Being around town again offers a great opportunity for me to meet with folks in the community. Over the past week, I’ve started touring and observing Portland Public Schools. I look forward to sharing my experiences with you soon!

Community Event
On Saturday, May 15th, I had the pleasure of joining residents of Franklin Towers for their annual elders’ dinner. It was wonderful to re-connect with many residents and talk to the two senior citizens being honored. I found it interesting what residents were asking me about: public safety in and around Cumberland Avenue, the circuit breaker rent rebate, and social security disability insurance. This picture shows me with a resident.

Also on Saturday, I was the speaker at Kennebec Valley Community College’s 40th commencement. I was honored to speak to the 494 graduates – the largest class in KVCC’s history! I cannot express how gratifying it was to witness first-hand Maine’s higher education system achieving the results our state needs. Too often in the Education Committee, we focus on the challenges facing our higher education system. KVCC’s commencement highlighted all that we are doing right. You can read my speech below:

“Good morning KV students! I am not the first choice for keynote speaker today! Yes, I am the second pick. The first choice was Glenn Cummings, a fellow Portlander, former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, and current Deputy Assistant for Vocational and Adult Learning at the Department of Education in Washington, DC. Why do I tell you this? Because, at the end of the day, it is not who gets the first call, whose résumé is incredible, or even what title follows your name. When we let go of our egos and our pride, we realize that what truly matters are what values we emulate and what we do with opportunities presented to us. What matters is if you answer the call.”

Click here to read the rest of the speech.

Health Care Reform Opportunities and Implementation (HCROI)
On April 22nd, the Governor issued an executive order to study how Maine will implement the National Health Care law. The purpose of the Joint Select Committee on Health Care Reform Opportunities and Implementation is to prepare Maine to assure coherency and collaboration between state agencies and private businesses, and to maximize Medicaid and other federal programs.

I am proud that Portland will have two voices on this committee: Committee Chair Senator Brannigan and myself. I will report back to you over the next few months. We are meeting for the first time in Augusta today.

Click here for the committee’s website.

Question 3 – Transportation Bond
Last week, I talked about Question 2, one of the four bond questions on this June’s ballot. This week, I’ll highlight Question 3, a transportation bond to improve roads and ports.

The largest part of this bond will go to highway reconstruction and paving, coming in at $24.8M. These investments will make our roads more structurally sound and fill in the potholes that can damage a car. Portland will see $6.5M to build a mega-berth at the Ocean Gateway Terminal, increasing cruise ship capacity and tourism while creating jobs. Another $500,000 will go to the Small Harbor Improvement Program.

The final piece of this bond is the most well-publicized. If approved, it would authorize $16M to purchase railroad lines in Aroostook County and improve other existing lines. This investment will not only save jobs and industry in one of the poorest regions of our state, but will also put us in a much better position to implement statewide high-speed rail for commuters and freight. This is a vision I have supported for a long time, and I am excited to see it on the ballot this June.

There are critics of Question 3. Some believe it is not appropriate for the State to purchase a private rail line to keep industry alive. Others question the decision to include the mega-berth in the bond, and some question the amount of money we are dedicating to paving and reconstructing roads. I voted for the bond package in the Senate because I believe all three pieces of this bond put people back to work, are financially sound, and promote economic development.

Click here to read a Mainebiz story about the MM&A rail line.
Click here to read an MPBN report about the bond.

Closing
As always, I’d love to hear what you have to say. Just reply to this email and let me know what you think!

-Justin