Radio Address: Sen. Hill urges fellow lawmakers to bring goodwill into next session

The holidays tend to bring out the best in people. No matter who we are or how we celebrate, goodwill and the spirit of the season are everywhere we turn. Today, I pledge to carry that spirit into the new year, and ask that my fellow elected officials do the same.

This is State Senator Dawn Hill from York, wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas.

Generosity and compassion are abundant this time of year. Mainers turn out in droves to volunteer at the soup kitchen. They donate winter jackets to people who would otherwise go cold. They reach for that extra dollar to put in the donation bucket.

When I see people doing that little something extra, sometimes I wonder: What motivates us to act with such goodwill toward our fellow Mainers?

I believe it is the recognition that deep down, we are all in this together. We all want our neighbors to have something to celebrate during the holidays. We want everyone to be warm, well-fed and together with their families.

We are all Mainers, bound together by our love for this great state. Faced with this realization, we all feel compelled to put in the work — to do just a little extra — to make life a little better for those around us.

That’s what we try to do in the Legislature. We’re privileged to represent our neighbors in Augusta, where we’re charged with improving the lives of Maine people with every vote we take.

That means addressing the state’s drug addiction crisis.  It means supporting an economy with an economic ladder strong enough for everyone to climb up. It means ensuring all Mainers, regardless of their circumstance, are able to live with dignity.

It’s a tall order, but it’s one I know we can handle as long as we bring that can-do spirit with us to Augusta.

Just like the people we represent, lawmakers don’t always agree. Our differences are considerable, but if we commit to working together, to carrying that spirit of unity into the New Year, we can overcome those differences.

Regardless of what part of the state we live in, we are all Mainers. We share a bond that’s stronger than political party or ideology. As long as we remember that, we can do great things in the new year.

I’m State Senator Dawn Hill, and I thank you so much for listening.

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