Maine's children deserve the best public education possible, and I will always fight for legislation that puts our kids first. That's why I worked to pass a strong bipartisan budget that prioritizes education, putting millions more into our public schools and ensuring our teachers are paid at least $40,000 annually. Importantly, our budget also provided much needed property tax relief, because the last thing working families need is an ever-growing tax bill. 

We passed legislation to keep children safer on school buses, prevent the practice of "food shaming," and helped families through an expansion of Maine’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a tax credit that benefits low-income Maine workers by building on the federal EITC program. Nationwide, researchers say the EITC lifts more children from poverty than any other federal program. Children in families that receive an EITC are healthier and do better in school. In addition, the program reduces the need for public assistance and promotes wage growth for women.