AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine legislators working toward a bipartisan agreement to fill a $221 million state budget hole are making progress.
The Appropriations Committee has finalized $25 million in savings recommended by a special task force. In addition, lawmakers OKd more than a dozen other initiatives to cut the budget.
Democrats say they include compromises with Republicans on savings relating to methadone clinic rate reductions, better managing opiate drugs for MaineCare patients, salary plan savings and other items. But some major items remain to be addressed as the committee goes back to work this morning.
Republican Gov. Paul LePage wanted the revised budget finalized by the end of January to avoid cuts in MaineCare programs this April. Bipartisan committee agreement on a budget plan is crucial to passage by the full Legislature.
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