Presented by Sen. Jeff Timberlake

Hello, I’m Senator Jeff Timberlake. I represent Senate District 17 in Androscoggin and Kennebec Counties. I’m here to talk to you this week about what’s going on in state government.

I got involved in politics over 15 years ago when I first got into the Legislature. As you see, I’m a farm boy — born and raised on a farm — eighth-generation farmer from the State of Maine. And why did I get involved in politics when I got all this work to do?

It’s because the government was taking my rights away. The government was affecting my business, and my grandfather taught me a long time ago I could either complain about the problem or do something — and the only way I was going to do something was to get involved.

Remember, we have to deal with the rest of the United States. We’re all one economy and we have to be able to compete. And yet, Maine energy costs have gone through the roof.

Lowering energy costs for Mainers

One of the problems that I see — and I have been against it since day one, the first time it came up — is Net Energy Billing. Republicans have fought very hard to remove Net Energy Billing. We’ve still got hope that it can happen. There’s still one bill hanging out there that we know we’d pass if we were in charge. We’re going to try to do our job by convincing the other side that they need to join us in removing Net Energy Billing because it’s one of the biggest costs to the people of the State of Maine.

An example of what Net Energy Billing is costing you as a ratepayer is $284 million a year. That’s what Net Energy Billing is adding to your power bill in Maine. If you’re not generating any power from solar, you’re paying that $284 million in your electric bill.

Everybody gets to pay it — whether you’re a business, whether you’re a private individual, whether you’re a small country mom-and-pop store — you have to pay for this program. One of the things we as Republicans are trying to do is get that last bill across the line to lower electricity costs for everyone.

Cutting red tape

We’ve got some other things we need to do throughout the system — some other bills that need to pass. The good news is that I had a bill this year to allow businesses to share their space in restaurants that we did get through. It’s a good business bill that allows businesses to do what they want, gets government out of your back pocket and lets you make your own decisions on what you want to do.  

Supporting Maine agriculture

Some of the other things that need to happen here in Augusta are policies that support small, rural agriculture. My farm is a small agricultural family farm. I put in a bill this year on behalf of the Farm Bureau to allow farmers to buy health insurance through the Tennessee plan.

The bill has been carried over. It passed in the Senate, and it’s being held over in the House. We’re going to work very hard with the House to get it off the table in the upcoming year and move that bill forward. The bill would allow all farmers and their employees to buy insurance through the Farm Bureau, and it would save thousands of dollars a year for very good health insurance policies. I look forward to working with the other side of the aisle to get this bill across the finish line because it will help preserve small, rural agriculture in the State of Maine.

A Republican vision for a freer Maine

So, we’re looking forward — we’ve got some positive things that can happen. I thank you for joining us here today and I look forward to talking with you in the future, telling you where we’re headed, what we’re trying to do and why we as Republicans want to make Maine a freer and better place for all Maine citizens. Have a great weekend.

Senator Jeff Timberlake represents District 17, which includes communities in Androscoggin and Kennebec counties. He is the Senate Republican Lead for the Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, and a member of the Government Oversight Committee.

Text edited for clarity and brevity.