Always Fighting for Maine People

Ethan Strimling has a long history of fighting for Maine people. From the moment he stepped into the legislature it’s been clear. From leading his colleagues against the war in Iraq, to fighting to make our tax structure fairer for middle class families, to helping to reduce our dependence on costly foreign oil, to working to close the gap between the rich and the poor that has grown so wide in the past six years. Senator Strimling has made Maine people his top priority and has been a fighter on the issues that matter most to all of us.

TAX FAIRNESS for MIDDLE INCOME MAINERS

Too many Maine people are struggling to put food on the table, put their kids through school, pay for health care, and even financially survive their retirement. It’s time for Maine’s economic well-being to become a top priority in Washington DC. In our state senate, Ethan Strimling has been a leader to reduce Maine’s property and income taxes to make the tax structure fairer for everyone. This session Ethan brought people together to develop a dramatic tax overhaul to put more of Maine people’s money back in their pockets where it belongs. (The Odd Couple) (LD 1819) (LD 1833)

ENDING OUR DEPENDENCE ON COSTLY FOREIGN OIL

Ethan Strimling believes that the time to end our country’s dependence on foreign oil is now. Unfortunately, the United States lags far behind Europe in creating alternative energy. In 2006, Senator Strimling got signed into law, after a two-year battle, Maine’s first-ever tax incentive for communities to build wind projects creating their own independence from foreign oil. (Small Wind, Big Gains) (Public Law)

CLOSING THE GAP BETWEEN THE RICH AND POOR

Of all the domestic issues we as a country face, the gap between the rich and the poor is the most dire. This administration cares more about hedge fund managers making millions, than about Maine homeowners struggling to keep their homes. For the past three years, Ethan Strimling has been the Senate Chair of the Labor Committee. During that time he has led efforts to raise the minimum wage, expand unemployment benefits for laid off Mainers, and provide for workers who are injured on the job. He has fought to provide health care for Fire Fighters, enhance retirement for mental health and correctional workers, and stood up to General Dynamics when they wanted to outsource union jobs. Senator Strimling has always made fighting for the pocket books of Maine families his top priority.
(LD 1697) (Wage Hike Rationale) (Wealth gap calls for hike in minimum wage)

IRAQ WAR OPPOSITION

Ethan Strimling looks to our future. On February 4, 2003, six weeks before the bombs fell, the Maine Senate became the first statewide legislative body in the nation to pass a resolution calling on George Bush to halt his impending attack on Iraq. Senator Strimling sponsored that resolution only two months into his first term. Ethan was right then and he’s right now. (1st In Nation) (Wrong Then, Wrong Now) (Read the Resolution)

LOCAL HERO

In response to Senator Strimling’s opposition to the war in Iraq, The Nation named Ethan one of its eight “Local Heroes” who “provide examples of what Democrats in Congress ought to emulate.” Additionally, Senator Strimling was named “Legislator of the Month” by the Center for Policy Alternatives for his work protecting the rights of people in police custody. (Local Heroes) (CPA Legislator of the Month).