(The Center Square) – Maine’s supplemental budget is now law, and one public policy group is calling it “giveaways.”
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed the fiscal pact Tuesday afternoon, which is aimed at making investments in health care and small businesses. The budget passed the House (113-21) and Senate (24-5) last week.
“The supplemental budget will help Maine nursing facilities, hospitals, small businesses, and others while keeping our budget balanced,” Mills said in a statement.
Under the law, $25 million in state and federal funding will be directed at care for older state residents through long-term care facilities, including nursing homes. Another $25 million will support state hospitals as they continue to recover from the pandemic.
Plus, the law will provide $6.6 million for a 1% cost of living adjustment for state retirees, and will put $10 million into dredging Portland Harbor, according to the release.
Nick Murray, however, who serves as policy director for Maine Policy Institute, said his organization takes issue with the supplemental budget and where funding is being directed.
“Unfortunately, the substantive aspects of this supplemental budget became giveaways to state employees and large medical systems, under the auspices of Gov. Mills’ ineffective Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan,” Murray said in an exclusive statement emailed to The Center Square. “More short-term gimmicks will not set up the state for long-term growth. The rising tide of costs for everyday Mainers has not receded, especially so in health care: Mainers are faced with fewer choices, and with less value on their dollar to purchase their care.”
In addition, $6.5 million from the fiscal pact will go to support small businesses health insurance relief to extend the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan program through the end of July. The program provides $50 payments per worker to help them sustain health insurance, according to the release.
The measure also includes funding for increased fuel costs across state government and for improvements at state government owned buildings, among other items.
The policy group said it was pleased to see the governor address indigent funding.
“That said, we are glad to see that lawmakers used this opportunity to provide greater incentives for attorneys working for the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services,” Murray said in a statement. “MCILS’ work is crucial to ensure all Mainers’ rights of due process and a speedy trial may be fully exercised.”
