AUBURN — Faced with especially tough budgets for the city and the schools, it’s time for elected officials to decide if they can commit to serious cuts, according to Mayor Jonathan LaBonte. For the city, that could mean forgoing road maintenance and pothole repairs on Auburn’s streets for another year, LaBonte told a joint meeting […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
King, Collins offer split reactions to first federal budget passed by Senate in 4 years
BANGOR — Maine’s senators said Saturday they’re pleased the U.S. Senate passed a budget for the first time in four years, though one of them voted against the partisan proposal. In a tight 50-49 vote, the Senate adopted the $3.7 trillion Democratic plan early Saturday morning after a 13-hour voting marathon with 101 amendment considerations. […]
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Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Analysis: Budget balance is in eye of the beholder
WASHINGTON — When it comes to budgets, balance is in the eye of the congressional beholder. To House Republicans, it means a balanced budget in a decade, achieved by $4.6 trillion in spending cuts and without any tax increases. To Senate Democrats, it means a balanced plan, about $975 billion in higher taxes and a […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Congress cuts $30M more out of national parks budget
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK — On the heels of a 5 percent funding cut thanks to sequestration, Congress has reduced the operations budget of the National Park Service by another $30 million. The additional cut was passed as part of a stop-gap spending bill to fund the government for another six months. The House passed the Senate version […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
House passes spending bill
WASHINGTON — The House has passed a huge stopgap spending bill to keep the government open through the end of September, sidestepping any threat of a government shutdown The bipartisan 318-109 vote sends the measure President Barack Obama to be signed into law. The measure would fund the day-to-day operating budgets of every Cabinet agency […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage defends his education budget
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage is defending his education funding after harsh criticism by teachers and school administrators. LePage said Tuesday his two-year budget that provides about $84 million more in state funding to schools compared to the education budget when he took office. He says decreases in education funding come from the loss of […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Auburn council tweaks proposed festival funding policy
AUBURN — Councilors don’t want to take proposed limits and application requirements on city festivals too far, they said Monday. “We’d like to take advantage of any opportunity that comes forward,” Councilor Tizz Crowley said. “As long there is some flexibility built in.” Beginning in 2014, organizers of Twin Cities festivals, races and marquee events […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Council sets vote for work plan, goals
AUBURN — Councilors agreed Monday that they will vote on their final work plan and goals for the city manager at their April 1 meeting. City Manager Clinton Deschene briefly reviewed the proposed goal-setting process with councilors, who have been working to hone the list since a Saturday goal-setting session in January. “I think I hit most […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Republicans urge Obama: Work with us and stop attacks
WASHINGTON (AP) — Polite yet firm, Senate Republicans told President Barack Obama on Thursday to tone down his political attacks and prod Democratic allies to support controversial changes in Medicare if he wants a compromise reducing deficits and providing stability to federal benefit programs. Participants at a 90-minute closed-door meeting said Obama acknowledged the point […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage budget proposal not an example of zero-based budgeting
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage two years ago ordered his state agency heads to start building their budgets from a “zero base,” prioritizing and justifying all programs, activities and expenditure as if they’re starting from zero. But the governor’s budget proposal for the two-year cycle that starts July 1 is a fusion of the zero-base budgeting process […]