Senator David LaFountain: The first business heating relief in Augusta

In the midst of Maine’s winter season, many people in our state are struggling to stay warm due to rising home heating and energy costs. I heard from countless residents of our district about their needs, and I am proud to say that the Legislature has provided bipartisan relief.

This was a very important piece of legislation for us to pass, and it sets a hopeful tone for me as I begin my term as your state senator. Governor Janet Mills signed into law LD 3, the Emergency Winter Energy Assistance Program. One of the largest provisions in this measure would send $450 relief checks to more than 800,000 Maine taxpayers. Individuals making less than $100,000 and couples making less than $200,000 on their 2021 state tax return will qualify for relief.

LD 3 includes critical funding for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and emergency fuel assistance, both administered by community action agencies such as the Kennebec Valley Community Action Program. To find out if you qualify for these benefits, contact KVCAP at 207-622-4761. In addition, this package boosts funding for the Emergency Housing Assistance Fund to keep Mainers in their homes this winter. Learn more about the comprehensive aid package here.

Please contact us if you have any questions about eligibility or anything related to this grant program. You can call or email my legislative office at (207) 287-1515 [email protected].

No one likes to be cold, and some people may use unsafe ways to heat their homes, such as your furnace, old heaters, or fireplaces that haven’t been used in 50 years. As the chief of the Waterville and Winslow Fire Departments, I know firsthand the dangers of using unsafe methods to heat homes.

I am running for the Senate to represent you and get things done for our community. While I would like to see more targeted relief, this bill is not the end; It’s really just the beginning. Addressing the root causes of the issues before us remains one of our top priorities. I will always stand up for the people of the North Kennebec Valley region, as I have done throughout my career in public service.

Legislative committee assignments were released earlier this session. I am pleased to announce that I am Chair of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee. I look forward to the work of this committee so that our people can enjoy our precious lands and natural resources for generations to come.

I am pleased to share that I will be serving as a member of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. I am honored to serve on this committee, working with public safety as a fire chief, airport operations personnel, and state agencies on missing persons searches and active shooter responses.

During this session, members of the public have the opportunity to share their thoughts directly with legislators through our public hearing process. There are three ways to share your opinion: in person at the Statehouse, remotely, or through written testimony submitted online. To learn more about how you can get involved in the legislative process, go to mailegislature.org/testimony.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions. My office is here to serve you, the good people of Senate District 16. If you have issues with state agencies, legislation or anything else that may come up.

Democrat Dave LaFountain of Winslow is serving his first term in the Maine Senate.

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