Not impressed with voting record
To the editor:
Regarding his voting record in Augusta Mike Willette states that, “I take that responsibility very seriously.” His 95.3 percent record during the 125th Legislature is an improvement over his 85.3 percent in the previous session, but it is still below the vast majority of his colleagues. His voting record is in the bottom 25 percent of the entire House; 111 members voted more often than he did. All of the Aroostook County Representatives managed to show up and vote more often than Willette did.
When Rep. Willette did show up to vote, he often voted against the best interests of his constituents. He voted for an insurance rate hike bill which punishes older, rural residents with higher premiums than young, urban residents. Businesses in Aroostook County are seeing double-digit increases in insurance costs to pay for decreases for businesses in southern Maine. The bill also taxes everyone who has insurance to cover the costs of insuring the people insurance companies deem too expensive to insure. It removed state oversight of rate increases.
Willette voted against increasing the minimum wage and against an increase in the earned income tax credit which would have lowered taxes for working families. He voted against increasing broadband Internet access and downtown revitalization. He voted to allow companies that hire foreign labor to enjoy tax breaks.
Results of his poor voting record are that, while the rest of New England enjoyed a 1.8 percent economic growth, Maine’s economy shrank .04 percent and Maine lost 1,300 jobs.
Although he is showing up a little more often to vote, Willette is still often missing. When he does show up he is not voting for the interests of Aroostook County, the middle class, or small business. He is voting for the interests of large corporations and southern, urban Maine. I urge you to join me in November in voting for someone who will vote more often and vote in the interests of the people of Presque Isle.
I will be voting for Bob Saucier.
Richard Ayre
Presque Isle
