Gov. Janet Mills on Wednesday introduced a $71 million spending plan that includes a boost in public education, housing and mental health funding.
The governor's proposal would bump the state's current two-year budget to $10.4 billion by tapping an anticipated revenue surplus.
While that surplus is pegged at roughly $265 million, Mills has proposed banking nearly 40% of it to make sure the state can continue funding existing programs when revenues are expected to plateau.
Overall, the spending plan focuses on several policy priorities including a response to the mass shooting in Lewiston last fall.
It creates a victims fund to cover uncovered medical expenses for mass shooting survivors, as well as a network of crisis prevention centers, including one in Lewiston.
Mills would also spend $6 million to rehabilitate state parks and public lands damaged in a wave of violent storms and allocate more money to municipalities for climate resiliency planning.
The proposal is now in the hands of the Legislature ,which can modify it before sending it back to the governor for final approval.
