AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage on Wednesday reiterated his pledge that no bills passed by the Legislature will get his signature until lawmakers agree to pay off debts to Maine hospitals with proceeds from a renegotiated liquor contract.

“If they don’t pay the hospitals, what can you do?” said LePage, apparently referring to Democrats who have proposed an alternative to his plan. “If they don’t want to pay the hospitals and they do what they did 10 years ago, you can only lead a horse to water.”

In response to a reporter’s question about LePage’s threat last week to veto every bill that comes to his desk until the hospitals are paid, LePage said “until they pay the hospitals, nothing gets done. Nothing.”

LePage originally made the veto threat Friday morning in a radio interview. Adrienne Bennett, his spokeswoman, softened that stance later in the day and said the governor would sign bills that have broad bipartisan support or would help Maine’s economy. His comments Wednesday contradicted that.

“If they want to just use that as a political ball, let them use it,” said LePage. “But that is stupidity on their part. The hospital bills should be passed now. We should be selling them now. We should be putting the money in the hands of the hospitals now.”

LePage’s comments to reporters came Wednesday morning after he tapped a maple tree on the Blaine House lawn to commemorate the beginning of the syrup season.

He was also asked about recent news that Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Maine, might run for governor. LePage said he hasn’t made up his mind for sure about whether he’ll run for governor and mentioned, perhaps jokingly, that maybe a congressional campaign is in his future.

“Maybe I’ll run for Congress, who knows?” he said. “Everything’s got a price in this world and going to Washington would be the death of me.”