City of Augusta v. Inhabitants of Alna

WERNICK, Justice.

This case presents a question of statutory interpretation concerning the transition from the traditional “poor laws” which operated as a fundamentally municipal system (22 M.R.S.A. §§ 4451 — 4494) to the new program of “general relief” based on State reimbursement (22 M.R.S.A. §§ 4450-4508, as effective October 3, 1973).

Defendant Department of Human Services (Department) has appealed from a judgment, ordered entered by a Justice of the Superior Court (Kennebec County) pursuant to agreed facts, which required the Department to reimburse plaintiff City of Augusta (Augusta) for…