Maine Gov. LePage vetoes minimum wage boost
Maine Gov. LePage vetoes bill to boost incrementally boost state's minimum wage
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) -- Maine Gov. Paul LePage has vetoed a bill to incrementally raise the state's minimum wage.
The bill vetoed by the Republican governor on Monday would boost Maine's $7.50 hourly minimum wage in stages to $9 by 2016 and then raise it occasionally for inflation.
In his veto message, LePage says "too many people are worried about the bare minimum, wages or otherwise." LePage says the state should focus on lowering energy costs and reducing the tax burden.
He says the state should create an "environment for well-paying careers" to give "hardworking families an opportunity to succeed."
The Democratic-led Legislature will return on Tuesday to attempt to override a slew of bills recently vetoed by LePage.
