Snow was still collecting on the pine trees as I headed back to Augusta last week to represent Biddeford and begin our work in the Legislature for the year. The State of Maine works off a two-year budget, and much of our work in the upcoming session will be budget related. Because of this long time span, it is inevitable that revenues will trend above or below projections, and programs will cost more or less than anticipated. The Legislature handles these variations with a supplemental budget, making adjustments to programs and initiatives. While finances dominate the mid-winter session, there are other high-profile topics that will also need to be addressed. I don’t anticipate getting a lot of sleep between now and April.

Although the legalization of marijuana is highly problematic, there is no way to avoid the issue after eighty years of total prohibition. Without the normalization of retail sales as passed by the voters in 2016, illicit markets are the only source of supply and they will continue to expand. Sales on the illicit market have zero safety standards, zero pesticide control, zero labeling, create incentives for criminal activity, and don’t produce a penny in tax revenue to fund substance use programs, which is where I’d like to see the bulk of new tax revenue directed.

The issue of property taxes remains front and center for me. As state revenue sharing has been cut, municipalities have been forced to raise property taxes to maintain basic services and schools. Cities and towns have limited ways to raise new revenue to cover their costs. Property taxes tend to be paid by long term, older homeowners and by small businesses. We must find a solution to this crisis.

I remain, as I have said before in this column, very interested in the link between our county jails and the workforce shortage. This has property tax implications as well, since county jails are primarily funded by property taxes. By working together, we can help people get back on their feet, stop the revolving door, and cut costs at the same time. I am honored to have the chance to work with Sheriff Bill King and the York County Commissioners on this opportunity.

I have also submitted two new pieces of legislation that I’ll be working to advance. One will encourage company conversions to employee ownership. This helps keep businesses in Maine. As owners reach retirement age and look to sell, if they can sell to their employees instead of to someone from away, the business is more likely to stay local.

The other proposed measure will allow police departments greater flexibility in how they use money seized in drug busts. This would allow a police department to dedicate money for substance use treatment case management programs, including those run by another agency. Making it easier for law enforcement agencies to work together and collaborate is a long-term theme of my legislative work.

The Medicaid expansion is an enormous issue that was overwhelmingly voted into law by citizen initiative over the objections of the Governor. The expansion would allow about 70,000 low-income, childless adults to access health insurance. If you have read my previous column on the issue, you know that I believe the expansion will pay for itself by flooding non-profit hospitals with federal money, lowering state employee health insurance premiums, keeping the sick out of emergency rooms, and raising new taxable revenue. The citizens of Maine have voted for this bill and it is now up to the Legislature to implement in the most efficient way possible. Rising health care costs are a massive problem and we have to attack it.

The legislature will also be spending time on a constitutional initiative known as Marsy’s Law, or the crime victims bill of rights. Most people agree with the constitutional ideals that, “a person is innocent proven guilty,” and “If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you.” These legal tenets are the core to the American legal system and the foundations of our country.

Marsy’s Law would provide similar supports for crime victims. It imposes greater notice requirements on courts and police departments to inform crime victims on the progress of the investigation and the status of the various suspects – whether and how they have been detained, where they are located, and so forth. When you are the victim of a crime, the last thing you want to see is your alleged assailant out on bail, or in the grocery store. However, we are innocent until proven guilty, and some in the law enforcement community have raised legitimate concerns that Marsy’s Law could impede active investigations and create privacy problems.

If you haven’t heard about this topic, you most likely will soon. Anything that requires changes to the Maine Constitution to needs to go to referendum, and this measure will very likely be before you to consider in November. I hope it warms up by then.

One of the reasons I declared my independence from the two party system was to make sure that I could focus on interests of ordinary citizens, rather than on party agendas. I hope that my position as an independent legislator, together with the six other independent legislators, will allow us to tip the balance in the legislature towards tax relief and economic opportunity. As always, I encourage you to reach out to me directly, whether in person, by e-mail, or social media. It is an honor to carry your direction to Augusta.

Rep. Martin Grohman is an Independent State Representative serving his second term in the Maine Legislature and is a member of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. He represents part of Biddeford. Outside the legislature, Marty hosts a podcast for Maine entrepreneurs and businesspeople called The Grow Maine Show. Find it on Apple Podcasts and Google Play, and sign up for legislative updates at www.growmaine.com or facebook.com/repgrohman or call 283-1476.