The Maine Heritage Policy Center

TO FORMULATE AND PROMOTE CONSERVATIVE PUBLIC POLICIES BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF FREE ENTERPRISE; LIMITED, CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT; INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM; AND TRADITIONAL AMERICAN VALUES.

EDUCATION THE MAINE HERITAGE POLICY CENTER CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND HAS DEVELOPED PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON DETERMINING HOW TO PROVIDE MAINE STUDENTS WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE EDUCATION AND THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ACADEMIC PREPARATION POSSIBLE, SO THAT MAINE STUDENTS MAY PROSPER IN THE COMPETITIVE, GLOBAL ECONOMY. MHPC'S RESEARCH-BASED EDUCATION PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY THE ELEMENTS NECESSARY TO BUILD AN EDUCATION SYSTEM THAT EFFECTIVELY MEETS THE NEEDS AND CHALLENGES OF THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT WITH THE PARENT IN CONTROL OF EDUCATION DECISIONS FOR HIS OR HER CHILD. WE BELIEVE THE MODELS FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION THAT ARE USED IN MAINE ARE OUTDATED, AND THAT THE EXISTING EDUCATION SYSTEM IS NOT ADEQUATELY RESPONSIVE TO THE CONCERNS OR INTERESTS OF PARENTS. MHPC'S LEADERSHIP IS WORKING TO GUARANTEE THAT PARENTS HAVE GREATER ROLES IN DETERMINING THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATIONAL GOALS AND THE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE, SO THAT PARENTS CAN SELECT THE BEST INDIVIDUALIZED TEACHING AND LEARNING OPTIONS FOR THEIR CHILDREN. THE LONG-TERM VISION IS TO IMPROVE THE OUTCOMES FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER OF STUDENTS BY ENSURING THAT STUDENTS RECEIVE HIGH-QUALITY PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL INSTRUCTION, AND ARE PREPARED TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY IN COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, OR VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS.

PROSPERITY - TAX AND FISCAL - MAINE POLICY INSTITUTE PROMOTES GREATER PROSPERITY FOR WORKING MAINE FAMILIES. LIMITED GOVERNMENT, LOW TAXES AND REASONABLE AND LIMITED GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS ARE THE KEY INGREDIENTS ON WHICH MAINE POLICY FOCUSES TO CREATE A VIBRANT PRIVATE SECTOR AND A STRONG, GROWING AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY. MAINE POLICY WORKS TO REVERSE MAINE'S ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC DECLINE BY PROMOTING POLICY INITIATIVES THAT REINVIGORATE MAINE'S ECONOMY AND LIFT PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY. LIBERTY FOCUSED AND FREE MARKET IDEAS HELP ADVANCE THESE CORE PRINCIPLES THROUGH SOUND RESEARCH, AGGRESSIVE OUTREACH, EDUCATION, AND THE PROMOTION OF A CLEAR POLICY AGENDA.

HEALTH CARE - MAINE POLICY INSTITUTE HAS A VISION THAT EVERYONE IN MAINE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE AND HIGH-QUALITY, COST-EFFECTIVE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. MAINE POLICY PROMOTES POLICIES THAT GIVE INDIVIDUALS GREATER PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY OVER THEIR OWN HEALTH AND OFFERS MEANINGFUL INCENTIVES FOR CITIZENS TO IMPROVE THEIR OWN HEALTH LONG TERM. MAINE POLICY'S SUPPORTERS BELIEVE THAT MAINE SHOULD HAVE GREATER COMPETITION AND MORE INNOVATION IN HEALTH CARE WITH NUMEROUS CHOICES FOR INSURANCE CARRIERS AND HEALTH CARE PLANS AVAILABLE TO CITIZENS. MAINE POLICY SUPPORTS INNOVATION AND POLICIES THAT HARNESS PERSONAL INCENTIVES TO LOWER HEALTH CARE SPENDING, REWARD CLIENT VALUE, AND PROMOTE COMPETITION BETWEEN HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. MAINE POLICY SUPPORTS TRANSPARENCY AND GREATER ACCESSIBILITY FOR CITIZENS TO PRICING AND OTHER FINANCIAL AND OUTCOME-DATA THAT IS RELATED TO THE PROVISION OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES. MAINE POLICY ALSO BELIEVES THAT MAINE'S BUSINESS OWNERS NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED TO HELP THEIR EMPLOYEES TAKE GREATER OWNERSHIP WITH THEIR HEALTH CARE, SO THAT EMPLOYEES HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN BEING PRUDENT PATIENTS.

MAINE POLICY INSTITUTE IS A NON-PROFIT, NONPARTISAN, RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO FORMULATE AND PROMOTE CONSERVATIVE PUBLIC POLICIES BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF FREE ENTERPRISE; LIMITED, CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT; INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM; AND TRADITIONAL AMERICAN VALUES - ALL FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING PUBLIC POLICY SOLUTIONS THAT BENEFIT THE PEOPLE OF MAINE. ECONOMY AND TAXATION EDUCATION HEALTH CARE GOVERNMENT REFORM MAINE POLICY RELIES ON THE GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM INDIVIDUALS, CORPORATIONS, AND FOUNDATIONS, AND DOES NOT ACCEPT GOVERNMENT FUNDS OR PERFORM CONTRACT WORK. MAINE POLICY BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS HELPED BUILD A STRONG ORGANIZATION, WITH EXCELLENT PROGRAMS, EXCEPTIONAL RESEARCH CAPABILITIES, OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP, AND A GROWING MEMBERSHIP THAT HAS CONSISTENTLY SUPPORTED THE ORGANIZATION'S EXPANSION. IN EACH OF ITS PROGRAM AREAS, THE ORGANIZATION ACCOMPLISHES ITS MISSION THROUGH A STRAIGHTFORWARD, POWERFUL FIVE-PART APPROACH THAT INCLUDES: 1.FULLY ANALYZING THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS THAT ARE HOLDING MAINE BACK; 2.THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATING THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE PROBLEMS AND IDENTIFYING PROVEN POLICY SOLUTIONS - OFTEN SOLUTIONS THAT ARE ALREADY WORKING IN ANOTHER STATE; 3.AGGRESSIVELY EDUCATING THE PUBLIC, MEDIA AND POLICY MAKERS ABOUT THE IDENTIFIED PROBLEMS AND THEIR CAUSES; 4.RECOMMENDING PROVEN SOLUTIONS; AND, 5. UNCOMPROMISINGLY ADVOCATING INCLUDING GRASSROOTS AND OUTREACH FOR POLICY SOLUTIONS UNTIL THEY ARE IMPLEMENTED - EVEN WHEN IT TAKES YEARS - BECAUSE THE POLICIES WILL RESULT IN MAINE BECOMING MORE PROSPEROUS. FOR EACH OF THE FOUR POLICY AREAS LISTED ABOVE, MAINE POLICY HAS CLEAR AND MEASUREABLE POLICY OBJECTIVES. DOCUMENTED PROGRESS DEMONSTRATING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF POLICY OBJECTIVES AND INITIATIVES IS THE INDICATOR USED BY MAINE POLICY TO MEASURE THE ORGANIZATION'S OVERALL IMPACT, EFFECTIVENESS AND SUCCESS. DONORS RECEIVE REGULAR PROGRESS REPORTS ON MAINE POLICY'S ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS THE ORGANIZATION REALIZES ITS ULTIMATE GOALS OF ADVANCING PROSPERITY AND CREATING A MORE VIBRANT ECONOMY WITHIN MAINE. MAINE POLICY INSTITUTE HAS MORE THAN 3,300 DONORS (94 PERCENT FROM MAINE) AND OUR E-MAIL LIST HAS MORE THAN 13,000 SUBSCRIBERS.