Lawmakers have overridden Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of legislation expanding the fees used to support the state school and library fund which helps to pay for access to broadband. Biddeford Democrat Marty Grohman sponsored the bill and said taxing landlines to support the fund is unfair.
“Every time a landline drops, the fee on the remaining ones go up. We know who has landlines. Seniors on fixed incomes," he said.
LePage vetoed the bill to extend the fee to cellphones saying it’s a hidden tax but lawmakers disagreed. The House voted 113-12 to override, the Senate 33-1.
Rep. Ken Fredette of Newport supported the veto.
“The current funding source will remain in place, and the status quo will remain in place for that funding," he said. "I think given the fact that adding a new fee on to all cellphone users in this particular regard, I don’t support.”
