State Sen. Kevin Raye (R-Perry) and Rep. Josh Tardy (R-Newport), Republican leaders in their respective chambers, have released a joint statement following Gov. John Baldacci’s announcement of $80 million in budget curtailments.

“Although we want to review the Governor’s order in detail before commenting on the full substance of his decisions, we want to make it clear these are turbulent economic times that require difficult decisions.  While we hope it may be possible to identify alternative reductions in some areas, particularly with respect to education, we believe the Legislature is prepared to work with the Governor on a bipartisan basis to achieve the required spending reductions while preserving a safety net for our most vulnerable citizens and protecting the public health and safety.”