Dems looking to add housing, behavioral health funding to budget proposal

Some analysts say that while the direct checks will likely prove popular in an election year, the effects will be short lived.

“While $500 can mean a lot to a family, the impacts of that are really temporary,” said Sarah Austin, a tax and budget analyst with the Maine Center for Economic Policy. “With the revenue situation that the state has, and the situation the economy is in, we’re really hoping that this budget can be making more investments into things that are going to have long-term benefits.”

Click here for the full story, first published February 18, 2022, in Beacon.