Democratic candidate for Maine governor Nirav Shah has released a policy proposal titled “Maine’s Affordable Future: A Bold Plan to Lower Costs and Strengthen Maine Families,” outlining what his campaign describes as a comprehensive approach to addressing the rising cost of living across the state.

In a statement, Shah’s office said the plan responds to mounting financial pressures facing residents, including higher housing prices, rising energy bills, limited access to affordable child care, and escalating education costs that leave many students burdened with debt. The proposal is presented as a coordinated and practical roadmap aimed at restoring stability to household finances while reinforcing Maine’s long-term economic foundation.

According to the campaign, the plan centers on five key areas driving affordability challenges in Maine: housing, energy, child care, education, and property taxes.

“Maine is facing an affordability crisis, and our state has not delivered enough relief for working families,” Dr. Shah said. He added that families are being asked to remain patient even as everyday expenses continue to climb. 

“Parents are balancing child care costs with mortgage payments. Seniors are stretching fixed incomes to cover heating bills and prescriptions. Young people are being priced out of the communities where they grew up,” he said, pledging that his administration would prioritize lowering everyday costs and building an economy that supports working families.

The proposal outlines several policy actions, including increasing housing supply, preserving existing affordable housing, and helping first-time homebuyers better compete in the market. It also calls for holding utility companies accountable while modernizing Maine’s energy system to promote long-term price stability.

Additional measures include developing public-private partnerships to make child care more affordable for families while ensuring sustainability for providers, expanding targeted grant and loan repayment programs, permanently making community college tuition-free, and aligning education pathways more closely with workforce needs.

On property taxes, the plan proposes targeted relief through a tax on millionaires and an expanded Homestead Exemption, with the goal of lowering tax bills for permanent Maine residents.

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