Politics & Co.
At press time, the Legislature's appropriations committee was working through final stages of a two-year budget as a July 1 deadline approaches. Disagreement remained over how to close a budget gap, with Democrats calling for more revenue and Republicans balking at any new taxes. Various bills remain outstanding, including a tax overhaul proposal, a plan to repay debt to the state's hospitals, expanding Medicaid and a wide-ranging energy bill. In the last two weeks, Maine has also scored headlines in the nation's capital:
Moving up
Maine Senate Majority Leader Seth Goodall, D-Richmond, was appointed as head of the U.S. Small Business Administration's New England regional office and will resign his Senate seat one year early, at the end of this legislative session. Goodall will take charge of the SBA's regional office, based in Boston, covering all of New England. In other moves, Cianbro Chairman and CEO Peter Vigue was appointed to a two-year term on a national committee that will advise federal officials on improvements to the national freight transportation system. That group of 47 people outside the U.S. Department of Transportation is scheduled to meet for the first time on June 25.
Redistricting
The Maine House gave overwhelming approval to a plan that adjusts Maine's legislative districts based on 2010 census data. The Kennebec Journal reported the maps included just modest changes reflecting a general trend of populations concentrating in urban areas. For example, Cumberland County's Senate District 6 would lose part of the city of Westbrook but gain the town of Buxton, and Senate District 35, in rural Aroostook County, would pick up the town of Ashland. The full Legislature is required to approve the new maps with a two-thirds majority before June 11.
One-man band
Gov. Paul LePage instructed his administration's department heads in late May that he would be the only person to testify before the Legislature's appropriations committee as the group works toward a two-year budget plan. The department heads continued to respond to questions submitted in writing. The decision came after LePage was not allowed to testify at the end of a hearing where he was not scheduled to speak.
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