AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The Maine Legislature overwhelmingly approved a supplemental budget on Tuesday that includes $850 relief checks for most residents.
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills proposed returning more than half of the $1.2 billion budget to residents, and the Legislature’s appropriations committee unanimously adopted a bipartisan spending proposal with some changes.
Once the governor signs the budget, the checks will be mailed to more than 850,000 Mainers as early as June.
The measure was approved 119-16 in the House and 32-2 in a strong show of bipartisanship on Tuesday.
The payments came as the state dealt with an unprecedented surplus that was revised upward several times in recent months thanks to federal funding and increased tax revenues.
In addition to paybacks to Maine residents, the budget includes $20 million to fund two years of free community college for eligible graduating high school students between 2020 and 2023. It also includes $60 million to address contamination from so-called forever chemicals including PFAS.
It would also provide property tax relief for older Mainers and lower income tenants and homeowners, and would boost income tax exemptions for retiree pensions. It also includes assistance to child care workers.
Mills said she listened to Republicans who wanted to return some of the money to taxpayers. The payments had bipartisan support as the nation deals with inflationary pressures.
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This story has been corrected to show that the value of the budget is $1.2 billion.
