BY DENNIS HOEY

The Portland Press Herald

Gov. Paul LePage is refusing to sign off on the issuance of $40 million in bonds that were authorized by voters in 2010.

In a letter that went out Tuesday to a variety of agencies that were entitled to receive funding for projects, LePage told them to not budget for bond revenues “without clear approval from me.”

“It is our duty as public servants to ensure each taxpayer dollar is spent appropriately to earn the highest return at the lowest cost. That is especially true when we are spending borrowed money — money that has to be paid back by future taxpayers, with interest,” LePage states in the letter.

The affected projects range in scope from $2.9 million for redevelopment of the Brunswick Naval Air Station, $6.5 million for Land for Maine’s Future projects, and $7.3 million to fund research and development of ocean wind-energy demonstration sites.

“Until our debts and more importantly, our spending are back under control, adding more of a burden would be fiscally irresponsible,” LePage said.

Adrienne Bennett, LePage’s spokeswoman, said voters can only authorize the governor and state treasurer to issue bonds. Once that happens it is left up to the governor and treasurer to decide when the bonds are issued, according to Bennett.

“I think that is what has been lost in a lot of the media coverage,” Bennett said.

Bennett said it is not unusual for bond authorizations to sit idle for several years before they are issued. She said state law allows for a bond to not be issued for up to five years.

LePage also told the affected agencies that it would not be prudent to issue new bonds until January 2014.