In a year when Gov. Paul LePage has traveled throughout the state, using town meeting-style events as a pulpit from which to call for welfare reform, Democrats have now come forth with their own plan to discourage abuse within the system.
GOP lawmakers say they welcome the effort, but a spokesman for LePage says it’s nothing more than election-year politics.
A Republican-commissioned poll taken last December confirmed what other surveys have found over the last several years: Mainers want a welfare system that discourages fraud and abuse. And a little more than a month before lawmakers adjourn for the session, Democrats in the House and Senate are responding.
“Mainers, we have heard you,” says Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves, joining other party leaders at a State House press conference to unveil details of the Welfare That Works plan. “We know that Maine’s welfare system is broken. It’s not working for taxpayers and its successes at helping people get out of poverty are too few and far between.”
And Senate Minority Leader Justin Alfond of Portland says the Democratic plan would block the use of electronic benefits transfer, or EBT, cards for certain goods and services.
“Our plan bans the use of welfare cash to buy alcohol, tobacco, bail, lottery, adult entertainment and other products that shouldn’t be bought with taxpayer dollars,” he says. “Instead of chasing people down who misuse their EBT cards after the fact, our plan creates accountability at the cash register. It implements a point-of-sale system that prevents the misuse of EBT cards in the first place.”
And by adding amendments to bills currently under consideration, Democrats would also reduce the level of cash assistance in the system by converting about $5 million into a housing reimbursement paid directly to landlords.
They would also address the social factors that cause Mainers to fall on hard times, such as domestic violence, and would provide transitional job training and education. The amendments also create a benchmarks for evaluating the effectiveness of the reforms and creates a Citizen Oversight Board.
“I actually want to welcome Democrats to the party,” says House Republican Leader Ken Fredette, noting that some of the measures have been rejected by Democrats in the past and are being put forth with less than a month to go in the session. “These are bills that in some ways were voted down last session and to the extent that we can get some agreement on meaningful welfare reform, we welcome the Democrats to the party.”
And Adrienne Bennett, press secretary for LePage, says it’s great that Democrats are getting behind some of the EBT card changes suggested by her boss. But she also says that Democratic lawmakers seeking re-election are trying to stake out welfare reform as a campaign issue.
“I don’t think you’re fooling Mainers when you come out at the last quarter of the game — almost in overtime — when they need some points to win an election,” Bennett says.
Eves rejects the suggestion that his party is simply hijacking Republican ideas that they once rejected.
“No, and I think that if you’re focusing on just one piece of the proposal, you’re missing the point,” Eves says.
Advocates for the poor say they like the training and education aspects of the Democratic plan, but Robyn Merrill, executive director of Maine Equal Justice Partners, takes issue with the provisions that place added limits on EBT purchases.
“It perpetuates negative stereotypes about people with low income, first and foremost,” she says. “Most people are using their welfare benefits to pay for housing and diapers. You know, we’re talking about single moms with kids.”
Alfond says Republicans, independents and Democrats have all had good ideas for reforming the state’s welfare system and that Maine should move forward with those plans instead of engaging in political bickering.
LePage will hold another in his series of local town hall meeting events in Bath at 6 p.m. Thursday.