AUGUSTA, Maine — In quick action Friday, the Maine House and Senate voted to finally enact a supplemental budget package for the current biennium which Gov. Paul LePage has said he will not sign.
The House vote of 105-30 was above the two-thirds majority needed so that the budget goes into effect immediately. The Senate vote was 35-0. Such votes would also be enough to override a veto from the governor.
LePage said in a statement on Thursday that he would not sign the budget because it doesn’t do enough to address overspending in the state’s general assistance program.
“I cannot put my signature on a bill that largely ignores welfare reform,” he said. “I am looking at a way to sustain our welfare programs. This budget keeps Maine on the same path it’s been on for 40 years and I will not be held hostage and forced to sign a budget that is irresponsible.”
The budget can still become law without his signature after 10 days.
Friday’s votes were among the last of the 125th Legislature’s second regular session, although there were a few outstanding bills that were expected to keep lawmakers working well into the night or beyond.
Lawmakers also need to return in May to settle a second supplemental budget addressing an estimated $85 million shortfall in the Department of Health and Human Services.
The budget that passed Friday had been contentious for several weeks but by the time it reached the House and Senate this week a compromise had been outlined.
Sen. Richard Rosen, R-Bucksport, co-chairman of the Appropriations Committee, said the budget was the result of several days of hard work and sometimes tense negotiations.
Sen. Dawn Hill, D-York, said the budget committee “removed the politics and ideology and passed a reasonable budget. We made sure fairness prevailed by rejecting the shortsighted and irresponsible cuts proposed by the governor.”
The general assistance portion of the budget caused the most heartburn among members of the Appropriations Committee, but members reached a unanimous compromise.
The compromise addresses a $4 million general assistance shortfall for the 2012 fiscal year and funds all but $1.7 million of an estimated $8 million shortfall in 2013.
In order to fund general assistance at the lower total for 2013, the budget reduces from 90 percent to 85 percent the maximum reimbursement to service center communities such as Portland and Bangor that distribute the most assistance, reduces the maximum individual benefit amount by 10 percent, and caps housing assistance at nine months, with some exceptions.
Additionally, a task force made up of DHHS members and stakeholders was created to find ways to make the program more efficient. Mayors of Maine’s biggest cities worked with lawmakers on the general assistance compromise.
The governor, however, wanted to go much further with cuts. He proposed limiting housing assistance to 90 days with no exceptions, reducing general assistance reimbursement to 50 percent across the board and prohibiting general assistance to any individuals who are receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits.
Those were all rejected by lawmakers.
The budget contains a total of $31 million in new spending for 2012 and 2013, which is offset by $41.8 million in general fund savings. Much of the document involves shifting savings from one area to fund a shortfall somewhere else.
A number of new spending items sought by the governor were approved through the budget including: $630,000 for court security, $750,000 for indigent legal services, $360,000 for the Maine State Police Computer Crime Lab and $950,000 to the Gambling Control Board.
The bill also included an initiative to abolish the State Planning Office, create a new Office of Policy and Management and transfer a number of the State Planning Office’s functions to other agencies within state government.
Although the concept of a creating a new office was approved, a number of specifics were changed after some lawmakers expressed concerns that the new office would have too much power.
Lawmakers stripped other items from the governor’s original proposal including tax exemptions on wood harvesting equipment, exemptions on certain pensions and an income tax exemption for active military members who are stationed outside Maine.
A proposed cut of $4.2 million from the Fund for a Healthy Maine and nearly all of the $2.4 million in cuts proposed to the University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System and Maine Maritime Academy were restored as well.
Finally, the budget put back a proposed cut of $1.7 million to the Maine Public Broadcasting Network but included language to move the state to a fee-for-service model of funding for MPBN over the next five years.
Follow BDN writer Eric Russell on Twitter at @BDNPolitics.
Score ANOTHER victory for the people of Maine and another crushing blow to Mr. LePage/Koch/ALEC/Maine Heritage Foundation…with many more blows to come.
A big one in November!! And then in 2 Novembers. Gawly Sargent…
So your okay with the state spending more money that is has for its current programs?
I am? Odd how some people seem to so freely believe they can speak “for” others. Is that a new conservative thing? Personally in my household in these hard times we’ve attempted to raise revenues and cut unnecessary spending. That’s what LePage should be doing. Instead he’s given those who need it the least a tax cut and attempted to do as much harm as possible to those who need help the most. “Putting people first.” Guess we now know what people he was and was not talking about with that slogan. The guy’s simply a pile of whacky ideas (Or more likely memos from ALEC-Koch-Maine Heritage Foundation). It’s really not all that surprising that clearer minds in support of Mainers have prevailed here. Let’s hope Paul has learned something from this. Sadly I have serious doubt that he’s capable of learning to moderate his thoughts/memos any more than he’s shown an ability to moderate any of the numerous absurd/insulting comments that flow so freely from his mouth.
LePage is a pawn of ALEC and the Heritage Foundation and the Koch Brothers. We saw this recently with his speech to his corporate masters in New York. Making speeches in New York? Typical corporatist. But have no worries my friend. The good people of Maine will have a major league say come November at the voting booth when we send the LEPAGElicans packing.
Umm…you do know that LePage is not running for re-election in 2010, right?
So you are okay with the state spending more money that is has for its current programs as long as its not your tax dollars?
Can just ONE of you baggers address this puppet’s huge tax break giveaway to the rich?
Why do you all insist we are broke or have no money? The amount of money we are short is directly proportionate to the puppet’s tax giveaways to the 1%.
You people and the 1%. It’s the near approaching 50% of people who are on some type of assistance that is crippling the state and country. But go ahead complain about the 1% who are paying taxes while these other people are not. No matter how much you want to tax the rich it will never be enough for you. Newsflash life isn’t fair and if you work harder than others you don’t need to share it, that is supposed to be motivation to work hard to achieve the same results.
You just don’t get it. Thanks to your FAILED trickle-down economic philosophy that you people worship like a shrine, we have concentrated most of the wealth into the hands of the very few. That means MORE and MORE of the working and middle classes are paying MORE and MORE of the taxes thus shrinking their THEIR incomes even further thus meaning fewer and fewer dollars to spend on the goods and services that generate economic growth. YOUR failed economic philosophy, so adored by your corporate masters because it enriches the FEW of THEM at the expense of everyone else, is bad for business and does not product the results that a market economy is supposed to produce. You people stand their and bash workers and worker rights, and bash the poor. Then you stand there and celebrate the offshoring of jobs, celebrate hostile takeovers and private equity leveraging and speculation, and celebrate hiding millions offshore and not creating a single job with it, and celebrate that multi millionaires can claim their hidden offshore income as investment income thus paying tax rates half the amount of those in the middle class, and celebrate budget-busting and job-killing additional tax cuts for the very rich, and celebrate endless tax subsidies for oil corporations already making record profits, and celebrate endless Cadillacs and mansions for your corporate masters while millions of others are struggling to pay the mortgage. The way to grow an economy is through a system that invests in education, infrastructure, research, technology, health, and fair worker benefits; is based on progressive and fair taxation that ends loopholes for the rich and corporations and ensures they pay a fair share thus placing more money in the hands of millions of consumers who will spend it thus creating demand thus creating jobs; and provides tax incentives for job-creating business investment and creating jobs domestically. TRICKLE DOWN DOES NOT WORK. INVESTING IN PEOPLE, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND DOMESTIC BUSINESS GROWTH DOES.
Your ideas are grand but like I said before when almost half the workforce is collecting benefits and not working where is the incentive to go back to work.
I don’t claim to be a “bagger” but let me try to help you out. Having among the highest taxes in the nation has not helped us. We have been a welfare state for so long the phrase “Maine work ethic” has taken on a new meaning. The fact is even the Bush tax cuts the liberals hated cut unemployment by a third and increased Federal revenue by44%. The high taxes force many retirees to leave and just snowbird here, as I will do if nothing is done.
No, you’re wrong as well. My household is doing well enough to still feel compassion for those who have been delt a less fortunate hand in life. For that reason an increase in spending on vital programs to assist others wouldn’t bother me in the least. May your god be with you.
I don’t know how I could be wrong about since I only asked question. However I can understand anyone in the bottom 50% that don’t pay taxes would agree with you. I think most people have compassion for those less fortunate. We just don’t agree on how to help them. At least historically we know what doesn’t work. And yes, my god is with those I helped.
If you don’t comprehend that the nature of your questioning is presumptive of the thoughts of others perhaps you’re not really prepared to be asking questions here in the first place. If you want to know what someone thinks, try starting your question with, “Do you think.” In that manner you will have the beginnings of a meaningful conversation that can lead, one would hope, to positive growth in thought and future deeds.
Actually, the presumptions I make about your thoughts are not too difficult to comprehend. The question was a sacastic response to your ability to rephrase a question you don’t want to directly answer. It was meant to bring out the best of the typical liberal elitist in you. It seems it worked.
“Do you think” being presumptive and sarcastic has really helped your cause here? Thank you for placing me into “Elite” status, believe me if not for folks who express themselves as you have here the only other place that ever takes place is when I fly.
First of all, you placed yourself in the elite status and second of all, I fly a lot and don’t how I could make that assumption about people expressing themselves unless you fly first class, which I don’t. I hope we’re talking about the same kind of flying.
Has money for tax cuts!! That will cripple this state down the road.
That was a good one. Cripple? You mean like in lame duck?
Right!!!!
Like a budget far larger than Baldacci’s? Baldacci cut the State budget, LePage increased it, moved taxes to your property tax and gave your money to the rich. If you love LePage you are rich and selfish, ignorant, or a grateful Floridian.
LePage will be a footnote in Maine history as the “Worst” Governor ever to date. If only he would stay on an Island large enough for him:)
Poor Lame Duck LePage. If he thinks he is getting bills on his desk now that he can’t sign, just wait until the next session of the Legislature. I guess his threat to not sign this bill didn’t quite make it to the Republican controlled Senate where they voted 35-0 against our Lame Duck Governor. Quack, Quack, Quack.
You do realize that if he does not sign the budget and the legislature adjourns the Budget will die on his desk. Thank goodness the Governor is willing to do the right thing, the House and Senate are only thinking about November.
The legislature is not adjourning, they are recessing. They are coming back in May to deal with yet another budget. The budget will not die. Wishful thinking on your part, sorry!!
PondLady i am glad you are not all wet. Any ransom requested for return of our Mural yet? The Buffoon will need money for a touring trip to some large island.
no it does not die. If you read the article, it goes into affect immediately. It does not need his signature.
after 10 days the article says
“The Governor is willing to “do the right thing” ? When did this occur ? Did he suddenly have an epiphany ? When did he turn over this “new leaf” ?
It really doesn’t matter if he signs it. The legislature is still in session so the Governor has ten days to either sign the bill or veto it. If he does neither then on the 11th day it becomes law. Nice try. You might want to check up on the rules of procedure. Come November the republicans will get voted out and the democrats will be back in charge and the only thing LePage will be good for is to stand at the window and quack.
Yes, this process was outlined in the article. If he doesn’t sign it within 10 days, it becomes law on the 11th. What did “conservativedad” and 19 others miss??
Confusing it with the Presidential Pocket Veto maybe?
They didn’t read the article, or didn’t understand it.
Didn’t miss anything, if the legislature is not in session it is called a pocket veto. You are exactly what is wrong with this country, you believe all the liberal papers write and don’t do your own research.
Let him veto it. It has a solid majority of REPBLICANS who support it. I love it. Then his already-stinky approval ratings might reach the number of his shoe size. This governor is an embarassment and a disgrace to the Blaine House. And his party is going to pay in a big way come November.
It’s the beginning of the end. November is coming.
Governor Paul LePage Is a Great Governor, not seen in Maine for 100 years.. He is not beholding to anyone… Not trying to please every voter block with taxpayer $$$’s to get votes.. I ‘m Proud to be alive at this time in History to wittness this… Good Job Governor Paul LePage.. Thank You..
And hopefully not to be seen for another 100!!!
LePage is heavily beholden to the Koch Brothers….and I am happy to witness your loving blindness!
You are right on one account though… “the likes of him have not been seen in 100 years” !
And your evidence of this is? As imaginary as your ability to produce a credible comment.
My evidence is the Governors own actions ! Truth = Credibility !
Importantly, the Koch brothers have heavily funded the Tea Party through Americans For Prosperity, a fake grassroots organization. The Tea Party basically shills for these extremist libertarian billionaires, who want to legalize prostitution and eliminate the CIA
http://grist.org/politics/koch-brothers-tea-party-connections-confirmed-video/
It’s always interesting to witness the same rubbish conspiracy theories from the left and from the right.
So you have evidence of LePage receiving such funding? I doubt it.
Don’t forget ALEC. Just look at the agendas in the states that were taken over by the GOP. Too many similarities to be thought of by individual governors. Each one of them has ALEC ties telling them what to do. Atttack the unions, welfare, voter registration the enviroment, workers comp and the list goes on.
ALEC along with the “Tea Party” are almost eclusively funded by the Koch’s.
LePage is becoming more and more irrelevant every day. Today the legislature decided to act like gown ups and pass a bipartisan budget. LePage will huff and puff and stomp his feet, but the legislature’s budget will be law not his.
In November the legislature will flip to the Democrats and LePage will be nothing more than an impotent lame duck for the remainder of his only term.
And then you woke up.
He governs like it was 150 years ago.
Which is the way it should be as there was NO welfare 150 years ago . You had to work for everything you wanted instead of commenting on a newspaper article about how your career as a welfare recipient is coming to an end.
You may actually have to work harder then just walking down to the mailbox to collect that welfare check. What a bummer!!
>>>>
His “evidence of this is? As imaginary as his ability to produce a credible comment.”
Kent is bored and trolling again.
Thank you for proving my point. I was wondering how long it would take for someone to come up with such as asinine reply. So much easier than coming up with a credible comment.
Reactionaries need the myths about the glories of the past , but hiding the reality explains his hatred of the Labor Department Mural.
150 years ago we also had slavery, unsafe working conditions, mass poverty, and the average life span was about 42 years. Yea lets go back to that, not!
My point is other than being just beyond your grasp is that people had to work for what they wanted. They wouldn’t have even dreamed or been able to sit on their butts receiving free money from other people. Oh, and by the way, Maine was not a slave state so this is not applicable.
I’ve worked all my life for everything I have and I never collected welfare.
Kent you do understand what you just posted don’t you? There was NO welfare 150 years ago, and you had to work for everything you wanted instead of commenting on a newspaper article regarding people’s lives?? Well, just to let you know, everybody had comments then, as now. Either in the newspaper, at meetings, or on the street as to what was going on with their lives, as well as others. Because :
150 years ago would mean their was great concern about people’s welfare because of a tiny little situation of… THE CIVIL WAR!! that was being fought! During it, and on both sides……people took great steps to take care of each other in 1862!!
Perhaps a bit more thought??……..
Yes the great Tea Party dream of taking us back to the 19th Century.
If you want more of the same I assure you there are plenty of private charities that will take your money and put it to good use much more efficiently than any government does.
You write the same thing EVERY day about how LePage is the greatest governor “not seen in Maine for 100 years” and EVERY day you capitalize random words. Are you okay? Are you obsessed with LePage? Are you stalking him or are you no harm at all, residing peacefully in your group home?
If you knew me, YOU would like me.
I might like you, but I couldn’t take your political opinions seriously if you think LePage is even remotely beneficial to anyone making under 250k/year.
Muffin girl has spoken.
And apparently the town drunk has spoken.
Wrong, he is beholden to the people of the State of Maine, but in reality , he’s beholden to the Koch brothers and ALEC.
Here’s my 2nd try since BDN doesn’t apparently like what I say. To those folk’s on their electronic NEXUS System I say this, GET OVER IT AND YOURSELVES !!!
LePage’s refusal to sign the budget is just another symbol of his impotence. He knows, as does all of Maine now, that the Legslature has finally had enough of his Tea Party-inspired ‘Chicken Little’ theatrics and decided that they need to act responsibly and get the budget passed so the State can move on. Paulie apparently doesn’t want to. Fine, so be it. But what is so disturbing is the fact that almost every statement he’s made regarding the budget, and Maine’s economic development, have been near-clone’s of both the ALEC and MHPC media press release’s or position paper’s. That alone gives me great concern when I keep hearing Paulie and Company making policy statement’s regarding the ‘business climate’ here in Maine. To a one, both ALEC & MHPC are both acknowledged and publicly recognized political front’s for Out-Of State Big Business’s, not the small business community that is supposedly the backbone of the States’, and the Country’s, economic engine. If Maine’s business climate is that important then isin’t it time that their ‘business climate’s interests were addressed instead of company’s that come in, make huge promise’s to make money (and immediately send it out of Maine) and then leave, with a path of economic disaster left in their wake ? The near-disaster of Kestrel should have been a wake-up call to Maine’s politician’s as to the risk of this type of maneuver. That the Legislature finally woke up is a good thing. That Paulie and Company want to keep on living in a ‘La-La’ land of fantasy driven by greed and a ‘toss’em-under-the-bus’ philosophy makes me wonder just how long this nonsense is gonna’ go on ? Fortunately November is coming. And the closer we get, and the ‘front’ organization’s are seen for what they are (and no one can tell me that Wisconsin’s antic’s are being followed closely) the more the Mainer’s are going to have a choice in front of them when the time that count’s arrives. It’s up to each of us to get educated, not ‘press release firebombed’, about the issue’s and the Candidate’s.
Hopefully LePage will not sign the budget. The legislature has shown that they do not want a better Maine and they have caved to the public’s demand to keep the status quo. Evidently we like things the way they are – high unemployment, high taxes, high percentage on welfare, high utility cost, high health care costs, high education costs, unsustainable State pension cost, burdensome and redundant regulations, crumbling infrastructure, and the list goes on and on. All you have to do is read the comments on these pages daily to know that most Maine people like things exactly as they are and those of us looking for change and prosperity are in the minority.
If it doesn’t change soon in three years I will be just another snowbird to this state and taking my money I pay in taxes with me.
And without doubt your good friend Mr LePage will be joining you. He has already prepared his nest there. You could see that coming when he sold his property in Maine shortly after the election and went to live in the Blaine House at our expense.
Hey Paul! Is that you?
I agree. he is exactly the person we need in the Blaine house. Not some ,polished professional pol. He wont sign budget that does not address our huge welfare state. There are so many people on welfare it is amazing he actually won the election as there are so many voters who want to keep “their benefits”, paid for by the working mans tax dollars,which democrats love to spend.
LePage is rocking the boat in Augusta and I am all for it! Cut these miserable people who live off us down to size. He has done more in one year than all the previous governors since Longley.
Way to go!!!!! Took long enough, but you finally stood up to him!!!! You let him know that its not about him,but about Maine citizens.
Hope the Good Governor can even find the legislation on his desk amongst his many “Koch Brothers” IOU’S
By the way….when the Governor does sign a bill does he use the letter X ?
crayons
I believe it’s XXX for his full name then Adrian witnesses it.
Where do you see a “good governor?” If it ended with “R” then his last name was Reed.
The term ‘Good Governor’ was being used facetiously of course.
I truly hope every incumbent legislator who comes up for election this November loses. This current legislature is horrendous.
It’s the Republicans who will take the losses in November, further hobbling LePage and his duh-genda.
Why are they horrendous??? “Professional Politicans” know how to buy you with tax money supplied to them by hard working Mainers… Our Great Governor is not close to being a Professional Politican.. a breath of fresh air..
cool aid, cool aid, tastes great: cool aid, cool aid, can’t wait…
Great Governor? Bwahahahahah…. He is a disgrace to the Blaine House.
The only thing great about LePage is his size. Of course, you could argue that he is a great parrot for ALEC/MHPC ideology or a great boil on Maine’s butt.
Isn’t the Maine House and Senate controlled by Republicans? How is this one the fault of the Democrats?
Does Penguin have the stones to veto this, or will he just refuse to sign it? Either way, the thinking people of Maine will handily over-ride any decision this amateur makes.
He won’t sign it or veto it. He doesn’t want the responsibility. It will become law without his signature so he can blame the legislature.
I would worry too much about anything Lepage says he will or will not do. He is a lying scum bag and a cheat.
Lepage illegally gave 17 million to Brookfield Management even after he gave a radio speech saying it was illegal.
Lepage’s budget is 1/2 a billion larger then the last Democrat’s budget and he wants more state spending cost shifted onto towns.
Lepage created a completely new tax on heath insurance that costs Mainers millions of dollars.
Lepage plans to give our tax dollars to Canadian power companies and he has already made it illegal to only hire Americans citizens even if the job is being paid for with our taxes.
I guess the D’s and the R’s are beholden to keeping Maine a welfare state. Must be an election year.
Keep your spine straight, Governor LePage, and don’t give in to these legislative WIMPS.
“I will not be held hostage and forced to sign a budget that is irresponsible.”
That’s fine, Mr. Governor, Sir. You’re free to go … far, far away. We have no further need of your services.
Congratulations to Maine’s legislators. This is how politics is supposed to work. Let’s hope Maine’s penchant for reasonable compromise unhampered by “ideology and politics” spreads to the national level. What a brilliant stroke to involve the mayors.
>>>>
Dawn Hill should be voted out, she just doesn’t get it.
Instead of putting state parks out to lease, maybe we should just sell them. That is one way to get the money the Augusta seems set on spending. We should get a lot for Moose Point. We need to tighten the purse strings instead of giving to anyone that asks for my money.
And Blaine House condos sounds nice.
Let’s sell Katahdin too.
Privatize everything. Yeah!
We need to learn to distinguish between “bipartisanship” and “compromise.”
I think we under estimate this Governor. This is governor bully. He is the Bad Cop. The Good Cop is the seemingly moderate republican majority who do his bidding. All along, however, this big ship turns to the right, and the income shifts to the top. If I were a republican I would be saying “mission accomplished” The proof will be in the Economy, and I for one do not believe that we can “cheap ourselves” into prosperity.
LePage is doing what he promised. If the legislature is caving in to all the crybabies then I hope LePage vetoes it. The limousine liberals know this and it scares the crap out of them.
If Governor Paul LePage was concerned about his career as a Professional Politican and being re-elected as most Politicans do,, What would our Governor Paul LePage do???
He would take money from the general fund and funnel it to every voter block there is.. From welfare to the university/ school system to the unions etc, etc… He would fund everything then Borrow money for what we “REALLY NEED”…
This all leads me to believe that he puts the State of Maine in front of his own personal political agenda.. When is the last time a politican has done that.
Most politicans are wimpy about offending special interest groups that feed off of working peoples tax dollars, they fear for their political lives