Rep. Marc Malon offers his latest monthly column
By REP. MARC MALON (D-Biddeford)
Affordability isn’t just some buzzword, nor the latest political fad or a hoax. It is a core concern of Biddeford residents and Mainers throughout our state, and it has been for years.. We’ve all witnessed how even folks with solid middle class jobs and good incomes have struggled with the high cost of housing, health care, child care, electricity, heating oil and more. Making it easier for hard-working people to get ahead and afford to live life with dignity is at the core of my legislative work.
Of course, not all of the factors which influence affordability are within the Maine Legislature’s control. We cannot control when an impetuous and unaccountable president levies tariffs. We cannot control the global prices of fossil fuels – natural gas, for instance, is the leading driver of our high electrical costs. Global instability and chaos in Washington, D.C., are unfortunately impacting the cost of basic goods and services in Maine.
But that doesn’t mean we are helpless – there are things we can do in Augusta to lower costs and their impacts on our community. I am blessed to be part of a team of legislators who are focused on finding real solutions to make life more affordable. This work does not always draw headlines – sadly, in this political environment, there are too many incentives for politicians to act outrageously to garner attention. I’d rather work collaboratively to solve problems big and small, even if doing so means flying under the radar.
As anyone who has read this column knows, one of the most important issues to me is housing – it costs too much to buy a home, it costs too much to maintain homeownership and it costs too much to rent. Some of this is due to our lack of supply. We need to build more housing of all types for people of all income levels if we want to put downward pressure on prices. This session I am supporting measures that would increase the development of affordable housing and reduce the cost of purchasing a home for first-time homebuyers.
Additionally, I am working in my committee on efforts to reform regulatory burdens on housing construction to ensure that our regulations make sense, protect people where needed and allow builders and property owners to create more units.
I am also closely following the work of two committees working on issues which have a direct impact on Biddeford: the Education Committee and the Taxation Committee. The Education Committee is working on legislation to reform the school funding formula. This is sorely needed, because the current formula – to be blunt – screws over Biddeford. We are one of the higher-poverty school districts in the state, yet we are a low-receiver of state funding. This is a fundamental inequity which hurts students and families of all income levels in Biddeford, and it needs to be fixed. I have vocally advocated for this change, amplifying the excellent advocacy of Superintendent Jeremy Ray and our local elected officials.
The Taxation Committee is reviewing recommendations aimed at lowering the cost of property taxes, which continue to be a huge burden on residents. Cities like Biddeford are required to assess property and levy taxes within a certain percentage of property values, and that becomes a problem when a grossly overheated real estate market inflates those values beyond reason. I will support efforts to expand property tax relief, but I also will continue to fight for more structural reforms.
Biddeford is constrained by the Maine Constitution, which does not allow flexibility in how these taxes are levied. We will likely need a constitutional amendment in order to allow them to give more grace to longtime residents and make wealthy second-homeowners pay a little bit more because they can afford to. If none of this is on the table this session, I plan to introduce it myself in the next one.
These are just some of the things we are doing to address affordability in Maine and here in Biddeford. There are other important things we can do to support workers, such as raising teacher salaries, and I will look at anything we can do to help. Some politicians, including the current Republican leadership in the House and Senate, would rather make noise and grab headlines by demonizing immigrants and supporting President Trump’s unpopular tax policies. I’m more interested in working with others – from both sides of the aisle – on solutions.
Let’s roll up our sleeves and get this done.
__________________
ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Rep. Marc Malon is serving his second term in the Maine House representing a portion of Biddeford. He serves as a member of the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee and the Housing and Economic Development Committee. He can be reached via email at marc.malon@legislature.maine.gov.
Never miss an update! Subscribe for free today
THE BIDDEFORD GAZETTE | A Legacy of Trusted, Independent Journalism
Our editorial standards and policies: Biddeford Gazette | Standards & Policies
© 2026 Biddeford Gazette, Inc. All Rights Reserved
BIDDEFORD GAZETTE 