Eye on Augusta: Legislature Passes a Budget, Defeats Gun Control Bills, Pushes Forward Monhegan Wind Project & More

Progressives decried the budget for not funding several bills that passed both houses and are now languishing on the Appropriations table — such as LD 1689, which would expand access to safe syringe exchanges and the opioid overdose antidote naloxone. In a statement, the Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP) echoed the sentiments of many left-leaning activists who rallied in Augusta several times this session for a more progressive tax system, only to see their proposals die a slow death.

“Maine’s budget negotiations are a perpetual challenge because of lopsided tax cuts that rob the state of the resources we need to invest in our schools, our communities, and other priorities that support our economy,” said Garrett Martin, MECEP executive director. 

Click here to read the full story, first published on June 20, 2019, in the Free Press.