State, county, local governments to get $1.5B in aid; Mills revises education budget
File Photo / Maureen Milliken
Maine's state government is in line to get $997,495,130 in funding through the American Rescue Plan.
To ease financial burdens caused by the pandemic, Maine state, county and local governments will soon receive nearly $1.5 billion in aid through the federal American Rescue Plan, it was announced Wednesday.
The funding includes more than $997 million for the state, more than $221 million for counties, and a combined total of nearly $241 million for local governments. (See full breakdown, below.)
Financed by a $1.9 trillion stimulus bill signed into law by President Joe Biden in March, the funding aims to help governments at all levels nationwide address shortfalls due to the coronavirus pandemic and challenges resulting from the crisis.
"Throughout this crisis, Maine’s state and local governments have led the way in providing essential services for our citizens. The increased demand for services has stretched these governments, making it absolutely essential that Congress provide support," said U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, in Wednesday's news release.
"The American Rescue Plan meets this need, sending critical resources to support our state, our counties, our cities, and our towns. I was proud to vote for these funds, and I am confident that our state and local leaders will effectively use the federal support to both address the immediate challenges we face and support Maine’s long-term success.”
King, who served as Maine's governor from 1995 to 2003, has been vocal in Washington about the financial crunch being felt by state and localities during the pandemic, highlighting his concerns in a speech on the Senate floor and joining a bipartisan push for funding.
The funding will be awarded as follows.
State of Maine: $997,495,130
County governments:
· Androscoggin County: $21,031,538
Aroostook County: $13,024,648
Cumberland County: $57,300,874
Franklin County: $5,865,802
Hancock County: $10,680,580
Kennebec County: $23,755,730
Knox County: $7,725,245
Lincoln County: $6,727,248
Oxford County: $11,260,964
Penobscot County: $29,552,965
Piscataquis County: $3,260,289
Sagadahoc County: $6,964,608
Somerset County: $9,805,925
Waldo County: $7,714,173
Washington County: $6,095,003
York County: $40,331,830
Local governments:
· Auburn: $13,545,799
Bangor: $20,478,297
Biddeford: $9,759,098
Lewiston: $20,970,428
Portland: $46,290,652
South Portland: $10,498,362
Smaller cities and towns: $119,223,764
Mills' latest budget proposal
Separately on Wednesday, Gov. Janet Mills unveiled an updated budget proposal for the 2022-23 fiscal year that calls for the state to fund 55% of K-12 education costs for the first time.
Her proposal also calls for funding bipartisan priorities including tax relief for low- and middle-income households, enhanced revenue sharing for municipalities and infrastructure upgrades, while adding money to the state's so-called "Rainy Day Fund."
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