It’s the day of reckoning in Augusta. We’ve been giving you updates on the state budget process day after day and ticking off a number of deadlines by which lawmakers must act or cause a government shutdown. Today marks perhaps the hardest deadline yet. The six-member conference committee formed by legislative leaders two weeks ago […]
state budget
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Paul LePage says government may shut down but state parks won't
AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage may not think the state government can stay open because of a budget dispute, he is optimistic that state parks will stay open. Sides agree that a shutdown at the start of tourism season would be costly. But LePage told WVOM-FM Tuesday that “the future of Maine […]
advertisement
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Gov. Paul LePage: 'We’re going to shut down Friday night'
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage said Tuesday it’s worth putting state government into a shutdown to ensure the two-year state budget lawmakers are struggling to pass won’t harm Maine’s economy for the next decade. LePage, speaking during a radio interview on WVOM, accused Democrats of backing measures that will “do damage” to the state, namely […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Paul LePage tells Dems to pass GOP budget or there will be a shutdown
A Friday meeting between Gov. Paul LePage and the Legislature’s top Democrat inflamed partisan tension at the State House and made clear that, even if lawmakers pass a budget this week, state government could shut down Saturday. A Democratic account of that meeting was circulating around Facebook during the weekend, saying the Republican governor told […]
Posted inMaine
Paul LePage threatens budget veto, says shut down would be Dems’ fault
AUGUSTA — As lawmakers scramble to finish up this week, not everyone is impressed with what they’ve done. Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, pointed out the other day that the 186 members of the Legislature collectively churn out enough warmth from their own bodies to power about 38 homes. That, he said, “may very well be […]
Posted inMaine
Analysis: House Dems offer to cut income surtax rate to advance budget
House Democrats have blinked in a standoff over education funding, offering an deal to increase the threshold for Maine’s surtax on high earners and lower it from 3 percent to 1.75 percent. Republicans are on the record as wanting the surtax gone. Progressives still want to keep it and Senate Democrats didn’t join their House […]
Posted inMaine
Lawmakers expect ‘long, tough fight’ over Maine budget
AUGUSTA (AP) — As lawmakers spend the weekend haggling over the budget behind closed doors, Gov. Paul LePage said this week that he’ll veto any budget that increases education funding without big changes to the system. Democrats and Republicans remain at odds on the Republican governor’s $6.8 billion, two-year budget proposal, with both parties this […]
Posted inMaine
Analysis: Maine budget negotiators remain far apart on school funding
A meeting Tuesday of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee showed just how far apart Democrats and Republicans are on education funding with a key deadline on the state’s two-year budget looming in less than a week. After closed-door partisan caucuses over the Memorial Day weekend, the committee met yesterday to take votes on agreed-upon items in […]
Posted inMaine
Paul LePage tweaks budget proposal to boost legal fund, stop anti-bias program
AUGUSTA — Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage is tweaking his $6.8 billion budget proposal to add funds for private lawyers and cut a civil rights program, among other things. He’s proposing to eliminate the attorney general’s program aiming to reduce bias in schools, saving $550,000 over two years. His administration says the program should be […]
Posted inMaine
Democrats threaten to shut down Maine government over school funding
With less than a month left before statutory adjournment, Democrats have threatened to shut down government if state funding for schools doesn’t reach 55 percent. Fifty-two Democratic and two independent House members, along with four Democratic senators, have signed a pact to oppose any budget bill that doesn’t have “a progressive and sustainable funding source […]