Maine Republican lawmakers held a press conference Tuesday on the state’s homelessness crisis and spending related to providing taxpayer-funded housing for asylum-seeking migrants.
“These costs have largely been hidden from the public and are now being exposed in an effort to demand accountability and a results-driven plan,” the Republican lawmakers said in a Tuesday press release. “Taxpayer money is being diverted away from pressing state needs as Mainers languish on housing lists for years or waiting lists for nursing homes.”
The legislative Republican’s presentation included graphics showing how homelessness and drug overdoses have skyrocketed in recent years as the state continues to spend millions on welfare programs for migrants.
“Maine is not immune to Biden’s open border policy,” House Minority Leader Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor) said at the Tuesday press conference. “Our governor and the Democrats in the Legislature are moving forward a policy of bringing in 75,000 — what they call ‘new Mainers’ — by 2029.”
“Just to put that number in perspective, it’s more people to move in than have moved in since 2000 — and Mainers are footing the bill,” Rep. Faulkingham said.
The Maine Legislature is currently considering a bill that would establish an “Office of New Americans” which the Mills Administration has said is aimed at helping the state meet its goal of attracting 75,000 new workers over the next five years by facilitating the incorporation of immigrants into Maine’s workforce.
[RELATED: Mills Admin, Nonprofits, and Big Biz Back New Migrant Resettlement Agency for Maine…]
Faulkingham said that state spending is “prioritizing [migrants] over Mainers,” pointing to $35 million of Maine’s Emergency Housing Relief Fund — or 63 percent — being used to house migrants.
“Taxpayers need to know how their money is being spent, this is unacceptable,” the House Minority Leader said.
In their Tuesday presentation, Republican lawmakers stated that the Biden administration’s “open border” policies are hampering legal immigration, driving the state’s homelessness and fentanyl crises, and ballooning the cost of social services.
According to the legislative Republicans, $55 million has been spent on addressing homelessness in Maine since 2021, divided into funds for emergency, transitional, and permanent housing.
That $55 million in spending across the three housing categories reveals a shockingly high cost for services per person.
[RELATED: MaineHousing Grants Portland $364,000 to Extend City’s Migrant Resettlement Program For 12 Months…]
Spending on transitional housing, totaling over $22.3 million, provided services about 615 people — or a cost of just over $56,000 per person.
Transitional housing services at the Giri Hotel Group in Saco, for example, cost $13.9 million to cover 325 individuals, and at the Howard Johnson hotel in South Portland cost $4.4 million to cover 241 individuals.
Catholic Charities of Maine is involved in providing services at both locations, having expanded their refugee resettlement operation to transitional housing for asylum seekers in 2022.
Permanent housing arrangements for migrants outlined in the Republican lawmaker’s presentation included the $3.37 million spent on the Brunswick Landing project which covers the rent for 60 units for homeless asylum-seeking migrants and individuals for two years.
In addition to the tranche of funding directed towards the homelessness and migrant crises, the Republicans also pointed to $43 million in General Assistance costs in 2023, $20.8 million in federal grants, and a proposed additional $26 million from Gov. Janet Mills.
Rep. Gary Drinkwater (R-Milford), a member of the Legislature’s Labor and Housing Committee, said Tuesday that the figures in the presentation were based on a report provided to him by the Maine State Housing Authority (MaineHousing).
“You know what, if you’ve come to this state, we want to educate your kids, we want to help you,” Rep. Drinkwater said. “But when you look at these numbers, it’s appalling that Mainers are getting pushed to the rear of the line, and the asylum seekers are at the front of the line.”
Another Republican serving on the Labor and Housing Committee, Rep. Dick Bradstreet (R-Vassalboro), acknowledged that Maine is facing a workforce shortage that could be remedied by incorporating asylum seekers into the workforce, but requested more accountability for spending.
“We know and understand the challenges that we have with our workforce, and we want to work so we can bring more people into our state — including asylum seekers, I think we all have that goal,” Rep. Bradstreet said.
“However, if you take a look at some of these figures that we’ve provided for you, I think it will kind of open your eyes a little bit about what is happening,” Bradstreet said.
“We’ve asked: Is there a plan? Is there an end-game? Do we have something that we can set our eyes on and we can say, you know, we’re accomplishing something here?” He said.
“We’re not sure of that,” he added, saying that Republicans have been left out of discussions and plans related to the issue.
Maine Senate Majority Leader Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook) called the spending figures “alarming,” and referenced in particular the outsized spending on homeless shelters by Portland.
“It’s really striking to me that the folks in rural Maine are being told to do more with less, meanwhile Taj Mahals are being built for other folks in more urban places that aren’t even Maine residents, Maine citizens,” Sen. Stewart said.
The Republican lawmakers proposed a three-pronged approach to “move asylum seekers through the system as quickly as possible.”
Republican lawmakers unveiled what they referred to as their “Path to Prosperity” program, a proposal to reshape the priorities of Maine’s policies for dealing with illegal immigrants and asylum seekers.
The GOP program would focus on removing language barriers with asylum seekers, helping them obtain work permits, and limiting housing benefits to one year — or six months after asylum seekers obtain a work permit.
Under “Limit magnetism to Maine” part of the program, the Republicans suggested placing certain eligibility requirements for General Assistance and other welfare programs, and more “coordination and centralization.”
The Republicans also proposed directing federal funding for education opportunities and working toward expanding opportunities in agriculture and the trades.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="25567 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=25567">12 Comments
“The Republican lawmakers proposed a three-pronged approach to “move asylum seekers through the system as quickly as possible.” That’s not a solution. It’s a capitulation.
Seems no Republicans care that under the orders of former President Trump, they spiked the strongest border security bill in our lifetimes. Don’t take my word for it, read what ‘The Wall Street Journal” editorial board had to say. Republicans want chaos at the border and we get what they want. Don’t blame Joe, or any Democrat as he and the vast majority of those in the Senate and House supported the legislation. Republicans did UNITL Trump told them not to. I’m sure none of you recall in 2019 when then-President Trump said he needed strong border legislation. You own the border chaos Republicans as you threw away an extremely tough border bill because of your fealty to Trump.
This is all about beefing up the Democrat vote totals. Corruption abounds in Democrat circles. Stinks to high heavens.
No Robert, this is about replacing White people. They don’t need them as voters. They can change votes electronically. This sh*tshow is going to end badly. What do low IQ, sub saharan Africans know about lobstering, logging or any of the other areas that might need employees.
These people aren’t going to assimilate nor are they required to because the point is to destroy what the founders envisioned. The uniparty is just good cop bad cop who at the end of the day feed at the same trough. They’re using our compassion against us, watch some videos from Michael Yon on how taxpayers are funding NGO’s like Catholic Charities, Red Cross etc.. and are down in South America luring illegals with funds, cell phones and instructions on what to say and do at the US border.
What is it that lawmakers don’t understand about unvetted, illegal immigration? Every politician should vote NO on Mills’ push for LD 2167, because the untenable influx of immigrants has created an atmosphere of chaos and lawlessness that, last Friday, placed York County residents at risk. Until our tax paid, elected officials realize they work for their constituents, our state is at risk of imploding.
Also, Republicans have not been left out of the plan for LD 2167. Senator Rick Bennett and legislator Ms. Collamore helped craft it. Shame on them for trying to throw Mainers under the bus!
“The governor plans to import 75,000 ‘New Americans’ over the next five years.“
From your Jan 2023 article:
National labor participation rate, 62.4, Maine 58%.
“37,200 fewer Mainers were employed in December (2022) than three years earlier.”
My question is, if the governor brings 75,000 new folks to Maine, will 58% of those of working age enter the workforce? Has she factored in the number who will work versus the number who will stay home? Does she need to import 130,000 working age new Mainers to have 75,000 new Maine workers?
I’d be interested to see what the labor participation rate is for the other New England states, as well as the top ten states nationally.
I visited The Netherlands last year where the labor non-participation rate is 76%, up from 67.4% in 2003. This is what happens in a growing, innovative economy with a tradition of a strong work ethic, like Maine used to have.
Thanks so much for what you do and please keep covering the pitiful Maine labor participation rate.
I give the Rs credit for bringing a lot of the hidden spending to light. One thing they didn’t touch on is the expense of educating asylum seeker’s children. In Brunswick property taxes are about to go through the roof because of all of the special needs of kids who don’t speak English, need social services, etc.
The increase in property taxes will force people to leave Brunswick, some of whom have lived here all their lives. Imagine you live in a house left to you by your parents and you have to sell and move so some asylum seekers can have free everything. It’s a travesty, especially considering that about 85% of all asylum claims are not valid when they are finally adjudicated.
High unemployment and high taxes — that’s the mark of Democrat rule.
Maine needs business investment way more than cheap, welfare labor.
Maine needs the GOP to get out there and spread the word, not just a press release. That is like spitting into the wind. The GOP of Maine needs to fight and stop getting along, DemoRats/Marxists don’t worry about being nice. When will the GOP learn? As long as you have people like Sawin Millet and othesr in the GOP who side with the DemoRats/Marxists nothing will change.
stop working for taxes and pay no taxes and join the unwashed. go farming and grow your own food. Move to NH a no tax state.
What would our towns do if we could no longer pay our taxes. No $ for schools, no $ for snow plowing No dollars for public employiess No pay checls for elected offiicals what a mess.