After many long days and nights at the State House, I’m proud to report that at the beginning of April we accomplished one of our biggest goals: passing a supplemental budget that delivers for Maine’s working families. 

It’s often said that budgets are a reflection of our values. We heard from Mainers across the state, including right here in Gorham, who told us what this budget should look like – protecting access to critical services, providing property tax relief, and offsetting the rising costs of gas, electricity and groceries. 

I listened, and fought for a budget that will do the most amount of good for Gorham, and strengthen our community. 

The budget protects core services by providing critical funding for MaineCare, K-12 public education, and the state’s Highway Fund. It will help feed hungry kids by closing the gap in our universal meals program, and it will clear the Child Care Affordability Program waitlist so families can find the child care they need.

The budget also provides $11.4 million in direct property tax relief through the Property Tax Fairness Credit by increasing the maximum benefit for Mainers under 65. It includes important funding to help us build more housing and continue addressing the shortage of units throughout our state. 

For far too long, budgets have been balanced on the backs of those who can least afford it. During the LePage administration, taxes for the richest Mainers were slashed, shifting the burden onto working families and property taxpayers. As a state, we’re still bearing the consequences.  

To make our tax system more fair for working families, this supplemental budget includes another huge, hard-fought win: a tax on millionaires that will ensure the highest earners in our state pay their fair share. The new millionaires’ tax will only impact around 2,600 Mainers – less than 0.4% of all taxpayers – but it will go a long way to generate revenue that helps support the basic services that we all rely on. It is a major step forward to correct a longstanding injustice as we work to create a fair tax system that benefits us all.

Additionally, as a member of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, I am relieved to share that we included several crucial initiatives to protect the rights of all Mainers. We put millions toward funding public defense and civil legal aid to ensure access to justice, and support essential services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. 

Over the coming months, I look forward to providing more information about what we are doing on the state level and what other new initiatives and support are available in this budget. 

You can contact me by phone at 207-287-1430 or by email at Ellie.Sato@legislature.maine.gov. Please don’t hesitate to reach out, even just to introduce yourself or if you need assistance navigating state services. I can best represent Gorham by hearing directly about the issues you care about. 

Rep. Ellie Sato, D-Gorham, is serving her first term in the Maine House of Representatives and is a member of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee.