This is Representative Rolf Olsen of Raymond, with the Weekly Republican Address.
One of the greatest honors of my life, has been to live and raise a family in Maine. I cherish those memories in my heart and would not trade them for anything in the world.
While this is my story, this dream of raising a family in Maine has become nearly impossible for trying to start a family.
One of the first step many young couple undergo to start a family is buy a home to raise a family in. That reality has been gone for years now in Maine. While recent reports show that the housing market in starting to crest, the BDN reported that “Maine’s housing market is defying a nationwide trend.”
Say you are in a position to buy a home and start a family, having children poses its own challenges. Prenatal care is getting more challenging to find. Recently, Northern Light’s Inland Hospital in Waterville announced it would be closing its doors, due to low reimbursement rates. This comes after House Republicans warned consistently about paying our hospital bill, but Democrats continue to kick that can down the road.
If you are able to have children, the cost of living to feed, clothe, and provide for them has skyrocketed. Reports say that Maine families need to earn at least $136,000 just to get by. That staggering number gives me great concern, since most many family do not make that kind of money.
In order to attempt to earn that kind of living, both parents would have to work, meaning the children will need to be dropped off at a childcare facility. This presents its own challenges, because childcare costs are also extremely high, nearly $900 per child. Many kids are put on a waiting list for these facility, and many childcare facilities are closing their doors.
Then there is the issue of educating children. Maine continues to rank at the bottom for our public schooling, as national report cards our poor scores.
The private school situation is not any better. The cost is a challenge for many, but many private schools are closing their doors, due to low enrollment.
You could homeschool, which has become a popular option for many seeking a quality education for their children. If you do homeschool your children, it requires one parent to stay home to educate the kids. This takes away one wage earner from the family, making it that much harder to earn the $136,000 needed to make ends meet.
This anti-family sentiment in Maine breaks my heart. I want to see young people enjoy the same blessings that my family and I were blessed to enjoy.
Children are a blessing from God.
This has been Representative Rolf Olsen with the Weekly Republican Radio Address.
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