AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Republicans who demanded tax code changes before approval of the supplemental budget are angry that Democrats are planning to proceed with majority-only votes for the two-year budget, with or without GOP support.
To pass the budget with just Democratic votes, the Legislature will have to approve it before the end of the day on March 31, which is 90 days before the new fiscal year. After that, the budget would require a two-thirds majority.
Democrats, who control both chambers of the Legislature, said they were willing to talk with Republicans, but indicated they would move forward without their support if necessary to get a new budget fully in place, well ahead of the end of the state’s fiscal year on June 30.
“What we have seen far too long here is cliffhangers every June and at the end of our session and we don’t need cliffhangers anymore,” said Sen. Cathy Breen, D-Falmouth, co-chair of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee.
Democratic leaders said their “back to basics” $8.3 billion proposal was based on the budget the Legislature approved with bipartisan support in 2019. It largely tracks with Democratic Gov. Janet Mills’ proposal.
House Minority Leader Kathleen Dillingham, R -Oxford, told reporters on Wednesday that the Democratic proposal is a “sham.”
“The message that is being sent by the legislative Democrats is that there is no hope for us to negotiate in good faith,” said Maine House Minority Leader Kathleen Dillingham, R-Oxford.
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