One day before Maine voters elect his successor, outgoing Republican Gov. Paul LePage told reporters that he plans on moving to Florida. He is done with politics after eight years in the governor’s mansion. Now, America’s unlikeliest governor wants warmer weather and especially lower taxes.
“I’ll be a resident of Florida if Janet Mills wins, I can promise you that,” a precocious LePage said of the Democratic gubernatorial nominee. “I’ll also be in Florida if Shawn Moody wins,” he followed up, speaking of the Republican candidate, “because I am going to retire and go to Florida.”
And no, LePage won’t be coming back. He won’t even maintain residency in Maine. He just doesn’t care.
“I’ll tell you very, very simply: I have a house in Florida. I will pay no income tax and the house in Florida’s property taxes are $2,000 less than we were paying in Boothbay,” LePage said. “At my age, why wouldn’t you conserve your resources and spend it on family [rather] than spend it on taxes?”
Some aren’t pleased. How, they ask, could LePage love and leave them like that just for tax reasons? Easy. First, LePage is 70. Old people like warm weather, the kind that Florida has and Maine doesn’t. The Sunshine State is regularly the top destination for migrants looking to leave the Pine Tree State. Now, soon LePage will join that elderly caravan.
Second, taxes are very, very important to LePage. While governor, he tried and failed to eliminate Maine’s income tax. And, just this year, he refused to sign a conformity bill bringing state taxes in line with changes to federal tax policy. He was angry the legislature didn’t abolish the estate tax.
“To me that is an insult. If you are successful, why do you punish people?” LePage said at the time. “Particularly in their golden years. And so, I am not going to veto it, but I certainly am not going to put my pen to it.”
It is fitting and symbolic that LePage is heading south. He leaves behind the legislators who rebuffed him and leaves a state with one of the worst overall tax burdens in the nation. He should thumb his nose as he drives past the statehouse.
