News

Fixing Maine’s Welfare System and Creating a Path to Economic Independence

Maine’s safety net should help our most needy citizens. Among those most vulnerable are our elderly, disabled and mentally ill.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Maine’s safety net, however, should not pay for things like alcohol and cigarettes.

Unfortunately, we now know that welfare abuse is more widespread than we thought. This week, we shared with Mainers some shocking news about how some people are spending their welfare benefits – specifically money from Electronic Benefit Transfer cards.

EBT Cards issued in Maine have been used in all 50 states.

Since 2012, more than 3,000 transactions were made at more than 20 “smoke shops” in Maine, which sell mostly cigarettes and other tobacco products. There are several examples of individuals using their EBT cards to spend hundreds of dollars at a time at liquor stores too. One liquor store in New Hampshire had more than a thousand transactions totaling nearly $8,000.

There are nearly 650 transactions at retail establishments that sell primarily alcohol, such as bars and sports pubs. The data also shows that EBT cards were used at strip clubs in Maine.

It makes sense that these sorts of transactions would be illegal. And they are now.

In the next few weeks, I will give lawmakers a bill that aims to reduce this kind of illegal activity. It’s imperative that fraud is eliminated from the welfare system because it takes away from those who need it most. Our Administration is committed to helping those who are truly in need, but we cannot support those cheating the system.

This session, I will also be introducing a bill to repeal a state law that prevents Maine from complying with federal requirements in one of Maine’s welfare programs – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or TANF. 

The Clinton Administration enacted welfare reforms in 1996, requiring beneficiaries of TANF to either work or train for a job. However, a year later the Maine Legislature updated state law to include a wide variety of exemptions that allow people to get around the federal work requirements. This puts us out of line with federal standards, and we now face $13 million in fines from the Obama Administration.

Under federal requirements, half of all families who receive TANF benefits and at least 90 percent of two-parent households must engage in work or education programs. Single parents must work 30 hours a week.

We just want to align state law with the federal standards so Maine taxpayers are not forced to pay millions of dollars in penalties. It’s common-sense legislation.

As Ronald Reagan used to joke, “The Democrats fought a war on poverty and poverty won.”  A good job is the best way out of poverty. That’s why we are focusing on welfare-to-work programs to lift Mainers from poverty to the middle-class. I understand, it’s not an easy road.

By conforming to federal standards and eliminating welfare abuse, we can provide a safety net for our most vulnerable, and we can use our resources to provide Mainers a path to economic independence. 

Governor LePage Asks State Education Board to Review Commissioner Candidate

Governor plans to nominate Acting Education Commissioner Jim Rier, of Topsham, to the position permanently following the review by the Board as required by State statute

AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage announced today that he hopes to make his Acting Education Commissioner permanent.

In a letter sent Monday morning to the State Board of Education, Governor LePage said he intends to nominate Jim Rier, of Topsham, to be Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education, pending that 10-member board’s evaluation of the candidate.

While most gubernatorial Commissioner appointments go directly to the legislative committee of jurisdiction, State statute requires the Governor’s nomination for Education Commissioner be interviewed by the State Board of Education, which is currently chaired by Nancy Perkins, of Cornish.

The State Board is expected to interview Acting Commissioner Rier at its next regular meeting on Jan. 15, something traditionally done in executive session. The Chair will them deliver the Board’s written appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses of the candidate within 10 days to the Governor, who will consider the feedback before formally posting the nomination for the Legislature’s consideration.

Acting Commissioner Rier is no stranger to the State Board of Education and a familiar face at the Department and the State House.

A former Senior Project Engineer at Buick who worked for 25 years as President of his family’s car dealership in his native Machias, Rier served two terms on the Board including as Chair from 1997 to 2000.

He joined the Maine DOE as its Director of Finance and Operations in 2003 and became Deputy Commissioner in 2011. In his tenure, Acting Commissioner Rier has established himself as the state’s foremost expert in education funding, and has led reforms to the School Funding Law, Child Development Services and the Department that have increased transparency and fiscal accountability to Maine taxpayers.

He has also volunteered extensively to support efforts that advance education and economic development, and has been honored for his leadership and service by groups including the Maine School Management Association, the Maine Municipal Association and the American Lung Association.

Rier has served as Acting Education Commissioner since October. In that time, he has worked to successfully implement the student-centered reforms of the LePage Administration, including ensuring school choice and accountability, and that the Maine DOE is effectively supporting school improvement.

He lives in Topsham with his wife, Linda, and has three grown children and seven grandchildren.

Dr. Renzi Joins Franklin Memorial Emergency Department

Is board-certified in emergency medicine, critical care medicine, and internal medicine

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Franklin Memorial Hospital (FMH) President Rebecca Arsenault is pleased to announce that Richard Renzi, MD, joined the medical staff of the emergency department at Franklin Memorial Hospital on January 7. Dr. Renzi is board-certified in emergency medicine, critical care medicine, and internal medicine.

Before joining Franklin Memorial Hospital, Dr. Renzi had provided emergency medicine services at St. Joseph Hospital in Bangor since 2009.

Dr. Renzi received his medical degree from the University of Bologna in Italy. He completed his internal medicine residency and later a Fellowship in critical care medicine at Miriam Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island.

In 2008, Dr. Renzi was named as one of Rhode Island’s Top Docs by the Rhode Island Monthly publication. In 2007 he was honored by the Consumer Research Council of America as one of America’s Top Emergency Medicine Physicians. And, one of his proudest achievements was receiving the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Warren Albert Medical School at Brown University, also in 2007.

Dr. Renzi resides in Wyman Township with his wife Susan. They are the parents of two adult children.

Other providers in the FMH emergency department include Dr. David Kearing, Dr. Chris Canto, Dr. Steve Zanella and physician assistants Randy Gauvin, Jim Hines, and James Pickrell.

Governor LePage: EBT Fraud is a Real Problem  

Data shows thousands of transactions abusing EBT cards

AUGUSTA – On Tuesday, Governor Paul R. LePage released information showing thousands of transactions involving the misuse of taxpayer-funded welfare benefits on EBT cards issued in Maine.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) compiled the information based on transactional data from Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards issued by the State to eligible Mainers receiving benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

Data released shows that since January 1, 2012 more than 3,000 transactions were made at more than 22 “smoke shops” in Maine, which sell primarily cigarettes and other tobacco products. There are several examples of individuals using their EBT cards to spend hundreds of dollars at a time at liquor stores in Maine. One liquor store in New Hampshire had more than a thousand transactions totaling nearly $8,000.

There are nearly 650 transactions at retail establishments that sell primarily alcohol, such as bars and sports pubs. The data also shows that EBT cards were used at strip clubs in Maine. Transactions using cash benefits at these locations are prohibited under state and federal law.

EBT Cards issued in Maine have been used in all 50 states. There are examples of Maine benefits being used in 46 states by individuals that had been out of Maine for over a year.

“This information is eye-opening and indicates a larger problem than initially thought,” said Governor LePage. “These benefits are supposed to help families, children and our most vulnerable Mainers. Instead, we have discovered welfare benefits are paying for alcohol, cigarettes and other things that hardworking taxpayers should not be footing the bill for.” 

On May 21, 2012, Governor LePage signed into law An Act to Strengthen the State’s Ability To Investigate and Prosecute Misuse of Public Benefits. This law establishes that an EBT card may not be used in the following locations: A retail establishment where 50 percent of more of the gross revenue of the establishment is derived from the sale of liquor; a gambling facility, except that use of the electronic benefits transfer system is permitted in any portion of the premises of a gambling facility that is set aside separately for the sale primarily of staple foods; or a retail establishment that provides adult-oriented entertainment in which performers disrobe or perform in an unclothed state for entertainment.

In order to implement the policies and procedures necessary to enforce the law, DHHS established rules that prohibit the use of EBT cards in these locations. The LePage Administration has taken an active, work-focused approach in addressing welfare reform and continues to advocate for programs that will support those in need, but the Administration does not condone a welfare system susceptible to fraud.

“The Department is committed to maintaining program integrity by actively working to identify fraud, waste and abuse,” said Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew. “By using this data proactively, we can ensure resources will be available for programs like Additional Support for People in Retraining and Employment, which helps TANF recipients get back to work in meaningful employment.”

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services continues to work with the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverage and Lottery Operations, the Department of Public Safety and various other agencies to identify locations in which EBT transactions are prohibited.

Additionally, in 2013, The LePage Administration hired eight new welfare fraud investigators to assist in rise of prosecutions for welfare fraud and abuse. The Fraud Investigation and Recovery Unit investigated more than 2,600 complaints of fraud through December 2013. Including criminal cases and other investigations, the unit is now pursuing approximately 1,400 complaints as of January 2014.

If you suspect anyone of abusing welfare assistance, please call the Fraud Hotline at 866-348-1129. Seventy-one percent of the referrals came from the Administration’s new public reporting system, which consists of a form on the DHHS website and a new fraud hotline. The Administration established the hotline in 2011.

“We need to help struggling Mainers to earn success, not to learn dependency. Our Administration inherited a welfare system that wasn’t working. We’re making changes to get people off welfare and into work, giving them a better life, better opportunities and a brighter future for their families,” said Governor LePage. 

Note of Interest: Under pressure and criticism of a program used by one in seven Americans, administrators of the U.S. food stamp benefits program have cracked down in recent years on those committing fraud or misusing benefits. Kevin Concannon, former Maine DHHS commissioner and current U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, recently said his agency was doubling efforts to prevent fraud, which accounts for 1 percent of food stamp benefits, but equals about $750 million each year. Concannon told a Reuters reporter in 2012: “Fraud is not a static concept – we know that where there is a will to commit malfeasance, bad actors will try to find a way” and “This is $750 million that isn’t being used to provide food to individuals and families.”

2-year Sugarloaf Season Pass being Raffled at Charity Summit

Proceeds benefit two Maine organizations fighting cancer

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One highlight of Sugarloaf’s Charity Summit this month is the drawing of an adult 2-year nordic and alpine season pass at Sugarloaf, valid for the 2014/15 and 2015/16 ski seasons with no blackout dates. All proceeds from Charity Summit events benefit Franklin Memorial Hospital’s Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center and the Maine Cancer Foundation.

Raffle tickets are just $10 each or three tickets for $25. Raffle tickets can be purchased at Guest Services at Sugarloaf and online. The winner will be drawn at the Charity Summit Ball on January 25. The lucky winner need not be present to win and can give the 2-year pass to someone else!

So buy your tickets today for a chance to win and to support two worthy causes! Purchase online at www.sugarloaf.com/charity.

Franklin Memorial Hospital’s Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center provides timely access to state-of-the-art screening, diagnostic, clinical, and care-support services, provided by a multi-disciplinary team of experts. Services are available to all, regardless of their ability to pay in both Farmington and Livermore Falls. www.fchn.org/FMH/services/breast-care

Maine Cancer Foundation, established in 1976, improves the health and well-being of Maine people. A grant-based organization, the Foundation supports scientific laboratory and clinical cancer research, professional and public education, and patient support programs throughout Maine.  www.mainecancer.org

FMH Occupational Health Services Moving to Mt. Blue Health Center

Patients should report to new location on Monday, January 6

FARMINGTON, MAINE¾

Franklin Memorial Hospital Occupational Health Services will begin seeing its patients on the second floor of the Mt. Blue Health Center effective Monday, January 6, in space previously occupied by Franklin Health Child & Adolescent Developmental Pediatrics.

All services provided including injury management, medical evaluations, regulatory compliance, employee health services, screenings and testing, immunizations, and travel medicine will remain the same, as will telephone numbers.

To reach the new location, patients should enter the Franklin Memorial Hospital main entrance and take an immediate left onto the Loop Road. The Mt. Blue Health Center will be on the right. Patients and visitors should drive past the first three entrances and enter its designated parking area at the rear of the building. Look for the new signs to directing patients to the new location.

For information call 779-2367.

Governor Lifts State of Emergency 

AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage on Wednesday lifted the State of Emergency he declared earlier this month. The Emergency Proclamation signed by the Governor on Dec. 21 was to ensure that all State resources would be available to assist affected communities during the ice storm.

The proclamation language is as follows: 

WHEREAS, the emergency conditions arising from the severe winter storm conditions in the State of Maine commencing on December 21, 2013 have greatly lessened; and

WHEREAS, public health and safety are no longer threatened and property no longer endangered by such conditions beyond the capability of local governments to respond;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, PAUL R. LePAGE, Governor of the State of Maine, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of Maine, do hereby declare that a State of Emergency no longer exists in the State.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have caused the Great Seal of the State to be hereunto affixed GIVEN under my hand at Augusta this 1^st day of January, 2014.

Paul R. LePage 
Governor 

Governor Encourages Mainers to Report Ice Storm Damage  

Reports will help the State assess what assistance may be available to Mainers and businesses

AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage is asking all individuals and business owners whose property or business has been damaged by the recent ice storm and power outages, or who had other losses, to call 211 Maine and report their damages.   Businesses that suffered a significant loss of revenue because of the storm may also report.

“This is not an application for assistance,” Governor LePage said. “We need to know how many people have been impacted, and where they are, in order to assess what kinds of assistance might be available. We’re asking people to report to 211 so that we know the extent of damages and losses. The 211 call specialists also have health and safety information available, and may be able to refer you to some kinds of help right away.”

Governor LePage said it was also very important for people to contact their insurance companies if they had damages caused by fallen trees, or other insured damages from the storm. Typical damages or losses from ice storms and power outages include damages to buildings and vehicles from falling trees and ice, burst pipes, and lost food. It is recommended, if possible, to photograph any damages before cleanup or repair to keep as a record of the loss.

Although central, downeast and midcoast locations were hardest hit, the impact of the storm was felt in many areas of the state. [name] stated, “If you had damages or losses, dial 2-1-1 toll-free no matter where you live or do business in the state.“

Only one report per household is needed. Those calling 211 should be prepared to give:

1. Name of Individual/Family Affected

2. County

3. Town

4. Physical Address of Property Affected

5. Current Address

6. Telephone number to be reached at

7. Nature of issues or damages

8. For Business owners, approximate dollars, days or other approximate measure of revenue lost.

Important Numbers:

• Dial 911 if you have a life-threatening emergency
• Dial 211 (or alternate numbers, below) to: report damages to your home or business OR learn about services available to you now
• Contact your electric utility if you have a new outage, or questions about restoration:
  • Central Maine Power: 1-800-696-1000
  • Bangor Hydro/Maine Public Service: 1-800-440-1111 (Central and Downeast Maine) and 877-655-4448 (Northern Maine)
  • Eastern Maine Electric: (207) 454-7555 Ext. 250, (800) 696-7444 Ext. 250

About 2-1-1 Maine

2-1-1 Maine is a comprehensive statewide directory of over 8,000 health and human services available in Maine. The toll free 2-1-1 hotline connects callers to trained call specialists who can help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To reach 2-1-1:

• Dial: 2-1-1
• TTY: 2-1-1
• From a rotary phone dial: 1-866-811-5695
• Toll free in-state or out of state dial: 1-877-463-6207
• http://www.211maine.org

Weathering the Ice Storm: Not like ’98, but it Left its Mark

It wasn’t like 1998, but it was a storm to remember.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

It’s been more than a week since the ice storm hit, and power and tree crews have been working non-stop to repair and restore power to hundreds of thousands of Mainers.

Among areas hardest hit was Hancock County, where officials expect to have power back on New Year’s Day.

I want to thank Emera Maine (formerly Bangor Hydroelectric), Central Maine Power and Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative for their hard work and dedication in restoring power. Our Maine line and tree crews, as well as crews from at least 6 states and 2 Canadian provinces, left their families at home at Christmas time to work long hours in the cold to support Maine people. That is a gift we are all grateful for.  

Also, volunteers, State agency representatives and county and local officials who have been working throughout the storm response have done tremendous work. We don’t get through these emergencies without hundreds of volunteers.

We’re thankful for Maine’s Red Cross volunteers, volunteer firefighters, community response teams and community members who are stepping up. And our state agencies, including the Maine Emergency Management Agency, have done whatever was needed to make sure communities were supported.

As ice storm recovery efforts continue, The Maine Disaster Relief Fund, administered by the United Way of Kennebec Valley, will distribute funds collected to the various nonprofit agencies who are involved in the relief effort. All donations to the Relief Fund are tax-deductible.

I encourage you to consider donating to the Relief Fund. Cash donations are best in any disaster, because they allow relief agencies to purchase the supplies they need, when they need them. They also purchase supplies as near as possible to the disaster area, which supports the local economy.

You can donate online at volunteermaine.org/disaster and follow the link to Maine Disaster Relief Fund.

Mainers are used to weathering storms. And while this one was not as destructive as the ice storm of ’98, it was a storm that left its mark in 2013.

As we head into the New Year, I wish you and yours the very best. Happy New Year!

Charity Summit Loafers for a Cure Deadline Approaching

Top Fundraisers qualify for incredible perks

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Join fellow Loafers for a Cure as part of the Sugarloaf Charity Summit and raise a mountain of money. All proceeds from Charity Summit events benefit the Maine Cancer Foundation and the Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center.

Participation levels begin at just $250 and those who reach any of three fundraising levels qualify for incredible perks as follows:

·         Boardwalk: Raise $250 and receive a free lift ticket for Saturday, January 25; free event t-shirt, and gift bag valued at $100;

·         Cruiser: Raise $1000 and free lift ticket for Saturday, January 25, $100 gift bag with limited edition Charity Summit fleece, one ticket to the Charity Ball, lift-cutting privileges for one skier all day, a free entry in the Hands for a Cure, and a $250 gift card to the Downhill Supply Company;

·         Snowfields: Raise $2000 and receive a free lift ticket for Saturday, January 25, $100 gift bag with limited edition Charity Summit fleece, two tickets to the Charity Ball, lift cutting privileges for two skiers all day, two free entries in the Hands for a Cure, and a $500 gift card to the Downhill Supply Company.

Participants of Loafers for a Cure are also invited to attend a reception at 3 p.m. after their day on the hill where top fundraisers will be recognized. Deadline to register is January 12, so start your fundraising today!

Loafers already registered include: Kathy Miles, Dave Grant, Cathy Streifel, Joann Keenan, Stephen Arner, Meghan and Rylee McCormack, Kerry Robillard, and Kelly Greary Lucas, among others. Loafers for a Cure raised more than $32,000 last year.

To register or support a Loafer for a Cure go to www.sugarloaf.com/charity. Registration is easy and involves setting up a simple Web page with a picture. Anyone who needs assistance with the registration process can contact Bruce Miles for assistance at 235-2495.

Maine Cancer Foundation, established in 1976, improves the health and well-being of Maine people. A grant-based organization, the Foundation supports scientific laboratory and clinical cancer research, professional and public education, and patient support programs throughout Maine.  www.mainecancer.org

Franklin Memorial Hospital’s Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center provides timely access to state-of-the-art screening, diagnostic, clinical, and care-support services, provided by a multi-disciplinary team of experts. Services are available to all men and women, regardless of their ability to pay in both Farmington and Livermore Falls. www.fchn.org/FMH/services/breast-care