The Maine State Chamber of Commerce is opposing Gov. Janet Mills’ supplemental budget proposal. In particular, the 2% surtax on incomes over $1 million and the depletion of the state’s so-called rainy day fund.
Chamber President Patrick Woodcock said Maine needs a pro-growth agenda and these two provisions are a move in the wrong direction.
“It really should be a vanilla supplemental budget that provides predictability, keeps our budget stabilization fund intact, and doesn’t catapult Maine’s income tax to the highest rate in New England. Those are controversial things and they don’t need to be in this budget,” Woodcock said.
Mills’ proposal uses some of the Budget Stabilization Fund, which she says is at a record high, to provide relief checks to half a million Mainers, to build more than 800 affordable homes, and install safety enhancements on school buses.
The supplemental budget next goes to the House and Senate for votes.
This story appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.
