CUMBERLAND, Maine — Maine Gov. Paul LePage says he doesn't owe Stephen King an apology.

The governor responded to a question about the spat during a public discussion by saying he never stated King moved to Florida to dodge income taxes. Instead, he contends he said King is "not in Maine right now."

That's not how King saw it.

The governor referenced King during a radio address after noting that former Gov. Kenneth Curtis moved to Florida "where there is zero income tax." He said King "moved away as well."

The reference to King was later removed from a transcript of the address.

King, who lives in Bangor and pays Maine income taxes, demanded an apology. He said of LePage in an email Thursday: "I repeat: He's not man enough to admit he made a mistake."