Governor Mills Recently Unveiled Her Two-Year Budget Proposal. Here’s What You Need To Know.

The Mills administration recently unveiled its budget proposal for the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year. The $10.3 billion two-year budget proposal focuses on a variety of sectors of the Maine workforce and economy. The following are a few highlights.

Strengthening Education:

$58 million to fully fund universal free meals, and $15 million to provide free community college to Maine high school students graduating in 2024 and 2025. It also calls for $10.5 million to expand Pre-K education, and $7.8 million to strengthen child care to ensure that caregivers are adequately compensated.

Combatting PFAS and Climate Change:

$3 million for climate-focused grants and programs as well as approximately $6 million in state and federal funds across multiple departments to detect and mitigate the impact of PFAS.

Improving The Health of Mainers:

The proposal calls for $16 million to continue extending Small Business Health Insurance Relief, nearly $15 million to improve the child welfare system, and $84 million in state ($27 million) and federal funds to support people with disabilities, among other programs.

Building Infrastructure:

$30 million to expand affordable rental housing options as well as $400 million for the Maine Department of Transportation to repair Maine’s multimodal infrastructure system.

Property Tax Relief:

$46 million to fund the law that stabilizes property taxes for individuals 65 years of age or older who have owned a homestead for at least 10 years. The proposal also calls for nearly $17 million to increase by three percent state reimbursement to municipalities under the Homestead Exemption, among other things.

“If we want to build a stronger, more prosperous state where opportunity is available to all, then we must invest in the infrastructure that supports our greatest asset: the people of Maine,” said Governor Janet Mills in a recent statement. “From education at every level, to stable housing, to our health care system, to our transportation system, this budget proposal aims to strengthen what Maine people rely on every day to succeed – all while not raising taxes, living within our means, and protecting us against the possibility of a recession.”

We applaud the Mills administration for continuing to invest in Maine people and for looking out for our economy in the process. We look forward to seeing the Legislature pass this proposed budget.

Learn more about the new budget proposal here.

Maine Legislature Passes Bipartisan Heating Relief Bill To Help Curb Rising Energy Costs This Winter

Last week, the Maine Legislature voted to approve a proposal from Governor Mills to provide heating assistance to Mainers amid inflation and rising energy costs. Both chambers of the legislature approved the Emergency Winter Energy Relief measure after a special legislative committee voted unanimously to move the bill forward.

“This measure – while not perfect to everyone, which is often the case in government – is a compromise that reflects concessions and consensus from Democrats and Republicans that will deliver much-needed aid to Maine people in the depths of winter,” said Governor Mills in a recent statement.

The plan will provide:

— $450 checks to single filing Mainers making less than $100,000

— $900 checks to Mainers filing jointly and making under $200,000

—$21 million to bolster the Emergency Housing Relief Fund

— $10 million to Maine Community Action Partnerships to help deliver emergency fuel assistance

— $40 million to supplement the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and emergency housing.

The relief checks are expected to go out to more than 880,000 Mainers by the end of January, with the last of them arriving by the end of winter. We applaud Governor Mills and the Maine Legislature for prioritizing this proposal and working to help Mainers stay warm this winter.

Learn more about the bipartisan heating relief bill here.

The PFML Commission And PFML Ballot Initiative Organizers Both Agree: Mainers Need A Strong Policy.

Earlier this month, the Commission on Paid Family and Medical Leave held its final meeting to discuss its findings and recommendations for developing a statewide Paid Family and Medical Leave program in Maine.

The commission is expected to present its findings and propose legislation early 2023. But there is also a proposed ballot initiative launched by Maine Women’s Lobby and Maine People’s Alliance to address the urgent need for a comprehensive and accessible policy.

The good news is that while differences in approach exist, both the commission and the ballot initiative’s organizers agree on a few key items for a strong Paid Family Leave policy to work in Maine.

They include:

• All workers—full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal workers must be covered by the policy.

• Self-employed workers will be allowed to opt into the program.

• It must provide workers with a 16-week maximum total combined limit and a 12-week maximum limit for a particular qualifying need.

• It must allow any Maine employer to provide a private plan option that is substantially equivalent.

These consistencies demonstrate a universal understanding that working families are being stretched thin and need real support. They also show that the benefits of PFML vastly outweigh the risks for both employers and employees.

The bottom line is that Mainers should be able to spend time with their newborn, take care of themselves or a loved one, or take time off for a major life event without risking their paycheck. We look forward to seeing a strong proposal from the Maine Legislature in the upcoming session.

For a full comparison of the PFML commission's program design recommendations and the proposed ballot initiative, visit the Maine Legislature page here.