Maine Governor To Press For Budget Plan Before Joint Session Of Legislature

AUGUSTA, Maine - Maine's Democratic governor is ready to rally support for her two-year, $8 billion budget proposal, which includes funding for Medicaid expansion. Gov. Janet Mills, buoyed by Democratic control of the House and Senate, wants to move forward on campaign promises to address health care access, the opioid crisis, education funding and economic development.
 
Mills said her budget is "fiscally responsible and pragmatic'' enough to protect Maine's rainy day fund and weather an economic downturn. She said she's committed to no tax increases.
 
She'll be addressing a joint session of the Legislature on Monday night.
 
Her proposals gained some support from top Democratic lawmakers. But Republican leaders say the budget is too big, noting former Gov. Paul LePage originally proposed a $6.8 billion budget in 2017.