SENATE GIVES INITIAL SUPPORT FOR BIPARTISAN BUDGET

Legislature supports responsible budget

AUGUSTA– Earlier today, the Maine Senate voted 25-10 in favor of a responsible bipartisan budget proposal for fiscal years 2014-2015.

“Lawmakers did the right thing by passing a budget that allows the state of Maine to keep working,” said Senate President Justin Alfond of Portland. “In divided government, Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature worked together to pass a responsible budget that protects our schools, our property owners, and small businesses.”

Six months ago, the governor presented a $6.3 billion budget which proposed shifting nearly $400 million in cuts onto towns, property owners, and small businesses.

The bipartisan budget unanimously recommended by the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee restores nearly two-thirds of the cuts to municipal revenue sharing, restores $37 million in funding for education, and ensures money from casinos will be dedicated for essential programs and services at our schools, not special projects.

The bipartisan budget also restores cuts to programs that help seniors pay for the medicine, and the Homestead Exemption program, which helps people stay in their homes.

The restorations are paid for in part by closing corporate tax loopholes, and temporarily increasing the sales tax by half a penny and the meals and lodging taxes by one percent.

The proposal, LD 1509, is expected to face further action in both the Senate and the House later this evening.