Town of Greenville Maine

State Representative - Sharon Libby Jones - In a recent rating conducted by State Policy Research, Inc., Maine ranked 6th in the country on the quality of the State's budget processes. Maine's ranking showed the highest improvement in the States, moving from a ranking of 49th in 1995 to 6th in 1999.

This extremely high ranking reflects widely agreed upon measures of excellence in budget practices as reported by the National Association of State Budget Officers and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

I am extremely pleased to be serving on the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. I am the first person from Piscataquis County to do so in over 25 years. As you may recall from previous On The Record articles, this is the committee where the budget is hammered out and where consensus is reached on the financial life of our state.

I hope to carry on the work of Senate President Michael Michaud, who chaired this powerful committee during the years from 1995 – 1999 when these astonishing improvements were made. To go from next to the last in the country to 6th is an accomplishment that is unparalleled I hope to pick up where he has left off and to continue his legacy by insuring the integrity of our budget process while serving on Appropriations and by being a voice for, and representing the interests of rural and northern Maine.

Governor King has also expressed his appreciation for this recognition stating “Clearly, this high score is a tremendous accomplishment due to the commitment. Of both the Legislature and Executive branches to strengthening the integrity of the budget process and increasing the State's fiscal responsibility over these past years. We are extremely pleased and honored.”

The index awards high scores to state with:

Strong requirements for balanced budgets, particularly mandates in state constitutions for all stages in the budget process.

Extensive powers for governors to constrain spending, including item-veto authority and the ability not to spend appropriated funds.

Large reserves held as balances and/or rainy day funds.

Understandable budgets that reveal the impacts of current decisions on future budgets, GAAP accounting, coverage of all stat money and disclosures of why and on what money is being spent.

State Policy Reports is a publication of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Representative Sharon Libby Jones serves on the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. She represents House District 111 – Abbot, Beaver Cove, Bowerbank, Brownville, Greenville, Guilford, Monson, Sebec, Shirley, Wellington, Willimantic, and Kingsbury Plantation, plus unorganized territories including Barnard, Lily Bay, Harfords Point, Williamsburg, Blanchard and Elliottsville Townships.