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 and Democratic House Speaker Sara Gideon.

“We were elected to serve 1.3 million people in the state of Maine — not shut down government for the press,” he said. “The time for delay is over.”

The governor’s comments did little to ease tension around the Statehouse, where many lawmakers blamed LePage and House Republicans for the shutdown.

The six-member budget-negotiating panel met behind closed doors for much of the day but began going through the proposal line by line Sunday evening in hopes of producing a state budget that can be voted on by the full House and Senate before the Fourth of July.

The revised budget contained $162 million in increased education spending to partially offset removal of a voter-approved 3 percent surcharge on income of wealthy Maine residents that was aimed to boosting state spending on K-12 education.

The panel voted late Sunday to keep a lodging tax increase but voted to delay implementation by a month to Nov. 1. LePage said he won’t sign a budget with a tax increase. But Thibodeau said eliminating of the surcharge more than made up for it.

With the state government shutdown in its second day, the session got off to a rocky start when Gideon scolded House Republicans for making changes to the latest proposal. Democrats have accused the governor and House Republicans of repeatedly changing their demands.

“I can barely contain my fury,” Gideon said.

Republicans assured her there would be no more changes.

“I don’t think there’s anything nefarious,” Republican Rep. Tom Winsor said.

Maine state government went into partial shutdown Saturday because of lawmakers’ failure to approve a new two-year budget.

There was not a huge impact over the weekend as state parks remained open, ferries continued to operate and law officers remained on duty.

Residents were expected to see a greater impact Monday in the form of closed offices. Residents will not be able to renew driver’s licenses, obtain vehicle titles and registrations or take road tests for new licenses, for example.

LePage said he was granting administrative leave Monday, treating the holiday the same as the day before Christmas, to ensure workers are eventually paid.

The state’s first shutdown since 1991 was set in motion when House Republicans shot down a $7.1 billion compromise budget Friday night, putting most of the 12,000 state government workers out of work.

While negotiators plugged away, rank-and-file lawmakers were left spinning their wheels before being told that there would be no Sunday session of the House and Senate, delaying final votes until Monday at the earliest.

With no custodians on duty, the House clerk began vacuuming. Rep. Owen Casas used a broom to sweep both four-story staircases and some other areas.

“If I’m going to go to work, I’m at least going to do something productive,” said Casas, an independent from Rockport, who described himself as a “highly trained custodian” due to his service in the Marines.

AUGUSTA (AP) — Coverage of the Maine state budget shutdown (all times local):

Updated 4:40 p.m.: A House clerk has emptied trash and a state lawmaker has done some sweeping around the Maine Statehouse as a special budget panel hashes out details of a budget proposal.

The six-member panel was supposed to meet Sunday afternoon to go through the latest proposal line by line. There was a lot of waiting for everyone else.

Some even resorted to tidying up.

The same House Republicans who torpedoed a budget compromise Friday night are behind the latest budget proposal. They believe their new spending plan can pass and end the impasse.

The panel must agree to a budget before the full Legislature can vote. Lawmakers were told that there will be no full House or Senate session before Monday at the earliest.

— The Associated Press

Updated 1:55 p.m.: Maine lawmakers have been told that there will be no votes by the full House and Senate on a budget compromise before Monday.

A six-member conference committee is continuing its work, however, and officials planned to go through the latest proposal line by line Sunday.

Approval by the committee could set the stage for final votes Monday.

Lawmakers were told Sunday that there would be no full sessions of the House and Senate before then.

The same House Republicans who torpedoed a budget compromise Friday night are behind the latest budget proposal. They believe their new spending plan can pass and end the impasse.

The new proposal includes the same $162 million boost in funding for K-12 education but would end a proposed increase in the state lodging tax.

— The Associated Press

The legislative conference panel discusses a budget proposal Sunday.

Updated 11:35 a.m.: A six-member conference panel is delving into details of a new budget proposal aimed at ending a state government shutdown in Maine.

Things got off to a rocky start Sunday.

Democratic House Speaker Sara Gideon said she could “barely contain” her fury upon learning that there were further changes beyond what was discussed the evening before.

Republican Rep. Tom Winsor responded that there wasn’t “anything nefarious” afoot.

Gideon said the panel could meet several times Sunday as it goes through the proposal line by line in hopes of producing something that can be voted on in the House and Senate.

The new proposal calls for $162 million in increased education spending but eliminates a proposed lodging tax increase. There are other changes, as well.

— The Associated Press

House Minority Leader Ken Fredette, right, R-Newport, answers a question to the House during the House of Representatives vote on the state budget at the Maine State House in Augusta. Lawmakers are scurrying to avoid a state government shutdown.

Updated 10:44 a.m.: Lawmakers returned to the Maine State House on Sunday to try to end a budget stalemate that sent a government shutdown into its second day.

Maine state government went into partial shutdown Saturday morning because of the state’s failure to approve a new two-year budget. It was the state’s first shutdown in 26 years.

House Republicans shot down $162 million in increased education spending in a proposed two-year, $7.1 billion budget on Friday night.

But they say they believe their new spending plan can pass and end the impasse. The new proposal also includes a similar boost in funding for K-12 education but it ends a proposed increase in the state lodging tax.

It also includes a statewide teacher contract proposal, steps to tighten the tree-growth program and creation of a registry of tax-exempt property.

The new proposal must first pass a six-member budget conference committee that was scheduled to reconvene Sunday. If the committee approves, then the budget proposal could go to the full Legislature.

House Republicans believe Republican Gov. Paul LePage would sign the budget. He has 10 days to review it, if it passes.

— The Associated Press