Much of our work in the Legislature wrapped up at the end of last month. It was certainly gratifying to close out our work in the State House after months of remote work via Zoom and a few session days at the Augusta Civic Center. Despite the challenges and the various forms our legislative process took, we were able to accomplish a great deal for Mainers across the state.
The least of these accomplishments was the historic two-year bipartisan budget deal. It may sound like an exaggeration to call it historic, but there are many good reasons for doing so.
Joseph Rafferty
First and foremost, we focused on property tax relief for Mainers after an incredibly difficult year for everyone is serious business. When I was running to represent you all in the State Senate, one of the biggest issues I heard from folks about is high property taxes.
I am pleased to report that this budget provides layers of relief for property taxpayers. You may not know, but the increased burden of property taxes started years ago when the state decreased its percentage of revenue sharing. While it may sound complicated, revenue sharing is simple.
It’s money the state returns to towns and cities to help pay for essential municipal services like schools, libraries, police and fire departments. As I mentioned above, the state lowered the percentage of funds that were going to municipalities several years ago. When this happened, property taxpayers were left to pay the difference. That’s why my colleagues and I took action and increased revenue sharing from 3.75 percent to 4.5 percent for next year and to 5 percent for the year after that. This will certainly help relieve this burden for many Mainers.
We didn’t stop the property tax relief there. Also included in the budget is a one-time boost for income-eligible families and seniors called the Property Tax Fairness Credit. This credit will help an estimated 83,000 Mainers by increasing the maximum benefit from $750 to $1,200 for income-eligible families, and from $1,000 to $1,500 for seniors.
On top of that, the next time you calculate your taxes, you’ll want to pay close attention. With this new two-year budget, you’ll be able to take off $25,000 of your home’s assessment. This is what providing tax relief looks like.
In a win for teachers, students and Mainers in general, this budget also includes a measure for the state to pay 55 percent of public school funding. Some of you may recall that in 2004, Mainers went to the ballot box to vote to make public school funding and education a priority. Since this initiative passed in 2004, the state has never paid the full 55 percent.
With this budget, and the hard work my colleagues put into it, this has finally changed. The state will finally come through on its commitment to fund 55 percent of K-12 funding. As a long-time public school teacher, this is something I am really proud of. Even more than that, I am excited to see the benefits it will provide to our communities. One of the indirect benefits of this is also related to property tax relief. When the state increases its share of public education funding, less of the burden falls on property taxpayers.
Also noteworthy is the bipartisan nature of the work that was put into draft and ultimately pass this budget. In the Senate, this budget passed by a vote of 32-2. That is a direct reflection of the hours of hard work and dedication my colleagues and I, particularly those in the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, logged to make this deal happen. It is also a reflection of our commitment to work across the aisle to get things done for all Mainers, not just those who voted for us.
If you ever have any comments or questions, you can always reach out to me at Joe.Rafferty@legislature.maine.gov or by phone at 207-590-9902. If you want to stay even more up to date on what we’re working on in Augusta, sign up for my newsletter at mainesenate.org.
Joseph Rafferty is a member of the Maine State Senate representing District 34, Acton, Kennebunk, Lebanon, Moody, North Berwick, Wells, West Lebanon and part of Berwick. He can be reached at Joe.Rafferty@legislature.maine.gov.
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