Under The Dome: Inside The Maine State House (5.11.12)

Appropriations Committee Votes on Budget Bill Divided Along Party Lines

On May 10, 2012, the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee voted on the Department of Health and Human Services ("DHHS") supplemental budget for fiscal year 2013 along party lines. This is the first budget bill in the two years of the 125^th Legislature that did not receive unanimous Committee support.

Negotiations between Republicans and Democrats broke down and both parties worked on competing budget proposals, which were publically revealed on May 10^th. The Republican proposal makes a number of structural changes to DHHS programs in order to achieve savings. The Republican plan also finds savings in other areas of government outside of DHHS and proposes some spending initiatives as well as some income tax reductions. In contrast, the Democrat plan proposes fewer cuts to DHHS programs and seeks to pay for these services through better than anticipated revenues.