These past six months while the legislature has been in session, I’ve experienced highs, lows and many nights spent away from my district. My colleagues and I had to pull an all-nighter last week to finish our work, but this is the commitment that I’ve made to you all as your state senator. I am eager to do whatever it takes to advocate for our community and all Mainers, and I am proud of the work we’ve accomplished this past legislative session. One aspect of that work is the budget, which received bipartisan support. Two issues we’ve prioritized in this budget are property tax relief and health care, and I am excited to tell you more about them.

Property tax relief has been at the forefront of the Democrats’ agenda for the past two years. Last session, Democratic lawmakers fought to expand the Homestead Exemption and Property Tax Fairness Credit. With this budget, we built on these efforts and made good on promises made to Mainers on the campaign trail.

Under this budget, 13,000 additional Mainers can get property tax relief through the Property Tax Fairness Credit. This is an income-based property tax and rent relief program for Maine residents. The state returns a portion of property tax or rent to eligible Maine homeowners and renters when they file their income tax return. Maine seniors can save up to $1,250 in property taxes and qualifying working Mainers and families can save up to $800 on property taxes or rent, which helps Mainers who need it the most keep more of their hard-earned money.

My colleagues and I have been fighting to make health care more affordable and more accessible for people across the state. This budget reflects that priority, by fulfilling promises to Maine people to sustainably fund the MaineCare expansion. Mainers overwhelmingly voted at the ballot box to approve this expansion nearly three years ago, but the program was not implemented until this past January. This bipartisan budget proposal allocates $125 million for Medicaid expansion, to be matched with almost $700 million in federal funds. Medicaid expansion ensures more Mainers and their families can go to a doctor when they are sick and do not have to make the incredibly difficult choice of prioritizing their health or paying their bills.

We are also supporting our seniors. The budget restores the low-cost drugs for Maine’s elderly program to cover more Maine seniors. The high cost of prescription drugs is harming our seniors, many of whom need this medicine to survive.

Finally, this budget prioritizes opioid addiction treatment services. A couple of months ago, I wrote about the innovative approach Biddeford and the surrounding communities are taking to combat substance use disorder. I am happy to report that the budget funds prevention efforts and eliminates red tape that prevents people from getting help. This includes $5.5 million from the Fund for a Healthy Maine (FHM) to support prevention efforts, increasing the weekly rate for medication-assisted treatment and eliminating the 24-month limit for medication-assisted treatment.

This budget will support working Mainers, families and homeowners. Mainers deserve to get the health care and property tax relief they need so that they can stay in their homes and stay healthy. I’m glad to help make sure that happens. The budget goes into effect with the new fiscal year. You can find more information about it at www.maine.gov/budget/.

— State Sen. Susan Deschambault, D-Biddeford, represents Senate District 32, which includes Alfred, Arundel, Biddeford, Dayton, Kennebunkport and Lyman.

 

 

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