AUGUSTA (AP) — Negotiations over a proposed bond package for Maine are progressing, Republican Gov. Paul LePage said Wednesday, signaling a possible cooling of a fiery partisan battle in Augusta.

LePage met with Democratic leadership Wednesday morning to work through disagreements over LePage’s proposed $100 million bond for Maine’s roads and bridges. LePage has been pressing Democrats to advance the bond immediately to spur job creation and economic growth. But Democrats say LePage’s bond push is politically motivated and have been planning to move a larger borrowing plan forward next month that includes bonds for education and research and development.

But LePage suggested that some kind of bond proposal could be ready in the next couple of days and called his meeting with House Speaker Mark Eves of North Berwick and Senate President Justin Alfond of Portland productive.

“We’re pretty much at the same place,” he told reporters Wednesday. “We’re moving forward. They are getting some work done.”

LePage said he told Democrats that he wants the entire package to be less than $150 million, to include infrastructure bonds and to be on the November ballot for voter approval. He said that the final package will likely include more than just transportation bonds, but did not say what else could be funded.

“I just gave them ideas,” he said. “I told them there are limits that I have. I don’t know where they are going to come from. I have no clue what it’s going to look like.”

Eves spokeswoman Jodi Quintero declined to comment on the meeting.

LePage said Democrats must advance a $100 million bond proposal this week so that it can be put before voters in November. He says waiting to approve the bonds next month, causing them to be placed on the June ballot, will put planned construction projects at risk.

But Democrats say transportation department officials have assured them a June vote will be enough time for construction plans to move forward.

LePage also explained Wednesday why his transportation commissioner, David Bernhardt, did not testify before legislators this week as he’d been asked to. Bernhardt instead sent a letter, which prompted criticism from lawmakers.

LePage said he blocked his administration from testifying at the hearing because he was snubbed by the same committee last year. He said he told the committee that if it wanted testimony from any of his department heads, they would have to seek written approval from his office. He said the committee “challenged him,” so “nobody showed up.”

LePage said his policy is a response to the incident last year when the same committee barred him from testifying during a hearing on the state budget.

“If the chief executive officer can’t speak, then I’m going to be a little tough on who goes up to speak,” Le- Page said Wednesday. He later added, “Good management is you keep your thumb on what is happening in your backyard. And I try to. Not that it’s always possible.”

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