AUGUSTA — A LePage administration proposal to withdraw most of Maine from a regional air pollution program drew support from Maine’s forest products industry Monday but strong pushback from environmentalists and health advocates. For the second time in five years, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection is asking federal regulators to exempt parts of Maine […]
Paul LePage
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine ends fiscal year in black as LePage touts record savings
AUGUSTA – Gov. Paul LePage touted a state budget surplus of $175.8 million Monday, noting that Maine had concluded the fiscal year well in the black. LePage credited his administration’s sound fiscal management for the surplus. He said $74.6 million of the surplus has been allocated to the state’s next two-year budget and $76.2 million […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage energy adviser repeats tall tale about UMPI wind turbine
PRESQUE ISLE (AP) — An informal energy adviser to Republican Gov. Paul LePage has repeated a tall tale about the wind turbine at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Refrigeration technician James LaBrecque told WVOM-FM on Wednesday that the university uses outside power to turn the turbine blades when there’s no wind to avoid […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Judge hears arguments for releasing Clean Election funds held up by LePage
AUBURN — A lawyer for Maine Citizens for Clean Elections argued Tuesday in Superior Court that Republican Gov. Paul LePage was abridging the free speech rights of legislative candidates by refusing to release $1.4 million in public funds to help bankroll their campaigns. David Kallin also pointed out to Superior Court Justice William Stokes that […]
Posted inNation / World
Trump says defending Montenegro, where LePage just visited, could lead to WWIII
President Trump, who rattled U.S. allies at a NATO meeting last week, voiced concern in a television interview broadcast Tuesday night that sending troops from the alliance to defend an “aggressive” Montenegro could result in World War III. Trump was asked about Montenegro, which joined NATO last year and has a population smaller than the […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Court taking up LePage administration's Medicaid policy today
AUGUSTA — Maine’s highest court will hear arguments Wednesday over the LePage administration’s refusal to begin offering Medicaid coverage to tens of thousands of additional adults. Meanwhile, lawmakers and a representative for Maine’s hospitals say they have yet to see a formal plan from Gov. Paul LePage’s office detailing a proposal he made last month […]
Posted inLetters, sj-web
Send the governor to jail
In an interview recently, Gov. Paul LePage suggested that he would go to jail before he would agree to an expansion of Medicaid that could result in 70,000 additional Mainers getting affordable health care. LePage has vetoed legislation to expand Medicaid seven times. In last November’s referendum, 59 percent of Maine citizens voted for the […]
Posted inBusiness
Paul LePage visits Montenegro but his office is mum on details
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage is in Montenegro this week to commemorate a partnership between the Maine National Guard and the young Balkan nation. LePage arrived in Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica, on Sunday night and met Monday with President Milo Djukanovic as well as the country’s prime minister, the minister of defense, the secretary of state […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine lawmakers in special session finally respond to opioid crisis
AUGUSTA — After two years of virtually no progress, the most recent session of the Legislature finally produced what treatment advocates regard as meaningful responses to Maine’s epidemic of opioid abuse. Three new laws moved forward earlier this month, despite veto attempts by Republican Gov. Paul LePage. The first funds the creation of a so-called […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Paul LePage defends hold up on public campaign funds
PORTLAND (AP) — Republican Gov. Paul LePage on Friday defended his refusal to release over $1 million in overdue public campaign funds to more than 120 legislative candidates and one gubernatorial hopeful. LePage and his finance chief Alec Porteous argued in legal briefs that the courts can’t decide whether a governor should sign a financial […]