AUGUSTA (AP) – Maine’s top election official said Friday the wording is set for a proposed people’e veto of a key portion of the recently enacted $5.7 billion two-year state budget.

“We’ve written the question,” Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap said.

If sent out for a statewide vote, the ballot question drafted by Dunlap’s office would read: “Do you want to reject that part of the state budget authorizing bonds of up to $410 million to fund pension costs, to be repaid from lottery, slot machine and other funds?”

Earlier this month, five Republican lawmakers joined in filing an application with the secretary of state, taking the first formal step toward challenging a borrowing plan within the budget that was approved in late March by House and Senate Democratic majorities and Gov. John Baldacci.

To force a statewide vote on the contested borrowing provision, advocates of a people’s veto need to gather more than 50,000 petition signatures by June 28.

The borrowing provision in the budget has routinely been described as a $450 million item. That figure, larger than the sum mentioned in the proposed ballot question, includes funds that would be obtained through a bond issuance and applied to cover the first two years’ worth of debt service as well as some bond issuance costs.

Baldacci has called the people’s veto proposal “irresponsible” and said it could generate enough uncertainty to harm Maine’s economy. Republicans maintain the borrowing plan itself is irresponsible.

The state Constitution allows voters to repeal a law with a people’s veto if opponents collect enough signatures within 90 days of the end of the legislative session in which the bill was signed into law.

Passage of the budget reflected the Democrats’ narrow numerical edge over Republicans in both the Senate, where the final tally was 18-16, and in the House of Representatives, where the approval vote was 77-73.

The Democrat-controlled Legislature subsequently voted to end the 2005 regular legislative session, intending to ensure that the new budget provisions could be in place for the July 1 start of a new fiscal year.

Baldacci said implementation of the package would bring “considerable progress” toward property tax relief by providing local schools with an additional $250 million.

Supporters said the measure would allow the state to reduce its unfunded pension liability, build up reserves and avoid sharper curbs on social service programs than those already put forth by Baldacci, a Democrat. Critics denounced the borrowing plan as an unwise application of one-time funds for ongoing operational costs.

The revenue bond plan contained in the budget would draw on more than a dozen sources, including accounts within the secretary of state’s office, for repayment.

In 1997, a people’s veto drive aimed at forcing a statewide vote on budget legislation was scrapped when advocates said financial support for the challenge fell short of expectations.