AUGUSTA — Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s office says he didn’t sign a $29 million spending package because of concerns with allocations to an energy efficiency program. Spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett said LePage agrees with elements of the budget. But she said he’s deeply concerned that Maine now is 11th highest in the nation in energy costs […]
state budget
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Maine
LePage fretting about sinking state revenues
AUGUSTA — State revenues are coming up short, Gov. Paul LePage said Thursday during a radio interview. LePage said money flowing into state coffers came “to a complete screech” during November and December and are expected to remain low for at least the next couple of months. “We don’t know if that’s a […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine House, Senate leaders announce budget deal
AUGUSTA — Legislative leaders announced late Monday night that after weeks of negotiations they have reached a deal on the state budget for the next two years. In a joint written statement, House and Senate leaders said the deal includes tax cuts, investment in students and workers, property tax relief and welfare reform. Details of […]
Posted inMaine
Legislative leaders play blame game as budget negotiations implode
AUGUSTA — Less than 24 hours after a budget deal seemed nearly complete, the path toward a compromise in the divided Legislature was foggier than ever, once again raising the likelihood of a government shutdown. A two-year, $6.7 billion spending plan passed with bipartisan support in the budget-writing Appropriations Committee last weekend but did not […]
Posted inMaine
Legislative committee releases competing budget plans
AUGUSTA — After months of negotiations, the Legislature’s budget committee has released two competing spending plans for consideration in the House and Senate, after the last vote was cast shortly before 12:30 a.m. Saturday. The tradition of unanimous budget reports from the Appropriations Committee shattered this year after GOP members of the Legislature split on whether […]
Posted inLetters
K. Cloutier: The ‘Better Deal’ makes more sense
As a mom, a Lewiston City Councilor and a School Committee member, I am extremely concerned about Gov. Paul LePage’s budget, which gives huge tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations while crippling the state’s ability to invest in the very things that allow communities to prosper, including schools, job training and health care. Like […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Peter Kowalski: Adjust Maine’s tax structure without penalizing nonprofits
The word “nonprofit” generally is used to describe an organization that works to serve a public purpose, rather than to provide financial benefit to any particular individual, corporation or entity. Nonprofits are granted an exemption from taxes when they have charitable, religious, educational or other purposes organized around a cause, mission or community need and […]
Posted inLetters
J. Collins: Budget negatively affects towns
There are many reasons why many people will face another increase in property taxes this year. Gov. Paul LePage’s budget is $50 million higher this year than last year. Someone is going to be paying higher taxes. Enacted in 1972, Municipal Revenue Sharing was designed to return 5 percent of sales and income tax revenues […]
Posted inLetters
M. Ismail: Give people a chance to succeed
The governor’s proposed budget does not create pathways to opportunity for people in Maine. I am a single mom with three children. My youngest has Down Syndrome. I had to flee my country for fear of our safety. We belong to an ethnic group that is brutally discriminated against in my home country. The decision […]
Posted inLetters
V. Bacon: Save the hospitals
This is in response to the article (March 5) regarding the response Gov. Paul LePage made in defense of his proposed budget that would cut funds to the small hospitals. In the Oxford Hills area, Stephens Memorial Hospital and the Rumford Hospital are the ones residents depend upon for care. I was on Tri-Town Rescue […]