AUGUSTA — The Appropriations Committee has approved Gov. Paul LePage’s plan to replenish the state’s rainy-day fund to $60 million and has agreed unanimously to move forward the contents of a controversial $17 million amendment that was previously attached to the bill separately. Many of the committee’s votes came at near 3 a.m. Wednesday after […]
budget
Posted inRiver Valley
Dixfield selectmen hear Police Department budget proposal
DIXFIELD — The Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee held a joint meeting Monday evening at the Ludden Memorial Library to hear the Police Department’s budget proposal for 2014-15. Before the budget presentation, Chief Richard Pickett said that due to his impending retirement on Jan. 1, 2015, he is “preparing my lieutenant to take over.” […]
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Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Lewiston-Auburn College facing changes
LEWISTON — Changes may be coming to University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College. USM President Theodora Kalikow has proposed dropping arts and humanities — one of L-A College’s four undergraduate programs — restructuring staff and cutting an unspecified number of faculty from the college as part of a USM-wide effort to fill a $14 million […]
Posted insj-web
USM president proposes cutting four programs, 20-30 faculty positions
PORTLAND — University of Southern Maine President Theo Kalikow is proposing to cut four programs and between 20 and 30 faculty jobs as the school attempts to overcome a $14 million budget shortfall. Kalikow announced the spending gap, which represents nearly 10 percent of the school’s fiscal year 2015 budget, nearly two months ago and […]
Posted insj-web
Maine budget-writing panel approves $42M bill
AUGUSTA (AP) — The Maine Legislature’s budget-writing committee on Friday endorsed a $42 million bill that replenishes the rainy day fund while also restoring money for programs Gov. Paul LePage wanted to cut. Democratic Rep. Peggy Rotundo, co-chair of the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, said the 8-5 party line vote Friday represents a compromise […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, Oxford Hills
SAD 17 budget hearings scheduled; bottom line to be determined
OXFORD — The 2014-15 budget for SAD 17 will be unveiled at public hearings in April, but the amount is still unknown, Superintendent Rick Colpitts said Thursday. “There is no bottom line here for me to report,” he said. Last year, voters approved a $35.94 million spending plan that required an average 6.5 percent increase […]
Posted inFranklin, The Franklin Journal
RSU 9 directors change budget referendum to June 10
FARMINGTON — Instead of a formal vote Tuesday, RSU 9 school directors gave a thumbs up to change the date of the budget validation vote to June 10 to coincide with state primary elections. The yes-or-no referendum was initially set for May 22. Superintendent Tom Ward told the board that representatives from a couple of […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage proposes referendum that asks if voters want to lower taxes
AUGUSTA — Maine Gov. Paul LePage wants to ask voters whether the state should lower taxes and reduce government spending. The Republican governor introduced a bill on Tuesday for the state to hold a referendum in June asking voters if they favor lowering income tax rates, implementing alternative taxes and reducing overall tax revenues and […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
University of Maine campuses grapple with $36 million budget shortfall
BANGOR — The University of Maine System’s seven campuses and the system office are each working to close their share of a $36 million budget gap for fiscal year 2015 and are at varying stages of the painful process. Much of the gap will be filled by cutting employees. On Friday, UMS Chancellor James Page […]
Posted inMaine
Governor finds money to restore rainy day fund
AUGUSTA — Details of Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s plan to restore about $21 million to Maine’s so-called “rainy day fund” trickled out Thursday. Lawmakers used the $21 million to fund revenue-sharing to towns and cities. LePage has said the state must replenish the rainy day account to its prior level of $60 million to avoid […]