Maine’s $155 million stockpile of federal funds makes great headlines for Gov. Paul LePage, but it isn’t for Maine taxpayers. These ar federal funds given to Maine to help the poor. When LePage holds them back, that doesn’t make the needs of the poor go away — it means our taxes increase locally to make up the shortfall.

That shortfall is disproportionately distributed upon local taxpayers depending on where the poor reside. In other words, we pay the money to the feds who distribute it back to the states. Maine holds it back, then we pay again in local taxes to make up the shortfall.

This is how LePage is reducing welfare costs for us taxpayers? Not hardly — it means we may be paying more than twice in some cases. Communities who have no low-income residents are only paying once at the federal level.

The state of Maine should be required to disburse the money and to remove the 60-month cap. As a taxpayer, I insist that my federal money be disbursed throughout the poor, as needed, before the state double-dips and forces me to pay twice or more by denying those in need. If this isn’t discrimination, what is?

Stanley G. Boynton

Winthrop