Maine Gov. Paul LePage vetoed Legislative Document-1479 (http://bit.ly/1erkbfp),...
Maine Gov. Paul LePage vetoed Legislative Document-1479 (http://bit.ly/1erkbfp), which would have required that any Public Utilities Commission decision on a $67.6 million-a-year public subsidy sought by FairPoint Communications (CD April 10 p30) be confirmed by the legislature. FairPoint had sought…
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the subsidy from the Maine USF to continue providing landline service in the state. Companies like AT&T, CTIA, Sprint, U.S. Cellular and Virgin Mobile complained about FairPoint drawing from a fund the competitors pay into. The bill also would have delayed any Maine USF payment for at least a year. In his veto message, LePage, a Republican, said he’s not in favor of granting the annual average $51.54 surcharge increase that’s needed to pay for the subsidy. Delaying the increase for a year would not solve the problem, he said Wednesday, urging the legislature to do the “hard work to overhaul public policy. ... This is one of the clearest examples of simply punting a hard issue until after the election.” LePage said the bill abrogates the legislature’s taxing authority by not providing direction to the PUC. He said the state’s provider of last resort law is “antiquated,” and the legislature should either decide how to fund the requirement to provide landline service or get rid of the requirement. A PUC spokesman said a decision on FairPoint’s request is expected in late July.