AUGUSTA, Maine - Legislative leaders spent much of the day holding duel news conferences and pointing fingers at one another for failing to reach a budget agreement that had appeared to be in the offing. But by the end of the day they were back at the table.
The charges and counter-charges started with a news release from the Senate Democratic office saying budget talks were at a standstill and blaming House GOP leader Ken Fredette for "moving the goal posts" during the negotiations. Fredette countered with a news conference where most of the House Republican caucus stood behind him.
"We have not moved the goal post," Fredette said. "We are talking about the exact same things we have talked about for a long time: income tax reform, welfare reform, taking care of people on the awaiting lists. That is not moving the goal posts."
Senate Democratic leader Justin Alfond of Portland refused to respond to Fredette’s characterization of the budget talks and his criticism of Alfond for saying he had not negotiated fairly as he left the budget talks in Republican Senate President Mike Thibodeau’s office. "We are at the table with all the four leaders and we are discussing a lot of things. End of comment," Alfond said.
Thibodeau then decried all the news conferences and press releases on the budget negotiations, even as he was holding a news conference himself. "We are talking about welfare reform - them, them are tough issues. We are talking about tax reform, another tough, tough issue. But I really believe if we would all just get together and work really hard, we can get this done. But we are not going to get this done if we spend all our time talking to you people."
He was successful in getting the four leaders back in his office to resume talks, but the issues of taxes and welfare continue to be the sticking points in reaching agreement. House Speaker Mark Eves, a Democrat from North Berwick, says he is still hopeful an agreement can be worked out, but he says all parties need to give.
"Who benefits is at stake here, you are absolutely right," Eves says. "So it’s all about who benefits and we feel like middle-class Mainers need to benefit the most."
And Eves says he is baffled at opposition from some Republicans on a welfare reform proposal he believes should have broad support. "We want to make sure that the state is being explicitly clear that if you are here illegally, you don’t get benefits. We have been met with some opposition on that and we are sitting there scratching our heads as to why Republicans would not want to make it explicitly clear."
Fredette says he is not going to negotiate the budget through reporters. He says all issues are still on the table and will be discussed as leaders resume their talks, in private. But all four acknowledge that time is growing short to get a budget deal done and approved with support from all four party caucuses before the current budget law runs out June 30.
