Experts: LePage justified in declaring civil emergency [Bangor Daily News, Maine]

Chief among the union's concerns, according to Quint, is finding ways to avoid layoffs or furloughs altogether, and in the event that layoffs are unavoidable, to ensure that funding of employees' health insurance plans is not interrupted. He said the first step toward those goals is communication from the administration about which federally funded employees may be next.

"We have no idea what's coming next," said Quint. "The panic is already there. State employees are nervous, they're worried. It's much more worrisome to state employees to have zero information coming to them. ... We don't know if he's actually protecting state jobs because he's not giving anyone any information."

Paul Mills, a Farmington lawyer known for his historical knowledge and analysis of state government, said Thursday that though a civil emergency historically has been used in Maine in times of war, natural disasters and severe economic challenges, he views LePage's action positively.

"To do it in the capacity of a budgetary crisis, probably under the present circumstance, it seems relatively appropriate," said Mills. "Historically, a lot of the reason for declaring civil emergencies was to help get the president to declare a similar emergency so you can get federal government funding. ... This situation strikes me as you're confronted with the essence of governmental authority, and who wants to be on the doorstep of anarchy? It's hard to criticize leadership that seeks to fill that void in some fashion, no matter how it's done."

Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Maine, who is challenging LePage in the 2014 gubernatorial election, said in a written statement to the BDN on Thursday that the responsibility for ending the shutdown rests with Congress, but that LePage has a responsibility to work with the legislative branch to minimize the impact on Maine.

"The governor's move is unusual. He is the only governor in the country that I'm aware of who has taken such an extraordinary action," said Michaud. "My hope is that the governor is acting in coordination with the Legislature with the goal of putting the best interests of the state and its workforce first."

LePage told legislative leaders and reporters on Thursday that the shutdown could affect all of the state's 2,700 federally funded employees if it endures, but that he declared a civil emergency partially so affected employees can begin collecting unemployment benefits sooner and without the burden of having to seek another job.

"I don't want them to go look for work," he said. "We need them. They're trained and they're important to us."

Brewer said much of the pushback against LePage could be the result of his history as the state's chief executive -- at least as it is seen through the lens of his political opponents.

"The governor is a controversial figure, so anytime he does anything, some supporters and opponents are going to wonder what ulterior motives he has," said Brewer. "I think it would be almost irresponsible for the governor if he didn't do this."

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