By Sen. Harold “Trey” Stewart III

Maine people have paid enough for Augusta’s excuses. When state government spends beyond its means, you get the bill. When an expensive policy fails, you are told to give it more time. Then, when the same problems come back, so does the request for more of your money.

Hello, this is Senate Republican Leader Trey Stewart of Aroostook County with this week’s Republican Radio Address.

Over the past several weeks, my Republican colleagues have discussed electricity costs, taxes, education, public safety and the state budget. These issues affect whether people can afford to live here and whether they feel confident about their future in Maine.

Taken together, those policy discussions make a pretty straightforward case for change. Legislative Democrats have spent years defending their policies and asking taxpayers to finance them. Maine people have every right to look at the results and say they expect better.

Start with the budget. Before asking people who are already stretched thin to pay more, Augusta needs to account for the money it already spends. Independent audits and stronger oversight would help identify waste, but lawmakers also have to act on what they find. If a program cannot justify its cost, continuing to fund it should not be the default.

Responsible budgeting protects services for people who need them most. It also gives us room to let working Mainers keep more of what they earn.

Electricity costs deserve the same scrutiny. Republicans have repeatedly proposed rolling back costly solar subsidies and expanding access to hydropower. Those proposals should be judged by whether they can lower bills and provide reliable electricity. Families and businesses should not have to keep paying for policies simply because the politicians who passed them refuse to admit they need to change.

In our schools, we need to get the fundamentals right. Students need strong instruction in reading, writing and math, and parents need clear information about how their children are doing. When a child falls behind, help needs to come quickly. A student struggling to read cannot afford to lose another school year while adults debate the next plan.

Public safety requires follow-through, too. Law enforcement officers need effective tools to do their jobs, and victims deserve to know their safety matters. We can give people a fair chance to turn their lives around while still holding them responsible for their actions.

There is nothing unreasonable about these expectations. People want to afford their bills, send their children to good schools and feel safe in their communities. They want their kids to have a reason to stay in Maine and a realistic chance to build a life here. State government ought to make those things easier.

Changing direction will take work, and some of the decisions will be difficult. Republicans are prepared to defend spending that delivers results and challenge spending that does not. We will work with anyone who takes these problems seriously, but we will also keep pressing for answers when Maine people are being asked to pay more without seeing any improvement.

I’m 32, and like a lot of young people in Maine, I want to build my future here. I want more people my age to see that opportunity for themselves, too. Whether you’re 32 or 82, it’s clear the policies coming out of Augusta are making your life harder. We’re at a crossroads. We cannot keep following the same policies of the last eight years and expect life here to become more affordable.

There is every reason to believe in Maine’s future. We have the people, the work ethic and the determination to move this state forward. Republicans are ready to bring that same determination to Augusta and lead the way.

Again, this is Senate Republican Leader Trey Stewart. Thank you for listening, and make sure to follow Maine Senate Republicans on Facebook, Instagram and X.

Senator Harold “Trey” Stewart III represents District 2, which includes communities in Aroostook and Penobscot counties. He is the Senate Republican Leader and a member of the Legislative Council.