Governor John Baldacci today released his plan to close the state’s $95 million revenue shortfall.
Baldacci’s supplemental budget does not raise taxes or fees, or tap the Budget Stabilization Fund. The governor instead intends to find savings by merging the state’s natural resources agencies, giving control of county jails to the state, and reorganizing the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation and senior management at the Department of Health and Human Services. The supplemental budget also includes a joint school purchasing initiative and a joint prescription drug purchasing initiative. The governor’s budget can be found here.
The governor’s proposal awaits approval from the state Legislature.