Fortunate to Have Vitelli

As printed originally by the Lincoln County News on September 29, posted with permission of the author.

To the editor:

In Eloise Vitelli we are fortunate to have a senator who has dedicated her life to helping all Mainers gain the practical advantages necessary to succeed and sustain a fulfilling life.

Two bills she sponsored are examples of that care: broadband infrastructure and retirement protection.

The first one exempts municipalities from “make-ready” fees when attaching equipment to poles related to community safety or providing broadband services to unserved or underserved areas. Many Maine towns now planning new broadband internet access for their communities can save thousands and thousands of dollars by having new pole permit fees waived. This offers an advantage for municipalities working with internet service providers. These savings can help lower actual infrastructure development costs.

As a member of the Dresden Broadband Committee, I know this can be a game changer in balancing the budget.

The second bill will help more Maine workers save for retirement. Approximately 46% of private-sector workers in Maine ages 18 to 64, more than 207,000, have no access to a retirement savings program. This legislation created the Maine Retirement Savings Program, allowing Mainers to contribute to a Roth IRA directly from their paycheck. Employers who don’t offer their own retirement savings plans facilitate a deduction for their employees, straight from their paycheck. The deducted funds go into a Roth IRA, following the employee from job to job until that person is ready to retire.

These two bills highlight the forethought and deep fundamental support for Maine people that Vitelli seeks to include in all her legislative efforts. She has my vote this November.

Richard M. Brown
Dresden