Video: Did 2009 Waterville Mayor Paul LePage Rip 2013 Governor LePage for Revenue Sharing Cuts to Towns, Education Funding Failures?
Okay, not exactly– in this video clip of an April 2009 Waterville City Council meeting, then Mayor LePage is releasing his ire and repeated usage of his favorite “BS” curse- previous examples here(2010), here(2011) and here(2012) at then Governor John Baldacci.
But considering LePage’s recently released proposed budget with a complete cessation of revenue sharing to all Maine municipalities, the interpretation is certainly a valid one.
The clip’s descriptive:
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During a 2009 city council meeting, a foul-mouthed Mayor Paul LePage attacked then-Gov. Baldacci for “sticking it to the property taxpayers” when a recession-induced revenue collapse forced across-the-board budget cuts. Gov. LePage is now proposing an even greater tax shift that favors rich Mainers at the expense of Maine’s middle class.
Over the weekend, this incident was mentioned as part of an examination of the current budget battle:
…as mayor, LePage also liked state funding.
For example, he clashed with the administration of Gov. John Baldacci in 2009 when the state changed the way it reimbursed schools, leaving Waterville with likely $1.1 million less in funding than it expected. That change was discovered days before LePage announced his 2010 gubernatorial run.
A story then in the Morning Sentinel said the then-mayor “blasted Gov. John Baldacci’s administration for what LePage called forcing costly unfunded mandates onto communities that cannot afford them.”
“All they’re doing is transferring state responsibility onto taxpayers, and people keep falling for this governor’s bull–,” he was quoted as saying.
The story said LePage doubled down on those remarks later, saying “I think the people of Maine should rally against this administration,” and again, “It’s bull–.”
It is worth noting that in 2009, Mayor LePage was upset over a $1.1 million cut in funding to his city- and that his 2013 proposed budget as Governor represents over double that amount ($2.3 million) for Waterville.
Perhaps LePage would be wise to take his earlier advice:
- “Governor, please watch this show. You’ve got to go back to the blackboard.”
Maine Progressives Warehouse 
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