On February 10th, Governor Janet Mills addressed a joint session of the Legislature in the first in-person State of the State address since 2020.
In her address, the governor laid out several of the following priorities and investments that are in her supplemental budget proposal.
On February 15th, the supplemental budget proposal was released.
Largely as a result of federal funding, Maine has a projected surplus of $822 million through mid-2023. The Governor’s proposal plans to return half of the projected surplus ($411 million) by sending checks of about $500 to approximately 800,000 taxpayers.
The proposal will bring the amount in the Budget Stabilization Fund (Rainy Day Fund) to more than $500 million—the highest amount ever.
The proposal provides $100 million to the Maine Department of Transportation to fix roads and bridges, negating the need for bonding.
The proposal includes $20 million to pay for up to two years of community college tuition for students affected by the pandemic.
The proposal includes $7 million in property tax relief and nearly $27 million for incomes tax relief for low and middle income families.
The proposal includes over $9 million to address PFAs.
Legislative committees will take up the supplemental budget proposal in the coming weeks.