AUGUSTA, Maine - Gov. Paul LePage is dismissing concerns raised in a trade publication last Friday, The Bond Buyer, that he may block the sale of $50 million in bonds voters approved in November.
Last spring LePage threatened to block sale of bonds as part of budget negotiations with the Legislature. He had blocked the sale of bonds from February of 2011 to June of 2013, as leverage to get lawmakers to approve his plan to pay off debts owed to hospitals.
The article says LePage's past actions cast a “cloud” over whether he would allow the bonds to be sold in 2015.
When asked by MPBN News Monday if he had any plans to block the sale of the bond package voters recently approved, he said, "No," and dismissed the report.
“These people want to sell bonds; I have to run a state.” he said, “So I am going to run the state to the best of my ability and if they can’t get Maine bonds, tell them to go to Oklahoma.”
LePage said his overriding goal as governor has not changed: He wants to improve Maine’s economy and help create more jobs for Mainers. He said there is a place for bonding in that goal.
“Certainly there is a role in there at some point and for some amounts and for some projects,” he said.” I don’t know what they are right now, we are just working on the next biennial (budget) and I am going to continue to do that.”
Maine sold $127 million in general obligation bonds in June. With the November vote, the state has $177 million in voter-approved, but not yet sold, bonds.
