Spending Proposal Targets Maine Children Living in Deep Poverty
“Maine Democrats say the LePage administration must do more to reduce the numbers of children in severe poverty — and they’re proposing that the state access $150 million in available federal block grant funding to that end. But Gov. Paul LePage and other Republicans say the Democrats’ plan to expand welfare would actually make many Mainers more dependent on state benefits. Here in Maine the poorest of the poor earn about $10,000 a year for a family of three. That’s considered deep poverty, and Democratic House Speaker Sara Gideon says the number of children in deep poverty is rising at an alarming rate.”