Perhaps the single most critical function of our government is to provide for the safety and security of the People it serves. It would be foolish for anyone to believe we can someday achieve a utopic society where crime does not exist, and all potential hazards to our property can be eliminated. My aim is to reduce the frequency and severity of harm befalling the people I serve, therefore as your Representative for House District 18, I will support proposed legislation which I believe can move the needle in the right direction.
As a member of the joint standing committee for Criminal Justice and Public Safety, I am actively reviewing many Bill submissions this cycle, and am also paying close attention to testimony provided during Public Hearings by those whom are either for, or against these Bills. I believe it is my duty to hear all sides of a debate, and ultimately cast my vote in a manner which reflects the voice of my constituents.
To this end, I am proud to have supported both LD 461 “An Act to Fund Rural Patrol Services in Washington County”, and LD 477 “An Act to Enhance Public Safety in Rural Counties by Providing State Police Patrol and Policing Services.” The associated language, and Work Session results of each of these Bills is available online at www.legislature.maine.gov
While one Bill has a single county focus and the other a bit wider lens, each is well intentioned and justified by data, and both are designed to begin to address an identified gap in our public safety resources. Because each saw a divided report at the committee Work Session phase, there still needs to be a floor vote. If either ultimately passes and become Law, the next challenge will be to appropriate the funding required. This will be potentially the tallest hurdle to leap, as clearly there are very strong differences in opinion on current budgetary priorities in our State. There is indeed a cost to providing safety and security, however I believe it is an investment we should make, for a safer Maine future.
If you have thoughts on this topic, please feel free to email me at mathew.mcintyre@legislature.maine.gov
Rep. Mathew McIntyre (R-Lowell)