augusta
Maine Senate sustains veto, pulls blinds on solar energy rebate bill
AUGUSTA — The state Senate on Wednesday, by sustaining the governor’s veto, pulled the blinds on a bill that would have allowed homeowners to get rebates for installing solar panels. Republican Gov. Paul LePage vetoed the bill that also created a rebate program for low-income families who install electric heat-pump systems because it funded the […]
Maine House OKs bill to expand preschool programs
AUGUSTA (AP) — The Maine House has given final approval to a bill designed to boost the number of public preschool programs in the state. The measure endorsed Tuesday directs the Department of Education to use $4 million it receives in casino and slot machines revenues to cover districts’ startup costs for the programs for […]
Maine House honors state’s long-serving finance commissioner Millett
AUGUSTA — Democrats and Republicans stood on the floor of the House of Representatives on Monday to speak fondly of state finance commissioner H. Sawin Millett Jr. Millett, 76, of Waterford is retiring as commissioner of the Department of Administration and Financial Services under Republican Gov. Paul LePage on May 30. He was also […]
Maine House overrides LePage veto of bill that promotes solar with rate increase
AUGUSTA — The House of Representatives voted Monday to override Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bill would fund a solar and heat-pump rebate program by adding a 0.011 cents per kilowatt-hour tax on residential and commercial electric bills. The new fee will cost the average homeowner about five cents per month or 60 cents […]
LePage indicates opposition to $30 million budget patch, threatens to keep lawmakers in Augusta
“If they try to do what they’ve done for the last three years, they will be here until Election Day because I will call them back every day to fill the hole in the budget,” said LePage during a press conference on Wednesday. “They are playing games.” Though LePage was not specific about his opposition […]
Maine Democrats urge LePage to sign offshore tax haven legislation
AUGUSTA — Lawmakers in the Legislature’s Democratic majority were urging Republican Gov. Paul LePage not to veto a tax-reform bill that they say closes loopholes in state law that allow multinational corporations to evade Maine income taxes. House Majority Leader Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, along with a host of Democratic colleagues, including those who serve on […]
House passes bill to remove and regulate signs on Maine interstates
AUGUSTA — The Maine House on Thursday overwhelmingly voted in favor of a bill that revamps the state’s laws for signs along interstate highways. On an initial vote of 120-23, LD 1831 passed despite concerns from some lawmakers who said the bill would lead to the removal of signs that help their communities’ tourist trade. […]
GOP unlikely to back Medicaid expansion
AUGUSTA — An early-morning fix Wednesday to the state’s 2015 budget shortfall, which included a way to drastically reduce the numbers on a state waiting list for Medicaid coverage, may have little effect on the ongoing debate about whether Maine should expand MaineCare, its low-income health care program. Republican Gov. Paul LePage on Wednesday afternoon […]
Maine House passes bill to add drug agents; LePage threatens veto
AUGUSTA — The Maine House on Wednesday, with broad bipartisan support, passed an amended version of a Gov. Paul LePage bill that adds drug enforcement agents, judges and prosecutors to the state’s payroll in an effort to bring under control the state’s growing opiate drug problems. The measure also increases funding to the Maine Department […]