Stories about Paul LePage
LePage was arguably the most conservative of the seven candidates in a Republican gubernatorial primary with no clear front-runner. But there would be no “too close to call” this night as LePage didn’t just win but trounced his rivals.
More than three months later, LePage, 61, has been called everything from a hero to a liar by fans and foes, but “dark horse” is no longer on anyone’s lips. “Race leader,” meanwhile, certainly is — and this in a state not known for embracing conservative Republicans.
“Some people haven’t taken LePage as seriously as they should have,” said Jim Melcher, a political scientist at theUniversity of Maine at Farmington. “He has sort of hit at the right time for a candidate with his message.”
It’s a message that LePage hammers home at every event — smaller and more business-friendly government, less regulation, lower taxes and welfare reform. READ PROFILE ->
LePage hopes to eliminate income tax by end of second term
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage said Monday he hopes Maine has no state income tax by the end of his second term if he’s re-elected next year. “The fact that we have an income tax at all is a massive disadvantage,” LePage said during an afternoon session on tax ...
Maine Senate approves bill that links Medicaid expansion to hospital debt repayment
AUGUSTA, Maine — For the third time in a week, Democrats in the Legislature prevailed Monday on a vote to link an expansion of Medicaid eligibility in Maine to a plan to repay the state’s Medicaid debt to its 39 hospitals. After lengthy debate, the Senate voted 20-15 in favor ...
Silenced by legislators at budget talks, LePage says Mainers are being played for ‘patsies’
AUGUSTA, Maine — The Senate chairwoman of the budget-writing committee on Sunday declined to allow Gov. Paul LePage to address the panel about a fast-approaching deadline the Legislature faces so the Department of Health and Human Services doesn’t run out of money for payments to care providers. The exchange between ...
LePage: State will run out of money for DHHS bills June 10
AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine’s health and human services commissioner said Friday her department only has enough money to pay its bills through June 10. That’s 20 days before her department’s accounts would be replenished by a new state budget. Commissioner Mary Mayhew included the news in a letter sent Friday ...
Republicans express surprise as lawmakers link Medicaid expansion to hospital payback
AUGUSTA, Maine — The Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee voted largely along party lines Wednesday to recommend that an expansion of the state’s Medicaid program be tied to Gov. Paul LePage’s top legislative priority: the payback of Maine’s $484 million debt to its hospitals. The move came as a ...
LePage to Maine mayors: I made tough choices, so can you
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage on Tuesday dismissed three suggestions by a group representing mayors of 12 Maine cities that they say improve upon his plan to balance the next state budget by suspending municipal revenue sharing for two years. In a letter Tuesday to LePage, the Mayors’ Coalition ...
Democrats stall teacher evaluation rules until LePage reveals education agenda
AUGUSTA, Maine — A week and a half of tension that began to mount last week with the release of an A-through-F grading system for public schools culminated Friday evening with Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen attacking Senate President Justin Alfond for delaying action on a sweeping teacher evaluation plan that ...
State may pursue food stamp ban on junk food even if bill dies in Legislature
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage’s administration can move ahead with its efforts to keep food stamp recipients from using their benefits on soft drinks and junk food even if a bill pending before the Legislature fails. The bill, LD 1411, would require the state Department of Health and Human ...
LePage wants wind energy goals out of Maine law
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage wants to strip from state law goals for increasing the state’s wind energy capacity over the next two decades. LePage’s energy director, Patrick Woodcock, made recommendations Thursday to rewrite the state’s 2008 Wind Energy Act, shifting focus from growing wind energy capacity to lowering ...
POLL QUESTION
LePage bill lifts cap on charter schools, lets public money go to religious schools
The bill comes come a day after education commissioner said no major new education proposals were expected from the governor.
LePage’s budget changes use bond delay, one-time revenue gain to fill $60 million gap
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage proposes to close a new $60 million budget hole in part by continuing to hold off on issuing voter-approved bonds and digging into $16 million his budget had previously left for lawmakers to allocate as they saw fit. LePage’s finance chief, Sawin Millett, presented ...
Maine gives Androscoggin County Jail more money to prevent closure
AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Board of Corrections on Tuesday averted a possible shutdown of the Androscoggin County Jail by approving a payout to the jail of about $210,000. Without the money, the Auburn jail would have been unable to pay its staff, beginning May 17. “It’s a weight off ...
Bill to create Maine presidential primary, adopt ranked-choice voting comes with hefty price tag
AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine would replace party caucuses with a nonpartisan presidential primary and elect its governor, legislators and federal officials with ranked-choice voting under a system proposed Monday in the Legislature. The multimillion-dollar cost of implementing the bill could prove to be its biggest challenge, given the state’s financial ...
POLL QUESTION
LePage proposal would bar food stamp use on junk food
AUGUSTA, Maine — A proposal by Gov. Paul LePage that would bar food stamp recipients from spending their benefits on soft drinks and certain snack foods made its way to the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee on Friday with bipartisan support. The LePage bill, LD 1411, is sponsored by ...
Maine tax code overhaul aims to provide relief from high property tax with lower income tax
AUGUSTA, Maine — A bipartisan group of 11 lawmakers Wednesday unveiled a proposal to overhaul Maine’s tax code by lowering individual and corporate income taxes and eliminating the estate tax. The package makes up for much of the revenue lost by extending the sales tax to nearly all products and ...
POLL QUESTION
Democrats, GOP continue fight over Medicaid expansion, hospital repayment
AUGUSTA, Maine — Republicans and Democrats on Tuesday continued to spar over linking acceptance of Medicaid expansion funds from the federal government with repayment of the state’s outstanding Medicaid debt to 39 hospitals. Although both sides say there is no disagreement about finally paying off $484 million owed to Maine ...
Maine Republican Party questions Democratic legislators’ conduct; Democrats call probe request ‘garbage’
GOP questions leadership Criminal Justice Committee, clown nose incident
POLL QUESTION
Maine doctors, grocers battle over selling energy drinks to minors
AUGUSTA, Maine — Representatives from the grocery and beverage industries squared off against three medical groups Monday as the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee heard testimony on a bill that would bar energy drink sales to minors. The committee was considering a bill sponsored by Rep. Katherine Cassidy, D-Lubec, ...
Advocacy groups put pressure on Maine lawmakers to support Medicaid expansion
AUGUSTA, Maine — A coalition of advocacy groups, including AARP Maine, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and the American Heart Association, will launch newspaper and radio advertisements Tuesday urging legislators to support a plan that would allow the state to expand Medicaid benefits under the Affordable Care Act. ...
LePage calls jail summit as sheriffs warn of overcrowding, budget crisis
LEWISTON, Maine — A budget crisis threatening to force the early release of convicted criminals, layoffs of jail guards and even the closure of some Maine jails is headed to the governor’s office. Gov. Paul LePage said Saturday he is planning a summit this week with all 16 of Maine’s ...
More than 500 help with ground search for missing Glenburn teen Nichole Cable
Silenced by legislators at budget talks, LePage says Mainers are being played for ‘patsies’
Items found, authorities pursuing leads in search for Glenburn teen
Family of third plane crash victim puts Knox County on notice
Emma Libby, 15, overcomes ruling to win Sport-4 race at Speedway 95
Jeffrey Nugent says his brother Ted Nugent is wrong on background checks
Maine protects a woman’s right to choose
Funding isn’t everything: Education reform takes innovation, cooperation
Strengthening the schools Maine already has
Basketball season never ends for Worcesters of Washburn, a family of 1,000-point scorers
Promise of land brought Theriault family to ‘Acadie’ in 1630s
How do I teach my kids it’s not OK to be bullied, even by family?
Not even chemotherapy could quell Maine woman’s longing to be in the kitchen