Gov. Paul LePage rules the state like an authoritarian dictator who does not adhere to democratic principles of government. He has emasculated the state Attorney General’s Office by refusing to cooperate with Attorney General Janet Mills. He doesn’t accept her judicial decisions and refuses to fill vacancies in her office. He also wants to hire his own attorneys. He reportedly told reporters, “Tell her to sue me.”

He attempted to fire the president of the Maine Community College System, even though he did not have the authority to do so and in spite of the president’s excellent performance rating.

He told Verso Paper in Jay to leave the state, even though the courts ruled Verso’s decisions were legal.

He has threatened to tear apart the statewide network of county jails.

He spent nearly $53,000 on private lawyers in his failed attempt to remove thousands of low-income adults from the state’s Medicaid program, and that after being advised by the attorney general that he could not win the case.

His proposed budget would force extra taxes on summer camps for handicapped and disabled children and would hurt many Maine museums.

He has reduced or eliminated revenues that should go to cities and towns.

And when the federal government requested that Maine delay a plan to have photos on EBT cards pending federal approval, LePage decided to proceed with the plan anyway.

I am sure there will be more to come.

Ronald Melendy, Auburn

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