AUGUSTA, Maine – House Speaker Glenn Cummings announced Dec. 21 his choices for chairmen to lead the 123rd Maine Legislature’s 17 joint standing committees. Third term State Representative Jeremy R. Fischer (D-Presque Isle) was named chairman of the Legislature’s Influential Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs, which is responsible for the state’s budget each year.
Fischer is a Presque Isle native who returned to the area to run for the Legislature in 2002 after graduating Summa cum laude from the University of Michigan. In addition to his service in the Legislature, Fischer also attends the Maine School of Law part-time and works part-time at Bemis & Rossignol, LLC, a law office in Presque Isle.
At 26, Fischer is the youngest chairman of a committee in the Legislature and one of the youngest ever to chair the Legislature’s top committee. He is the first chairman of the Appropriations Committee from Aroostook County in half a century.
In Fischer’s first term in the Legislature (2003-2004), now-Speaker Cummings was Fischer’s chairman on the Education Committee. The two quickly became allies on education issues ranging from school funding to creating the community college system.
“As the House Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, I think Rep. Fischer will bring a lot of energy and a willingness to work across the aisle and find bipartisan solutions,” said Cummings. “Rep. Fischer served on the Education Committee when I was chair, so I know him well. I feel that he has the ability to be a leader on the Appropriations Committee.”
Fischer said his highest priority for the Appropriations Committee in the coming session is funding for various education programs.
“I learned growing up in northern Maine that every child deserves an equal opportunity in life, no matter where they come from or who their parents are. Education is the great equalizer in our society,” he said. “These are bread and butter issues both in my district and across the state – parents want to be sure that their kids get the best education possible so they can have the broadest opportunities possible. The state budget plays a pivotal role for these families.”
The Appropriations Committee is co-chaired by Sen. Peggy Rotundo of Lewiston and begins work on the Governor’s proposed budget in early January.
