| General
Budget Process
The Governor submitted the Unified Budget Bill for the FY 04-05
biennium on February 7, 2003. The Unified Budget Bill sets forth
the Governor's recommendations for the positions, appropriations
and allocations necessary to maintain current services at the legislatively
authorized levels and also makes recommendations for changes to
the budget to fund State government within available resources.
After the public hearing process on the budget, traditionally the
administration presents a 'change package' to the Joint Standing
Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs, recommending
changes to the budget initiated by departments and agencies as a
result of new information or changed budgetary assumptions. Other
changes may be made by the
Appropriations Committee during work sessions held on the budget
before it is voted on and forwarded to the Legislature for consideration.
While legislative work on the Unified Budget Bill is considered
to be the major portion of budget work considerations, the FY 04-05
Supplemental Budget Bill is available as a vehicle for additional
budget changes after the Unified Budget has been enacted.
BUDGET
UPDATE MARCH 27, 2003
From:
Todd, Keith E
After
the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs
concluded hearings on the Unified Budget, the Commissioner of the
Department of Administrative and Financial Services submitted a
change package to the committee that, among other changes, restored
36 positions to the budget. Most of these positions are in the
General Fund and avoid potential layoffs. Although there were
other adjustments made to the budget during work sessions, on March
27 th both houses of the legislature enacted the budget as an emergency
measure by more than a 2/3 margin. That means that the provisions
of the law become effective immediately upon signature by the Governor
unless otherwise indicated in the bill.
The
budget focus will now shift to solving the shortfall in the current
fiscal year and then addressing the unresolved issue of the March
downward reprojection of revenues in the FY 04-05 biennium.
To view the Bureau of the
Budget's website, click
here.http://www.maine.gov/budget/homepage.htm
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