Maine
State Government
Governor
Janet Mills (D)
State Senate
22
Democrats,
13
Republicans
State House
79
Democrats,
68
Republicans
Economic well-being - Maine
Extreme poverty rate
0.1
Food insecurity
0.1
Minimum wage
14.7
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.3
Poverty rate
10.6%
Unemployment rate
3.2
Number of Black or African American children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Number of Hispanic or Latino children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Percent of individuals who are uninsured
5.5
Newsday, June 24, 2012: Garvey to begin study in Maine (Subscription Required)
"Samantha Garvey, who was living in a homeless shelter with her family when she was named a semifinalist in the national Intel science talent search early this year, is packing up and heading for Maine."
Bangor Daily News, May 24, 2012: Lawmakers challenge Maine Education Dept. for taking back $1 million in grants
"Two state lawmakers are taking the Maine Department of Education to task for rescinding nearly $1 million in grant money that had been awarded to four districts, a decision one local school official said tarnishes the department's credibility."
Bangor Daily News, May 12, 2012: Early education cuts in state budget will force closures of some Head Start programs, say advocates
"Targeted for cuts are the Head Start program, child care subsidies for parents who are either working or continuing their education and funding for home visits for children in low-income families."
The Associated Press, January 26, 2012: Maine poverty report focuses on children, seniors
"Advocates for low-income Mainers are presenting a report that highlights the impact of poverty on children, families and seniors. The Maine Community Action Association released its annual Poverty Report Update on Thursday. The report was prepared by the Margaret Chase Smith Center at the University of Maine. The report highlights newly released county-by-county poverty data from the 2010 U.S. Census."
Maine Morning Sentinel, January 6, 2011: Report: Invest in early education to grow Maine economy
"A new report says that investing in quality child care and education will produce a well-trained work force down the road."
Chicago Tribune, October 17, 2011: More Maine students Hispanic, low income
"The number of low-income and Hispanic students continues to grow in Maine Township High School District 207 even though overall enrollment has slightly declined, according to a demographics report released this month."