As an entrepreneur who built a business right here in Maine, helping others do the same has been a top priority for me in my work at the State House.  

I believe that if we want to help Maine families who are struggling to get by, our best bet is to focus on giving our economy a boost. Too many hardworking people struggle to pay medical bills, keep a roof overhead and put food on the table.

In the coming months, I’ll be working with my colleagues in the Legislature to craft and pass a two-year budget. With the right priorities, we are in a position to make our state more prosperous and create better opportunities for hardworking Mainers. If we’re going to be successful as a state, we need a balanced, bipartisan budget that makes strategic investments in our future.

For economic growth and success looking ahead, the budget we pass needs to invest in education and training for Maine people. We have the chance to expand early childhood education initiatives, which we know are some of the best investments we can make in Maine kids — our state’s future business and community leaders. We can strengthen science, technology, engineering and math education, referred to as STEM, and expand technical training to help ensure Maine businesses have access to workers with the skills they need.

We can’t shortchange public schools, career training or our higher education system if we want a brighter future.

We also have the opportunity to invest in our infrastructure. That doesn’t just mean improving our roads and bridges, although their quality is crucial to the success of Maine businesses. It also means improving access to high-speed internet. Broadband is a necessary tool for our entrepreneurs to compete in today’s global economy and for our students to make the most of their educational opportunities.

That’s why I’m sponsoring a bill to protect the Maine School and Library Network, which provides high-speed internet access in schools and libraries across the state. I hope my colleagues will join me in making access to broadband a funding priority this session.

When it comes to laying the groundwork for a stronger economy, education and infrastructure are two of our most important priorities — but they’re by no means the only pieces of the puzzle. I’m also focused on providing property tax relief for working families, seniors and local businesses. That means preserving funding for our schools and local services so homeowners aren’t left footing the bill.

Maine people are hardworking, and have gotten our economy back on its feet. We have to continue to sensibly allocate resources to help Maine families who are struggling and also invest in the future of our workforce. We need to work to make Maine more prosperous for everyone who lives and works here. We can do that by investing in education, our infrastructure and yet keep more money in the pockets of Maine taxpayers, if we work together in a bipartisan manner.

Innovative Maine people are starting and growing businesses in Biddeford and across the state. These businesses and the people they employ are the key to supporting our growing economy. Let’s make them our priority by passing a budget that lays the foundation for their growth and success.

— Rep. Martin Grohman, D-Biddeford, is serving his second term in the Maine House. He represents House District 12, part of Biddeford.