AUGUSTA, Maine - With the deadline to file a 2021 income tax return closed, the Mills Administration announced today that 850,010 relief checks have been sent to Maine taxpayers across the state.

The $850 inflation relief checks - or $1700 for the average Maine family is one of the strongest inflation relief measures in the country and is intended to help Maine people deal with rising costs.

"I am pleased that my Administration was able to deliver one of the strongest inflation relief measures in the nation to help Maine people through this difficult time," said Governor Mills. "Many Maine people have told me that they are using this money to put oil in their tank and gas in their cars and to buy groceries or pay copays for prescription medications. I thank the Legislature Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike for their support of this important program and I pledge to continue to work closely with them to support Maine people moving forward."

The inflation relief payments give back more than half of the State's surplus $729.3 million in the form of one-time, $850 checks to eligible Maine people. The measure was proposed by Governor Mills in her supplemental budget, drawing on an idea from Republican lawmakers, and was overwhelmingly passed by the State Legislature.

To date, 99 percent of the estimated 858,000 eligible Maine people have received their relief payments. Maine Revenue Services will continue processing checks as paper tax returns arrive in the mail and are vetted.

"At the direction of Governor Mills, we worked hard to reach Maine residents, including our seniors, who may not typically file income taxes to make sure they also received this important inflation relief," said Kirsten Figueroa, Commissioner of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services. "In the coming weeks, we'll process any outstanding tax returns and work hard to ensure that every eligible Maine person benefits from this important program."

Maine people who have filed and have not received their relief checks can check the status of their relief check on the Department of Administrative and Financial Services website at https://portal.maine.gov/refundstatus/payment.">https://portal.maine.gov/refundstatus/payment.">https://portal.maine.gov/refundstatus/payment.

Governor Mills, working with the Legislature, has fought to help Maine people and small businesses with high costs by:

• Returning more than half of the state?s budget surplus to Maine people through $850 inflation relief checks one of the strongest inflation relief measures in the country;
• Providing a onehttps://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/governor-mills-announces-7-million-energy-relief-delivered-thousands-maine-small-businesses">one href="-time">https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/governor-mills-announces-7-million-energy-relief-delivered-thousands-maine-small-businesses">-time energy bill credit of more than $2,000to 2,919 Maine small businesses and nonprofit organizations of Central Maine Power and Versant;
• Providing up to https://www.maine.gov/dafs/sites/maine.gov.dafs/files/inline-files/Maine Revenue Services Announces Tax Deadline of April 19th.pdf">$1,400 in tax relief for eligible low- and middle-income Maine families and seniors;
• Securing a one-time energy">https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/mills-administration-public-advocate-applaud-puc-approval-utility-bill-credit-90000-low-income">energy bill credit">https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/mills-administration-public-advocate-applaud-puc-approval-utility-bill-credit-90000-low-income"> of $90 for tens of thousands of low- income customers of Central Maine Power and Versant;
• Providing $800">https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/blog/mills-administration-delivers-heating-cost-relief-13000-low-income-maine-families-2022-03-02">$800 in heating cost relief to nearly 13,000 low-income households to help pay for high energy costs;
• Successfullyhttps://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/governor-mills-praises-inclusion-additional-liheap-funds-federal-appropriations-bill-2022-09">Successfully href="">https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/governor-mills-praises-inclusion-additional-liheap-funds-federal-appropriations-bill-2022-09"> pressing for increased funding for Federal heating assistance programs to help Maine households with oil bills this winter;
• MaineHousing has advanced">https://www.mainehousing.org/news/news-detail/2022/10/27/mainehousing-issues-11-million-in-early-heating-assistance-help"> $11 million in heating relief funds to nearly 11,000">https://www.mainehousing.org/news/news-detail/2022/10/27/mainehousing-issues-11-million-in-early-heating-assistance-help">11,000 households, of which 7,200 are seniors aged 65 and older.