Oregonians can get free help with their income taxes once again this year. However, as in recent years, the pandemic is changing what the assistance looks like.

Typically, the AARP Foundation's Tax-Aide program happens in-person, focusing specifically on people over age 50 or those who have low to moderate incomes.

Kathy Goeddel, assistant state coordinator for the AARP Foundation's Tax-Aide program in the Portland Metro area, said the recent surge in COVID-19 cases means protocols are in place to protect clients and volunteers.

"We have options for virtual preparation, we have options for people dropping off their materials, and then other options for us to scan in their materials and then, prepare things remotely and get them back electronically," Goeddel outlined.

Tax-Aide services usually ramp up around Feb. 1. Goeddel said the goal is to have 75 sites up and running, across the state. A site locator will be available, along with other tools, on the AARP website, as well as the Internal Revenue Service website.

Goeddel said she often hears from people who are grateful for help with their taxes.

"Some of the credits that are available to seniors and working families are pretty complex," Goeddel noted. "We're able to help some with difficult situations that would be hard to get right without training, and get them the best possible refunds that they can get."

Goeddel is asking people to be patient this year, noting returns will take a bit longer to complete because the appointments are not happening in person. She said there are fewer volunteers than usual due to the pandemic. In 2021, about 500 Tax-Aide volunteers in Oregon completed 12,000 tax returns.

A campaign in Maine is gathering signatures to replace the state's investor-owned energy grid with a consumer-owned utility.

Central Maine Power (CMP) and Versant serve the majority of Maine utility customers, but they consistently rank lower for customer satisfaction, have more frequent power outages and have high rates, compared to consumer-owned utilities.

Seth Berry, former Democratic state representative from Bowdoinham and former House chair of the Maine Legislature's Energy Committee, left office recently to work on getting the initiative on the 2023 ballot. It is based on a bill, passed in 2021 to invest in a consumer-owned utility, but vetoed by the governor.

"This is a great opportunity for us to change it up and say, at least here in Maine, we're going to be independent," Berry explained. "We're going to have local control. It's a better business model, has proven to work better and that's where we're heading. "

Berry pointed out the campaign is on track to have enough signatures. Opponents argued a publicly-funded model would be too expensive.

But Berry noted CMP and Versant charge 58% more for service than consumer-owned utilities, which are currently in 97 Maine towns.

"They have better reliability, their customers are happy," Berry emphasized. "If they're not happy, they have a way to walk right into that board meeting and complain about it, which you certainly can't do with CMP; their governing board is actually based in a skyscraper in Spain."

He added as Maine looks to move toward improving the power grid, it is important to have accountability. Research showed by removing the profit incentives for current investor-owned companies, Mainers could save up to $9 billion over 30 years.

Starting Friday, Connecticut residents may start to see a sharp increase in energy costs just as summer gets into gear and inflation hits people hard, but resources are available, especially for older adults who are feeling the pinch.

Connecticut's electric standard service generation rate is expected to increase significantly in July depending on the energy provider, with the biggest spike at more than 12 cents per kilowatt-hour.

John Erlingheuser, director of advocacy and community outreach at AARP Connecticut, said this is a particular challenge for people on fixed incomes.

"Older residents with a lot of medical conditions need electricity to stay cool in the summer," Erlingheuser pointed out. "Many times, they'll find themselves in a position of either cutting back on medication, or cutting back on electricity or cutting back on food, in order to make ends meet."

Erlingheuser noted Connecticut residents pay the highest electric prices in the lower 48 states. One resource available for those who need help paying utility bills is Operation Fuel. Before applying, a household needs to gather proof of the last four weeks of income for all household members, the name of their fuel vendor or a utility bill and payment history.

Erlingheuser added two important programs have an upcoming deadline of June 30: the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program and the COVID-19 Payment Plan.

He emphasized the payment plan can help with catching up past-due balances and current bills.

"You don't need to have any money up front to get in this program, and it could be spread out over 24 months," Erlingheuser observed. "They waive all the fees and interest in the calculation of your monthly payments. So, these are important programs, and we would encourage folks to get to them while they still exist."

You can contact your utility providers to learn more about specific payment plans.

Connecticut customers who have medical conditions also are qualified for protections from utility shut-offs due to lack of payment. They can ask their doctor to certify they have a serious illness or life-threatening condition on the utility's internet portal.

Seven in 10 Americans view inflation as the most pressing issue facing the nation right now, and in Maine, a new report seeks to explore the causes, and what can be done to bring costs down.

James Myall, economic policy analyst at the Maine Center for Economic Policy and the report's co-author, said a variety of factors have come into play. He explained it is partly about supply and demand, and how they have shifted throughout the pandemic, creating bottlenecks. He noted the Russian invasion of Ukraine also plays a role, especially in food and energy costs.

Myall contended one driver of inflation Maine lawmakers could do something about is the issue of corporate consolidation.

"It's one of the things that lawmakers in Augusta can actually address," Myall asserted. "They can't do very much to address sort of some of these supply chain issues. But there are things they can do to limit the power of corporations to be able to set prices beyond rising costs."

The report showed prices for food, energy and other basic goods have increased as much as 16% in the last year, and corporate profits accounted for more than half of each dollar increase in prices. In the 40 years prior, corporate profits made up about 11% of price hikes.

Myall added wage increases have made a difference for some families in their ability to handle inflation, especially those in the restaurant and hotel industries in the face of worker shortages. But he pointed out wages have not kept pace with inflation, so they are not major drivers of it now.

"On average, we're seeing that wages have not increased as fast as inflation or have not kept pace," Myall stressed. "One of the things that's made it particularly tough for a lot of workers is that, even where folks have got pay raises, those have not been as much as the prices have been rising."

Myall emphasized prices have increased the most in the sectors where corporations have the most power. For instance, four firms control more than half of the meat-processing industry, and meat prices have skyrocketed.

The report includes recommendations for lawmakers, from new approaches to antitrust laws and addressing price gouging, to implementing a windfall tax and robust safety-net programs.