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AUGUSTA, Maine

Budget advances in Legislature

A Maine legislative committee on Saturday approved a two-year, $6.6 billion state budget that doesn’t include the income tax cuts or welfare changes sought by Governor Paul LePage and House Republicans. The measure, approved 9 to 4 by the Appropriations Committee, would boost funding for schools, maintain state aid to municipalities, and reduce the sales tax a half-percentage point to 5 percent. But House Republicans insist that a final spending plan must include their priorities and vowed to block the measure’s passage. To avert a government shutdown, lawmakers need to send a final spending plan to the governor’s desk by June 18 in order to have enough time to overturn a likely veto before the new fiscal year starts July 1. (AP)