On Wednesday, November 7 my life changed. I went from someone many looked to as possibly the first female Republican Senate President to someone facing unemployment from a job I loved. After eight proud years of serving in the legislature, my time was up, my legislative career drowned in a big blue wave.
I am sure many reading this have celebrated my loss as a big Democratic victory and it is. Linda Sanborn worked hard and has played a special role in the Gorham community as a physician and a public servant. She and I were colleagues in the House together and ran cordial issue-based campaigns. I wish her well.
In thinking about this, my last Gorham Times column, I wondered what to write about. Obviously, my loss had to be acknowledged, but I feel it is also appropriate to recap the last eight years. As much as Dr. Sanborn and I tried to focus voters on the issues, I believe they were overshadowed by two men and their angry rhetoric.
Let’s not forget, however, that in the last eight years Maine’s unemployment rate has dropped from eight percent to under three percent. Our unemployment rate is so low, in fact, that even with a high and increasing minimum wage, challenging health insurance cost increases, and stubbornly high taxes, finding qualified and willing workers is by far the biggest issue Maine businesses face.
Eight years ago, our state hemorrhaged red ink. State employees were routinely forced to take days off without pay in order to help balance the budget, Maine owed hospitals a quarter billion dollars, having used them as a line of credit when they couldn’t defer other bills, and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) faced crippling budget deficits annually.
Contrast that with 2018—DHHS maintains a stable budget, the hospitals have long since been paid off, and state workers have had raises. Additionally, the 2018 fiscal year finished with a $176 million surplus, which was added to the rainy day fund, an important buffer against a future economic disaster, saving taxpayers money as it improves Maine’s credit rating.
In the last eight years, we have managed to grant the largest tax cut in Maine’s 200 year history, relieving thousands of low-income Mainers from paying income taxes at all and eliminating income tax on military retirement income. We increased support for nursing homes more than 40 percent for home care, including the pay rates, by over 60 percent and we increased spending for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities by over $100 million, slashing the shameful wait lists that had grown under previous administrations. We increased spending on education, coming closer than any other legislature toward funding costs at the 55 percent mandate while also increasing funding for higher education, holding tuition steady and making higher education more accessible.
Personally, I am proud to have made incredible progress calling attention to and addressing human trafficking in Maine. My work to fund whole family addiction recovery and lead abatement will improve hundreds of lives into the future I sponsored, passed or worked on dozens of other bills that will positively improve our state. What I am most proud of, however, is that I was unfailingly honest and hard working for my constituents. One individual sent me a message to say he was keeping my sign as a reminder of “the only politician who ever did anything” for him.
I spent eight years earning a stellar reputation amongst my colleagues in both parties, our support staff and the lobby. I will miss the work – the successes and the lessons learned in defeat. Nevertheless, I hope to find a way to continue to improve the state we all call home.
Amy Volk served two terms in the Maine Senate representing the people of Senate District 30.