AUGUSTA, Maine — In a unanimous vote Wednesday, the Maine Senate overturned a veto by Gov. Paul LePage, bringing the governor’s streak of 16 sustained vetoes to an end.
The House of Representative already voted 124-16 on Tuesday to override the veto of LD 1003, a bill that sought to address how schools receive federal funds for certain medical services for special education students.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Peter Edgecomb, R-Caribou, directs the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services to work together with an interagency stakeholder group to refine existing MaineCare policies.
The group will be asked to develop new policies or prepare guidance on billing procedures to “ensure the provision of medically necessary services to students in school-based settings.” Those services include physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy for students with special needs.
“This is a good bill and one that has had bipartisan support from the start,” said Assistant Senate Minority Leader Justin Alfond, D-Portland, who serves on the Education Committee. “I am glad that my colleagues overturned the governor’s veto so that Maine students can continue getting the services they need and schools will get paid.”
In his veto letter, Gov. LePage worried that the bill would distract the Department of Health and Human Services from continuing to find solutions to the state’s MaineCare problems and he worried about the bill’s potential cost.
“I have strong objections to the Legislature directing efforts of the executive branch without providing funding for that purpose,” he wrote. “Especially when my departments are already working tirelessly on these issues.
“Another problem with this resolve is that it attempts to force action before we have all the facts. The federal inspector general is currently undertaking an audit of our school-based MaineCare service program and it is unclear what their findings will be. It is possible that we will be required to repay the federal government for past misuses of funds.”
LD 1003 passed through the House and Senate last month under the hammer, which means there was no debate or roll-call vote. In order to override a veto, two-thirds of House and Senate members needed to support the bill.
“Lawmakers overwhelmingly joined together to stand up for Maine children and our schools,” Rep. Richard Wagner, D-Lewiston, said Tuesday. “This is a simple bill that ensures our school districts have access to funds to take care of students with special needs.”
Before Wednesday, the Republican-controlled Legislature had sustained 16 consecutive vetoes by the governor since he took office in January 2011.
Follow BDN reporter Eric Russell on Twitter @BDNPolitics.
WORD!
Help a grandma out, Barst-what exactly does “word” mean?
As a grandpa to me it means ….
A reply to a statement made by another, expressing enthusiasm or agreement.
Thank you, Grandpa;hard to keep up sometimes, with all the new words.
You’re welcome, I ask the grand kids :)
Veto LePage out of the building…….
u so funny
I’m curious, with everyone now jumping on top of Mr. LePage do we call it a “Pig Pile” or an “Elephant Pile?” Both sound unpleasant.
I’ve always thought of him as more of a blobfish. Google it, you’ll see what I mean.
“Gov. LePage worried that the bill would distract the Department of
Health and Human Services from continuing to find solutions to the
state’s MaineCare problems and he worried about the bill’s potential
cost.” He should have thought of costs for essential services before pushing a tax cut through last year. And I do believe that the bill in question offers a solution to at least one issue within Mainecare… It is about time a veto was overturned – thank you all!
BIG DEAL. Does any know what this bill was about or did they really care. Insignificant.
You Liberals and LePage-haters can have a big party if you want. You won this one fair and square. Just not sure what you won…bragging rights, maybe?
There will be many more vetoes–you win some, you lose some.
Those after Nov. 6, 2012 may not matter.
Yep-get the call out: Remember November.
As a soon to be mom of a child with down syndrome, I care, as do hundreds of other families who have children with special needs. If LePage had gotten his way those of us needing the services of Physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists for our children to be able to function as normally as possible probably wouldnt be able to get these services any other way. This is a huge victory for a percentage of the populace whether YOU view it as significant or not.
Amanda,
Thank you for speaking up and giving a real world human face to what this is all about.
My best to you and your baby..
Thank you Lindsay!
No it is not a victory it is working Maine taxpayers getting screwed once again as always having to pay for Welfare for students at school districts. Why should we have to pay for other people’s kids when the working folks we are struggling ourselves with the bills, gasoline costs, heating costs etc.. It is time for them to pay for the own kids not getting or looking for a handout. The working people deserve a break we shouldn’t continue to pay for these stupid programs. Liberals want to pay for these programs create a fund and donate the money to Augusta. Those of us who don’t want to pay for them shouldn’t have too. We should be putting the focus on the economy instead which LePage is trying to do. Though always is getting diverted by this garbage and other stupid nonsense that does absolutely nothing but drain the pockets of Working Mainers enough is enough.
luckily there are a lot of working mainers that don’t think like you
I bet you’re another phony right winger who claims to love Jesus but hates the poor. If Jesus could see what you wrote here, he would be sick to his stomach.
I am strictly speaking for those children with DISABILITIES! MY baby has down syndrome…I work full time my husband works full time we both have insurance and BELIEVE you me we hav our fair share of financial issues, paying almost 500$ in student loans on top of all other costs for living. Therefore we help to supposrt these people as well. I fully agree that there are people out there who abuse the system, thats a given, but to take away services that are needed to help children with similar issues as my daughter is only going to drain more money out of tax payers when they are adults. It will also greatly lessen their quality of life and thats not fair to them because they cannot help themselves. Once upon a time Maine was a state full of hospitality and compassion. It saddens me to no end that more and more people are becoming hardened and heartless, especially towards those with special needs.
Yes, there are welfare cheats. But let’s not forget the corporate and white collar tax and welfare cheats. I think their greed is worse because they already have so much.
Don’t waste your time on these mean-spirited, cruel teaparty types, Amanda. They aren’t worth it-they have their pea brains made up and they’ll spout their nonsense ’til hell freezes over.
They have serious problems w/reading comprehension and follow every word coming from their hero, LePage.
How does a directive telling 2 departments of the state to work together to solve a problem constitute a screwing of the tax payer? Maybe forcing these 2 to work together will result in some efficiency. Instead of one department saying “yes” and the other saying “no” they could get on the same page when it comes to dealing with the issues.
Helping kids who need help gives them a chance at being self-supporting adults. Not helping them as children practically guarantees that they will be a bigger cost to all of us. Sometimes penny-wise today is pound-foolish for tomorrow.
Focus on the economy? LePage is doing (or trying to do) these major cuts BEFORE trying to make big economic improvements. We should focus on the economy, but LePage keeps dangling that carrot in front of people’s faces while he simply focuses on making scapegoats out of people on welfare. Here’s a crazy thought: focus on the economy FIRST, thus creating jobs to get people back to work. Believe it or not, most people want to be able to make a living for themselves and not require assistance. And if there are enough jobs to go around then there’s totally legit reasons to kick the few people off welfare who can get jobs, but refuse to. That’s an actual solution, not a quick fix that probably won’t work anyways.
darkcat33 = darkmind66
Thank you for speaking up here, it brought tears to my eyes.
Schools should not be the source of funding for medical expenses of special needs children.
If you actually read this article it is talking about how school will RECEIVE federal funding to support these programs, not talking about how the schools have to find a way to pay for it on their own. School aged children with special needs need the services in question and personally I think a school setting with teachers they like and trust is great because those workers will stay with them for the duration of their time in school. Again can only advocate for children like my own daughter who will need these services as will be essential to her well being and functionality in her adult life.
The fact is we’re all tired of the man Paul LePage and his insolence..this state deserves better..
The party will be in November.
To over ride a veto takes a unified Legislature, at least a 2/3 majority. With a a majority in both the House and the Senate, the GOP can not ‘blame’ the left for this action.
Further, the fact that both the Right and the Left joined in over riding veto tells us that 2/3 of the Maine Legislature do know what this bill is about and do really care.
You’re correct, the GOP can’t blame the left for this. However, LePage lives in his own little world, and he will likely still do so.
YES, BIG DEAL. for my two mentally challenged boys. SHAME ON YOU THINK OF SOMEONE ELSE BESIDES YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…
Volcanic activity reported in the Augusta area.
LePage is in lerage. Tough. If he doesn’t like it, he can kiss my butt or get out of “my” state.
Lets keep spending like the past.Maybe then the 50% that gets the benefits without paying any of the bill will have to start contributing.Free for 1/2 will end.
So you’re saying there is 50% unemployment in ME?
No. He is mindlessly repeating a figure that has “gone viral” among so-called conservatives about the percentage of citizens who do not pay Federal Income taxes because their income is TOO LOW relative to their standard deductions. In their minds it has become simpler to think [a] this 50% pay NO taxes at all (which is false, they pay any number of taxes including sales tax, various payroll taxes, etc.) and [b] since they (supposedly) pay no taxes they are somehow “stealing” any benefits they get, such as by qualifying for MaineCare.
Just another reason why we should all support The Fairtax.org – liberal or conservative.
Its removes all politicians from their blackmail gravy train. (and lobbyists)
Right now our current tax system is just a big hammer wielded by politicians for their own power.
NO! You are mindlessly repeating the lib blogs. The number was the percentage of Americans who don’t pay
income taxes, which now accounts for nearly half of the U.S. population. I don’t think anyone should pay income taxes. Taxing income is equivalent to the mafia protection racket.
No, YOU’RE REPEATING FALSE INFORMATION. The number you are repeating is the number that happened in 2008 as a result of the BUSH TAX REBATE which, once implemented, created a ONE TIME situation in which more than 50% received a 100% tax refund. Let me repeat so you might have a shot at getting it-THIS WAS A ONE TIME ABERRATION AS A RESULT OF THE GEORGE W. BUSH TAX REBATE. As it stands now, about 46% percent end up with no tax liability, but that does not mean they aren’t paying taxes. They pay property tax, sales tax, etc, etc, etc. The fact that they end up with such a low tax liability is A DIRECT RESULT of the fact that they make so little that there is no tax liability. The same laws that “let” them not pay tax are the SAME LAWS letting the oligarchs pay so littl. And by the way, IF THEY EARNED MORE, THEY WOULD PAY MORE!
LOL – so now you edit your post from “Ignorance, on your part, is no excuse. ” when the ignorance is yours to now calling others the oligarch” !! LOL
As I posted before – check out FairTax.org – it’s best for all Americans.
We have more than just this situation. I know a family who has a wife working a part – time job, husband on disability. The in face receive state assistance throughout the year. Fill their taxes and get a refund of more than what the wife made working part time. Have things I only wish to afford but cant cause i’m paying my own bills. No one that works and makes 3500 a year and a disability check should be getting 4k back from the government at tax time, with kids or without!
Right you are Cranky. One way that some folks pay no federal income taxes is having one, two or more kids in college at the same time. The American Opportunity Tax Credit gives a credit of up to $2,500 per college student (the full $2500 credit is given for having paid at least $4,000 in tuition). So these folks putting their kids through college are among the 46 percent that some people on these forums like to scream about.
Where’s the facts? The reference to what you just vomited out? 15 people liked your comment,or do you have 15+ signons. I think more the latter.
50% don’t pay Federal Income Tax or State income tax. They pay payroll taxes matched by the employer for Medicare. Sale tax on some things they buy or fuel taxes for using the roads. Some may not pay property taxes either but live in public housing and use the school system. Come on wake up.
Maybe we could use them for bait, would that make you feel better? Glad you have a good job to support your brood, not all do and your hatefulness is showing.
The same “poll” asked how many of the poor had toasters.Oh the humanity!
Oh, that old thing, that’s been debunked. Just more reichwing rhetoric. Anything other than helping people in need but the fraud is high, I’ve seen it.
Their is more than 60% of Mainers on Full Welfare and Welfare with Unemployment. It is unsustainable. Maine is in a mess because we have not put a focus on being Pro-Business till LePage and Republicans came into power. Instead we focused on complete Socialism making Maine open for everyone wanting Government Benefits. That is why Maine is a very poor state.
You are full of it, how about a link. Getting welfare here is ridiculous. How about people that buy 300 purses and then has the state buy them a top of the line computer, better than the one I bought and paid for. She works, a lot of them do, what you need to do is cut the fraud. Never seen anything like it. Maine is a p0or state because it is a retail state and those catching the stuff you sell, aren’t by any stretch claiming it all on their taxes. There are not 60% out of work, that is made up. You might considr infrastructure, one road in and out and imagine them lined up at the toll booth, ME is a long way from being a mfg state. As long as you keep your welfare laws the same and don’t get a handle on these fishermen it will continue.
>>>>>
There is 7% unemployment, 93% employment. Guess which number they think is more important?
Holy Mackeral-why do people like you have to continue to resort to lies, distortions, innuendo, and hearsay to make your case? Is it because you really have NOTHING TO OFFER. Please, try using facts once in a while instead of made up numbers. By the way, want to reduce welfare and unemployment in Maine? CREATE SOME BLOODY JOBS ALREADY!
Fire Paulie and Lauren and then we won’t be on the bottom of the jobs heap anymore.
Why do they use these tactics? Because they have little sponge-like minds and they soak up whatever they hear around them. Remember the old, “Garbage in, garbage out?”
Jobs, exactly! Get people back to work, get them off assistance. By this point I have a feeling that LePage has no intent to actually work on the economy but rather use the poor as a distraction while he simply kicks back and enjoys abusing his power.
The TPers are just terrified they might have to contribute their fair share for the first time in a generation.
>>>>
Amen these Liberals think we can spend money like water just throwing more money at these stupid programs with no controls on it. Look where it has gotten us DEAD LAST economically!!.
Our infrastructure some of the worst in the nation, our schools ranked 27th and dropping fast, in the top 3 in terms of Welfare. I just don’t get it Extreme Liberalism isn’t working. Having Socialist Policies with Welfare rampant and an Extreme Nanny State thrown is in sufficating. People spoke in 2010 when they booted the Dems for a reason we can’t and won’t take it anymore. It’s time to start putting those folks to work start making them become responsible Adults like the rest of us by making them taxpaying Maine Citzens. No more women keep getting pregnant so they can get more handouts, time to make deadbeat dads motivated off the couch and making their butts head to the career center. That is what Maine should be doing .
The Libs are really pissed, so it must be working.
Do you realize how silly you sound? Really, get a clue.
Try this on for size: It is cheaper to help these special needs kids in school today than it will be to pay welfare benefits, treat in emegency rooms, put in homeless shelters, incarcerate, or bury tomorrow. Just an FYI these kids are the way they are completely by chance, why would you punish them, or their parents for this? God help you if you end up on the losing end of life’s lottery.
It’s about time!!!
Funny how his own party told him he was wrong. Guess his 38% didn’t help on this veto, the boy needs to hear what the people are saying.
And by a ratio of almost 9-1.Not even close.
LePage wants all the facts before making a decision? Why not grant the same consideration to the Appropriations Committee?
35-0 lepage is just pathetic.
Bravo! This is the beginning of the end.
We can only hope.
This is a very telling situation.
The bill in question was a Republican sponsored piece of legislation that had overwhelming support from both parties.
Executive veto power over legislation is a powerful tool, yet one that needs to be exercised with caution and upon good advice.
To be truly effective, an executive must have the support of his own party and at least a working relationship with the opposition party. In this case, it seems the Governor had neither.
His daughter gave him poor advice? say it isn’t so…
Thank you cris well said.
Thank you, Lindsay. I appreciate that, especially coming from you.
Take cover….the govnah is going to explode after hearing this. Get ready for some fun filled comments by ours truely, the govnah.
The Tea Party Republicans are starting to revolt against their Dictator LePage. Guess elections are getting too close for comfort. They are afraid they will all be voted out of office.
Yes, but if they think we Mainers have such lousy memories we will forget the previous 16 vetoes where they failed to support their constituents, they’re sadly mistaken. Remember November.
Perhaps this was a vote of “no confidence” in the governor.
…
The ONLY reason he wanted the bill vetoed is because it stirs up the junk in DHHS and displays gross misappropriations of funds under his direction. In short, he cares more about covering up and possibly having to pay back federal money in penalty for the mess he appointed than he does about Maine’s children.
when do we get to replace this unfeeling rube?
Signs of encouragement ! The sheep are revolting against their herder !
The herder is a/k/a “the hurter.”
Just another daily attack on our Governor.
Better than another daily attack on hardworking, honest, struggling Mainers, who’ve been on his receiving end.
Not so, he is trying to create a natural balance between those who have worked hard, saved and earned their way and the rest of the welfare fools. Welfare is required and necessary, but it has become epidemic and entitlement based. There must be a better way and you are merely shooting the messenger because you don’t like the message to get out and stand on your own feet.
Oh right, that’s why he’s given the wealthy an estate tax break out of the funding for those that are struggling because the down turn in the economy left them jobless. What a big heart he has. What a great natural balance the wealthy have arrived at.
Justifiably so!!
In freaky conservative fringe land reporting the news and the facts now constitutes an attack.
Anything that doesn’t agree with the voices in their heads is an attack.
Whatever buddy
11 / 6 / 2012
Sadly, I think you mean 2014.
I think 11/6/2012 is when we get to vote out the repug/teapotty allies of LaPlague.
Yea!
Huh?
Just another daily LePage attack on honest, struggling Mainers.
???
Perhaps you are tall, dark and handsome and if so it is no credit to you. That is the luck of the draw. It is getting a little tiresome to hear people refer to others physical characteristics. We are not responsible for the shape of our face or the size of our nose. It is really ignorant to make fun of the way others look.
Nobody is talking about his height, weight, shape of face or nose size. And the perpetually sour and aggressive look he chooses to wear is most certainly his responsibility.
I think he looks more like Peter Griffen….but Peter is SMARTER than Paul. WAY SMARTER !
Oh, he’s not going to be pleased about this. How could a body of popularly elected legislators presume to know what is best for the state of Maine and the Dept of Mary May-Who?
I’m a Republican and was a strong supporter of LaPage. However, on this one I think our Legislators did the right thing in overriding his veto. Our Special Needs Children need all the help we can give them. This will certaainly help make them contributors to Society and just takers. If the Governor is truly concerned and wants to save, he might dig into his own pocket and pay his family, taking them off the State Payroll and Retirement Fund!
Most of this money is wasted. Many of these severely disabled special needs children will NEVER make any significant contribution to society. But it makes people feel good to pretend to “do something”. And it is a lot easier to face the parents and express platitudes and “Hope” than tell the truth.
So what you’re saying is that if you think someone wont make a ‘contribution to society’, kick them to the curb and forget about them? That’s practically inhuman, you’re basically saying that people shouldn’t care about people with disabilities. I would like to see if you’d have the guts say that to the face of a parent with a disabled child. Quite frankly I find your attitude sickening.
I happen to have several disabled individuals of various ages in my extended family. I am not saying “kick them to the curb and forget about them”. Those are your words and a typical liberal technique. Accuse the opposition of not being compassionate in order to end debate.
What i am saying is that we have to spend our money on services for disabled individuals wisely. Wasting money on those who will never make any progress leaves less to spend on those who do benefit. I am also saying that what are esentially medical expenses should not be paid for in school budgets. And like it or not, the primary responsibility for services to the disabled is the parents.
What’s sad here is that overall I find your post to be pretty well thought out and constructive, but you had to mar it with a base insult on your assumption of my political leanings (for the record I don’t consider myself liberal or conservative). I was not trying to ‘end the debate’, but rather your choice of words did not reflect what you elaborated on in your second post and I found it rather offensive. Given your elaboration, while still disagree with you I find it to at least be more thought out and respectable.
Spend Spend Spend its the Augusta way!
YOU VILL DO ZAZ ZI ZAY…DO YOU HEAR?!?! ZAZ ZI ZAY!!!
We have too many students who are considered special needs students who really only have a reading problem because they were not taught properly in the first place according to their needs. There is nothing wrong with many of these children and we need to get a handle on this issue and fast. These are children who could learn to read with the right approach right in the classroom. Much money is being wasted because too often they are getting more of what does not work at taxpayers expense.
In addition there should be enough horse power in the special needs sector to get their own funding. This is a big part of where our money for education goes and these people should be looking for more money, not shift it over to the responsibility of DHHS Special needs is out of control and a true burden to the taxpayers.
http://fu.gy/20Y