AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) The Maine Legislature has approved a supplemental budget that state leaders say is critical to keeping the state’s economy afloat amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
The budget deal means income tax breaks for more than 28,000 businesses and 160,000 unemployed workers. But it only came after hours of deal-making between the legislature’s majority Democrats and minority Republicans.
The Maine House of Representatives voted down a compromise on the supplemental budget on Thursday night, and the legislative session stretched into the early morning of Friday. An agreement from Democrats to put an additional $8 million into the state rainy day fund helped get the deal finalized.
In the end, the House approved the proposal 139-1 and the Maine Senate approved it unanimously.
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills heralded the compromise. She said the supplemental budget is critical because it means businesses and unemployed Maine residents that received federal Paycheck Protection Program money will receive tax relief.
Maine Republicans also said the budget deal is a win for the state. Republican Appropriations Leader Sawin Millett of Waterford said the Maine GOP “will now focus on state tax relief for all Maine workers, not some.”