Kudos to Obama Administration and Congressional Delegation

Last week, Maine’s supplemental budget won bi-partisan approval as it passed through the house, senate, and was signed by Governor Baldacci seamlessly.

What seems to be overlooked in this budget is the tremendous amount that federal stimulus money helped our leaders eliminate many of the damaging cuts that were included in the original supplemental budget proposal.

Thanks to the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009″ (ARRA), which directly provided $550 million in enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP), education and fiscal stabilization funds to balance the biennial budget last year, and the pending “American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010,” our federal leaders were able to infuse  $114 million in new revenues into the supplemental state budget.

These new revenues allowed our state to take a responsible approach to our fiscal crisis.

Maine Can Do Better has personally thanks the Obama Administration, Representative Chellie Pingree, Representative Mike Michaud, Senator Snowe, and Senator Collins for their support of ARRA and the “American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010″.

Read the press release and letters here.