In the time I have spent serving the people of Aroostook County in the legislature, I have come to understand how residents in our communities can feel disconnected from the decisions made by elected leaders in Augusta; decisions that directly impact their lives. I hope to bridge that gap as best as I can by providing this monthly update to you.
First, you should know a little bit about me. I first lived in Fort Fairfield as a child, but have spent most of my life in Allagash. I am a logger and have spent my life fighting for folks who make their living working in the woods.
The challenges facing working people in Maine are not only policy issues for me, they are personal. I have led fights against illegal foreign labor taking our jobs away, and I have fought to ensure that we can reap the benefits of our natural resources. I believe that if we want to grow our economy, the ladder of success must be accessible for everybody, regardless of their circumstances.
This philosophy drives my agenda in Augusta. I am a member of the Senate’s leadership team now, having been elected assistant majority leader. I also chair the Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee – which is the committee most relevant to Aroostook farms, our logging industry, and our public lands, the three largest components of our economy. I plan to use these positions to drive an agenda that opens more doors to success for Aroostook residents.
Too many Mainers remain unemployed, underemployed or feel insecure about their current situation. Aroostook is one of only two counties in the state that lost population in the census, and it is becoming harder for our younger residents to find opportunities here. I often say no child should have to look at his hometown with sad eyes and know that its best days are behind it. Democrats have formed a new committee to recommend solutions to close the “skills gap;” this should result in programs that train workers in the types of skills employers are looking for in this economy.
This effort is tied to our educational system. We need to make Maine schools and classrooms the best learning environments they can be for our students. We do that by supporting our teachers and by providing our schools with the tools they need — and the money to acquire those tools. We get nowhere by pitting communities against communities and by talking down to our hardworking teachers and students.
Folks in Aroostook understand better than most how devastating the cost of health care and heating their homes can be. Loggers like my neighbors and family members understand that they could be one accident away from bankruptcy. These costs hurt businesses too. We must invest in energy efficiency, and fix our laws so that insurance companies can’t raise our rates just because we live in rural Maine.
Finally, we need to invest in infrastructure. This includes roads and bridges as well as research and development through the University of Maine system at campuses like Fort Kent and Presque Isle. Repairing our roads and bridges provides jobs right away, and research and development sets the foundation for future growth.
We have a lot to do, and I am not naïve enough to think that we can get it all done right away. But this agenda is what we aspire to. I’ve never backed down from a challenge in my life. I certainly won’t back down from an effort to provide opportunities rather than roadblocks for the working people I am proud to call my friends and neighbors in the place that we call our home.
Sen. Troy Jackson (D-Allagash) is serving his third term representing Aroostook County in the Maine Senate. In the Senate, he serves as assistant majority leader and as chair of the Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee. He can be reached at either 398-4081 (home) or 436-0763 (cell), or via e-mail at SenTroy.Jackson@legislature .maine.gov.
