AUGUSTA, Maine - The Maine Legislature has overridden Maine Gov. Paul LePage's veto of a plan to boost pay for workers at the Riverview Psychiatric Center in Augusta and Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Hospital in Bangor.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Roger Katz, a Republican from Augusta, will increase wages by $2 to $4 an hour for mental health workers, nurses, psychologists and other direct care staff.
In vetoing the bill, LePage cited a survey indicating a wage increase was "either unnecessary or too high.'' He also said negative publicity is a bigger barrier than wages to retaining workers.