Why we are voting for Mills

As printed originally by the Boothbay Register on September 12, posted with permission of the author.

Dear Editor:

I am writing in support of re-electing Janet Mills as Governor of Maine.

As a retired school counselor, I am grateful to Governor Mills for proposing and eventually signing into law the first budget in ten years that met the state’s obligation to fund 55% of public education.

Governor Mills helped property tax payers by fulfilling the state’s obligation to fund 55% of education as required by Maine voters in a referendum passed in 2004, the first time the state has ever done so. Governor Mills restored state revenue sharing with towns to 5%. Our tax bill was lowered this year because of this action. The first time this has happened in the 18 years we’ve lived here. As seniors on a fixed income, the Property Tax Stabilization for Senior Citizens will give us peace of mind knowing our taxes won’t go up. In contrast, Paul LePage reduced revenue sharing to 2% during his tenure and our tax bill went up every year.

Governor Mills managed the budget so well that the state was able to provide my husband and I with $850 checks each so we could perform some needed maintenance on our home. The reserve fund now sits at a $896 million, Gov. Janet Mills’ budget office said on Friday. It is a record high and not far below the legal maximum of 18 percent of the annual state budget allowed to go in the fund. When LePage was governor, his economic mismanagement led to a state credit rating downgrade.

This commitment to helping ordinary people like us in so many ways (protecting a woman’s right to choose, expanding health and dental care and safely guiding Maine through the Covid pandemic) is why we are voting for Janet Mills for Governor.

Francine and Tom Rondina
East Boothbay