Sitting on my deck, following an early morning in the kitchen as the warm, nutty smell of granola swirls through the screen door, I can’t help but sigh that happy, satisfied kind of sigh that comes from being home after too long away.
Getting to spend more time in Gorham, especially during the summer, is definitely welcome after many long days in Augusta. As I approach my final days as your state representative due to term limits, I’m reflecting on our work this session and how lucky I am to have been elected to represent my friends and neighbors.
This has been one of the most interesting, exciting, frustrating and rewarding jobs I’ve ever had, and I will certainly miss both my colleagues and the work. But this session will be memorable for me because of all we overcame and accomplished for the people of Maine.
Over the past two years, we faced immense challenges and hardships from the horrific mass shooting in Lewiston to the devastating winter storms that decimated fishing communities, to inflation-related pressures making it harder for Maine families to keep up with everyday expenses. However, my colleagues and I in the Legislature met those challenges head-on, addressing many of these issues while also making meaningful progress in other areas. I am truly proud of what we were able to accomplish.
In 2023, we invested in the well-being of Maine workers and their families by establishing a historic, comprehensive paid family and medical leave program. We increased funding for Pre-K and childcare support and created a new, $300 state child tax credit, making it less burdensome for young families to build their lives here. Additionally, we invested in more services and meaningful tax relief for older Mainers, so they can age with dignity in the communities they know.
This session, we built on our successes from last year by passing a smart and responsive supplemental budget that invests in Maine people without spending beyond our means. The supplemental budget includes $60 million in critical funding for storm relief, $76 million for affordable housing, $12.9 million to expand childcare access and $19.6 million to support essential mental and public health services.
The budget also ensures that we are delivering on our promises to Mainers by continuing to fund 55% of K-12 public education costs. It preserves the income eligibility expansion for Medicare Savings Programs and upholds the increase in the pension income tax deduction, providing ongoing tax relief for older Mainers.
Beyond the budget, the Legislature also took major steps to send gun safety legislation to the governor’s desk, including bills that would close the background check loophole on advertised, private gun sales, establish a 72-hour waiting period for most firearm purchases, and ban bump stocks. While we did not get everything we hoped for, I am happy to report that the bills to expand background checks and implement a 72-hour waiting period are now law, making our state safer from gun violence while also protecting our deeply valued Second Amendment rights.
Even though our work in Augusta has largely come to a close for this year, I will continue to serve out my term as your representative throughout the summer and fall. So please, come find me at the farmers’ market or out and about around town! I look forward to connecting with folks in these final months where I will still be available to help connect you with resources and try to address any issues or concerns you may have.
Rep. Maureen “Mo” Terry, D-Gorham, is serving her fourth term in the Maine House of Representatives. She is the House majority leader, where she serves as head of the Democratic caucus. Outside of her legislative work, Rep. Terry is a chef and small business owner. Contact her at maureen.terry@legislature.maine.gov.