$153M supplemental budget clears committee
The Maine Legislature's Appropriations Committee unanimously voted to move a $153 million supplemental budget plan to close a $112 million budget gap in the current fiscal year.
The plan, which the Bangor Daily News reported largely taps reserve accounts and delays state payments to stay in the black, outlines state spending through the fiscal year that ends this June.
The paper reported that the new budget does not include health and human services funding cuts proposed by Gov. Paul LePage, such as a $1.75 million cut the governor proposed affecting the state's "Drugs for the Elderly" program.
The spending plan also includes $12.6 million in cuts to General Purpose Aid to the state's schools and delays $18.5 million in education payments into the next fiscal year.
Legislators on the committee also came to agreement about excluding Maine's two operating charter schools from planned cuts to public school funding, a LePage proposal that initially sparked blowback from Democrats.
With the unanimous vote, the supplemental budget now moves ahead for approval by the full Legislature.
Most Recent
Most Recent
Comments