Rep. Patrick Flood, R-Winthrop, who tried to resign from his post as House chairman of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee on Friday, said today he will stay in the position.
Flood said he wanted to resign following pressure from legislative leaders to take a procedural committee vote late Thursday night. Democrats were particularly upset at the rushed vote, he said.
“I felt it was necessary to address this destructive outcome with an immediate action to try to bring our Appropriations Committee and hopefully the full legislative body back into a more positive working atmosphere,” he told reporters in his committee office this morning.
Flood said he spent time over the weekend talking with House Speaker Bob Nutting, R-Oakland, and Minority Leader Emily Cain, D-Orono, about ways to “repair the damage and move forward.”
Gov. Paul LePage’s $6.1 billion, two year budget will need support from Democrats to meet the two-thirds threshold for passage. Flood said it will be difficult for the committee to finish by June 15, the statutory deadline for adjournment.
The committee has five public hearings today and will continue to take testimony on proposed changes to the budget, including the elimination of state funding for the Maine Public Broadcasting Network.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
