PORTLAND — A push is on get more Maine farmers’ markets to accept payments from low-income residents who use electronic benefit transfer cards. Colleen Hanlon Smith, director of the Maine Federation of Farmers’ Markets, says the organization could conceivably expand EBT acceptance this year to about 50 of the state’s 139 markets. She tells the […]
EBT
Posted inMaine
Where Maine EBT cards are used out of state
Ninety-nine percent of the $164.2 million of EBT card transactions on a list of personal welfare spending data released by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services was spent in Maine. Of the remaining 1 percent — $2.8 million — half was spent in New Hampshire. The rest was spent or cashed in the […]
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Posted inMaine
Mainers use their EBT cash for interesting things in unusual places
Top 10 municipalities for EBT card use Municipality EBT uses $ Amount Total uses % Total $ % Portland 82,433 $15,708,206 7.96% 9.56% Lewiston 87,337 $15,576,077 8.43% 9.48% Auburn 47,281 $8,047,119 4.56% 4.90% Bangor 54,962 $7,771,625 5.30% 4.73% Waterville 37,732 $5,840,112 3.64% 3.56% Augusta 37,274 $5,702,054 3.60% 3.47% Biddeford 25,459 $4,112,455 2.46% 2.50% Westbrook 22,476 […]
Posted inUncategorized
Change in the cards?
As the Legislature considers new rules on how TANF recipients can use their EBT (electronic benefit transfer) cards, we’d like to talk to card holders about the card, what you use it for, complaints, praise or any thoughts you have about the system. Business owners who take the cards and others involved in the system […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Local businesses don’t take EBT cards, but have ATM machines
But when the Sun Journal quizzed business managers and owners at local businesses cited in LePage’s news release, they all denied accepting the cards at their registers. They all said they have had ATM machines on the premises of their businesses at some point. In his written statement, LePage’s office says the numbers show “thousands […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage releases data showing EBT cards used at bars and smoke shops
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage released information on Tuesday that he says demonstrates that welfare benefits in Maine are being abused. But the data LePage cited to make his case for abuse represents a tiny fraction of all transactions involving electronic benefits cards issued to the state’s welfare recipients. The data was compiled by the […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Democrats will consider EBT limits but oppose other welfare bills
AUGUSTA — Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves said Wednesday that he’s open to a proposal by Republican Gov. Paul LePage to limit what products can be bought with cash welfare benefits, but said his party would fight two other welfare reform bills the governor will introduce in January. “No one wants to see assistance for […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage proposes welfare reform bills
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage announced plans Tuesday to introduce three welfare reform bills for the next legislative session, which begins in January. Among the proposed legislation will be two welfare reform bills sponsored by House Republican Leader Ken Fredette of Newport. Those bills were rejected by the Democrat-controlled Legislative Council, but will move toward […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
EBT shoppers face computer errors at the register
Shoppers in Lewiston and across Maine and 16 other states were unable to use their food stamp debit cards for hours on Saturday, after a routine test of systems by vendor Xerox Corp. resulted in a system failure. In Lewiston, EBT shoppers at the Shaw’s Supermarket were unable to buy groceries for about 30 minutes, […]