By: Rep. Kilton Webb, D-Durham
One of my favorite parts of being a state representative is getting to connect with community members. This summer, I have had the chance to speak with over 600 neighbors across Bowdoin, Durham, Lisbon, Pownal and Topsham. Each town, although unique in many ways, faces many of the same issues – including the rising costs of groceries and unaffordable housing.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there has been a nearly 30% increase in grocery prices since 2020. As a result, many Mainers have had to change where and how they shop, forced to decide which items to cut from their downsized lists. It’s put a lot of families in a difficult position, and some have had to pick between paying for food or other essentials like medicine or utilities.
That’s why this session, I worked with my colleagues to pass legislation that will help alleviate some of the pressure of rising costs. This included $300 direct relief checks through the Affordability Payment Program in the supplemental budget. This July, Mainers began receiving the checks, and more are expected to be delivered in the coming weeks. In total, over 500,000 Mainers will receive these checks, which, for families who are barely making ends meet, will hopefully help cushion some of the inflated prices of everyday goods and services.
To be eligible, you must file a 2025 Maine individual income tax return by October 15 as a full-year Maine resident, not be claimed as a dependent on another taxpayer’s 2025 individual income tax return and have a federal adjusted gross income of less than: $100,000 if married filing a joint return or as a qualifying surviving spouse, $75,000 if filing as head of household or $50,000 if single or married filing separately. Find more information on the Maine Revenue Services website to see if you are eligible.
For our kids, the budget has expanded Maine’s free school meals program for all students in public schools, making sure that breakfast and lunch are regularly available to them, saving families an estimated $160 per month, per child.
Further, the Legislature invested $500,000 to help our neighbors purchase locally produced food while supporting Maine farmers through public and private matching funds.
Along with investing in our food system, finding ways to improve Maine’s housing system was a big focus of this legislative session.
One of the last options for more affordable housing – mobile homes – has been becoming increasingly expensive as private developers threaten to buy up mobile home parks as investments and increase lot rent prices. To combat this, the Legislature passed a bill to limit lot rent increases to once per year and make it easier to develop new homes in mobile home parks.
Additionally, the budget invests $37.5 million to create more than 400 new affordable homes and the Legislature extended the Affordable Housing Income Tax Credit for eight more years to support the continued construction of affordable housing. Further, the budget expands the Property Tax Fairness Credit from $1,000 to $1,500 for Mainers under 65. Check your eligibility for tax programs here.
These investments in our communities aim to help ease the ever-increasing costs that Mainers are facing. There is, of course, still much more to do. As I work to develop new legislation for the upcoming Legislature, I welcome your input.
If you see me out in our community, please stop to say hello or feel welcome to reach out to me at Kilton.Webb@legislature.maine.gov if you have any policy ideas, questions or need assistance accessing state programs. I look forward to hearing from you.
Rep. Kilton Webb is serving his first term in the Maine House and represents House District 98, which includes Durham, Pownal and portions of Lisbon, Bowdoin and Topsham. He serves on the Legislature's Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee.