ELIZABETH H. MITCHELL
SENATE PRESIDENT REMARKS

DECEMBER 3, 2008

Thank nominators Senator Perry, Senator Goodall and Senator Raye:

Thank you, my fellow members of the Maine Senate, for conferring this tremendous honor upon me today.

I am grateful, and humbled, and deeply committed to living up to the responsibility with which you have entrusted me.

I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to reflect on how unremarkable an accomplishment it is to elect a woman President of the Senate. I am proud that in Maine, this is not a big news story. In Maine a young woman can not only dream of becoming anything she wants to be, but she can actually achieve it!

Having had the pleasure to work with the two previous outstanding Presidents—Bev Daggett of Augusta and Beth Edmonds of Freeport—I am lead to wonder what the fuss about women in leadership is all about!

The November elections saw Maine continue to lead the way in electing women leaders. Today a talented young woman is the new Speaker of the Maine House. Her mother is the newly elected Congresswoman from the First District. A woman was re-elected to Maine’s U.S. Senate seat, joining another women who represents us in Washington. And today Maine will elect our first ever woman Attorney General.

To be sure, the election of women to positions of leadership was not easy. We are where we are today because Maine people put results before prejudices, talent before convention, and a dedication to Maine people over the shackles of the past.

Today, we have invited family and friends to commemorate these historic accomplishments and celebrate our good fortune of being elected to the Maine Senate. It is important to take a moment to savor this joyous occasion before we turn our attention to committee assignments, bill titles and public hearings. But unfortunately, we can take but a moment.

The thirty five members of this body are here because we believe we can make a difference.

We arrive here in the midst of an economic crisis. State government revenues are slipping, at the very time that demands for state services in health care, higher education, and economic development are increasing.

Selma Botman, the new President of the University of Southern Maine, articulately illustrated the magnitude of the problem and outlined a solution. “…today we are faced with steering this wonderful institution through a storm of epic proportions…. throughout my career in public higher education, I have been a builder, someone who works to make dreams a reality. Today, I face a responsibility that is as excruciating as it is unavoidable: guiding this academic community through a wrenching adjustment to a new financial reality…We must seek a new way of doing business that enhances our ability to sustain what we most value and to ensure that our core endeavors thrive.”

Florida, Virginia and Georgia, are just a few of the state facing deficits in the billions.

The people of this state trust us to work together. They understand that when times are tough neighbors and communities come together and they expect the same from their legislative leaders.

I am so fortunate to be working with the Republican Minority Leaders, Senator Kevin Raye of Washington County. Kevin did an outstanding job on the health and human services committee last year. In a tough budget cycle he fought to protect our most vulnerable citizens and still found creative ways to save money. Not only does Kevin share a commitment to bipartisan action, his company makes one heck of a mustard.

Senator Jon Courtney, the assistant minority leader, has also shown a willingness to work across party lines. His passion for economic development will be important as we work to grow the 21^st century economy.

We are also lucky to work with Governor John Baldacci, who time and again has demonstrated a fundamental commitment to reform

Our talented Democratic leaders, Senator Phil Bartlett and Senator Lisa Marrache, join me in calling on all Legislators, whether they be Republican or Democrat, from northern Maine or Southern Maine, freshman or veteran, to come together in the spirit of cooperation and solve the painful problems we face.

The challenges are daunting but the opportunities are legion. I was struck by the recent comment of Rahm Emmanual, President Elect Obama’s new chief of staff, who said,

“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”

I had an experience with this sort of crisis during Maine’s last major economic recession in 1990. As House Chair of the Committee on Banking and Insurance, a committee thrown into the cauldron of a workers compensation crisis, I struggled mightily to change the system while at the same time protecting workers. Our committee proposed a reform to help employers get proactive about workers’ safety.

Later, the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Workers’ Compensation embraced the fundamentals of our proposal.

Out of that proposal, The Maine Employers' Mutual Insurance Company, better known as MEMIC, was formed. Today, as a result of this reform, Maine has seen its workers comp costs go from some of the highest in the nation in 1990 to the middle of the pack today.

This could not have been achieved in the absence of the economic crisis. It took the bottom falling out of the system to muster the will for real reform.

Another crisis that presented an opportunity was the energy shock of the late 1970s. It pushed Maine to lead the nation in energy-saving and energy-independence measures. Then gas prices fell, we forgot about the problem, and we were caught off guard as history repeated itself earlier this year as fuel prices shot up again.

Gas prices and interest rates have fallen once again. But we cannot let the opportunity slip through our hands. The Speaker and I plan to introduce an order establishing a special Joint Select Committee on Energy. This Committee will harness the talents of Legislators from both bodies who will work together and identify opportunities to advance a greener Maine.

We must capitalize on the opportunities before us and carry out the fundamental mission of government, by tending to the needs of our most vulnerable and ensuring all Maine people have access to clean air, clean water, safe transportation, great schools, and an amazing quality of life.

We must recognize that no political party or single elected official has a monopoly on good ideas. We must listen, first and foremost, to the thoughts and the concerns, the ideas and positions and the hopes and aspirations of those people we represent.

A young waitress at a local restaurant overheard me talking about politics last week. She boldly but politely told me about her biggest problem—no real health insurance for her and her children. The costs for her premium were too high and the out of pocket expenses even higher. She offered a solution that embodied two simple principles—everybody pays fairly and everybody is served fairly.

I challenge you all to listen to those who offer ideas and form policy based on those ideas.

I also challenge you to take every opportunity to promote Maine. We live in a great place, and we should never hesitate to stand on the tallest mountains and tell the world about Maine’s virtues.

As many of you know Boston Financial recently moved into the old MBNA facility in Rockland bringing with them close to two hundred and fifty jobs. There were dozens of communities courting Boston Financial but their CEO cited Maine’s extraordinarily talented work force, access to government officials and common sense tax policies such as Pine Tree Zones as the reasons they chose Maine.

Surely there are other companies who would be attracted by what Maine has to offer.

Unfortunately, too many lobbyists, state leaders and pundits have taken to trashing Maine in order to advance their narrow agenda. A cottage industry has sprung up in many corners to proclaim the bad news about all things Maine. This practice is counter productive, and there are two hundred and fifty new reasons in Rockland that demonstrate that.

Maine is a great place to live. Our natural beauty and quality of life are unmatched. But it is our people who make this a special place. Maine people believe in family, in hard work and community. They may have trouble asking for help, but they have no trouble offering it. All people want is an opportunity for a better tomorrow.

And we will ensure a better tomorrow by making smart investments that create jobs. Investments in research and development, biotechnology, and energy efficiency. Investments in roads, bridges, and rural broadband. And investments in our human capital; a world class education system and increased access to health care.

I know we will all try and do our best. In uncertain times we must have the courage to try new things even if the outcome is not certain. We must imbibe the spirit of Franklin Roosevelt, who said,

“...the country demands bold, persistent experimentation. It is common sense to take a method and try it: If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.”

All of us in this chamber are in for an exciting and unpredictable ride this year. I ask for all of your help in finding the right answers, and in creating an atmosphere of mutual trust. Thank you again for your vote of confidence. Now let’s get to work.