Funding for western Maine nonprofits in question
Several nonprofits in western Maine are facing declining revenues after some communities have voted to decrease or completely cut taxpayer-supported funds.
The Morning Sentinel reported that town governments in Franklin County, including Farmington and New Sharon, are not fulfilling all funding requests from nonprofit organizations that serve a “public purpose,” as voters and locally elected officials seek to manage tight municipal budgets.
In one case, the Farmington Board of Selectmen agreed to remove an option for voters to fund two nonprofits that received $7,000 combined the previous year. For the town of Strong, voters shot down $2,850 in funding requests from six nonprofits, after approving $1,500 for a local food pantry.
While some town officials support funding for nonprofits because they can offer services that might otherwise be provided by the government at full cost, others said they don’t support it because voters should be able to choose which organizations they financially support.
Eric Conrad, a spokesman for Maine Municipal Association, told the Morning Sentinel that municipalities are allowed by state law to fund nonprofits that serve a “public purpose.” But he added that as communities continue to struggle with declining state revenue, appropriations for nonprofits are usually the first on the chopping block.
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