Government

Rep. Amy Arata to serve on the Appropriations Committee

PRESS RELEASE–AUGUSTA

Representative Amy Arata has been re-appointed to the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, which has started briefings with department heads and evaluating the Governor’s proposed biennial state budget. This will be the second term Rep. Arata will spend crafting the biennial state budget.

Reached for comment this week, Rep. Arata is already hard at work reviewing briefing materials. “As we have been hearing about revenue losses from 2020, I am reminded of my time serving on New Gloucester’s budget committee because the same principles apply. The Legislature has an obligation to spend less than what we take in, the same way people make a plan for their own finances. We need to stay committed to planning thoughtfully and responsibly.”

This committee will review all new bills impacting General Fund appropriations and general fiscal policy; federal funds allocations, special revenue and block grant allocations when part of a biennial or supplemental budget; Budget Stabilization Fund; general obligation bond issues; collective bargaining funding; budgeting methodologies; review of financial orders; and financial evaluation of agencies of state government.

Representative Arata also serves on the Legislature’s bipartisan Government Oversight Committee, which oversees program evaluation and government accountability within State government. She previously served on the Maine School Administrative District 15 (Gray-New Gloucester) Budget Committee.

COVID-19 will impact the way legislators interact with the public. For the first time, hearings and work sessions will be conducted virtually by zoom. Members of the public can watch recordings of live-streamed public hearings and work sessions on youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN859af0PsPYz1zfOC-32nQ