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| Office of the State Economist (Maine) | |
|---|---|
| Agency name | Office of the State Economist (Maine) |
| Formed | 2000 |
| Jurisdiction | Maine |
| Headquarters | Augusta, Maine |
| Chief1 position | State Economist |
| Parent agency | Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services |
Office of the State Economist (Maine) The Office of the State Economist (Maine) is a state-level analytical office based in Augusta, Maine that provides economic forecasting, fiscal analysis, and policy evaluation to support decision-making by the Maine Legislature, the Governor of Maine, and executive agencies such as the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. It produces revenue forecasts, sectoral studies, and demographic projections used by institutions including the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, the University of Maine, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The office works with national entities such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The office was established amid fiscal reform debates in the late 1990s and early 2000s, influenced by practices at the Congressional Budget Office, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Legislative Reference Bureau model used in states like Massachusetts and New York (state). Its formation responded to budgetary crises experienced under administrations including those of John Baldacci and Paul LePage, and drew on technical assistance from the National Association of State Budget Officers and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Over time the office expanded analytical capacity in response to events such as the Great Recession, the COVID-19 pandemic, and regional shifts tied to industries represented by companies like Bath Iron Works and sectors such as forestry connected to Sappi Limited.
The office’s mission aligns with practices seen at the Congressional Budget Office and the Office for National Statistics: to deliver objective, nonpartisan analysis that informs revenue estimation, expenditure trends, and economic impact assessments. Core functions include forecasting state receipts for the Maine Revenue Services, modeling employment trends relevant to the Maine Employment and Training Program, evaluating tax policy proposed by legislators such as members of the Maine Senate and the Maine House of Representatives, and supporting capital planning for agencies like the Maine Department of Transportation.
Organizationally, the office is situated within the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services and staffed by economists, statisticians, and analysts trained at institutions including Colby College, the University of Southern Maine, and the University of Maine. Leadership mirrors structures at the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute with divisions for revenue forecasting, policy analysis, and data services. The office collaborates with external partners such as the Maine Development Foundation, the Harvard Kennedy School, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston for technical exchanges.
Past and present state economists have included professionals with backgrounds at the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and academia, including alumni of Yale University, Princeton University, and the University of Michigan. Some have moved to roles in institutions like the Council of Economic Advisers, the National Governors Association, and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Their public profiles have intersected with leaders such as Gov. Janet Mills and officials from the Maine Policy Institute.
Key outputs include Maine-specific revenue forecasts used by the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs, biennial fiscal outlook reports comparable to those from the Government Accountability Office, sectoral studies on fishing linked to Penobscot Bay, forestry analyses referencing organizations like the Maine Forest Products Council, and labor market briefs utilizing data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Reports often inform proceedings in committees chaired by legislators from districts including Cumberland County, Maine, York County, Maine, and Penobscot County, Maine.
Methodologies rely on time-series models, input-output frameworks akin to those produced by IMPLAN, and computable general equilibrium approaches similar to research at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Data sources include the U.S. Census Bureau, the American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, state administrative datasets from Maine Revenue Services, and licensing records from agencies like the Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation.
The office’s analyses shape budgetary decisions by the Maine Legislature and executive priorities advanced by governors from both the Republican Party (United States) and the Democratic Party (United States), influence tax policy debates involving stakeholders such as the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and the AARP, and inform infrastructure investment decisions that affect projects at Portland, Maine and industrial employers like Verso Corporation. Its nonpartisan forecasts have been cited in media outlets including the Portland Press Herald and policy forums hosted by the Maine Heritage Policy Center and the Maine Development Foundation.
Category:State agencies of Maine Category:Economy of Maine Category:Public policy in the United States