before the committee vote on LD 1020, Rep. Fossel provided his testimony on his bill. He explained that his legislation could avoid an emotional division in the Legislature at a time when cohesion and cooperation are needed to deal with a budget gap estimated to be almost $600 million.

“I believe that when lawmakers are grappling with the budget, when we’re making difficult decisions about the funding of programs, the last thing we need is unnecessary debate on divisive social issues,” he said in a prepared statement. He predicted that LD 1020 will “drive legislators further apart at a critical moment.” If passed by the Legislature, he added, it could be repealed by a citizens’ referendum next November.

He explained that his bill, “An Act to Expand Rights for Maine Families,” would improve the lives of hundreds of Maine families. “Many couples choose to register as domestic partners for a variety of reasons,” he said. “They deserve the same rights as their married relatives, friends and neighbors. The State of Maine should not be in the business of punishing its citizens based on what legal status they choose for their relationship.

“It is my hope,” he continued, “that equal rights for domestic partners will be considered a reasonable policy that many, inside the State House and across our state, will support. I am pleased that, at the federal level, the president agrees with this approach. On the White House website, President Obama endorses ‘legislation that would ensure that the 1,100-plus federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally recognized unions.’ ”

Rep. Fossel said it is unjust to treat domestic partners as second-class citizens. “It is not fair to view the expansion of their legal rights as merely an unacceptable compromise, or an alternative plan or a political strategy,” he said. “Looking for solutions rather than problems is a long-standing Maine tradition. The president embraced this approach in his campaign, and I hope that the 124th Legislature does not abandon it in Augusta.”

Rep. Fossel (R-Alna), a first-term legislator, said that all couples, whether married or not, deserve equal treatment in the eyes of the law. “Currently, there are legal and technical differences that create disadvantages for many Maine families,” he said. “My bill aims to remove these differences from Maine law.”

Under Maine law, married couples enjoy certain rights that are denied to unmarried couples in a variety of areas, including financial benefits. Rep. Fossel’s bill would eliminate these disparities and put all couples on equal footing. “The intent is to make people whole,” he said.

Rep. Fossel’s bill follows the submission of legislation to eliminate the prohibition of same-sex marriage in Maine, sponsored by State Sen. Dennis Damon (D-Hancock County). Rep. Fossel predicted that the Damon proposal would engender an emotional debate in the Legislature and, if passed, would face a people’s veto initiative.

“We don’t need a hot, divisive debate with siege guns,” Rep. Fossel said. “Democracy is all about finding a middle ground. This bill might not be perfect for everyone, but it is the only bill with a chance of succeeding without immediately triggering a referendum to repeal. I suggest we’re far better off with an equitable solution than with animosity and division.”

Under Maine’s Domestic Partner Registry, registered partners are accorded a legal status similar to that of a married person with respect to matters of probate, guardianships, protection from abuse and related matters. The registry is housed within the Office of Health Data and Program Management, Bureau of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services.