On April 29, the Legislature officially wrapped up its work for this legislative session. Over the last few months, we passed hundreds of new laws to address the real issues facing Mainers.
As the rising cost of living makes it harder for families to make ends meet, my priority in Augusta has been to pass policies that lower expenses and support a stronger community for the people of Gorham.
While serving on the Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, I worked on successful legislation to build badly needed permanent housing for our veterans. On the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, I helped pass bills that promote Maine’s outdoor industries and protect our important heritage economies.
This session, I also supported measures to expand property tax relief, build additional housing, fund public schools and make childcare more affordable. I voted for the supplemental budget, which protects core services by providing critical funding for MaineCare, K-12 public education and the state’s Highway Fund to protect our essential infrastructure and fix our aging bridges and roads.
This budget will help feed hungry kids by closing the gap in our universal meals program, and it will clear the Child Care Affordability Program waitlist so families can find the childcare they need.
Additionally, the budget will provide Maine people $11.4 million in direct property tax relief through the Property Tax Fairness Credit by increasing the maximum benefit for Mainers under 65. And it includes important funding to help us build more housing and continue addressing the shortage of units throughout our state, which will help our workforce shortage.
Over the last few years, the cost of electricity has skyrocketed, largely due to New England’s dependence on natural gas to produce our power. The price of natural gas for electricity generation is up 37%, resulting in a direct impact on the state’s electricity rates. But electricity is a necessity, not a luxury – I believe it’s important for the state to take action to help working families, veterans and seniors on fixed incomes afford to keep the lights on.
To help address this, I cosponsored legislation, LD 2078, that would have helped lower electricity costs by removing sales tax on all electricity sold and delivered to residential homes in Maine. Under current state law, only the first 750kw of electricity delivered to homes each month is exempt from sales tax.
The bill successfully passed both the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support. Unfortunately, it didn’t receive funding during the budget process, and it didn’t become law before we adjourned for the year. But I will continue to fight for policies like these going forward.
Now that the 132nd Legislature in Augusta is over, I’m looking forward to being home in Gorham more. But I will still be hard at work here in our community preparing for the next legislative session, so that the hard-working people of Gorham can afford to live, work and build a life here.
Please feel welcome to reach out to me at Parnell.Terry@legislature.maine.gov with any questions or concerns, or if there is any support I can provide. It is an honor to serve you in the Maine House of Representatives.
Rep. Terry is serving his first term in the Maine House and represents part of Gorham. Terry is a member of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee and the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee.
By Rep. Parnell Terry