AUGUSTA — Maine lawmakers are taking a hard look at the way the state helps fund homeless shelters.

On Monday, members of the Legislature’s Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee listened to two hours of testimony from witness after witness who said more needs to be done to stabilize funding.

State funding for homeless shelters has decreased since the 1980s, according to a news release issued by state Sen. Justin Alfond, D-Portland.

Maine appropriates $380,000 per year for the 42 shelters across the state, down from $500,000 when the fund was established in 1987.

Alfond, the Senate’s minority leader, is offering legislation that dedicates at least $3.5 million a year to Maine’s homeless shelters, but an aide to the senator said Monday the bill is likely to change significantly.

Alfond’s home city has come under scrutiny from Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s administration for the way it uses General Assistance funding to help keep its homeless shelter, Maine’s largest, afloat. General Assistance is a combination of state and local funds used to help those with financial need weather financial hardships. The money is largely given for food, rent and medicines based on crisis situations.

Among those testifying Monday was Bob Rowe of New Beginnings youth shelter in Lewiston, according to a release from Alfond’s office.

Rowe said Alfond’s legislation, “offers a pragmatic approach that won’t fix everything.” Rowe said homelessness is a problem for urban and rural parts of Maine.

The shelter he works for in Lewiston is the last 24-hour youth shelter remaining in the state and there are only two other teen shelters, in Portland and Bangor, serving the entire state, Rowe said.

“Things can go backward,” Rowe said. “And going backward for children means incarcerating children with adults, which is how things were before New Beginnings and the youth shelter movement. I urge you to think about how we don’t want to go backward when we’re presenting a way forward.”

Alfond said his bill will provide dedicated funding for shelters.

“No one chooses to be homeless. Our shelters serve as the last line of defense for the neediest among us,” Alfond said. “As legislators, we have a responsibility to make sure shelters are adequately funded and there’s a place for Mainers to go to and be safe.”

The committee will continue to work on Alfond’s bill later this week.

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