Maine Gov. Mills' approval of 2-year budget averts potential shutdown

Gov. Janet Mills connected Friday signed into instrumentality a two-year, astir $10 cardinal fund jammed done by chap Democrats that volition support authorities services rolling — and perchance avert a shutdown — successful the caller fiscal year.

Mills said she was unwilling to instrumentality a accidental of Republicans utilizing the menace of a shutdown arsenic a bargaining tactic.

"I would person preferred to motion a fund that has bipartisan support, but the anticipation of a authorities shutdown – which would beryllium highly harmful to Maine people – is thing I cannot accept," she said successful a statement.

DEMOCRATS IN MAINE'S LEGISLATURE PASS A NEARLY $10 BILLION, TWO-YEAR STATE BUDGET

Lawmakers adjourned precocious Thursday truthful the fund tin spell into effect connected July 1, the commencement of the fiscal year. Mills signed a proclamation Friday calling them backmost to enactment successful a peculiar league starting Wednesday.

Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills has signed a two-year fund into law, averting a imaginable shutdown by Republicans successful Augusta. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

She insisted that the existent fund that contains nary caller programs is not the last word. There volition beryllium a supplemental fund successful which caller programs and spending priorities volition beryllium discussed.

"I admit that tensions are high, but determination is inactive a batch of enactment near to do, with country — I judge — for compromise. I impulse Democrats and Republicans to reset and to statesman anew the enactment of negotiating their priorities during the adjacent circular of fund discussions," she said.

MAINE DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATURE LEADERS PREPARE TO PUSH THROUGH $9.8 BILLION, TWO-YEAR STATE BUDGET

Democrats, who clasp majorities successful both legislative chambers, pushed done a no-frills fund connected party-line votes implicit forceful GOP objections connected Thursday.

The timing allowed the fund to spell into effect 90 days aboriginal connected July 1 with elemental bulk votes. Lawmakers would've had to o.k. the fund with a two-thirds majority, a steeper hurdle, if they'd waited.

It was the 2nd clip successful Mills' tenure that Democrats person utilized the maneuver of adopting a bulk vote, adjourning the Legislature, and past resuming a peculiar session.

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Republicans were incensed and criticized Democrats. Several of them said they were negotiating successful bully religion to trim income taxes connected lower- and middle-income Mainers.