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Headlines : Maine
State Budget Proposal Passes House; Defeated in Senate
A supplemental budget proposal aimed at closing a $120 million shortfall won approval Thursday night in the Maine House before being placed in limbo by the Maine Senate, where Democrats defeated the proposal.
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Headlines : Maine
House ponders budget votes
The emergency legislation to close a $120 million immediate shortfall at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services needs 101 votes in the House and 24 in the Senate for passage. Those in the know say the Senate will deliver. The House is where things are less certain.
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Headlines : Maine
Lawmakers reach deal on DHHS budget
Lawmakers in Maine reached an early morning deal Wednesday on an alternative budget proposal for the Department of Health and Human Services - a move that likely will send the budget to the House and Senate for votes next week.
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Headlines : Maine
LePage's plan to eliminate State Planning Office could save more than $400,000
Deputy Finance Commissioner David Emery presented a plan to abolish the State Planning Office and replace it with a new Office of Policy and Management as a way to maintain momentum of the current administration's budget streamlining efforts.
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Solutions : Maine
Unfunded Government Employee Pension Liabilities Reform
Proposal for reforming Maine's pension plans, including freezing pensions for three years (2011 - 2013), identical to the state employee salary freeze, and ensuring reasonable increases in pensions after that, close to the historical norm of 2.8% annually, based on CPI (inflation), but capped at 2% (currently capped at 4%).
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Gov. Paul LePage
1 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
Phone: (207) 287-3531
Fax: (207) 287-1034
Governor's Website
Ellen Jane Schneiter, State Budget Officer
Department of Administration & Financial Services
Bureau of the Budget
58 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0058
Phone (207) 624-7810
Fax: (207) 624-7826
www.state.me.us/budget
ellen.schneiter@maine.gov
2012 Legislative Calendar: Regular Session convenes January 4, adjourns April 18.
Legislative Budget Leaders:
Rep. Patrick S. A. Flood (R), Co-Chair, Joint Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs, RepPatrick.Flood@legislature.maine.gov (207) 287-4469
Sen. Richard W. Rosen (R), Co-Chair, Joint Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs, rrosen113@aol.com (207) 469-3779
Sen. Jonathan T. E. Courtney (R), Co-Chair, Joint Committee on Taxation, joncourtney@metrocast.net (207) 324-5467
Sen. L. Gary Knight (R), Co-Chair, Joint Committee on Taxation, RepGary.Knight@legislature.maine.gov (207) 287-4469
The current state budget can be found here.
Maine is required to pass a "balanced budget." Title 5, Chapter 149, Section 1664 of the State law requires the governor must present a general budget summary that shows the "balanced relations between the total proposed expenditures and the total anticipated revenues." Maine law forbids the carrying over of a deficit from one year to the next.
There are four major individual governmental funds that include: the General Fund, Highway Fund, Federal Fund, and Other Special Revenue Fund. The State's budget is prepared primarily on a cash basis. All four major governmental funds are budgeted. However, none of the non-major governmental funds are budgeted.
In 2003, the Maine governor created a budget balancing tool to allow citizens to become more familiar with budget process and even submit their own budget proposals. Maine has brought about more accountability to the budget process, resulting in more transparency. [from the Institute for Truth in Accounting]
Find the state's bond ratings here.
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Pensions :
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SOLUTIONS: Maine
Unfunded Government Employee Pension Liabilities Reform
Proposal for reforming Maine's pension plans, including freezing pensions for three years (2011 - 2013), identical to the state employee salary freeze, and ensuring reasonable increases in pensions after that, close to the historical norm of 2.8% annually, based on CPI (inflation), but capped at 2% (currently capped at 4%).
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HEADLINES: Maine
Maine budget writers get closer to accord
Maine lawmakers are inching toward agreement on a $6.1 billion state budget for the two years starting July 1.
- View All Maine articles
K-12 Education :
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SOLUTIONS: Maine
Maine's School Budget Validation Process Saves Tax Dollars
Under current law, most school budgets are first approved by those who are able to attend a district-wide public meeting. That approval is then "validated" by voters through a referendum vote. In this way, those who are unable to attend the district meeting, such as those serving in our armed forces overseas, have an opportunity to make their voices heard.
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HEADLINES: Maine
LePage: Budget decisions difficult but crucial for state's future
Gov. LePage said his proposals to lower overall tax rates and to conform to federal tax provisions that will bolster investment by companies are crucial to improving the business climate and growing the economy.
- View All Maine articles
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Solutions: Maine
Unfunded Government Employee Pension Liabilities Reform
Proposal for reforming Maine's pension plans, including freezing pensions for three years (2011 - 2013), identical to the state employee salary freeze, and ensuring reasonable increases in pensions after that, close to the historical norm of 2.8% annually, based on CPI (inflation), but capped at 2% (currently capped at 4%).
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Solutions: Maine
Fixing Maine’s Welfare System
Fixing Maine's welfare system requires embracing a Wisconsin-style approach and keeping the system focused on promoting work and self-sufficiency. Maine's current welfare system does just the opposite, trapping people and families in poverty and promoting dependence and an overreliance on government.
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Solutions: Maine
Maine's School Budget Validation Process Saves Tax Dollars
Under current law, most school budgets are first approved by those who are able to attend a district-wide public meeting. That approval is then "validated" by voters through a referendum vote. In this way, those who are unable to attend the district meeting, such as those serving in our armed forces overseas, have an opportunity to make their voices heard.
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Maine
Unfunded Government Employee Pension Liabilities Reform
Proposal for reforming Maine's pension plans, including freezing pensions for three years (2011 - 2013), identical to the state employee salary freeze, and ensuring reasonable increases in pensions after that, close to the historical norm of 2.8% annually, based on CPI (inflation), but capped at 2% (currently capped at 4%).
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Maine
Maine budget writers get closer to accord
Maine lawmakers are inching toward agreement on a $6.1 billion state budget for the two years starting July 1.
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Maine
Pension compromise may foreshadow state budget agreement
The Legislature's budget-writing committee has reached a tentative compromise on reforms to Maine's pension system, one of three major unresolved issues facing negotiators drafting a two-year, $6.1 billion spending plan for state government.
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Maine
LePage budget fix would cut welfare benefits, state jobs
Unveiled last week, the package of LePage's proposed Maine state budget alterations intended to plug a new, $164 million hole has elicited both cheers and jeers, sometimes from the same groups.
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Maine
Hearings begin on $6.1B LePage budget
Hearings on Gov. Paul LePage's $6.1 billion budget package opened today with a focus on taxes, and advocates were quick to weigh in with support for a package they said will stimulate business, while opponents said it would foist unfair burdens on those who can afford it least.
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