Results from an internal poll taken by Republican leadership in the Senate on whether to reconvene the legislature and consider Governor LePage’s line-item vetoes reveal that all three members of Republican Senate leadership surrendered to the governor, blocking an additional vote on the now broken budget agreement.
With this vote, the Republicans have passed the buck to municipalities and property tax payers throughout Maine by cutting vital funding for towns and cities that are already strapped for cash.
Portland now stands to lose $2.2 million in funding and Bangor stands to lose $1 million. The loss in funds will either result in serious cuts on the municipal level where budgets have already been slashed to the bone or force municipalities to increase property taxes, hurting middle class Mainers who are struggling to keep money in their pockets.
Maine Democratic Party Chairman Ben Grant released this statement:
“This is exactly what voters are tired of – flip flopping politicians that care more about partisan politics than doing what’s best for Maine people. Senator Raye, Senator Courtney, and Senator Plowman are all asking Maine voters to send them to Washington to help fix the nation’s problems when they don’t even have the courage and leadership to stand up for solutions here in Maine. Voters want to be represented by people who think for themselves and have some integrity in the legislative process. Instead, Raye, Courtney and Plowman willingly saddled local taxpayers and cash strapped municipalities with a huge bill in deference to the whims of Paul LePage, and in contrast to their votes one week prior. At least we know they will fit right in on the ticket with principle-free Mitt Romney.
“Voters want and deserve lawmakers who have the courage to work across the aisle and stand up for their conviction regardless of the political consequences, not lawmakers like Senator Raye and Senator Courtney, who are more willing to hide behind someone else’s actions than stand up for what is right.”