Stimulus 2023: Hundreds of thousands of Maine residents to receive $450 direct payments in weeks
Brady Knox
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Roughly 880,000 Maine residents are due to receive a $450 direct payment within weeks.
The Winter Energy Relief Payments, intended to supplement home heating over the winter, were announced by Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) on Dec. 6 last year. To be eligible, residents must have filed a 2021 tax return by Oct. 31, 2022, been a full resident of the state for all of 2021, and made $100,000 or less as an individual, $150,000 filing as the head of a household, or $200,000 filing jointly. Eligible residents don’t need to do anything else, as they are preselected according to these criteria.
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All payments are expected to be shipped out by the end of the month.
“Inflation and high energy prices are stretching the wallets of Maine people, in some cases forcing them to face the impossible choice of heating their homes, putting food on the table, or paying for other necessities,” Mills said. “With this plan, we hope to ease the burden on Maine people by putting money back into their pockets so they can better afford these costs and by ensuring that our most vulnerable citizens are able to stay warm this winter.”
She went on to stress that bipartisan cooperation went into passing the measure, as it needed two-thirds support in the legislature.
“Maine is distinctly vulnerable to impacts from volatile global fossil fuel markets, which are causing Maine people to face unprecedented energy costs this winter. This relief plan will help Maine people and families stay warm this winter,” Director Dan Burgess of the Governor’s Energy Office said.
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He added that the governor’s office was closely cooperating with partners at every level of government to ensure energy supplies over the winter and “grow Maine’s energy independence.”
The payment will be shipped in the mail using the address provided on one’s 2021 Maine individual income tax return.