Maine Lawmakers Approve $519M Budget, Cementing Free Community College

The new law makes the state's tuition-free community college program permanent and introduces a tax on millionaires.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 11:07pm

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A serene oil painting depicting a community college campus building in soft, warm lighting, conveying a sense of educational access and community investment.The permanent free community college program in Maine will continue to open doors of opportunity for students across the state.Bangor Today

Governor Janet Mills signed a $519 million supplemental budget into law, making Maine's Free Community College Program a permanent fixture and introducing a new 2% tax on income earned by millionaires. The budget also provides $300 relief checks to residents, increases property tax relief, raises the minimum teacher salary, and supports reproductive healthcare.

Why it matters

The free community college program has allowed over 23,000 Maine high school graduates to enroll tuition-free since its launch in 2022. Making the program permanent ensures future students can plan on attending college for free, while the new millionaire's tax and relief checks aim to address rising costs of living in the state.

The details

The $519 million supplemental budget includes $227 million from the general fund and $292 million from the budget stabilization fund. In addition to the free community college and millionaire's tax provisions, the budget increases property tax relief, raises the minimum teacher salary, improves school bus safety, and supports reproductive healthcare. The budget is receiving strong support from Democrats but pushback from the Republican minority.

  • The supplemental budget was signed into law by Governor Janet Mills on April 10, 2026.
  • The Free Community College Program was first launched in 2022.

The players

Governor Janet Mills

The Democratic governor of Maine who signed the $519 million supplemental budget into law, making the state's free community college program permanent.

David Daigler

The president of the Maine Community College System, who praised the Legislature's commitment to continuing the free community college program.

Rep. Jack Ducharme

A Republican state representative who expressed concerns that the budget would damage the state's ability to weather economic storms.

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What they’re saying

“It is a full and complete supplemental budget that does a lot of good things for a lot of people across Maine and I'm proud of it.”

— Governor Janet Mills

“I can't wait to see the smiles on faces and the bright minds coming out of this community college campus and six others in the coming years because we need more people to fill healthcare jobs, culinary arts jobs, auto repair jobs, right to repair auto repair jobs.”

— Governor Janet Mills

“We now have the Maine Legislature's commitment to continue this program so that future high school students can plan to go to college for free.”

— David Daigler, President, Maine Community College System

“When you start taking money out of that for things that are not required, you start damaging your ability to weather a storm.”

— Rep. Jack Ducharme, Republican State Representative

What’s next

The supplemental budget will take effect 90 days after the Maine Legislature adjourns.

The takeaway

The permanent establishment of Maine's free community college program and the new tax on millionaires aim to improve educational access and affordability for residents, while also generating revenue to address the state's rising cost of living.