Another month has come and gone in Augusta. In my last update, I outlined why I don’t believe the governor’s proposed budget reflects Maine values. His big idea is more tax cuts for people who can afford to pay their fair share and cuts to education and health care. Under his plan, 80 percent of Mainers would see their taxes go up, while the top one percent would see five-digit tax cuts.

This month, I am happy to report that my colleagues and I are standing behind a budget alternative that focuses on working-class Mainers and communities. With the Opportunity Agenda, we are putting our money where our values are. We can provide the largest property tax relief program in Maine history. We can make college more affordable for Maine students. And we can support Maine’s entrepreneurs as they put Mainers back to work.

And we do it all without raising taxes.

Year after year, homeowners in Gorham and across the state have seen our property taxes balloon to cover the cost of education and services we rely on. Our plan would provide direct relief to property tax payers by increasing the homestead exemption to $25,000 next year and $30,000 in 2019, expanding the property tax fairness credit, and increasing revenue sharing to three percent.

The Opportunity Agenda also places an emphasis on education. It finally meets the state’s obligation to fund 55 percent of education costs. But we also recognize that K-12 education is not enough to move our state forward. Our plan invests in early childhood education through public Pre-K and Head Start programs and it makes college more affordable by helping students refinance their college debt.

We also understand that small businesses are the backbone of our economy. That’s why our budget proposal funds programs that connect Maine businesses to the trained workers they’re looking for and the grant funding they need to grow. It also includes infrastructure investments in roads, bridges and high-speed internet.

Mainers know how to roll up their sleeves and get the job done. This budget is a blueprint for how we can harness that determination to build a better future for our state.

You can take a look at how the Opportunity Agenda stacks up against the governor’s proposal and against current tax law for you and your family at www.mecep.org/calculator.