Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

For six years I have introduced balanced budget proposals, and with the support of the Legislature, those budgets have sent historic amounts of money back to Maine schools, and to communities, and to Maine people to create the conditions for strong economic growth.

We’ve always ended every fiscal year in the black, but this year some higher costs and the leveling off of revenues have come together to produce a tougher than usual budget environment. Maine is not alone — many states, red and blue, across the country are facing the same budget challenges.

And like other states, our budget for Medicaid, which we call MaineCare, has a gap and it’s caused by four things: 1) the Federal government required us to keep people on MaineCare during and after the pandemic; 2) there’s been an uptick in the use of health care services as more people went back to the doctor after the pandemic; 3) there’s been an increase in the cost of those medical services because of inflation; and 4) there’s a practice called “cost reimbursement” which doesn’t allow the State to control costs – something we are trying to change.

So, last month, I introduced a supplemental budget to close the MaineCare budget gap quickly, using one-time funds that we’ve got on hand to fulfill our obligation to hospitals, nursing homes, and other providers. This proposal also included funding to spray forests in northern Maine to protect against spruce budworm. As you know, spruce budworm can destroy vast swaths of our forests if not addressed.

And the budget included much-needed reforms to General Assistance or GA.

You know GA was meant to be a short-term program of last resort – something to help people pay for food and basic necessities for a limited period of time. Something to help people when they fell on hard times while they got themselves back on their feet.

But right now, GA has consistently been over budget year after year by tens of millions of dollars, most of that money going to Portland. And it has turned into long-term housing support – something it was not meant to be.

Well, when the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee took up my supplemental budget, they made a couple changes to it. They always do.

They kept the emergency funding for MaineCare and spruce budworm spraying, but they removed the reform to GA, saying that those reforms could be discussed during the biennial budget discussions.

That’s not what I would have preferred, but I was okay with the changes because, most importantly, we need to make sure hospitals, nursing homes and others get paid as we keep the GA discussion going on.

After the Appropriations Committee made those changes, they advanced the supplemental budget with the support of three Republicans who were there.

But then Republicans changed their minds, saying that those reforms to General Assistance should be included now.

Some say they’ve moved the goalposts.

Well I agree we’ve got to return General Assistance back to its original purpose, but at the same time, putting the budgets, and the patients, of many health care providers in jeopardy by holding up the supplemental budget is not the way to do it.

If the supplemental budget doesn’t pass with bipartisan, two-thirds support, which would allow it to take effect immediately, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services will be forced to cap payments owed to health care providers next month.

We must provide stability for Maine’s hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care providers, and their patients who cannot afford disruptions and delays. We must also protect our forests.

Next week, lawmakers will return to Augusta to vote again on the supplemental budget. Both sides need to enact it with 2/3 support, bipartisan support, as an emergency bill so that it can take effect immediately upon my signature. I urge them all to get together and come to agreement on the supplemental budget.

This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

WHEREAS, the social work profession is dedicated to enhancing the lives and well-being of all people, including the most vulnerable among us; and

WHEREAS, this year’s Social Work Month theme, “Social Work: Compassion + Action,” embodies the fact that social workers go through years of education and training, so they have the skills and expertise to transform their care for others into action that brings positive results; and

WHEREAS, Maine’s maple sugarbush provides recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat, pulp and firewood, and forest management for the communities where they are located; and

WHEREAS, Maine produces more than 575,000 gallons of maple syrup annually, contributing an estimated $55 million to Maine’s economy; and

WHEREAS, this industry provides a sustainable source of income, over 800 full- and part-time jobs in rural Maine, and nearly $27 million in salaries; and

WHEREAS, the speaking of French is an expression and affirmation of a people's cultural identity; and

WHEREAS, the State of Maine is named after the Province of Maine in France, and the towns of Paris and Calais owe their names to the capital city of France and the French port city of Calais, respectively; and

WHEREAS, more than one third of the population of Maine is of French and Canadian descent and Franco-Americans in Maine have contributed much to the beauty and quality of this State; and

WHEREAS, cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among U.S. children and is detected in more than 15,000 of our country's sons and daughters every year; and

WHEREAS, the State of Maine has one of the highest rates of childhood cancer in the nation, with 60 Maine children diagnosed with cancer annually; and

WHEREAS, thanks to ongoing advances in research and treatment, the five-year survival rate for all childhood cancers has climbed from less than 50 percent to 80 percent over the last several decades; and

WHEREAS, the American Red Cross aspires to turn compassion into action, and Mainers – American Red Cross volunteers – help each other when we are in need; and

WHEREAS, in supporting the American Red Cross, Maine people have helped our neighbors get back on their feet after devastating mass casualty events, record-breaking storms and home fires; and

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

There are a lot of things on people's minds these days. One of those things is health care in general, but let's talk about oral health care in particular today. We know that that is so important, so key to our ability to do many important things.

It's important to eating, and drinking, and talking. Anybody who's had persistent dental issues knows that pain and discomfort can really affect your self-esteem, your ability to work or go to school, to study, and just your overall health and well-being.

But despite how important dental care is, many people still don't have access to affordable dental care. That includes some of our veterans. I've heard many stories. One Maine veteran had been wearing the same set of dentures since 1973, and they were completely worn out. Another Maine veteran was in severe pain from an abscessed tooth but just couldn't afford to go to the dentist.

As someone who grew up in a military family, I want to make sure that those who served us in uniform have access to health care they need -- the health care they deserve. So that's why in 2021, my administration launched the Maine Veterans Dental Network. We did this in partnership with Northeast Delta Dental and other dental and medical clinics around the state to provide dental services to Maine veterans who could not otherwise afford them.

In three years -- 2022, 2023, 2024 -- Northeast Delta Dental extended the program with grants, $600,000 in total. And then the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation also became a generous supporter, contributing more than $37,000 in grants over the last couple of years.

I'm proud that thanks to all those organizations and the Maine Bureau of Veterans Services, our Veterans Dental Network has provided dental care for nearly 1,500 veterans, including the two I just mentioned, as well as many other veterans who were able to see a dentist or dental hygienist for the first time since they left military service.

One Vietnam War veteran told our staff that the care he received "went above and beyond expectations," and that he "never would have been able to afford the services they provided without the grant."

This year, thanks to another generous $300,000 grant from Northeast Delta Dental, the Maine Veterans Dental Network will keep providing services for veterans in need. This new funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis for any Maine resident who is a veteran and who lacks dental insurance and can't afford to pay for dental care out of pocket.

The Veterans Dental Network has 23 different locations from Portland to Patten, places where veterans can get care. You may apply online by visiting maine.gov/governor/mills/veteransdental. That's maine.gov/governor/mills/veteransdental.

If you don't have access to the internet or if you know someone -- a veteran -- who doesn't have access to the internet, please call 207-287-6836. That's 287-6836, during normal business hours.

We're committed to making sure that every person in Maine can access health care services they need, and oral health care in particular. If you're a veteran, please visit our website or call that number to see if you're eligible for services through the Veterans Dental Network.

And I want to thank Northeast Delta Dental and the Maine Bureau of Veterans Services and the many participating clinics across the state who keep making this nationally recognized program possible. It's catching on across the country. And I thank again all Maine veterans for their service on behalf of our state and on behalf of our nation.

This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

WHEREAS, invasive species can destroy Maine’s lakes and rivers, native trees, forests, plants, and crops, impact the economy, pose risks to human health, impair infrastructure and impede transportation, water delivery systems, and energy production; and

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening. 

Well, the cost of living in much of America and here in Maine is just too high. The price of fuel, the cost of supplies, utilities, and labor have driven up expenses for Maine families and families across the country, and have driven up the budgets of just about every state in the country. 

The new president, as you remember, campaigned on bringing down the price of eggs, bread, heat, housing, and cars, something that I support doing. But I believe his decision to impose tariffs on our major trading partners will do just the opposite. It will drive up the cost of everyday goods that Maine people rely on, and drive up the costs of small businesses. 

On February 1st, the new president signed executive orders to impose a new 25% tariff on most imports from Canada and a 10% tariff on Canadian energy. You know, we have a 600-mile boundary with Canada, and it's our largest trading partner, and our economies are deeply intertwined. Last year alone, we traded more than $6 billion worth of goods and materials with Canada, most of that coming from Canada into Maine. And that trade helps many small businesses across Maine that produce things like potatoes, blueberries, lobsters, forest products, aircraft parts, housing, machinery. Businesses like Wyman's, Ready Seafood, Twin Rivers, Eimskip, for example, are all deeply connected to Canada. 

Maine businesses and Maine people rely on Canada also as a major source of energy, from heating fuel, to gasoline, to natural gas, and electricity; more than 80% of Maine's heating fuel and gasoline is imported from Canada. And of course, we have no fossil fuel reserves of our own. Irving Oil from New Brunswick warned customers across New England this week that if the president's tariffs on Canada are enacted, they will increase prices. Maine's economy is most deeply intertwined with Canada's, but will also be significantly impacted by tariffs on China and Mexico because Maine trades more than $315 million worth of goods and materials with China and more than $165 million worth of goods and materials with Mexico each year. 

The President has claimed these other countries will somehow pay these new tariffs, but the reality is that the increased costs will be paid by Maine people. When Maine businesses have to pay higher tariffs to import materials, they need, or building supplies, or to export their finished products, they will be forced to pass those costs along to Maine consumers at a time when we can least afford it. The president's new import tariffs could clearly result in higher prices on everything from fruits and vegetables, to flat screen TVs, to auto parts. And it will cause an estimated loss of more than $1,200 dollars annually in purchase power for the typical United States household. 

The day the president's tariffs were set to go into effect, he decided suddenly to delay them for 30 days. This temporary reprieve may seem like some sort of relief, but what happens less than 30 days from now? The continued uncertainty and instability is what hurts businesses and people across the country and across the State of Maine. I've already seen the price of gas go up just in the last week, traveling around the state, at a time when we can ill afford it. 

The president acknowledged that Americans "may feel some pain" as a result of these new tariffs he wants to impose. To me, that's a betrayal of the many people who believed that he would work to lower prices and bring down the cost of living, not increase it. 

I certainly hope that after this 30 day delay, he makes up his mind not to pursue tariffs, which are taxes, basically, that will hurt Maine people and Maine small businesses in particular, and that he instead chooses to work with Congress to bring down the costs for all American people and American families. 

This is Governor Janet Mills. Thank you for listening. 

WHEREAS, Black History Month, previously known as Negro History Week, was founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson and first celebrated on February 1, 1926; and

WHEREAS, since 1976, it has become a nationally recognized month-long celebration held to acknowledge and pay tribute to the contributions made by African Americans to the history of our country that for years were omitted by society and history books; and