Maine saw record voter turnout in the 2020 election. We did especially well when compared to the rest of the nation with 78 percent of all eligible voters casting a ballot. This type of civic participation is probably the first thing that comes to mind when we think about public involvement in politics.

You might also think about protesting or organizing in some other significant way. These are all crucial to civic engagement, but especially on the state-level and in local politics, reaching out directly to your elected officials is critical for active engagement in our democratic process.

This session, several bills I introduced came directly from conversations with constituents. One of those bills provides funding for a local non-profit, Boots2Roots. The organization ensures personalized and proactive support for active-duty military members and their families who are transitioning to civilian life by recruiting them to relocate to Maine.

Boots2Roots was founded by Air Force veteran David Hickey and his co-worker at BIW, John Manganello. After Mr. Hickey spent over two decades serving and rising through the ranks, he returned home to Maine. He quickly discovered that Maine lacked adequate infrastructure and support to help young vets like himself start a new chapter. It was through chatting with Bill Benson, a fellow GHS swim team parent, that I found out about this organization and we came up with a creative way that the State can invest in programs like this to grow our workforce. These are the conversations that lead to meaningful policy addressing real challenges in people’s lives.

Another measure that I introduced this session developed after two local activists approached me about creating a voluntary option for folks to donate to hunger prevention efforts in Maine. Having spent my career feeding people as a chef, this felt like an issue I needed to get behind. As House chair of the Legislature’s Taxation Committee, I also found their proposed solution to be a great fit. The bill creates a checkoff box on Mainers’ income tax form which allows taxpayers to donate voluntarily. These constituents worked in hunger prevention and knew the best way to distribute funds would be to local food banks and shelters who knew their communities best and could allocate resources appropriately.

I also sponsored a bill that would have extended the statute of limitations for reporting crimes related to sexual assault. Were it not for conversations with members of our community, I would not have known that these unmet needs existed.

In each case, we worked collaboratively to come up with solutions that will have lasting impacts for generations to come. Politics today, and especially on the national level, can seem so divisive and partisan. But we have an opportunity each and every day to engage in meaningful dialogue with one another to address the most pressing challenges right here in our community. In the coming months, I want to provide space for these important conversations so we can begin the necessary work for more community-led policy successes.

To make myself more available to you all for these conversations, Sen. Stacy Brenner, D-Scarborough, and I will begin hosting public office hours beginning this month on Monday, Sept. 20th from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Baxter Memorial Library. We would love to see you there! Please bring your questions, concerns, ideas and passions.

Rep. Maureen “Mo” Terry, D-Gorham, is serving her third term in the Maine House of Representatives. She serves as House Chair of the Taxation Committee. She is a chef and small business owner with more than 25 years of experience in the food service industry. Contact her at maureen.terry@legislature.maine.gov.