Let the Budget Drama Begin!

The Supplemental budget is out, and there is something for everyone to hate. It looks like there are about 50 million dollars in cuts to services at the Department of Human Services. That alone, will generate enough angst to fill the civic center for a few days.

The Governor also took a swipe at the Legislature by transferring a little over a million dollars from their surplus. Not sure if that will impact the "laptops for legislators" program.

It looks like local school aid will take a hit to the tune of $35 million, give or take a few hundred thousand dollars. There is a 2 million dollar hit to the Community College System and a 7 million dollar reduction to the University of Maine System.

At first glance, and as pointed out in the Governor's press release,  it looks like Governor Baldacci has not increased taxes, and minimized the usual gimmicks that often appear in budgets. There is a 10 million dollar transfer of “magic money” that they will allegedly have at the end of this year-- to help fund next year.

Finally, there is lots of language inserted at the end of the budget, which includes some significant education reorganization language, already in bill form in the Education Committee. I would not be surprised if that disappears from the budget fairly quickly.

All in all, it is a care taker budget. Nothing too dramatic, but just enough to enrage service providers and infuriate many in the progressive caucus. At the end of the day however, this supplemental budget merely allows Maine to limp along until the 2009 bills come due.