It’s tax season. As W-2s and 1099s begin to hit mailboxes, I know that all of us are starting to think about our tax dollars and what we’re giving to our local, state and federal governments. As the state representative for Arundel, Dayton and part of Lyman, I have been working hard to make sure that your tax dollars are used responsibly and that your state government is working just as hard as you are.

I hope that when you check your mailbox this month you won’t just see tax documents, but that you’ll also see a check from Maine’s state treasurer. Thanks to bipartisan legislation that I helped to pass last year, 310,000 Maine households will receive a check to provide direct property tax relief. As long as you have filed for Maine’s Homestead Tax Exemption, you should receive one of these checks this spring.

These checks from the state treasurer are not the only way that Augusta is returning your tax dollars to you, we also have worked to expand the Property Tax Fairness Credit. This year, thanks to an increase in eligibility, roughly 36,000 Maine households will receive a larger tax credit. If you are having trouble applying for any of these resources, don’t hesitate to ask for help. CA$H Maine, a coalition of 50 Maine-based organizations, can help you file your taxes and determine your eligibility for some of these exemptions. For more information, visit: www.cashmaine.org.

Your government in Augusta is not just giving back tax dollars to you, we’re also supporting local municipalities through increases in revenue sharing. Revenue sharing goes directly toward funding critical local services, like our emergency responders, and it reduces our property tax burden. The bipartisan budget that we approved last spring directed $73,223 in new revenue to Arundel, $20,556 to Dayton and $42,748 to Lyman. This will make a significant difference for our municipal budgets.

In my hometown of Arundel, I know that this added revenue will make a big difference as we begin to construct a new municipal building for our community. It also will support added revenue for critical community organizations, like the Goodwins Mills Fire Department. Over the past few years, revenue sharing has been reduced and reconfigured. I’m glad that the legislature has made the decision to increase support for this important program.

It can be frustrating to see dollar after dollar flow out of your paycheck to government coffers in Washington or Augusta, but understand that your state tax dollars are working for you right here in our community. From school funding to transportation infrastructure and property tax relief, state government is making every dollar count.

This month, I’m back in Augusta to continue my work in the Legislature. You may not agree with every vote that I cast or every speech that I make, but know that I’m always working to make sure that our community is being supported.

Henry Ingwersen, D-Arundel, is serving his first term in the Maine State Legislature. He represents Arundel, Dayton and part of Lyman.

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