Effects of Refugee Resettlement in Portland and Lewiston (fit in, condo)

[elston]

When people mention the strain on the welfare budget, are we talking about 75% federal reimbursement.....money that is almost immediately spent in the Lewiston/Aubin community for rent and food and services.

Wouldn't an influx of federal money benefit property owners and merchants, I would imagine that very little of it remains in the hands of the recipients.

[Boomerang]

It's been so long since the resettlement program started, my memory's gotten rusty.
But I seem to recall that some other areas of the country had already been "resettled" up to what their financial resources could bear, and begged to be let off of any additional influx? Is that right?

[genmomto5]

I do not know anything about the politics or finances of the situation in Portland. I live close to where many of the Somalis live. I have never had anything but positive interactions with them. I think it is an immense benefit for my children to be able to get to know children of other cultures in their schools and neighborhood.

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by elston

When people mention the strain on the welfare budget, are we talking about 75% federal reimbursement.....money that is almost immediately spent in the Lewiston/Aubin community for rent and food and services.

Wouldn't an influx of federal money benefit property owners and merchants, I would imagine that very little of it remains in the hands of the recipients.

I think i know what your saying.

matching federal funds.........is not such a bad thing to take advantage of. Yes the state may raise taxes to pay for programs other states do not have in an effort to bring in federal funds......this money is then used to pay for health care (doc, nurses, nurses aids ect) and, (food stamps spent at hannaford and other local business ect)......which all helps our economy to grow.

But I still feel in my heart that federal money is still our tax dollars even though there is net income of federal dollars coming into the state.

and, what happens when those funds stop.......like the past year when the federal government decided that some of our programs were to liberal and decided to cut matching funds for them......Bang....the state has a buedget shortfall of 90-200 million dollars. Thats a huge financial burden for the state to pick up. So I can't say how much I agree with the overall philosophy of it.

As a landlord I will not get into the nitty gritty of sect 8 housing and how I would just so much prefer not to have to house those people. I know I know...There are some truely needy responsible people that need housing, but the fact is the majority(at least from my experience) give the rest a bad name.

I did recently read that Maine has had an out migration of people on welfare........that is more people on welefare are leaving the state then are coming in......I found that very suprising.

[elston]

Originally Posted by flycessna

I think i know what your saying.

matching federal funds.........is not such a bad thing to take advantage of. Yes the state may raise taxes to pay for programs other states do not have in an effort to bring in federal funds......this money is then used to pay for health care (doc, nurses, nurses aids ect) and, (food stamps spent at hannaford and other local business ect)......which all helps our economy to grow.

But I still feel in my heart that federal money is still our tax dollars even though there is net income of federal dollars coming into the state.

Some states receive more money from the feds than they pay in taxes and others are "donor states" that send more money to Washington than comes back. California (dispite its very high immigrant population) is a donor state; West Virginia rec's back far more than it sends. I don't know where Maine is in this regard--but that is the type of thing I was refering to......federally reimbursable welfare and medicaid payments...are not a drain on the Maine economy; I am not an economist by a long shot....but I think it is an influx of money that benefits the state.

I know that NH used medicaid/medicare reimbursement to balance the state budget for years; it was one of the ways they avoided other taxes and paid for essential services. For example when the majority of folks with developmental disabilities were cared for in an institution.....they were ineligible for medicare/medicaid payment....but when they de-institutionalized...all those folks became eligible and their care was reimbursed by the federal government...saving the state millions of dollars.

[dmyankee]

The last Federal Revenue Sharing figure for Maine, I remember was about $1.40 in for every $1.00 out.

[elston]

Originally Posted by dmyankee

The last Federal Revenue Sharing figure for Maine, I remember was about $1.40 in for every $1.00 out.

Perhaps we owe the Somalian refugees a thank you for a portion of that contribution to the economic benefit to us all.

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by elston

Perhaps we owe the Somalian refugees a thank you for a portion of that contribution to the economic benefit to us all.

If thats the kind of economy you want?????? then fine But i hardly think a thank you is in order for anyone who is a drain on the system overall. Thats like thanking criminals for for creating all of our jobs in police and criminal law.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by Shuffler

I have to think that Maine is not on the 'short list' of desirable places for Fugees to go to. What the heck are they gonna do in Maine, anyway?

Originally Posted by flycessna

get your facts streight!! The mayor of Lewiston asked the Somali " elders" if they could in some way slow down the immigration of their people coming here.

I don't need to point out the obvious that these people are political refugees from a war torn nation, but I will say this: they have been placed where they have been placed in the US primarily because of UNCHR. There are some other reasons (politics) behind the reasons for why the resettle where they do, but those border on the conspiracy line. Somalians did not just one day decide to move to Maine, Minnesota or Arizona; they were placed there.

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

There are some other reasons (politics) behind the reasons for why the resettle where they do, but those border on the conspiracy line. Somalians did not just one day decide to move to Maine, Minnesota or Arizona; they were placed there.

I know a little about how the placement works for refugee's entering the US and how they really do not even have a choice of what country they get to go to. But the majority of somali's that settled in Lewiston have been in America for years and are american citizens. The chose freely to move to Maine. Now....if your talking about the politics behind why they chose to move to Maine......think Stmary's hospital and the sisters of charity.