On March 30, my colleagues and I voted to enact part one of the two-year state budget, and the following day, Governor Janet Mills signed it into law. This continuing services budget was a huge win for the people of Maine. It ensures the stability and continuity of programs that support families, businesses and schools while allowing time for more nuanced conversations around new initiatives that will be introduced in part two, which will come before the Legislature in the coming months.

The Maine state government operates on a two-year spending plan. Much like any other budget, the state needs to balance its spending commitments with revenue generated. The approach we have taken this cycle – to break the budget into two parts – was an intentional step to avoid a government shutdown in the event that we couldn’t find agreement on more complex and contentious issues.

This approach is not new. In the 1980s, the mid-to-late 1990s and again in the early 2000s, the Legislature passed the biennial budget in two parts beginning with a budget that continued essential services, followed by a second budget that covered new initiatives. The part one, continuing services budget that we just passed will distribute roughly $9.9 billion from the General Fund over the next two years. This leaves likely more than $400 million remaining in the General Fund to be appropriated during part two.

Maine people and businesses deserve predictability, stability and good governance, and that is exactly what this two-part budget process is accomplishing. We can rest assured that the programs we depend upon to keep our state running will continue uninterrupted. Part one of the budget allows us to maintain municipal revenue sharing at 5%, helps more Mainers stay in their homes by maintaining the Property Tax Fairness Credit and Homestead Exemption Programs at current levels and keeps the state’s commitment to Maine schools by funding 55% of K-12 public education costs. It also provides funding for long-term care and nursing facilities, delivers tuition assistance to Maine veterans and continues our current investments to address climate change and transition to clean energy.

Passing this continuing services budget will allow all lawmakers – Democrats, Republicans and Independents – the time and space needed to answer the essential question of what more we can do to ensure we are meeting the needs of all Maine families. Personally, as we look to part two, I am committed to continuing to advance our climate and renewable energy goals. I feel strongly that we need to move ahead with great urgency to address the climate crisis, but keeping our state’s many critical services running first was necessary in order to be able to do that important work in the weeks and months ahead.

I am incredibly proud of the work that went into this measure, and I look forward to having more conversations with my colleagues and members of the public as we dive into this next phase of the budget process.

As always, it is an honor to serve you. Please reach out with any questions or concerns about the budget as well a any other issues either in our community or that will come before the Legislature.

Rep. Jim Boyle, D-Gorham, is serving his second term in the Maine House of Representatives and previously served two years in the Maine State Senate. He is a member of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. Contact him at Jim.Boyle@legislature.maine.gov.