AUGUSTA - Today, the Maine Legislature overwhelmingly voted to send a responsible supplemental budget to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. The vote was 119-16 in the House and 32-2 in the Senate.
The proposal, which earned unanimous support in the Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, delivers targeted relief to working families and older Mainers, invests in workforce training, education and child care, and provides funding for nursing homes, hospitals and long-term care.
Presiding Officers and Chairs of the Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs committee shared the following statements, praising the bipartisan vote and critical investments in Maine people, communities and economy:
Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash:
“This supplemental budget represents the Maine Legislature at its best Democrats, Republicans, and Independents coming together around a smart, commonsense proposal that delivers for Maine families, communities, small businesses, and retirees. It responds to the crises Maine farmers and families are facing today from PFAS and inflation to sky-high electric rates while training the next generation of workers and investing in our future. At the same time, our rainy day fund remains at an all-time high to ensure Maine is prepared to weather whatever emergency comes our way. It’s a testament to the extraordinary work of Senator Cathy Breen, Senator Donna Bailey and members of the Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee. Together, they put together a compromise supplemental budget that meets the needs of our state both today and tomorrow.”
Senator Cathy Breen, D-Falmouth:
“Maine families, communities and small businesses are looking to the Legislature to combat inflation and rising energy costs, environmental threats, and other challenges. I’m grateful to my colleagues on the Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee for putting in the work to build consensus, even in the toughest political climate, to craft a judicious proposal that addresses Maine’s most critical needs. It’s what Maine people expect and deserve from their government, and I’m pleased that we could deliver.”
Speaker Ryan Fecteau of Biddeford:
“In my time as Speaker, we have seen bipartisanship alive and well here in Augusta. This agreement on the supplemental budget is the kind of work the people of Maine expect from their leaders and this budget will fund direct relief and meaningful action. It will help Maine recruit and retain our child care workforce and increase the supply of housing to meet the overwhelming demand in our state. Over the last few years, it has been refreshing to see this kind of collaboration in the state house.”
Teresa Pierce, House Chair of the Appropriations Committee:
“Democrats and Republicans negotiated a budget with a shared goal of ensuring that direct relief gets to Maine people quickly. Through this supplemental budget, we are tackling big issues facing Mainers right now by making critical investments in the direct care workforce and the child care workforce, PFAS pollution and the need for housing and behavioral health care. Funding will be deployed for property tax relief and protecting Maine children as well as student debt relief. We found common ground on every item in this budget. I’m proud of the sweeping bipartisan support it received in the House and Senate today.”
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
DIRECT RELIEF TO MAINERS THROUGH CHECKS: More than 857,000 eligible working Maine families and older Mainers will receive $850 in direct relief to help address rising energy costs, driven by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the increase in natural gas prices, as well as inflation. Recipients must be full-time Maine residents and have filed a 2021 Maine income tax return by October 31, 2022. Eligible Mainers must meet the following income thresholds:
- Up to $100,000 if filing single or if married and filing separately;
- Up to $150,000 if filing as head of household;
- Up to $200,000 for couples filing jointly.
Note: Retired Mainers should file a 2021 tax return before Halloween, October 31, 2022, to get this check! Many organizations are standing by to help with free tax prep so all older Mainers can get the $850. CA$H Maine is one of those groups who can help.
SUPPORTING OLDER MAINERS
- Investing in Caribou and Machias Veterans’ Homes: The supplemental budget makes a one-time investment in the Maine Veterans’ Homes facilities in Caribou and Machias to prevent the previously planned closure and support continued operations.
- In-Home and Community Support Services for Older Mainers and other Adults: The supplemental budget provides funding to reduce the waitlist for older Mainers waiting to receive in-home services to assist with day-to-day tasks.
- Investing in long-term care: The supplemental budget makes key investments in nursing homes, residential care facilities and other providers so those in need of long-term care can get the care they need close to home. It also supports cost-of-living adjustments and increased rates to support wages at least 125 percent of minimum wage for direct care workers who provide quality compassionate care to Mainers in long-term care.
- Funding for Maine hospitals: The supplemental budget invests $25 million in Maine’s hospitals to keep these facilities open so Mainers all across the case can access care when they need it most.
DELIVERING ON TAX RELIEF
- Income tax breaks for retired Maine residents: The supplemental budget increases the annual income tax pension deduction to $25,000 for all retired Maine residents, with yearly $5,000 increases until it reaches $35,000. Previously, Maine retirees could only deduct $10,000 from their state income taxes.
- Property tax relief for working families and older Mainers: The supplemental budget permanently expands the property tax fairness credit to give eligible working families and older Mainer much-needed relief on property tax or rent. The maximum benefit is $1,000 each year for those under 65 and $1,500 for those over 65.
- Tax credits for working families: The supplemental budget increases the earned income tax credit to help 100,000 Maine families make ends meet amid rising costs of electricity, gas, child care and so much more.
WEATHERING THE PFAS CRISIS:
- Establishes a $60 million trust to address PFAS contamination: It acknowledges the need to address PFAS in several new areas, including compensation to help relocate farm businesses when remediation is not possible, monitor health and support new research and removal.
- Improves Testing: Takes steps to help private labs build PFAS testing capacity to improve PFAS detection in Maine.
- PFAS Abatement: Provides critical funding to abate, clean up and mitigate threats or hazards posed by PFAS.
INVESTING IN WORKFORCE TRAINING AND EDUCATION
- Creates the Education Rainy Day Fund: This will ensure the state continues to meet its obligation to fund public K-12 education at 55 percent as mandated by the voters in 2004. This will also take some of the burden off of property taxpayers.
- Investments in Career and Technical Education: This will ensure Maine’s CTE programs have the materials and equipment to train students so they can fill gaps in the workforce and earn good wages upon graduation.
- Supports Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) programs in middle and high schools.
- Continued funding for universal school meals: This will ensure Maine students can continue to access healthy school meals at no cost.
BRINGING DOWN THE COST OF HIGHER EDUCATION
- Two years of free Community College: The supplemental budget provides up to two years of free community college for all students from the high school graduating classes of 2020 through 2023 who enroll in a Maine community college full-time.
- Freezes in-state tuition at the UMaine System: The supplemental budget freezes tuition for Maine residents pursuing a four-year degree so they can complete their program and enter the workforce.
- Improves the Opportunity Maine Tax Credit: The supplemental budget increases student loan relief from $2,000 to $2,500 for graduates of two or four year colleges who live and work in Maine after graduation, up to a $25,000-lifetime benefit.
SUPPORTING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
- Bolsters the Child Care Workforce: Helps child care providers recruit and retain workers, keeping their doors open and preparing Maine children for Kindergarten while their parents are at work. The supplemental budget provides funding for Career and Technical education centers to support or expand early childhood education programs. It also provides wage supplements to early educators to keep the cost down for parents.
- Health insurance for Maine children: Expands the Children’s Health Insurance Program, otherwise known as CHIP, to ensure an additional 40,000 Maine kids can get the care they need.
- Prevents child lead poisoning: Provides one-time funding to support the purchase of a more effective and reliable child lead case management system for the lead poisoning prevention program.
- Protecting Maine Children: The supplemental budget supports the homebuilders’ program and home visiting, evidenced-based programs proven to improve child outcomes and support parents.
- Rebuilds Maine’s oral health care program: so children can access dental care during elementary school, making Maine eligible for federal matching funds.
- Supports Paid Family Medical Leave: Funds an actuarial study to determine the feasibility of implementing a Paid Family Medical Leave program in Maine.
ADDRESSING HOUSING NEEDS
- Creates the Housing Opportunity Fund to provide towns technical and financial support in expanding their housing supply to meet today’s demand.
- Continues to make investments to make progress on the housing shortage for families seeking housing across the state.
ACCESS TO JUSTICE
- Civil Legal Services: Makes an ongoing investment in Maine’s civil legal services to ensure representation of persons who otherwise are not able to pay for these services, including eligible older Mainers and survivors of domestic violence.
IMPROVING ELECTION SECURITY
- Ballot protection and custody measures: The supplemental budget provides election transparency and auditing. Prior to this funding, Maine was one of only six states that did not perform election audits.
SUPPORTING FIRST RESPONDERS: The supplemental budget provides one-time funding for the Maine Length of Service Award Program to provide length of service awards to eligible volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel. This program rewards firefighters and EMS personnel for service to their communities in the State of Maine with contributions to a retirement program.
Finally, the Budget Stabilization Fund, otherwise known as the Rainy Day Fund, remains at $492 million, the highest it has been in our state’s history. The supplemental budget adds $15 million to a new Education Rainy Day Fund, putting the total state savings over $500 million.