More of Maine's population getting welfare than paying taxes?

Despite the numbers debate here, when you include the children on welfare the answer is clearly yes.

There are more Mainers receiving welfare benefits than there are income tax filers paying taxes, Republican Gov. Paul LePage said Saturday.

But Democrats said LePage’s numbers are deceptive and not entirely truthful.

In reiterating his call for the need to cut humans services programs to save money, the governor said in his weekly radio address that Maine had 453,000 people receiving welfare benefits in 2010. At the same, he said, the state had only 445,000 people who paid taxes.

LePage said he doesn’t relish the thought of people being hurt by spending cuts, but said it isn’t fair to cover the $221 million Medicaid funding shortage by raising taxes or asking other state agencies to make up the difference. Rather, the state needs to rein in Medicaid costs and restructure the program, he said. . . .