Gov. Janet Mills delivered her State of the State address at the end of January, and one phrase still stands out to me. Our governor, the woman who raised taxes and, to my mind, tanked our education system, kept telling her constituents “you’re welcome.” After touting policy nonsense, she insultingly declared “you’re welcome,” multiple times.

Mills claimed she grew Maine’s economy. While she has been governor, home prices in Maine have soared, taxes have gone up, and grocery costs for families have increased. Mills claimed to be a protector of women and girls in her speech, yet she continues to fight for trans girls to compete in girls’ sports, use their bathrooms and change in their locker rooms. Mills prioritized immigrants by giving taxpayer-funded health care to pregnant women, with or without citizenship, and limiting state and local law enforcement from working with federal agents. She called for universal health care and to implement radical policies that would only make our already-high energy bills even higher.

But the governor kept saying, “you’re welcome,” as if these are initiatives that Mainers are grateful for. What we would appreciate from her is lower costs, better schools and safer communities. 

The speech Mills gave was a campaign stump speech, not that of a serious governor. Mainers deserve a senator who values independence and will put people over party. As a senator, Mills would undoubtedly side with Chuck Schumer over Mainers on every issue. We need a senator who speaks for us, not for their base and its leaders.

My response to Janet, then? No thanks.

Rep. Jim Thorne
Carmel

Editor’s note (March 18): The writer’s signature has been updated to reflect that he is a sitting state representative.