Before he was elected, Gov. Paul LePage promised “transparency in government,” but I believe he has done a 180-degree turn.

Before his election, LePage sat in the kitchen of a good friend of mine and promised to be very aggressive and vigilant on this subject. He much disappointed my 92-year-old friend, who has since passed away.

I believe transparency is one of the most important parts of our democracy, right behind freedom of speech and freedom of the press. LePage has done everything he can to keep his policies private until he is ready to spring them on the Legislature and the public.

He claims his recent proposal to spend $100 million on prison renovations to be a priority, while making cuts to the poor, middle class, seniors and education. It just doesn’t make sense.

I have tried to figure out his motives and have come to the opinion that his cozying up to big business may have something to do with making these prison renovations a No. 1 priority.

Has he made some sort of secret deal with a private company to take over the prison after the renovations are complete? His past history of being overly concerned about the business community gets me to thinking this might just be a possibility.

If so, he needs to come clean with the people and especially the Legislature before his proposal is voted on.

Kevin P. Morrissey

Winslow