OPINION | Government can and should work for the people

“The people we serve are neither line-items on a spreadsheet nor pawns to be used to score cheap political points. They are our neighbors, and those of us in public office are entrusted with working hard to get results for them.”

I recently attended an information session for candidates sponsored by providers who support Mainers with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism, and brain injuries. These folks have incredibly difficult jobs and are paid far too little. But they do the work anyway because they believe in helping individuals live their lives with dignity and respect, helping them meeting basic needs.

This resonated. I believe in the inherent dignity of every Mainer and how we are all connected in our efforts to achieve greater dignity in our own lives. And while politics often gets a bad rap, political work and public service at its best can help foster greater dignity and stronger communities.

**STATE REP. MARC MALON** | *Courtesy photo from the candidate*

I’m running for re-election because I believe government can and should work for people — not the other way around. The people we serve are neither line-items on a spreadsheet nor pawns to be used to score cheap political points. They are our neighbors, and those of us in public office are entrusted with working hard to get results for them.

And there is always more work to do.

For instance, we need to build more housing. The biggest cause of high housing prices is the fact that we do not have enough of it. Listen to any business owner, and they will tell you that housing affordability and attainability is their biggest challenge in finding workers. Listen to older Mainers looking to downsize, and they will tell you they can’t find affordable options nearby. And most people under 40 will tell you that the idea of home ownership seems out of reach.

We need to build more housing and also protect the affordable housing options we have, including mobile home park residents facing unreasonable and unaffordable hikes in their lot fees. To build that housing and fix up existing housing, we need workers in the trades. This is why supporting career and technical education like what we are seeing at the Biddeford Region Center of Technology is crucial, along with supporting union apprenticeships and strong labor standards which ensure that the work gets done right and on time.

The need for more housing connects directly to the issue of homelessness. Investing in permanent housing and also in shelter capacity keeps people off the street and helps them stabilize their lives. Cutting these supports would not only be cruel – it would make the problem far worse and increase public safety costs.

“Anyone who goes to Augusta
thinking they have all
the answers and can fix
things all on their own will fail.”
— Marc Malon

Progress on these issues requires leaders who know how to get results. It requires knowing how to identify stakeholders, how to collaborate, when to speak up, and – crucially – when to let others speak. Working with my colleagues, we made real progress on housing these past two years.

This approach is also how we reformed the school funding formula with a strong bipartisan vote. A number of us, including Democrats like me and Republicans from Washington County recognized that some communities, including Biddeford, were not getting their fair share of state funds for public education.

We constantly reminded our colleagues about it, leading the Education Committee to introduce legislation which will result in more than $1.3 million in additional funds for Biddeford Public Schools. We recognized the challenges we shared and worked together to address them.

Anyone who goes to Augusta thinking they have all the answers and can fix things all on their own will fail. To be effective, a legislator needs to be transparent with their constituents, to listen closely to their concerns, to work well with others, and also to understand that everyone will not always agree.

I’m proud that I’m able to seek common ground when it’s there and stand my ground in support of my principles and my community when it’s not.

Serving as your representative in Augusta is an immense honor and privilege. I ask for your vote this November so I can continue to work hard for Biddeford every single day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Rep. Marc Malon of Biddeford is serving his second term in the Maine House of Representatives and is running for re-election. He can be reached at marc@marcmalon.com.

NOTE: The Biddeford Gazette has offered each local legislative candidate the opportunity to submit two columns between now and Election Day, Nov. 3. These will be published in the order they are received.

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Biddeford Gazette, its staff, affiliates or sponsors. We encourage robust and diverse community conversations on topics related to the city of Biddeford. To submit your own letter or column, please CONTACT US

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