Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

In this period of transition between the old and the new year, I'm reflecting on everything Maine people have experienced these past 12 months, and all the progress we've made together, and the challenges ahead.

In 2025, we passed bipartisan legislation to enhance emergency planning at all levels and to reduce storm-related damage, like flooding for Maine homeowners and businesses. We also established Maine's first cabinet-level Department of Energy Resources to guide long-term energy planning and to secure more affordable and reliable energy for Maine people and businesses. I signed two balanced budgets which made important investments in Maine families, children, and seniors, and our higher eds, and in housing, and much more. We financed the building or rehabilitation of more than a thousand homes and apartments through MaineHousing. We connected more locations to high speed internet, and we opened more childcare centers like Space to Thrive in Windham.

We also announced about $63 million in student loan relief delivered to Maine people -- people living in Maine and paying income taxes here in Maine.

We created a Life Sciences Center and funded a Life Sciences Incubator to encourage innovation and investment in new, good-paying jobs here in Maine. We began offering tax credits to businesses through our new Dirigo Business Incentive Program to businesses who are planning more than $1.3 billion in investments over the next five years. We also passed significant legislation to support jobs in the agriculture industry in Aroostook County.

When the president's rhetoric and his sweeping tariffs threatened to undermine our economy and our cultural ties with Canada, we led a cross-border summit in Boston with premiers of the Eastern Canadian provinces and my fellow Northeastern governors. I then went to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to promote Maine as a top destination for Canadian tourists. And that led to the first international friendly match between the Hearts of Pine in Portland and the Halifax Wanderers. And we won that game.

We connected more than 100 veterans and their families to jobs through our annual Hire-A-Vet campaign. We increased grants to veterans for dental care through the Maine Veterans Dental Network. We also continued to make important progress on the opioid epidemic. As of October, fatal overdoses had decreased by more than 21 percent compared to the same timeframe last year, a welcome improvement.

This year, the Legislature also unanimously confirmed three new commissioners in my administration, and they confirmed the Honorable Julia Lipez to serve on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.

As we say goodbye to the old year and welcome in the New Year, I'll be reflecting on the year that is ending with gratitude for the privilege of serving as your governor. And I'll be thinking about the people from Bangor to Biddeford to Van Buren to Brunswick who shared their stories and their hopes with me this year.

There are still problems to solve, but I look forward to working on all these issues with you, the people of Maine, just as we've done the past seven years, and we will tackle whatever comes our way with the creativity, resolve and spirit of cooperation and compassion that truly defines Maine people.

I wish you all a happy and safe New Year's celebration with your friends and family, and a great New Year to come. This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

It was the night of December 24, 1914, mere months into World War I, and a light dusting of snow was falling on the battlefield. Men in trenches on both sides of the front started singing Christmas carols, a surprising source of joy on a cold winter's night during a war. And as morning broke on Christmas Day, the soldiers cautiously met in the No Man's Land between their two armies, lowering their weapons to share a meal with each other, even though they were enemies just the day before.

The Christmas Truce, as it came to be called, would never be repeated. But it is always remembered as a moment of shared humanity and hope.

This year has been difficult for many, and I know that some folks may be struggling this holiday season. Some people may be on active duty, unable to be home for the holidays. Some may be having a hard time making ends meet, never mind buying gifts for friends and family. Some may not have close friends or family nearby to celebrate with. Some may be mourning the loss of a loved one who'll be missing from their table. Some may even be worried about disagreements with loved ones in this time of divisive national politics.

This holiday season, may we hold our family and friends, neighbors, and loved ones close, and may we be grateful for the gift of our time together. May we remember that for all our differences as people of many backgrounds and beliefs, there's a lot more that we have in common as people who share this beautiful state.

And may we reflect on the many reasons we have to hope that the New Year in our state will be bright. Creative people in innovative industries across Maine are inventing new products to make our state more competitive, and to make it an even greater place to live, work, and raise a family. For the first time in generations, people are moving here to start new careers drawn by a quality of life unlike anywhere else in the world. Every day, people who once dreamed of starting a new business, of going to college, of starting a family, are able to make those dreams a reality because our economy is strong, our schools are affordable, and our communities are safe. We have challenges that we're trying to solve, like the high cost of living, but we also have strengths that other states simply don't have, including the many talented people who call Maine home.

This holiday season, people of all faiths will be spreading a message of generosity and goodwill, of hope and happiness, and of peace for themselves and for all.

Whether you're gathering in a home warmly lit by the candles of a Menorah to celebrate Hanukkah, or by the lights on a tree to celebrate Christmas, or some other tradition, or if you're gathering with friends, family, and neighbors just to celebrate the end of another year, I want to wish you personally and all Maine people, a happy holiday season filled with joy and with love. Let's thank our first responders also, because they'll be on duty all through the holidays. And let's honor the sacrifice of service members and their families who keep us safe. And let the same hope of soldiers who sang Christmas carols a century ago to bring light to a moment of darkness uplift and unite us again.

So from my family to yours, I wish you a Merry Christmas. And to Maine's Jewish community, Happy Hanukkah.

This is Governor Janet Mills. Happy Holidays, and thank you for listening.

WHEREAS, the State of Maine has recently experienced a prolonged period of below-average temperatures statewide and windy conditions in parts of the state, all of which have significantly increased heating demand for residences and businesses; and

WHEREAS, the increased heating demand has resulted in delivery backlogs by heating fuel delivery crews statewide; and

WHEREAS, delays in Federal funding for economically vulnerable residents have pushed some November fuel deliveries into December, adding to delivery backlogs; and

WHEREAS, the Constitution of the State of Maine, Art. V, Pt. 1, §§ 1 & 12, confers upon the Governor the authority to issue executive orders;

WHEREAS, executive orders remain in effect until rescinded or otherwise superseded;

WHEREAS, EO 8 FY 11/12 (January 6, 2011) called for enhanced cooperation between state and Federal officials in the enforcement of Federal immigration law;

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

You know, choosing to go to college shouldn't trap somebody in decades of debt, with interest rates that snowball until what you owe becomes impossible to pay off. And yet, that is the reality for many people, especially young people, who make good-faith payments on their student loan debt and still struggle to get by.

Three years ago I worked with the Legislature to make Maine's student loan relief program a lot less complicated and more generous -- in fact, it's now one of the most generous debt relief programs in the country.

Unlike our old tax credit that had a lot of complicated criteria, our new student loan repayment tax credit is simple and straightforward. Basically, if you graduated any time after 2007 with a degree in any subject, from any college, community college, or university anywhere, and you now live and work and you pay income taxes in Maine, then you're eligible to save up to $2,500 a year on your student loans.

If you're paying down your student loan, you can claim this credit on your state income taxes and get up to $2,500 to offset some or all of your state income tax. For a couple who are both paying down their student loans it's $2,500 for each of them a year.

For example, a taxpayer who owes the State of Maine $500, but who made $2,500 in eligible student loan payments during the year, would receive a refund of $2,000.

Since we overhauled the student loan relief program we've provided more than $140 million in tax relief to Maine people who can now put that money towards buying a house, raising a family, starting a small business, or just keeping up with more expensive everyday needs, like groceries.

The strength of our economy depends on keeping talented people working in our state and paying taxes here. There's a simple, generous, and clear tax credit to help you pay down your student debt and start or continue a career here in Maine. As the year draws to a close, and as you start to think about filing your taxes for 2025, I strongly, strongly encourage you to consider claiming Maine's student loan repayment tax credit to maximize your savings.

For more information about this tax credit for taxpayers in Maine, please visit maine.gov/revenue. That's maine.gov/revenue.

This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

WHEREAS, Chester Greenwood was born on December 4, 1858 to Zina and Emily Greenwood, who raised their six children on a farm in Farmington, Maine; and

WHEREAS, Chester Greenwood was an avid ice-skater on local, frozen ponds, and struggled as a teenager to keep his ears warm in the winter; and

WHEREAS, that struggle inspired Greenwood to ask his grandmother to sew cloth pads onto a wire ring that he could wrap around his head, thereby inventing modern earmuffs and keeping countless ears warm throughout history; and

WHEREAS, born in Skowhegan on December 14, 1897, Margaret Chase Smith proudly served Maine and the nation as a distinguished leader until her death on May 29, 1995; and

WHEREAS, first elected to the House of Representatives in 1940, Margaret Chase Smith became the first woman in the history of our country to be elected to the United States Senate in her own right in 1948, an election that also marked the first time a woman was elected to both houses of Congress; and

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

Let's take a step back through our nation's history for a moment.

In the 1930s, it was the federal government that created the Social Security system, a lifeline for millions of people that was created after the Great Depression. It was in the 1950s that President Dwight D. Eisenhower, a Republican, created the Interstate Highway System, also a lifeline, a network of safe roads connecting Americans from coast to coast. It was the federal government that created the Civil Rights Act and sent a man to the moon.

Look, when the federal government finally recognizes the depth of a problem that requires a national solution, it can make historic changes that improve the lives of every American. Yet today, while millions of Americans are unable to afford basic life-saving health care, a universal need that requires federal action, the federal government does nothing. When it comes to one of the most fundamental needs of American families, the federal government is just standing down. In fact, in many respects, they're making health care less affordable, more costly.

Well, here in Maine, we've been working hard to expand health coverage for small businesses, for self-employed people, for families across Maine, and we've tried to make that coverage more affordable. On my first day in office, for instance, I expanded MaineCare in accordance with the will of the people. At one point, more than 100,000 people had health care through MaineCare expansion, which includes preventive care like cancer screenings.

We also expanded health care for children and mental health services across the state. And we enacted the Made for Maine Health Coverage Act, which established the state-based insurance marketplace, CoverME.gov, and which made many preventative care visits either free or at least less costly.

We were doing pretty well, but if the federal government allows enhanced health care tax credits to expire at the end of this month, health coverage for more than 60,000 people in Maine will be unaffordable. I wrote to Maine's Congressional Delegation back in September urging them to extend those tax credits. Now it's Open Enrollment time in Maine -- when people eligible for health insurance can sign up for health insurance for next year under the ACA -- and many people are already seeing their health insurance rates skyrocket.

One man from Cumberland said if his premiums increase, as he expects, health insurance will be the single largest expense for his family -- more than his mortgage. A woman in Dover-Foxcroft said she owns her own mental health practice, and that a loss of insurance reimbursement would make it impossible to keep her doors open. Well, that would not only leave her without a livelihood, but would also leave hundreds of her patients without access to care.

Well, there are so many stories all around Maine like this, and every one of them breaks my heart because it doesn't have to be this way. The bottom line is, without these health insurance tax credits, more people will be forced to go without health insurance because they can't afford it, and they'll delay care until they wind up in the emergency room or with medical debt that lasts a lifetime. Hospitals across Maine will have to bear more of the cost of uncompensated care or uninsured care because of many people going without insurance. Some of those health care providers may have to cut back services or even close, leaving many folks without access to care, and leaving communities without some of their largest employers.

It was good bipartisan federal action in the 1960s that created Medicare. It was bipartisan federal action that brought us the Interstate Highway System, the unemployment system, Social Security. The health care crisis in this country today begs for strong action on the part of the federal government. The time has come to address the health care crisis.

Doctor Jeffrey Barkin, former president of Maine Medical Association, wrote recently in a column: "Getting sick is not partisan. Losing health insurance is not partisan. Bankruptcy is not partisan. Illness does not check who you voted for," he said. "Or how you feel about Congress or whether your state is red or blue. When a child spikes a fever or a parent hears the word cancer, politics fall away. Only people remain."

The President and Congress must extend the enhanced tax credits before they expire to prevent health care costs from skyrocketing for people across our country and people here in Maine -- people who have started their own businesses, gone out on their own with the support of those health care tax credits -- and they can't do without them.

This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

To the Members of the Democratic, Green Independent, Libertarian and Republican Committees of Lewiston Residing in Representative District 94.

GREETINGS:

WHEREAS, by the October 31, 2025, resignation of Kristen Cloutier of Lewiston, in the County of Androscoggin, a member of the House of Representatives in the One Hundred and Thirty-second Legislature in District 94, a vacancy has thus been created; and

This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

Well, with the Thanksgiving holiday this week, and with Christmas and Hanukkah coming right up, we're in the full swing of the holiday season already. I know that Maine people are looking forward to enjoying time with friends and family this time of year. I am as well. But hey, if you haven't finished your holiday shopping yet -- and you'd be pretty much ahead of the game if you have -- or if you're a bit of a last minute shopper like I am, I want to take the opportunity to encourage you to shop local this holiday season here in Maine.

Maine is home to more than 150,000 small businesses. That's 99 percent of all businesses in our state. Many of them are retail businesses that sell local Maine-made products, and these businesses and their producers are the cornerstones of our downtowns, the employers of our friends and family members, and a big driver of our economy. They need your business. I guarantee you, no matter who you're shopping for, you can find the perfect gift made right here in Maine and sold right here in Maine.

And if you need a little inspiration or information, our state's Maine Made program is a great place to start. All you have to do is visit MaineMade.com. That's MaineMade.com.

From work boots and outdoor accessories at Trader Joe's Outfitters in Presque Isle -- not the grocery store chain -- to handmade flower arrangements at Fiddleheads in Cape Elizabeth, to sundries at the 5&10 General Store in Winter Harbor, to a knitting and wine shop rolled into one at Fiber & Vine in Norway, to sneakers at New Balance in Skowhegan, all kinds of great things are produced right here in Maine.

And did I mention Raye's Mustards in Eastport? Or Marin skincare products developed right at our university research labs? Our online MaineMade.com guide is a good resource for you to find local products that are made and sold all across our state. Check it out!

It may be tempting to go for convenience over craftsmanship this holiday season, but our gift guide will help you find some pretty meaningful and interesting gifts. Something for everybody.

Personally, I'm going to be visiting some of my favorite independent bookstores to find the perfect books for friends. Sherman's up and down the coast, the Briar Patch in Bangor, Devaney Doak & Garrett in Farmington -- all great places to find special books for special people. I also plan to go to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens to see their holiday light show, Gardens Aglow, and do some shopping in Boothbay Harbor, and maybe Ogunquit, and maybe Kennebunkport.

And I'll probably stop by Reny's in my hometown of Farmington to find, well, almost anything.

When you buy local, you'll make somebody you care for feel special with a unique gift. You'll also support Maine's small businesses and the thousands of people they employ, and you'll strengthen our economy. You'll be helping people who make these things, and helping their communities remain vibrant as well.

I hope you'll join me in supporting Maine's small businesses this year, especially on Small Business Saturday.

And as always, be sure to check on your neighbors and be kind to one another this season and every season.

This is Governor Janet Mills wishing you a happy, healthy holiday season, and thank you for listening.