PORTLAND, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage accused Maine’s largest cities of “breaking the laws” by giving certain poor immigrants General Assistance benefits and suggested that his budget proposal to eliminate the $12.1 million welfare program is political payback against Portland and other municipalities that have defied his repeated attempts to exclude such people.
“You follow the rules, there would have been no problems,” LePage said Tuesday on WVOM radio. “But if you try to not follow the rules and you use the money for illegal immigrants, then you get what you pay for.”
Portland officials denied the city has broken any laws, but LePage’s comments lend new insight into why he is looking to eliminate a decades-old welfare program that helps feed and house thousands of poor Mainers, after a year that saw the state run a nearly $93 million budget surplus. In addition to benefits funding, LePage’s proposal to cut General Assistance would eliminate $2.3 million of staffing, administrative and other spending.
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