Republican ads target Jackson

Pro-Republican groups are running ads in Maine's Senate race calling Democratic candidate Troy Jackson "Taxin' Jackson" and making claims about his tax proposals.

The race and the stakes

Jackson is running for the seat held by Republican Senator Susan Collins. The Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up.

What Jackson actually proposes

Jackson wants to remove the cap on income subject to Social Security payroll taxes, currently set at one hundred eighty-four thousand five hundred dollars for twenty twenty-six. This would affect high-income earners still working.

The ads' misleading claim

Ads from Defending Main Street PAC and Pine Tree Results PAC say Jackson "wants to raise Social Security taxes, hurting our seniors." But his plan targets high earners, not current beneficiaries.

“wants to raise Social Security taxes, hurting our seniors”

Jackson's own explanation

In a September eleventh opinion piece in the Bangor Daily News, Jackson wrote: "If you make more than one hundred eighty-four thousand five hundred dollars a year, you don't pay Social Security taxes on income…

“If you make more than $184,500 a year, you don't pay Social Security taxes on income over that amount.”

Who would actually pay more

Jonathan Schwabish, a senior fellow in the tax and income supports division at the Urban Institute, said current Social Security beneficiaries are unlikely to be affected.

Potential benefits to seniors

Without changes to current law, Social Security trust funds will be depleted by twenty thirty-two. Eliminating the earnings cap could close fifty-eight percent of Social Security's long-term budget deficit.

Gasoline tax claim examined

Ads claim Jackson "voted to tax our gas."This is based on his vote for L.D.fifteen oh nine in June twenty thirteen, an appropriations bill that raised Maine's sales tax.

Groceries claim misleading

Ads say Jackson "taxed our groceries," citing votes on bills that were not direct grocery taxes.L.D.fifteen forty-one created a packaging recycling program.L.D.

The only direct food tax

Of the three bills cited, only L.D.fourteen ninety-five from twenty oh nine directly taxed food, but only certain prepared food items.The law explicitly said prepared food "does not include bulk sales of grocery staples."

“does not include bulk sales of grocery staples”

Income tax claim inaccurate

Ads claim Jackson "raised taxes on our paychecks."His vote for L.D.two fifty-eight in July twenty twenty-three established Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave program, financed by a payroll tax split between employers and employees.

Employee contribution capped

Under the paid leave program, employees cannot be charged more than zero point five percent of their pay. The legislation did not increase income tax rates.

The dog licensing fee

One ad references a "tax" on Max the dog, referring to Jackson's vote in May twenty oh three for L.D.fifteen forty-five, which increased state dog licensing fees.