UPDATED 11:41 A.M.: AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine lawmakers are awaiting Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s likely veto of the state budget less than two days before the July 1 deadline.
LePage has until midnight to veto the $6.7 billion budget and is widely expected to do so. He already vetoed 64 lines in the two-year spending plan this month, but the House and Senate swiftly and overwhelmingly overturned every one.
A budget must be in place by Wednesday to prevent a government shutdown. Lawmakers are planning to return Tuesday to consider LePage’s likely budget veto, as well as more than 30 other vetoes he has issued since they finished up the bulk of their work last week.
LePage has criticized lawmakers for rejecting many of his priorities and accused them of filling the spending plan with “pork.”
UPDATED 9:05 A.M.: AUGUSTA — After a few days off, Maine lawmakers will head back to Augusta this week to consider dozens of bills vetoed by Republican Gov. Paul LePage.
Lawmakers plan to return Tuesday to consider a few remaining bills and debate whether to override outstanding vetoes from LePage. Among the vetoes that lawmakers are expecting they’ll have to try to overturn is that of the $6.7 billion state budget.
LePage has until midnight on Monday to veto the spending plan overwhelmingly approved this month. He already used his line-item veto power to strike out $60 million in spending in the budget, but the Legislature rejected every single one of those vetoes.
The governor has vetoed more than 100 bills this session. Lawmakers are expected to return again in July for more veto votes.
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