Governor Janet Mills Signs the 2020-2021 Supplemental Budget
After much debate, the supplemental budget was signed by Governor Janet Mills on Thursday.
The supplemental budget for Fiscal year 2020-2021 passed with a unanimous vote in the Senate and only 1 detractor in the House of Representatives. It will carry the state into June, with help for Mainers who lost their jobs, businesses who benefitted from COVID relief packages, Maine's restaurants and distilleries, and others.
"This supplemental budget is the result of a long and, at times, arduous debate. But ultimately it was sensible compromise on all sides that it got it across the finish line," said Governor Janet Mills. "Because of that, approximately 160,000 Maine people who received unemployment benefits and the 28,000 Maine businesses that received PPP funds will receive tax relief - important progress as we continue to fight the pandemic, keep Maine people healthy and vaccinate them as quickly as possible, and accelerate our economic recovery."
Some of the highlights of the supplemental budget:
- $47 million will be used to exempt unemployment benefits from state tax.
- $100 million will be used to exempt Maine businesses who received Paycheck Protection Program funds from paying state tax on that money.
- $30 million in State and Federal funds will provide relief to direct care workers and non-profit providers who work with Maine's seniors, individuals with disabilities, and children.
- $100,000 to hire a homeless Veterans' coordinator and fund basic maintenance for Veterans cemeteries.
- $8.2 million for Maine's Rainy Day Fund.
Governor Mills also signed several bills into law on Thursday, including a package of bills from Senator Louis Luchini of Ellsworth that deal with food service businesses, bars, and distilleries. The bills deal with alcohol-to-go, restaurant relicensing, and expanding the market for Maine liquor manufacturers.
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