Tim Nangle: Keeping our promises and paying the bills

By State Sen. Tim Nangle

Last week was certainly a busy one up in Augusta. After a long night in the Senate chamber, I am proud to share that we have successfully passed Part I of the biennial budget.

State Senator Tim Nangle

This budget reflects our dedication to fulfilling the needs of Mainers by providing essential services and ensuring our ongoing commitments to education, childcare, hospitals, behavioral health, long-term care, property tax relief, and much more. These are not just line items in a budget but an embodiment of our shared values and vision for a better Maine.

The decision to approach the biennial budget in two parts — focusing first on current services and later debating new initiatives — is designed to provide stability and transparency for our families, communities, and small business owners. By making good on our commitments and paying the bills, we’ve laid a solid foundation for future growth and development in our great state.

Part I of the budget keeps our promises on property tax relief, early childcare and education, and health care. It respects Maine’s revenue-sharing program, protects the Property Tax Fairness Credit, upholds the Homestead Exemption Program, and provides tax breaks for older Mainers. It also makes good on the state’s commitment to fund education at 55 percent, provide free school meals for all, support Maine’s childcare workers, and fund teacher retirement.

As a lifelong advocate of public health, I am pleased to see that Part I of the budget prioritizes health care coverage for children and families through the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as well as funding for nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and in-home and community support services for older Mainers and other adults. Additionally, the budget includes funding for the low-cost drugs program, which helps retired Mainers access affordable medications.

By funding education at 55 percent, supporting our childcare workers, and ensuring our retired neighbors can enjoy well-earned tax breaks, Part I of the budget acknowledges the dedication of hard-working Mainers all across our state. Our children will continue to benefit from school meals at no charge, and we'll keep investing in crucial health care programs like CHIP for our youngest Mainers.

This continuing services budget might not make for exciting headlines, but it does make for good government. By maintaining the revenue-sharing program at 5 percent, we ensure stability for property taxes, providing municipalities with the necessary funds to cover essential services like law enforcement, snow removal, and more. This is the first-ever two-year budget to fully restore the revenue-sharing program since its elimination in 2015.

As a former member of the Windham Town Council, I understand how important it is for the state to pay its fair share and provide stability for local municipalities and schools that are currently working on their own budgets.

Knowing what funds that they can expect from the state allows local leaders and school officials to budget more effectively and ensure that municipal taxes don’t increase if they don’t have to. Maine families, communities, and small business owners deserve this type of transparency and leadership from our state government.

Now that we’ve paid all the bills that we agreed to in the 130th Legislature, we can move forward, working across the aisle, to decide what new projects and programs we want to see in the second part of the budget. Importantly, splitting the budget into two parts helps us avoid a government shutdown this summer and guarantees our neighbors, municipalities, and businesses will continue to receive the state services they count on.

As we move forward with the second part of the biennial budget, I will continue working alongside my colleagues to find new ways to strengthen our communities and improve the quality of life for all Mainers. I aim to be your voice in Augusta, representing your hopes and aspirations for what good government means to you.

Thank you for placing your trust in me as your state senator. I remain committed to advocating for the well-being of our families, communities, and local economies. By working together, we can shape the future for a better Maine, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. If you or someone you know needs assistance, wants to discuss legislation, or needs help connecting with a state agency, please don’t hesitate to reach out. My email is Timothy.Nangle@legislature.maine.gov, and my office phone number is 207-287-1515. You can find me on Facebook at facebook.com/SenatorTimNangle. To receive regular updates, sign up for my e-newsletter at mainesenate.org. <