For questions on or assistance with the applications listed below, please call the Town Office at (207) 469-7368 during normal business hours.The General Assistance (GA) program in Maine is administered by each municipality on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services in order to provide immediate help to eligible people who do not have enough money for basic needs, such as rent/mortgage, food, heating fuel, medications, non-elective medical care and other items that are essential to maintain themselves or their families. In order to receive GA, people must follow program rules and meet the eligibility conditions.
Please click on the General Assistance Instructions link below for more information.
Under Maine statute 36 M.R.S.A. § 841(2), the municipal officers are authorized, "on their own knowledge or on written application," to "make such abatements as they believe reasonable in the real and personal taxes on all persons who, by reason of infirmity or poverty, are in their judgment unable to contribute to the public charges." Additionally, Section 841(2) provides that:
- An applicant may apply for an abatement within 3 years from the date the taxes are committed (although municipal officers may extend the 3-year period);
- The municipal officers must provide that any person who indicates an inability to pay all or part of assessed taxes will be informed regarding their right to apply for an abatement;
- Individuals making applications for abatement must receive assistance in filing an application (this assistance however, does not reduce the applicant’s burden of proof);
- Application forms for requesting an abatement based on poverty or infirmity must be made available to applicants and must contain notice that a written decision shall be made within 30 days of the date of application;
- Municipal officers must provide persons the opportunity to apply for an abatement during normal business hours;
- Municipal officers must maintain the confidentiality of "all applications, information submitted in support of the application, files and communications relating to an application for abatement and the determination on the application for abatement";
- Poverty abatement hearings and proceedings must be held in executive session;
- Municipal officers must provide persons applying for abatement written notice of their decision within 30 days of application; and
- Any decision on an application for poverty abatement must provide the applicant with the specific reason or reasons for the decision and must inform the applicant of the right to appeal and the procedure for requesting an appeal.
The municipality of Bucksport administers a General Assistance program for the support of the poor. Pursuant to Title 22 MRSA §4305, the municipal officers have adopted an ordinance establishing that program. A copy of this ordinance is available for public inspection at the Town Office. Also available for inspection is a copy of the State's General Assistance Statutes, as copies of the State law are made available to the municipality by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
Persons who wish to apply for General Assistance may do so at the Bucksport Town Office during the following time:Day: WednesdayHours: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.In an emergency, applicants may contact the Public Safety building at (207) 469-7951.The municipality's General Assistance administrator must issue a written decision within 24 hours of receiving an application.
The Department of Health and Human Services' toll-free telephone number, to call with a question regarding the General Assistance Program, is 1-800-442-6003.
The notice is posted pursuant to Title 22 MRSA §§4304-4305
