BRUNSWICK

With no budget in place for the 2018-19 budget biennium, Gov. Paul LePage has declared a State of Civil Emergency, shutting down the state government.

While legislative leaders were able to come to a consensus around an 11th hour budget deal, it failed to gain the necessary two-thirds support to pass the House. Democrats in the House held firm in voting to approve the measure, but 61 Republicans blocked its passage, denying the bill the two-thirds support it needed to move forward. In the Senate, the budget passed overwhelmingly with only one senator, Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, voting against it.

The governor stepped in to negotiate a last minute budget deal, but was unable to create a new consensus, and no proposal was made public. In the days leading up to the shutdown, the governor threatened to wait the full 10 days to respond to the budget afforded to him in the state constitution if he disagreed with the budget, ensuring a shutdown.

The governor’s executive order took effect immediately after midnight Friday and expires on July 3 at 5 p.m. or whenever a budget is passed into law. If the shutdown appears likely to continue past that date, the executive order will be updated.

“This is not about today or tomorrow,” said LePage in a statement. “This is about the future of Maine. The Maine people are taxed enough. I will not tax them anymore and in my budget overall taxes were decreased. Maine has plenty of revenue to fund state government without raising taxes.”

The final budget deal voted on included an increase in the state lodging tax from 9 percent to 10.5 percent, although it nixed a 3 percent surcharge on incomes more than $200,000 that was approved by voters in November.

Democrats laid the blame for the state shutdown squarely at House Republicans’ feet.

“I am angered, but also deeply saddened by the failure of the Legislature to pass a budget,” said House Speaker Sarah Gideon, D-Freeport. “Democrats and Senate Republicans have exhausted every possibility to prevent this outcome. I am scared for the workers who don’t know when they’ll get their next paycheck, for the businesses whose work will come grinding to a halt, and the stability of our economy, now twice scarred with the uncertainty of a government shutdown.

“Make no mistake, this shutdown was not necessary,” she continued. “And make no mistake, I will continue to do everything in my power to end it.”

Emergency personnel and services will continue during the shutdown. The governor has previously stated that law enforcement will be prioritized, and on Friday announced that State Police, Capitol Police, MDEA, Fire Marshal, Maine Warden Service and Marine Patrol will continue to operate. TANF, SNAP and MaineCare payments will continue as usual. Limited unemployment benefits will be available. A full list of departments and services deemed emergency is available on the state website.

Maryann Griffin, of Augusta, a technician with the state Department of Environmental Protection who said she has worked for the state for almost 30 years, said the shutdown was likely to hurt state employees the most because they fear for their paychecks. Attorneys for the Maine State Employees Association have said the state will face lawsuits if it fails to pay its employees on time.

“I’ll be lucky if I can buy food,” she said. “I’m one of those who’s paycheck to paycheck.”

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat, urged lawmakers to think of state workers, whose livelihoods are at stake.

“As families gather together to celebrate Independence Day, thousands of state employees across Maine are filled with anxiety and worry that they will not be able to make ends meet because obstructionist politics have prevented a common sense budget to pass in Augusta,” she said.

During the last shutdown, in 1991, a time of bleak revenues with no immediate sign of recovery, state employees flooded into the State House as citizens seeking services found shuttered motor vehicle offices, long waits to apply for food stamps and closed veterans’ cemeteries.

This year, revenues are healthy, with unemployment at a historic low. The nonprofit advocacy group Maine Equal Justice Partners sued to ensure the state continues to pay benefits to low-income Mainers.

On Sunday, LePage announced that state employees would be allowed to take administrative leave with pay on Monday, July 3, extending the July 4 holiday. State workers forced to work on Monday will receive compensatory time off.

A budget deal arrived at late Sunday evening would ensure that all state employees receive pay during the shutdown.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS contributed to this report.