In last week’s State of the State address, Governor Janet Mills highlighted how policies from the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan, including investments in affordable housing, childcare access, and broadband expansion, which were made possible by funding from the American Rescue Plan, will help improve Maine’s economic recovery and the lives of Maine people. In response, Paul LePage attacked these investments, decrying the much-needed federal dollars as “funny money.” LePage’s attack raises an important question–if re-elected, what would become of the landmark investments in the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan?
When LePage was in office, he repeatedly forfeited federal funds, ending his time in the Blaine House having refused a whopping $1.9 billion in money from Washington. In doing so, LePage:
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Declined more than $1 billion in funds that could have paid for health care coverage for nearly 90,000 Mainers
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Rejected nearly $200 million that could have been used to repair Maine’s roads and revamp Maine’s infrastructure
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Turned down nearly $350 million intended to keep Maine children and families out of poverty
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Refused funds that would have “injected up to $700 million into Maine’s economy and supported as many as 4,800 jobs annually.”
“Paul LePage’s stubborn refusal to accept federal dollars to help provide Mainers with health care and keep our children out of poverty was one of the most harmful parts of his tenure,” said Drew Gattine, Chair of the Maine Democratic Party. “Now he seems more than ready to do it again, potentially blocking funding for housing, broadband, child care and other important initiatives that will help Maine people. We can’t let LePage drag us back to a time when our state would reject funding that would get Mainers the help they deserve.”
Since taking office, Mills has reversed a number of LePage’s decisions to forfeit federal funds, and as a result has been able to expand MaineCare to 90,000 people and invest in the state’s infrastructure, all without raising taxes.
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