AUGUSTA, Maine — The House and Senate will return to Augusta on May 31 for a brief legislative session. The day is set aside for lawmakers to uphold or override vetoes from Gov. Paul LePage, even though he hasn’t issued any vetoes after last week’s two-day legislative wrap-up session.
A LePage spokeswoman said Wednesday that the governor has yet to make any decision on vetoing or signing five bond issues passed by the Legislature last week. While LePage has concerns about taking on additional debt, he hasn’t ruled out approving some or all of the bond issues, Adrienne Bennett said.
The five bond issues are:
• $51 million to fund transportation projects, including highway and bridge repairs.
• $20 million in research and development grants to be awarded through the Maine Technology Institute.
• $11.3 million in higher education funds to pay for infrastructure investments at the University of Maine System, the state’s community colleges and Maine Maritime Academy.
• $8 million in water and sewer infrastructure projects.
• $5 million for the Land for Maine’s Future program, which purchases land parcels to set aside for conservation, forestry and recreational use.
Although LePage has yet to issue a veto, legislative leadership wants to have a day set aside to consider any that might come up, said Jim Cyr, spokesman for House Speaker Robert Nutting.
“We have no idea what he’s going to do,” Cyr said of the governor. “The speaker’s prepared for any contingency.”
All five bond issues passed the House and Senate with support from more than two-thirds of lawmakers, the threshold legislators would need to override a LePage veto.
“I’m not surprised that there’s a veto day being scheduled. I just hope it’s not necessary,” said Rep. Emily Cain, the House Democratic leader. “This is the biggest thing that we have done all session to create jobs. I hope he doesn’t veto the bonds.”
Sen. Roger Katz, R-Augusta, said the state’s debt load will be manageable even if these five bond packages are approved.
“Maine’s debt load is very conservative by almost any measure, so I think we can afford this,” said Katz, a member of the Appropriations Committee. “It makes targeted investments in various sectors all designed to produce the most bang for the buck on job development.”
Along with the bond issues, LePage has yet to act on 18 bills remaining from last week’s legislative session, including a proposal that would gradually lower Maine’s income tax rate to 4 percent by setting aside 20 percent of future revenue surpluses for tax relief.
LePage has a Tuesday deadline to act on the bond issues or let them go to the voters without his signature.
The cain mutineers getting ready to pounce.
I kid you not.
Got to love these tea party republicans. When the Governor issues vetoes they have no desire to come back to Augusta to deal with the veto. In fact they said it would cost taxpayers too much for a short session. . But when he doesn’t issue vetoes they make plans to come back to Augusta to deal with the vetoes he didn’t issue. Where is all the concern for our precious tax dollars now?
The bonds will bring pork projects to those legislators’ districts. Cutting costs and shrinking government are only supposed to apply to someone else – not them.
Why on earth would they schedule sessions when there isn’t anything to talk about, yet? Perhaps , no probably, it’s them realizing that they really, really screwed up when he line itemed the last budget, a budget that was bi partisan and overwhelmingly voted as such. Unlike the one that was just signed. I wouldn’t be suprised that LePage vetos one, just to legitimize their decision…….I wouldn’t put it past any of them.
I’d like to think that the Republican leaders are chastened after their recent dereliction.
I’d like to think that now, on the campaign tail, voters are telling them to stand up to Mr. LePage instead of blindly following him.
But I think it’s routine. They have not adjourned sine die, ending the session. So they have to come back at least to adjourn for the year.
…..
This charade is getting tiresome, can we buy this fool out of his contract ?
“can we buy this fool out of his contract”. No you can’t but us Maine citizens can vote out Emily Cain, Cynthia Dill, Justin Alfond, Peggy Rotundo, Phil Bartlett II, John Martin and the rest of the Democrats out of office. Then all the Democrats who get voted out can all get real jobs and stop living off taxpayer dollars like they have been all of their adult lives.
Hahaha……vote out John Martin? Tell those folks in Eagle Lake that have been voting for him since 1964 that they are wrong. I wasn’t probably even a year old when he was first elected, how old were you? You are getting more and more estranged and desperate each time you post something such as what you just did.
Oh he is doing such a great job for the people up in that area (rolls eyes) the jobs are certainally keep rolling in Aroostook County NOT!! . Not to mention this guy was basically forced out of the legislature due to the ballot tampering scandal in the early 90’s nearly facing criminal charges as well. But that is ok to you Liberals who think Nutting is a crook but what this guy, Libby Mitchell, Pingrees and other Liberals got away it is ok for folks like you. Only Republicans are bad they are crooks. Better take a look in the mirror because the Democrats in Augusta aren’t the good guys that folks like you think they are.
“This is the biggest thing that we have done all session to create jobs. I hope he doesn’t veto the bonds.”
So the democrat solution to creating jobs is merely strapping the state’s younger generation with more and more debt obligations?….FAIL