Senate Approves Supplemental Budget
$127 Million in Spending Required to Meet State’s Obligations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 7, 2007
The supplemental budget approves $127 million in spending. Of that total figure, 85.8 million are new dollars, and 41.2 million were dollars de-appropriated from other programs. The vast majority of the $127 million in total spending will be used to begin paying off the State’s debt to Maine’s hospitals, budget shortfalls to Medicaid, and other health and human services related expenses. Of the total $127 million, 89.5 percent of that figure ($113.7 million) is allocated to cover obligations that fall under the umbrella of health and human services.
Senate Republican Leader Carol Weston, of Montville, voted in favor of the supplemental budget, but expressed her disappointment that poor policies and mismanagement have resulted in health and human services related obligations to monopolize the state’s resources. “As a government, we are required to meet our obligations and correct mistakes that have been made, and I believe the members of the Appropriations Committee worked very hard to create a package that meets as many of our obligations as possible in a realistic manner,” she said. “But it’s clear that fundamental changes must be made in what policies are approved and how government programs are overseen. Almost 90 percent of our supplemental budget is being used to pay debts and correct mistakes in one specific area of State government, and that is very troubling. We need better policies, and better implementation of the policies we already have, to ensure that all aspects of our government are adequately addressed.”
CONTACT:
William Thompson 287-1505 (o)
Communications Director, Senate Republican Office