AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - A proposal before the Maine State House would exempt school textbook purchases from sales tax in the state.
Democratic Sen. Rebecca Millett of Cape Elizabeth made the proposal, which faces votes in committee before moving on in the Maine Legislature. She said textbook prices increased nearly 90 percent from 2006 to 2016, and adding sales tax on top of that surge is prohibitive for students.
Maine is the only New England state that imposes a sales tax on textbook purchases. Millett cited a 2014 report that said two-thirds of the respondents to a 2,039-student survey said they’ve skipped buying or renting a textbook because of cost.
Eliminating the tax is a small step lawmakers can take to “continue working to ensure everyone can access a high-quality education,” she said.
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