Strimling: Maine should invest $200M in real relief, not $300 payouts

Beacon

Or, restore/increase SNAP and MaineCare payments for the homeless, for veterans, for foster kids aging out, for older Mainers with and without kids, and for new Mainers. All of whom, 30,000 in all (political strategists take notice), lost or will lose benefits under Trump’s budget. The price tag for all this? About $140 million according to the Maine Center for Economic Policy.

Click here to read the full story, first published March 18, 2026 in Beacon.