AUGUSTA, Maine - Municipal officials are pressing lawmakers to halt Republican Gov. Paul LePage's effort to eliminate state aid to cities and towns.
Dozens of city and town officials gathered in Augusta on Wednesday to oppose the governor's plan to keep revenue sharing flat at about $62.5 million next fiscal year and erase the program in 2017.
Kathy Littlefield, a select woman in Waldo, told the Appropriations Committee that the elimination of revenue sharing would be the "final nail in the coffin'' for the town that is already strapped for cash.
Officials say that getting rid of revenue sharing will force them cut services or raise property taxes.
The LePage administration says it wants to provide residents more targeted tax relief by putting $60 million more into a property tax credit program.