The rallies held at the State House on Saturday are just the precursor to the budget battles ahead. Beginning this week, the Appropriations Committee will begin its public hearing schedule, allowing all Mainers to weigh in on the budget proposed by Republican Gov. Paul LePage.

Some of the proposed changes — such as requiring state workers to contribute more money to their retirement and raising the retirement age — are sure to lead to high turnout. Those issues, as well as proposals to lower Maine’s income tax for most Mainers and conform state tax laws to federal laws, are scheduled to kick off the hearings.

A simple majority — held by GOP lawmakers — is all that is needed to pass the budget in time for the new biennium if a vote is taken by the end of March, because it takes 90 days for laws to take effect. But a two-thirds vote is required to pass measures as “emergency” legislation and allow them to take effect immediately. In order to get two-thirds support, some Democrats would have to vote with the Republican majority.

Most recently, the Democrats who controlled the Legislature have worked to achieve a bipartisan budget, but in the past they also have passed majority budgets.

EXPECT FIREWORKS

Lawmakers on the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee are scheduled to work today on a measure that would allow the sale of some fireworks in Maine, and could even take a vote on the measure.

Expect there to be some interesting dialogue, though, because the state fire marshal is expected to attend the meeting — something he was prevented from doing at the public hearing by the LePage administration.

State Fire Marshal John Dean had in previous years testified against allowing fireworks, and Dan Billings, a top adviser for LePage who testified in support of the measure, said it would have been unfair to make Dean testify for it before the panel. State Rep. Anne Haskell, D-Portland, the committee’s top Democrat, has said she believed Dean should have been allowed to testify.

GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS

Should Mainers be concerned that a group of New Hampshire Republican state representatives wants to create a volunteer “permanent state defense force,” separate from the New Hampshire National Guard, to assist with disaster relief and “defend the state against invasion”?

The bill’s supporters so far have said nothing about the 150-mile boundary between Maine and New Hampshire.

We don’t know about Vermont, but there is apparently no reason to fear an invasion from Maine. Dan Demeritt, spokesman for LePage, said that Maine’s governor values his friendship with the people of the Granite State.”We take them at their word when it comes to their state motto, ‘Live free or die,’ ” Demeritt said.

‘WASHED-UP POLITICIAN’ STICKING AROUND

Peter Mills, who has twice failed to win the Republican gubernatorial nomination, openly sought positions in the LePage administration and was left empty-handed. But as a well-respected former state legislator and lawyer, he’s just not ready to give up on public service quite yet.

Mills has been at the State House frequently so far this year, offering testimony on a variety of bills or Cabinet nominees, describing himself as “Peter Mills, a washed-up politician.”  

He’ll be back in Augusta on Wednesday to support the nomination of Steven Bowen, LePage’s pick to lead the Department of Education. “I just want to come down here from time to time to make my peace but not a nuisance of myself,” Mills said.

He said he had no immediate political plans except to be involved in economic development issues in the Skowhegan and Waterville area. He also plans on attending the public hearings regarding the pensions, about which he believes he has a lot to offer.

Mills’ sister, Dr. Dora Anne Mills, was fired last week from her post as medical director of MaineCare, and his other sister, Janet Mills, was replaced as the Maine Attorney General when Republicans won control of the Legislature.

— MaineToday Media State House Writers Rebekah Metzler and Tom Bell contributed to this report.