Serving in the Maine Legislature has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I was first elected to the Maine House of Representatives back in 1974, and I served there and in the Senate until 1986. The good people of Aroostook County saw fit to send me back to the statehouse as their senator in 2016. By then, I understood the full weight of the trust and responsibility they were handing to me.
While I’m proud of the work I was able to accomplish in my time in Augusta, voters this year have chosen someone else to represent them in the state Senate. Election season was particularly hard on all of us this year, regardless of your political leanings, and I want to extend my sincere congratulations to Trey Stewart for his win. Voting is one of the most sacred rites in our democracy; listening to the will of voters is the duty of all elected officials, regardless of the outcome.
I’m proud to say I’m a lifelong Mainer and Aroostook County resident. I grew up right here, the son of a potato farmer. I attended college at the University of Maine in Orono before joining the Army. Like every veteran, my time in the military shaped who I am today. For my entire time in public service, my top priorities have been standing up for folks back home and making sure government is truly working for everyday people. Even as I wrap up my time in the statehouse, that won’t change.
The people of Maine are staring down a crisis the likes of which none of us could have predicted. But the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the things we’ve been fighting for all along — stable, responsive government; affordable, quality health care; school environments that let kids learn and thrive; access to high-speed internet — are all vitally important. My colleagues in the Legislature and I did a lot of good work over the past few years on these fronts. We took on big pharmaceutical companies to make sure consumers and patients are protected. We made it easier for kids to get healthy, filling meals at school so they can learn and grow. We invested in broadband infrastructure so rural towns across Maine are ready for high-speed internet connections. We increased revenue sharing and education funding to help lower your property taxes. We took a hard look at certain state departments and programs, to figure out where we needed to either cut red tape or create more oversight.
Still, more work needs to be done. As a member of the Economic Recovery Committee, I worked with people from around the state to help lay out a path for Maine to help our business community stay afloat through the pandemic and be in a good position to grow again once the public health crisis has passed. It’s not an easy answer; there’s no silver bullet for this problem. It will be a long road to recovery, but after having input from so many experts and industry leaders, I’m confident in the recommendation our committee set forth. You can read our report and more about the work we did here: www.maine.gov/future/initiatives/economy/economic-recovery-committee.
I want to assure you that just because I won’t be in the statehouse anymore starting in December, that doesn’t mean I won’t still be here for you. My guiding principles are the same, and the dedication to my neighbors that led me to run for office in the first place is as strong as it’s ever been. So if you ever need help with anything, or if you want to know how I feel about a certain issue, or even if you just want to shoot the breeze, I’m still around. You can reach me at (207) 532-8197.
In the meantime, I hope you and your family have a happy, safe, healthy Thanksgiving. Thank you again for placing your trust in me for so many years. I’m grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve you all.
Sen. Mike Carpenter, D-Houlton, represents Maine Senate District 2, which consists of central and southern Aroostook County and part of Penobscot County.
