In his weekly radio address, LePage cites examples in which others were told first of decisions on the Electronic Benefits Transfer nutrition program and labor issues. LePage has written to President Barack Obama’s administration asking it to communicate with state government before telling others of government decisions.

LePage says he’s not disturbed that the press received letters, but rather that his office had not received them first. He says the federal government must observe protocol and common courtesy.

In the Democratic response, Sen. Troy Jackson of Allagash. says budget cuts alone can’t solve Maine’s fiscal problems. He says the LePage budget adopted last year includes an unfunded $400 million tax cut that mostly benefits the wealthy.