Debate Fact Check: where Maine ranks in the Paycheck Protection Program
During WMTW's Democratic debate with two of the three U.S. Senate candidates, Betsy Sweet said the Paycheck Protection Program wasn't working for Maine.
"Maine ranks 49th in the amount of money that we got for our small businesses, but Susan Collins doesn't want to talk about that," Sweet said.
The 49th ranking is from an Axios article and based off data from S&P Global.
Sen. Susan Collin's office said that number is wrong.
Collin's office points to a recent article by the U.S. Treasury Department.
According to the Treasury Department, Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, and Virginia got less Paycheck Protection Program funding than Maine.
The data also shows 12 states got fewer total loans, which would put Maine somewhere in the middle of the pack.
Betsy Sweet's Campaign Manger, Michael Rosenow said the Maine ranks 49th based on the share of Paycheck Protection Program loans relative to the increase of unemployment rate.
"Forty-nine percent of the total Paycheck Protection Program loans went to service industries significantly affected by social distancing even though the sector accounts for 66% of job losses so the funds didn't go where they needed to, which is why our unemployment rate is so high," Rosenow said.
Annie Clark, Communications Director for Susan Collins, said if the latest unemployment data had been used, Maine's ranking would be higher.
"On a per worker basis, the latest number shoe that Maine has received more than $41,000 in PPP loan dollars per unemployed worker, triple the amount shown in the Axios report," Clark said.