Current Issues:

• Maine's State Budget Shortfall:
  
  

  
  

  • Maine's Budget Crisis

  • Governor Baldacci's current supplemental budget proposal.

  • Maine Can Do Better's press statement to the supplemental budget.

  • List of harmful cuts proposed in the supplemental budget

  • Engage Maine's January 6th Issue Brief to the State Legislature: Creating Shared Opportunity

  • Helpful links

  • VIDEO: Budget Rally 1.12.10

  • VIDEO: Watch MCDB Executive Director Ben Dudley Respond to Governor Baldacci's State of the State Address

 Maine's Budget Crisis:

Currently, Maine is facing an almost $438 million dollar budget gap. On November 20th Governor Baldacci issued at $63 million dollar budget curtailment with sweeping cuts. On December 18th, 2009 Governor Baldacci again announced sweeping cuts, this time in the form of a supplemental budget that aims at closing the current budget gap.

The plan reduces funding for a plethora of public structures and programs that we all rely on, including:

• Education
• The Department of Health and Human services, including MaineCare
• Child Development Services
• Transportation

The Maine Can Do Better coalition is urges our State Legislators and our Governor to take a more balanced approach to the current budget shortfall. This approach should consider revenues, and relative costs and benefits that go with them. The current proposal on the table is only looking at half of the budget story by trying to solve our current budget crisis with cuts alone. That is only digging us into a deeper hole. We need to look at cuts and revenues. We need to work in tandem with federal efforts to create jobs, stimulate the economy, and promote prosperity for all.

To find out more about the harmful cuts proposed in the Governor's supplemental budget click here. 

Helpful Links:

Maine Equal Justice

Maine Center for Economic Policy

Office of Fiscal and Program Review, Maine State Legislature

Past Issues:  

• Question 4 on the 2009 ballot: TABOR II
• Question 2 on the 2009 ballot: A Proposal to Cut the Municipal Excise Tax for Newer and Special Cars

Thank you to all of the organizations that signed on to support the NO on Question's 2 and 4 campaigns!


Advocacy Initiative Network of Maine
American Associations of Retired Persons (AARP)
American Council of Engineering Companies - Maine (ACEC-ME)
American Friends Service Committee Maine Council 98
Associated General Contractors - Maine (AGC-ME)
American Society of Civil Engineers - Maine (ASCE-ME)
Avesta Housing
Bangor Area Homeless Shelter
Child and Family Opportunities,Inc.
Childrens Healthy Environment Campaign
Citizens Who Support Maine Public Schools 
Coastal Enterprises Inc. Coastal Opportunities
Community Care
Community Housing of Maine
Digital Turf
Disibility Rights Center
Eastern Maine Labor Council
Emergency Shelter Assessment Committee (ESAC)
Engage Maine
Engage Maine Votes
Equality Maine
Family Crisis and Support Services
Foor AND Medicine
Homeless Voices for Justice
Mable Wadsworth Women's Health Center
Maine Affordable Housing Coalition
Maine American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrialized Organizations (AFL-CIO)
Maine Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods
Maine Association of Mental Health Services
Maine Association of Nonprofits
Maine Associaton of Police
Maine Association of Substance Abuse Programs
Maine Better Transportation Association (MBTA)
Maine Center for Economic Policy
Maine Children's Alliance
Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Maine Coalition for Housing and Quality Services
Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence
Maine Community College System Board of Trustees
Maine Community Action Association
Maine Council of Churches
Maine Council of Senior Citizens-ARA
Maine Developmental Dissabilities Council
Maine Education Association
Maine Equal Justice Partners
Maine Municipal Association
Maine People's Alliance
Maine State Building and Construction Trades Council
Maine Workforce Housing
Maine Women's Lobby
Natural Resources Council of Maine
Peace and Justice Center
Penquis
Pike Industries
Planned Parenthood of Northern New England
Portland Tenants Union
Preble Street
Professional Firefighters of Maine
Rape Education and Crisis Hotline (REACH)
Region 1 Homeless Council
Region 3 Homeless Council
Shalom House, Inc (br/> Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Sexual Assault Crisis & Support Center
Sexual Assault Victims Emergency Services (SAVES)
Southern Maine Labor Council
Statewide Homeless Council
Speaking Up for Us
The League of Young Voters
University of Maine Board of Trustees
Waldo County Peace and Justice
Washington Hancock Community Agency
Western Maine Labor Council
We Who Care