Maine lawmakers moved the state’s $500 million-plus budget proposal to the brink of final passage in the middle of the night early Thursday after a series of near-party-line votes.
The state House took its final roll call vote on the sprawling proposal after 12:30 a.m. It passed by a vote of 76-71, and it now heads back to the Senate for a final enactment vote.
Democrats narrowly control both legislative chambers in Augusta.
The proposal includes a new tax on millionaires and would give $300 checks to hundreds of thousands of residents. The checks were a particular sticking point with lawmakers: Two Senate Democrats voted with Republicans against the budget after voting to strip the checks from the proposal.
The $300 “affordability checks” were a signature proposal of Gov. Janet Mills’. If the Senate approves them, they are set to be sent to more than 500,000 Mainers. They would be paid for with $155.2 million in spending from the state’s “rainy day” fund.
Lawmakers are proposing to draw down $292 million of the roughly $1 billion in that state fund for various projects.
The proposal also includes a $227 million net increase in General Fund spending in the fiscal year beginning July 1.
The late-night votes came after a flurry of amendments offered by Republican lawmakers, who voiced concerns that the state was spending needlessly.
Just before the House voted to finally pass the budget, Rep. Michael Lemelin, R-Chelsea, said he would liken the proposal to wealthy teenagers taking their dad’s credit card and spending a lot of money.
“We helped the poor along the way by spending dad’s money,” Lemelin said. “I just want you to recognize: Dad’s not a fool.”
This is a developing story.