Since early January, my colleagues on the Joint Appropriations Committee in the State House and I have carefully proceeded with a thorough process of crafting Maine’s next biennial budget.

This was an enlightening and thoughtful process at every turn. From the very beginning, we had some significantly controversial elements on the table. There were many who did not favor the $250 million securitization of lottery proceeds to fund the commitment to increased education in our cities and towns. There were others who felt the budget as presented slashed programs for the elderly and disabled too much. Some were disturbed by the policy pieces contained within the budget.

Our committee made a sincere and respectful attempt to listen to all the concerns of those who came before us and to address those concerns wherever possible.

It is important to know several central reasons this budget is ready to be passed now.

It provides property tax relief and raises the additional $250 million of education funding necessitated by the referendum passed by Maine voters last June.

It reduces state spending by more than $425 million – cutting and capping services, streamlining state administrative operations and eliminating more than 60 state positions.

It restores $53 million of $139 million in proposed cuts to health and human services, honoring our commitment to children, our veterans, the elderly and disabled.

It addresses, in a very responsible way, the huge issue looming on the horizon, the unfunded liability of the state retirement plan, and the need to pay down this debt, saving the Maine taxpayers millions of future dollars.

The experience and institutional wisdom of committee members led us to develop, in a bipartisan way, unique solutions and discover creative ways to arrive at a responsible budget that would hopefully satisfy the majority of Mainers.

Our goal, along with that of the Senate and House leadership, has been to secure passage of this budget before April 1. I thoroughly respect the need for prompt enactment by the end of this week. Passing the budget by April 1 will enable Maine municipalities and school districts to have what they need in order to complete their own budget processes.

Last week, we were gratified to have an assembly of citizen groups come to the State House and speak at a press conference in favor of this budget. They recognize that this is a balanced budget that honors our commitments to Maine people and businesses without raising broad-based taxes.

There are parts of this budget that we would prefer to avoid. Increasing some fees and engaging in borrowing are options we have taken, but would rather not. We feel, however, we have crafted the most responsible budget possible, given the constraints we were working within and the obligations we have to the people of Maine.

As legislators, we were elected to find solutions to tough problems and to govern responsibly. I believe we have done that, and I emphatically encourage the members of both the House and Senate to do what must be done to pass the budget this week.

Sen. Peggy Rotundo of Lewiston is the co-chair of the Appropriations Committee.