This time of year, the Legislature is fairly quiet and my work is largely focused on answering questions from constituents and helping folks in Biddeford connect to the resources they need.

It’s also a time to reflect on all we’ve accomplished over the last two years, including significant progress towards building a more fair economy that makes life easier for Maine families and allows everyone to reach their full potential. Our communities are stronger when we help lift our neighbors up.

Let’s start with supporting families. In 2021, thanks to the passage of an expanded child tax credit in the federal American Rescue Plan, child poverty in the United States dropped to 5.2%, a historic low. Unfortunately that expansion was temporary, causing low- and middle-income families who benefited from it to once again be left out. While Congress hasn’t been able to act, we decided to do something about it here in Maine. We created a $300 state child tax credit, putting money directly back into the pockets of working families. It’s not as substantial as the federal credit, but it will help folks who need it.

Every parent also knows how challenging child care can be. I’m writing this at the tail end of summer vacation, and these couple of weeks before school starts back up can be particularly challenging for working parents. That is why we’ve invested more than $70 million to make child care more available and affordable, helping to ease that burden.

Another pressure facing many Mainers is what is sometimes called the “care economy.” We know how much time and energy – both physical and emotional – goes into taking care of loved ones when they need it. Whether it’s a new baby, a sick child, or a sick parent, Mainers of all ages and income levels put in countless hours of work taking care of people that they are not compensated for. We do it because we have to, because we have an obligation to those we love. But we also know that far too often those responsibilities can make it difficult to earn a living. No one should have to choose between putting food on the table and caring for themselves or a loved one in need.

This is why, after months of hard work and negotiations, we established a paid family and medical leave benefits program last year. The program will be fully up and running in 2026. It will serve as a vital lifeline to those who need it, and it has the added benefit of keeping people in the workforce, which our economy desperately needs.

Speaking of workforce, we also enacted measures that will strengthen our workforce by expanding career pathways for more Mainers. This includes broadening free community college tuition and improving access to skills training for new workers. We also know that college isn’t right for everyone, but there are numerous opportunities in the trades, which also have a tremendous need for more workers. So we’re bolstering apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. In 2023, the number of people in Maine apprenticeship programs nearly doubled over 2022 – a promising sign that our investments are already showing results. In addition to that, investments like the $7 million Maine’s Department of Education has made to expand the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology will pay major dividends down the road.

Improving opportunities for people to work also requires us to protect workers’ rights. We passed laws to expand the ability of Maine workers to organize for greater dignity in the workplace through joining a union, to hold bad actors accountable for wage theft to ensure that workers are paid what they are owed, and to improve workers’ compensation if they are injured on the job. This will give more Mainers a fair shot at better working conditions and receiving the wages they deserve.

Together, these initiatives will build a stronger economy for all. But of course, there is still more we can and should do to improve conditions for working Mainers and grow an economy which works for everyone, not just the fortunate few. Rising property taxes and price gouging remain a challenge, as is our reliance on fossil fuels, which are subject to price volatility in reaction to world events.

I intend to keep working as hard as I can to make our state government work for people. As always, please feel free to reach out to me if you have any ideas, questions or concerns.

Rep. Marc Malon is serving his first term in the Maine House, representing a portion of Biddeford. He serves as a member of the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee and the Labor and Housing Committee. He can be reached at marc.malon@legislature.maine.gov.