MAIN & Maine Equal Justice
Ready to Protect and Improve
The Maine Association for Interdependent Neighborhoods (MAIN) and Maine Equal Justice Partners (MEJP)
have been getting ready for the opening of the 123rd session of the Maine Legislature.
The first part of this two-year session began on January 3, 2007. To prepare, we started out with the
MAIN Conference in October to choose our priorities and discuss possible opportunities. We also elected new
MAIN leaders to help guide us in our work. They will look to you, MAIN members and friends, to step
forward to help us with this work. MAIN and MEJP depend on you sharing your life experiences to help
educate legislators about the affect their decisions have on Maine people.
As you read the articles in this newsletter, please think if your experience, or the experience of others
you know, may be of help. Then contact us! We will be there to support you so you can take part in
helping to make life better for all Maine people. Together, we have the power to make a difference.
Our top priorities include:
- Working to reduce any harm that state budget shortfalls will have on programs that help low-income
people;
- Protecting MaineCare for low-income families and individuals;
- Preserving the TANF safety net for families with children (read more);
- Improving the Emergency Assistance (EA) program by making more Maine people eligible for it and
increasing the amount of help the program offers (read more);
- Working closely with our federal Congressional members to make sure that current programs that provide
health care for children and food stamps are protected as Congress goes through the reauthorization
process (read more);
- Finding more state funds for childcare to help TANF families and those families leaving TANF for work;
- Looking for opportunities to help low-income people with childcare, transportation and other costs
when they seek higher education and training (read more);
- Looking for ways to improve the General Assistance (GA) program;
- Supporting efforts to protect the Maine HOME Fund that provides money for homeless shelters,
first-time homebuyers and the development of affordable housing;
- Supporting the MAIN member organization and friends working for peace, bread and justice through
legislation and other initiatives.
For updates and action alerts on
all of these issues throughout the session:
Watch for email alerts and mailings, and
Keep an eye on our websites.
Contact Maine Equal Justice or
MAIN
if you think your experience with any of these issues might help us reach our goals!
MAIN
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