The end of a legislative session is always a hectic time in Augusta. Challenging discussions, ongoing efforts at compromise, late nights and close votes are just a part of the process. But when all is said and done, we get the opportunity to look back and reflect on what we were able to accomplish. This year, as I begin to take stock of the progress we were able to make for our state, I’m first drawn to the historic, bipartisan supplemental budget we passed right before adjournment in mid-April. The budget received overwhelming support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, and I wanted to share with you just some of the great things it does.
The cornerstone of the budget was an initiative I’m sure you’ve heard of by now: the $850 relief checks. Mainers haven’t had it easy the past couple years with the pandemic, and now, we’re facing high prices at the pump and the grocery store. We knew we had to get relief directly to Maine people, and starting this summer, individuals who make $100,000 or less, and joint-filers who make $200,000 or less, will begin receiving these $850 checks in the mail. The only other requirement to receive your check is to file a state tax return by Oct. 31, 2022. Even if you aren’t required to file in a typical year, you still must do this year to receive the check. If you need assistance filing, CA$H Maine is available to help. You can contact our local agency at by phone at (207) 347-2335 or by email at cash@uwsme.org.
Another critical aspect of the budget is funding to target the PFAS crisis. I’ve written at length in recent months about PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” which are harmful to human health, especially after prolonged exposure. Maine farmers are on the frontlines of this crisis, largely due to an old practice of spreading municipal wastewater sludge over farmland. However, we now know this sludge was laden with PFAS chemicals, and we’re paying the price.
Farmers want to protect us all and stop the spread of PFAS, and many have willingly stopped selling their products. It’s a tragic situation where folks who have sold crops to the community and fed their own families for generations are now learning it’s no longer safe to do so. They need our support during this time, and the budget delivers. We created a new PFAS trust fund and put $60 million in it. The fund will be used for PFAS abatement, expanding testing capacity in state and private labs, and supporting those farmers and small business owners who have been so badly hit. Though this is a frightening and uncertain time, we need to do all we can to keep small businesses afloat and protect the public from these harmful chemicals. This and other measures passed this year will help us make Maine’s farms and food supply the safest in the nation.
The budget also supports education in Maine. We maintained our commitment to fund 55 percent of our K-12 public education, and in addition, we created a new Education Stabilization Fund to ensure that we can keep funding our schools at this level in the future even in an economic downturn. This will help keep property taxes stable. The budget also provides up to two years of free community college for recent Maine high school graduates. Cost should never be the deciding factor when someone considers higher education, and this initiative makes that a reality. Students who enroll in a full-time program will be eligible. Finally, we made investments in our Career and Technical Education Centers to ensure that they are able to make necessary upgrades to equipment and keep their programs top notch.
These are just some of the great things the recent supplemental budget does for our state. On top of what it does, I’m proud of how we got here. Both parties put politics aside and worked together for the better of our state, and Mainers will benefit because of it.
If you have any questions about the budget or anything else, you can send me an email at Stacy.Brenner@legislature.maine.gov or call my office at (207) 287-1515. You can also follow me online at Facebook.com/SenatorStacyBrenner.
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