AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s office says he didn’t sign a $29 million spending package because of concerns with allocations to an energy efficiency program.
Spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett said LePage agrees with elements of the budget. But she said he’s deeply concerned that Maine now is 11th highest in the nation in energy costs and says that rank has worsened in the last year.
Maine’s costs are the lowest in New England.
The supplemental budget for the fiscal year ending June became law Wednesday and bolstered Maine’s rainy day fund while also expanding access to drug addiction treatment.
It included a $664,157 increase for the Efficiency Maine Trust program, which is the state’s independent administrator for energy efficiency programs.
Lawmakers are holding hearings on LePage’s separate $6.8 billion, two-year budget proposal.
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