State of the State 2013: Gov. LePage Calls for Joint Effort to Better Maine

Gov. Paul LePage delivered his second State of the State address of his governorship, Tuesday night, speaking to a joint session of the Legislature, and to the people of Maine.

In his address, the governor hit on policy areas ranging from taxes, to energy costs, to education.
 
In one of the more passionate moments of his speech, the governor cited Forbes' 2012 ranking of Maine as the least 'busness-friendly' state for the third year in a row, and pledged course-correction.
 
"We can deny it, we can keep our heads in the sand, but guess what -- we don't change reality," said LePage. "The only thing that will change where we are is bold action."
 
The governor also sought to clarify some previous controversial statements on the state of public education in Maine, saying he's passionate, because education saved him from a life on the streets--or in jail.
 
"I do not have the patience to accept children falling through the cracks, and no one doing anything about it," LePage said.
 
Meanwhile, in response, Democrats reinforced their views that the governor is talking down the state, instead of boosting it.
 
Democrats also say they're concerned about the impact the governor's proposed budget cuts will have on the middle class and on Maine's most vulnerable.
Jared Pliner

Anchor/Reporter/Producer
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Jared Pliner joined WVII ABC7 and WFVX FOX22 in August of 2011, as a reporter. Raised in Marblehead, Massachusetts, Jared obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, magna cum laude, from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. In college, he served as news and talk director of WRGW, the campus radio station. Before that, he was a weeknight and weekend news anchor. From 2008 to 2010, Jared held internships across multiple divisions of ABC News, in Washington, D.C. and New York City, and at the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in Boston. Off air, Jared enjoys cooking, reading non-fiction and mystery novels and listening to opera.

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