Senate passes bipartisan budget with strong vote

AUGUSTA — On Tuesday evening, the Maine Senate gave strong, bipartisan support to a supplemental budget deal negotiated to meet critical state needs in the coming year.

The supplemental budget deal, LD 1606, was given preliminary approval by the Senate in a 30-4 vote. It was sent immediately to the House for initial votes.

The final $18.2 million proposal includes funds to strengthen recruitment and retention for law enforcement, direct care workers, and mental health providers. The proposal also supports affordable secondary education, provides critical funding to key health care providers, and prevents increases in property taxes by funding county jails. In addition, the package contains $750,000 in funding for “Outstanding Remaining Bills” which can be used for other unaddressed bills.

The bill also puts more than $45 million into the state savings account.

“The Senate vote today indicates the tremendous needs addressed by this budget,” said Senate Democratic Leader Justin Alfond. “In this divided Legislature, it’s crucial that we come together to find common ground and do the people’s work. This budget is a win for every Mainer, regardless of party.”

“This bill is a huge down payment on our state’s future,” said Sen. Linda Valentino, D-Saco, the Senate Democrats’ lead budget negotiator on the Appropriations Committee. “It funds education, keeps property taxes down or helps the state attract qualified, capable workers in the fields of law enforcement and health care. Most importantly, it puts money away for a rainy day, with more than 80 percent of unallocated surplus is going into state savings.”

The bill was negotiated by all four caucuses in the Legislature, including House Republican leadership who now opposes the bill and are joining the governor to hold critical state investments hostage unless the Legislature approves a competing measure to the citizen initiative to raise the minimum wage.

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