"Taxes in Maine - The Assumptions, The Reality, The Future" is Theme of 2007 Bernstein Shur Forum March 21

Free and open to the public, event to be held at USM Abromson Center in Portland

A public forum to test the conventional wisdom that Maine is a high tax state – and look into possible solutions – will be the purpose of this year’s Bernstein Shur Forum, held each year to comprehensively explore a single topic of interest to leaders in business, government, and social services statewide.

“Taxes in Maine: The Assumptions, The Reality, The Future” will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21 at the Abromson Center on the USM campus in Portland. To register for the event, which is free and open to the public, call (207) 228-7274 or email forum@bernsteinshur.com.

Former Gov. Angus King said this year’s topic will be of particular interest to businesses in Maine, both small and large.

“We will explore the impact that Maine’s tax policies really have on businesses, and if we find that system is flawed or broken, examine what changes can be made to stimulate investment in the state,” said King, an attorney at Bernstein Shur and the moderator of the event.

Organizers of the event said the symposium will not focus on TABOR, school consolidation, or similar issues in the news. Instead, it will specifically examine the impact of state tax policies on businesses.

In addition to former Gov. Angus King, presenters will include Dr. Michael Allen, Director, Maine Revenue Services; Matthew C. Jacobson, President and CEO, Maine & Company; Nelson A. Toner, chair of Bernstein Shur’s Tax Practice Group and a leading tax attorney in the state; and Kay Rand, managing director of Bernstein Shur Government Relations affiliate and former chief of staff to Gov. King. In addition, Jonathan L. Sangster, Senior Managing Director of CB Richard Ellis Global Corporate Services, a relocation specialist from Atlanta, will attend to shed light on how Maine taxes and incentives attract – or repel – business investment from outside the state, and what can be done to improve the situation.

The symposium is likely to cover tax issue “solutions” and their impacts, including sales tax and lodging tax increases and changes to excise taxes, the estate tax, and the homestead exemption. The Forum will also explore whether or not non-residents are carrying enough of the tax burden.

Attendees will be invited to participate during a question-and-answer period following the panel discussions. A social hour with refreshments will follow the event.

Bernstein Shur is one of northern New England’s largest multi-service law firms, with close to 90 attorneys in Portland and Augusta, Maine and Manchester, New Hampshire. Established in 1915, the firm provides practical legal counsel to a diverse group of public and private clients throughout the region and around the world. Bernstein Shur’s commercial, litigation, and municipal practices are complemented by the services of the firm’s affiliates, which include Bernstein Shur Government Solutions LLC, a government consulting firm; Stratex LLC, an environmental and engineering consultancy; and Monument Title Company. For more information, visit bernsteinshur.com.


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