Governor Janet Mills gave her State of the State address to the Legislature recently, and it affords a good opportunity to look at what has been accomplished in the last year and perhaps a glimpse of what can be expected in the future.
Overall, the tone was very evenhanded, conciliatory and very bipartisan. She stressed that she has worked hard to avoid the sort of partisan bitterness that is so persistent nationally and that things are different here, saying that, “We are not Washington. We are Maine.”
She went on to tout what has been accomplished in the last year, and indeed, the accomplishments of the governor and the Legislature have been impressive. To my mind the three biggest accomplishments were finally adopting the voter-approved expansion of Medicaid (MaineCare), finally taking climate change seriously, and providing $75 million in property tax relief.
In the case of Medicaid expansion, she put it into place as one of her first acts as governor, after implementation had been stalled for months by the previous administration. This move provided health coverage to nearly 75,000 low-income Mainers, improving their health outcomes and allowing them to live healthier lives. It also gave a big boost to health care providers in Maine, particularly our rural hospitals, by cutting down the number of people requiring charity care.
Concerning climate change, the governor dedicated an entire section of her speech to the problems being caused now here in Maine by the changes in our weather and the potential challenges and dangers future changes could bring. She has set up a task force to both look at the ways in which we can limit the changes and to deal with those changes that cannot be limited or prevented. Only by this type of concerted, dedicated planning and the efforts that planning brings about can we deal with the new realities the future will bring.
The thing that will be noticed by the most Mainers is the serious effort to reduce property taxes. The Legislature enacted a package that increased school funding, Municipal Revenue Sharing and the Homestead Exemption. It should have a real impact on property taxes.
There were numerous other accomplishments that she mentioned, including improvements in health care, the economy, the bottom line in the state budget and better, more responsive state services, but to me those three are big ones.
Concerning future plans, while there were no major initiatives brought forward, there were calls for the Legislature to act on two important measures. The first was that she called for us to pass a bond to fund the Land For Maine’s Future program. This program protects Maine’s wilderness, farms and working waterfronts for future generations. It is now virtually out of money and needs a major infusion or it will have to put its good works on hold. It narrowly missed passage last year, and she implored us to pass it this year.
The other item she called on us to pass is the Equal Rights Amendment. On preliminary votes, it received the required two-thirds in the Senate but has been held up in the House. I agree with the Governor that this is something we should pass in the Legislature and send to the voters to have the final say.
It was a good speech and reflective of a good year. However, we have much work before us to ensure the following three years will be as good and as productive. The pace of our work will quicken as we close in on the final days of this legislative session in April and I hope you will not hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns about legislation
As always, please feel free to contact me with your questions or if you are having trouble navigating state agencies. Hearing your thoughts on the issues before our state is crucial to the work we do at the State House. It is an honor to continue to serve as your state representative.
Rep. Andrew McLean, D-Gorham, is serving his fourth term in the Maine House. He is House Chair of the Transportation Committee and represents parts of both Gorham and Scarborough.
(207) 939-8482 | (800) 423-2900 | andrew.mclean@legislature.maine.gov