The 128th Maine Legislature is underway, and much of my time is spent in Augusta these days. It is a true honor to once again have the opportunity to serve the people of York County and to be your voice in the Maine Senate.

The Legislature is expected to be in session until June of this year. This is the longer of the two legislative sessions in the two-year cycles in which we serve.

To say we have a lot of important work in front of us is an understatement. Before we adjourn, my fellow lawmakers and I will have to agree on a budget to fund state government for the next two years. This needs to happen before the next fiscal year begins on July 1.

The governor this month submitted his budget proposal. Now it will go in front of numerous legislative committees which will hold public hearings on it. In order to pass, it will likely need a two-thirds majority in both the Maine House and Senate. Like the previous legislative cycle, coming to agreement will not be easy, as we once again have divided government with a Republican governor, a Democrat-controlled House and a Republican-led Senate. Cynics of the process have often said that no state budget is complete until everyone is somewhat unhappy with it, meaning no one is going to get everything they want. I believe this is true, but I am also confident that we, as elected officials, can ultimately put our partisan differences aside and produce a budget that serves the people of Maine.

In addition to the budget, we have approximately 2,000 bills to consider. Many of them are related to the some of the referendum questions that passed last November. Even though these measures were approved by voters, the Nov. 8 vote is not necessarily the final say; under Maine law, they are statutes that can be (and in some cases, I believe should be) amended by the Legislature.

For example, under the marijuana legalization law voters approved, it would be legal for people under the age of 21 to possess the drug. I don’t believe that was the intention of most of those who voted in favor of legalization. There are also a number of public safety and workplace marijuana issues that need to be addressed.

Mainers also voted in favor of increasing funding for public education. As a former teacher, I am very much in favor of more school funding, but the mechanism for raising the money, I believe, is flawed. It calls for a new 3 percent tax increase on Maine households making more than $200,000, creating the highest tax bracket in the nation. While some believe we are “taxing the rich,” many of those affected will be small businesses that provide jobs in this state and struggle, themselves, to make ends meet.

We also raised the minimum wage. This was another well-intentioned, voter-approved referendum question, but it is already creating a number of problems. A recent news report detailed the story of a York County restaurant owner who is cutting back hours for her employees and is worried about whether her business will be able to survive.

I believe we can respect the will of the voters but make necessary changes to all of these laws to protect the public and our economy.

Addressing the state’s opioid drug crisis will also be a top priority for lawmakers. I am sponsoring a number of bills on this issue that are aimed at treatment for drug addicts.

Once again, I will be the chair of the Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. Making electricity costs more affordable for businesses and residents should be one of our top priorities, and I am confident we can make progress on this front. I am also sponsoring legislation to expand the use of solar power in Maine.

In addition, I will also be serving on the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee.

As I indicated before, we have our work cut out for us. It promises to be an interesting legislative session, and I look forward to the days ahead. 

— To contact Sen. David Woodsome, R-Waterboro, about a legislative issue, call 287-1505, or email david.woodsome@legislature.maine.gov.