WHEREAS, American history is an essential component of a complete and well-rounded education; and

WHEREAS, the study of history provides us a deeper understanding of our culture and traditions and connects us with events, people, places, and ideas of our country's past; and

WHEREAS, understanding our shared history allows us to make better decisions about our future, and to prevent repeating mistakes of the past; and

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

Well, earlier this week, I delivered my State of the Budget Address to a joint session of the Maine Legislature. I shared with the lawmakers an account of where the state budget stands. Telling it straight - so our discussions can start with a common understanding of our challenges.

Well, it wasn't easy to put this budget together, but this proposal is balanced. It continues to invest in things we all support, like education, revenue sharing, public safety, higher ed and school meals.

Now, I've already heard some lawmakers criticizing the budget before it was even printed. "No tax increases," some said. "No program cuts," from others. I told my Democratic friends that I know that they don't want to see programs cut. I know many of them would prefer to see us raise income or sales taxes to avoid reductions whatsoever. But Democrats also know that their Republican colleagues on the other side of the aisle don't want to do that.

I told my Republican friends, I know some of them don't want to raise any revenues, even in a targeted way. I know the Republicans would prefer to cut more programs to bridge the gap and avoid any and all revenue increases. But Republicans also know that their Democratic colleagues generally don't want to do that.

So where do they go from here?

Look, it's easy to stand in front of a TV camera and say “No!” It's easy to fire off social media posts and feel good as the "likes" roll in.

But during my address Tuesday, I encouraged both parties to reserve judgment and not create barriers to compromise. That's not what people expect. I told them it's harder to do the work of sitting around the table, putting forward their own ideas, hearing what folks on all sides have to say, and then coming to consensus, and enacting balanced public policy. Whether they're Democrat, or Republican, or Independent, I hope that is how lawmakers approach these conversations: in good faith, with good ideas, with civility, and with an open mind to the views of others, and ultimately with the commitment and courage to make hard choices on behalf of all of you, the people of Maine.

While it's true we have some tough decisions in the coming weeks and months, we should not lose sight of the strengths of our state and the strengths of our people. We have clean air, clean water, good schools and yes, safe streets, healthy forests and farms, and clear lakes, and fish-filled rivers, and sturdy waterfronts. A strong economy with rewarding jobs, and a state that people want to visit in every season. These aren't little things, but we have them all. I ask lawmakers to use this session to protect the things that make us special and keep our state on a stable fiscal course.

I told them when we hear anger and acrimony, we ought to remember the words of our old friend Dave Mallet, who told us that things, especially things in Maine, are “better than that.”

I see faces and I hear voices across every county, town and city, in every corner of the state, looking to us to manage the finances of the state, to work with civil purpose, to solve problems, to create hope and prosperity, to keep people safe, and to preserve the things that make our state so special.

We've shown before that Democrats, Republicans. and Independents, can all put their heads together and get good results. I'm ready to work with lawmakers in the coming months on a budget that is balanced, that is fiscally responsible, that invites investment, and that strengthens our economy and lifts up our greatest asset of all: you, the people of Maine.

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

My budget proposal maintains our commitments to Maine people to provide affordable health care, to protect school funding and property tax relief, and making sure that we have good schools and good teachers, no matter a child's zip code.

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

We want to make sure that no child tries to learn on an empty stomach. And we want to try to stabilize property taxes across the state. Those are taxes that also pay for those schools. These are all bipartisan priorities, and they've been supported by the overwhelming majority of the legislature and the overwhelming majority of Maine people.

Well, more than half of the entire state budget goes to health care and education. Roughly $4.8 billion for education alone, and approximately $4.3 billion for Health and Human Services including child welfare, mental health, hospital, nursing home and home health care, and child care costs.

So, I don't believe that government can or should be all things to all people all the time, but I firmly believe that our most important responsibility is to protect the health and safety of Maine people, especially children, and the sick, and the most vulnerable. That's the belief that's reflected in this budget proposal.

The budget proposal also reflects difficult choices that are a reality of our tight budget circumstances. Because, you know, state revenues have leveled off now after years of surpluses during and after the pandemic – surpluses driven in part by federal stimulus money. No surprise there. It's the same experience many other states across the country, red, blue and purple states, including many in New England, are facing. And another factor is because our economy is doing fairly well, we lose a portion of the federal funds that go to health care - Medicaid, specifically.

We saw all of this coming, which is why I urged lawmakers last year to reduce spending and save more than $100 million as well. Unfortunately, that proposal was rejected by the prior Legislature, and additional spending was layered onto the budget. Now there's a budget gap, as many, many states have.

So to balance the budget and to protect the long-term fiscal health of Maine, I'm proposing to make certain changes – primarily within the Department of Health and Human Services, the largest department – to cut costs, primarily for programs that haven't yet begun.

I'm also proposing an update to the excise tax on cigarettes and related tobacco products. You know, cigarettes are a leading cause of cancer, heart disease, and stroke, as we all know. And when more than one-third of Maine cancer deaths each year are attributable to smoking, having the cheapest cigarettes of nearly every state in New England still just doesn't make sense for the State of Maine. It's time to change that. That's why my budget proposal includes a $1 a pack increase to cigarettes, which puts us in the middle of the New England states.

Keep in mind, I'm not proposing – and I do not support – broad-based tax increases, such as to the income tax or sales taxes.

So with this budget proposal, we've taken a balanced approach, one that maintains core programs like education and health care, one that raises revenues in a very targeted way to benefit public health, and one that makes difficult changes to various programs to save money to the taxpayers. There are difficult decisions to be made in the coming weeks and months, and none of this is easy, but I know this new Legislature shares my commitment to enacting a balanced budget that is good for Maine people, and good for the fiscal health of our state. I look forward to working with both parties to achieve just that, as responsible lawmakers offer constructive feedback in the coming months on this detailed document.

This is Governor Janet Mills. And thank you for listening.

WHEREAS, the State of Maine is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all those living in and visiting the state; and

WHEREAS, Community Risk Reduction is a proactive and comprehensive approach to identify, assess and mitigate risks such as fires, falls, car accidents and more; and

WHEREAS, Monday, January 27, 2025 is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which marks the eightieth anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp; and

WHEREAS, this is a day of remembrance for the six million Jews who were murdered by Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945; and

WHEREAS, on this anniversary, the State of Maine recommits itself to combatting the global rise in anti-Semitism; and

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

Last week, I delivered my biennial budget proposal to lawmakers for their consideration as we begin to chart the next two years of investments by state government in the people of Maine.

My budget proposal maintains our commitments to Maine people to provide affordable health care, to protect school funding and property tax relief, and making sure that we have good schools and good teachers, no matter a child's zip code. We want to make sure that no child tries to learn on an empty stomach. And we want to try to stabilize property taxes across the state. Those are taxes that also pay for those schools. These are all bipartisan priorities, and they've been supported by the overwhelming majority of the legislature and the overwhelming majority of Maine people.

Well, more than half of the entire state budget goes to health care and education. Roughly $4.8 billion for education alone, and approximately $4.3 billion for Health and Human Services including child welfare, mental health, hospital, nursing home and home health care, and child care costs.

So, I don't believe that government can or should be all things to all people all the time, but I firmly believe that our most important responsibility is to protect the health and safety of Maine people, especially children, and the sick, and the most vulnerable. That's the belief that's reflected in this budget proposal.

The budget proposal also reflects difficult choices that are a reality of our tight budget circumstances. Because, you know, state revenues have leveled off now after years of surpluses during and after the pandemic – surpluses driven in part by federal stimulus money. No surprise there. It's the same experience many other states across the country, red, blue and purple states, including many in New England, are facing. And another factor is because our economy is doing fairly well, we lose a portion of the federal funds that go to health care - Medicaid, specifically.

We saw all of this coming, which is why I urged lawmakers last year to reduce spending and save more than $100 million as well. Unfortunately, that proposal was rejected by the prior Legislature, and additional spending was layered onto the budget. Now there's a budget gap, as many, many states have.

So to balance the budget and to protect the long-term fiscal health of Maine, I'm proposing to make certain changes – primarily within the Department of Health and Human Services, the largest department – to cut costs, primarily for programs that haven't yet begun.

I'm also proposing an update to the excise tax on cigarettes and related tobacco products. You know, cigarettes are a leading cause of cancer, heart disease, and stroke, as we all know. And when more than one-third of Maine cancer deaths each year are attributable to smoking, having the cheapest cigarettes of nearly every state in New England still just doesn't make sense for the State of Maine. It's time to change that. That's why my budget proposal includes a $1 a pack increase to cigarettes, which puts us in the middle of the New England states.

Keep in mind, I'm not proposing – and I do not support – broad-based tax increases, such as to the income tax or sales taxes.

So with this budget proposal, we've taken a balanced approach, one that maintains core programs like education and health care, one that raises revenues in a very targeted way to benefit public health, and one that makes difficult changes to various programs to save money to the taxpayers. There are difficult decisions to be made in the coming weeks and months, and none of this is easy, but I know this new Legislature shares my commitment to enacting a balanced budget that is good for Maine people, and good for the fiscal health of our state. I look forward to working with both parties to achieve just that, as responsible lawmakers offer constructive feedback in the coming months on this detailed document.

This is Governor Janet Mills. And thank you for listening.

WHEREAS, Maine’s 207 area code has become a well-recognized aspect of our state's collective identity and is a source of pride; and

WHEREAS, in celebration of Maine’s unique status as one of only 11 states with a single area code, Portland Downtown launched 2-0-7 Day in 2022 to promote Portland’s small business community and provide a new exciting event for residents during a traditionally slower time in Maine’s economy; and

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

Well, following those horrible storms last year that devastated communities across the State of Maine, my administration and the legislature made the largest investment in storm relief in the state's history. That funding was significant, but it was only a down payment, really, on the critical work Maine has to do to prepare for the storms we know are coming -- more intense and more frequent in the years ahead.

To start that work, I created last year the Maine Infrastructure Rebuilding and Resilience Commission, and I asked the experts on that commission to develop a long term preparedness plan for our state. After traveling the state for months and talking directly with municipal leaders and county emergency management people and engineers and the public at large in places as varied as Stonington, Machias, Old Orchard, Rumford, Mexico, Jay, Caribou and Rockland, hearing about the problems, responding to, and preparing for extreme weather events, that commission released its interim report in November.

A final report from the commission is due in May, but based on those interim recommendations, this week, I introduced major bipartisan legislation to strengthen the ability of Maine communities, homeowners, businesses, and emergency responders to prepare for future severe storms. L.D. 1, An Act to Increase Storm Preparedness for Maine's Communities, Homes and Infrastructure, is sponsored by Senate President Mattie Daughtry, House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, Senate Republican Leader Trey Stewart, and House Republican Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham. I thank them for their support.

Using some Federal funding and some existing state funds through the Bureau of Insurance, not General Funds, this bipartisan legislation creates four key initiatives:

First, it establishes the Home Resiliency Program that will provide grants of up to $15,000 to homeowners to make improvements to their homes that will better prepare them to withstand storms. Improvements like, for example, minimizing roof damage, fixing roofs, and basement flooding prevention.

Second, the legislation enhances resources for the Maine Emergency Management Agency, which we know as MEMA, which is managing more Federally-declared disasters than at any other time in our state's history. The bill increases state disaster relief and preparedness funds through non-general funds, which will also secure matching federal funds, and invests in improved emergency communications systems, very vital communication systems, and staff training and additional emergency staff.

Third, the legislation establishes a new State Resilience Office to reduce flood and storm damage, to protect public and private infrastructure, and to support public safety.

And last, this legislation creates the Flood-Ready Maine Program to modernize data on flood risk in Maine and make that data easily accessible online. The program will improve communications between communities, businesses, and residents about flood risks and make flood insurance more accessible.

L.D. 1 will enhance emergency planning at all levels and prepare communities and infrastructure for severe weather, and reduce storm-related risks and expenses for Maine homeowners and businesses. I thank Senate and House Democratic and Republican leadership for their support of this important legislation, which will allow Maine communities, homeowners, businesses, and emergency response leaders to prepare for the extreme weather events of the future and make Maine a safer and better prepared place to live.

I look forward to signing L.D. 1 into law. This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

WHEREAS, the State of Maine is experiencing a prolonged period of below average cold temperatures and windy conditions statewide, which has significantly increased heating demand for residences and businesses;

WHEREAS, the increased heating demand has resulted in fuel delivery backlogs statewide, particularly affecting will-call customers who are disproportionately low-income;

WHEREAS, heating fuel delivery crews will need to work continuously to ensure continuity of supply during this prolonged period of cold and windy weather;

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

I know it's often said, but it's true that having health insurance does save lives. There isn't anyone in this world who doesn't get sick at some point in their lives, and there isn't anyone who doesn't need to go to a doctor at some point. So, my administration from day one has worked hard to make health insurance -- hence health care -- available for Maine people so everyone can see a doctor, can get preventative care, and can afford critical prescription medications. That way, people can be healthy, join or rejoin the workforce, and care for their families.

One of the things we did four years ago, back in 2021, was to create a state-based health insurance marketplace called CoverME.gov to help Maine people access good health insurance options. Today, I just want to remind everybody that an important deadline is approaching for health care coverage through CoverME.gov for this year. January 15th is the last day to enroll for 2025 coverage with benefits to start on February 1st. So far, during this open enrollment period, more than 63,000 Maine people have already enrolled in health coverage for 2025.

Having health insurance, of course, offers quality and affordable coverage for doctors visits, for prescription drugs, for mental health treatment, for emergencies and hospitalizations, and is just a critical part of staying healthy.

If you need affordable health or dental insurance for this year, please visit CoverME.gov. That's www.CoverME.gov to learn what's available for coverage options and to get enrolled in an affordable and effective insurance plan. All plans offered through CoverME.gov provide quality comprehensive insurance that not only covers you if you have an accident or major illness, but that fully pays for preventative screenings as well. There are plans to fit your needs at a price that works for you.

Take it from Neil, who bought coverage for his family in Brunswick. He said, "Signing up was really easy. It's nice that it pays for preventative care and is also great when there is a health insurance issue." Neil added, "When your health insurance is not tied to your job, it gives you more flexibility and more options for career choices. Because CoverME exists, my wife and I have a freedom in our careers to do some other things that we want to do."

I encourage all Maine people to visit CoverME.gov to explore their options and spread the word to make sure no person in Maine goes without health insurance, something that could save their life.

If you have questions, please visit CoverME.gov/localhelp or call 866-636-0355. TTY 7-1-1 for information.

This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening. Wishing all of you a healthy and Happy New Year 2025.