AUGUSTA (AP) — A few bills from Maine’s GOP governor are now law following action from Republicans and Democrats. Gov. Paul LePage worked with lawmakers like Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Lewiston and Republican Sen. Brian Langley on successful bills this year. Now, career and technical education programs can serve sixth to eighth graders. The […]
Maine Legislature
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Legislature still has work to do after state budget passed
AUGUSTA (AP) — Work hasn’t ended yet for Maine lawmakers after the legislative season ended in a theatrical budget squabble and a three-day government shutdown. In coming weeks and months, lawmakers still smarting from the budget will have to come together to deal with a pile of unfunded and vetoed bills, bonds, and the rollout […]
advertisement
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Voicemail confirms that Paul LePage told lawmakers he would leave the state
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage and his staff have denied since Monday that he told lawmakers he was leaving town for 10 days during what at the time was an ongoing government shutdown, but a voicemail obtained by the Bangor Daily News with a public records request says otherwise. The 20-second voicemail was left for […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Analysis: Paul LePage, Sara Gideon already preparing for next budget battle
The two-year budget may be signed, but Gov. Paul LePage and the Legislature’s top Democrat have already teased their tacks for the next standoff, likely to happen sometime next year. The budget agreement reached by the Republican governor and House Speaker Sara Gideon, D-Freeport, will likely require a supplemental budget in 2017 because it leaves […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Police say GOP lawmaker's car wasn't vandalized
AUGUSTA (AP) — Capitol police say it appears there was no intentional damage to a car belonging to one of two Republican lawmakers who claimed their vehicles were vandalized. The two lawmakers claimed their cars were damaged after House Republicans torpedoed a compromise budget, causing the state government shutdown on Saturday. Republican Gov. Paul LePage […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Analysis: How the shutdown ended, and what's next
Good morning from Augusta, where we have a budget and have gone from constant action to no action in the State House. Weary reporters are still trying to adjust. But there’s a lot that didn’t make our stories from the long weekend. Here are some of them: The impasse popped out of existence like a […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Gov. Paul LePage ends shutdown by signing $7.1B budget bill
AUGUSTA — In the wee hours of Independence Day, Maine’s government shutdown ended, after lawmakers and Gov. Paul LePage reached a budget compromise that none of them liked but all of them could live with. The $7.1 billion spending plan wiped out the voter-approved surtax on high earners but still delivered an additional $162 million for education while barely […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Lawmakers reach tentative budget deal
Update: Gov. Paul LePage ends shutdown by signing $7.1B budget bill AUGUSTA — Lawmakers hoped late Monday that they had struck a deal that would allow state offices to open as usual on Wednesday. “We’re closing in on a budget deal” that Gov. Paul LePage will sign, said Sen. Nate Libby, D-Lewiston. “The shutdown should end […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Paul LePage says he wants a budget, not more delays
AUGUSTA (AP) — Republican Gov. Paul LePage urged lawmakers to put aside “petty egos” and send him a budget on Sunday as a legislative panel sought common ground on a proposal promoted by House Republicans who torpedoed the previous spending bill. LePage posted a Facebook video in which he chastised Republican Senate President Michael Thibodeau […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
GOP lawmakers say they have budget plan to end shutdown
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Coverage of Maine’s budget impasse (all times local): Updated 7:35 p.m. Maine leaders say a bid to end the state’s government shutdown will wait until morning. House Republicans say on Saturday their new budget proposal can win the approval of Republican Gov. Paul LePage and end the stalemate. The proposal is […]