Sen. Dill receives perfect score on education voting record
AUGUSTA — Sen. Jim Dill, D-Old Town, earned a 100 percent rating from the Maine Education Association for his voting record on legislation to support students, teachers and families. Sen. Dill is one of 19 state senators to earn a perfect score from MEA for their 2022 voting record.
“Teaching through the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, I was able to experience firsthand the challenges that both educators and students have faced over the past few years,” said Sen. Dill. “These challenges all manifested themselves in different ways, but we in the Legislature knew we had to help. After all, our education system is responsible for creating the next generation of leaders. It is our duty to provide support to everyone who is part of the education system, especially if it means recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
This year, Sen. Dill voted to continue funding free, universal school meals, fully fund education at 55 percent, invest in career and technical education and provide two years of free community college for Maine high school graduates from the graduating classes of 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. In addition, he supported the creation of an Education Rainy Day Fund to ensure the state is able to continue funding K-12 public education at the 55 percent threshold. Last year marked the first time in the state’s history that the Legislature met that threshold, which was mandated by Maine voters at the ballot box in 2004. This fund will ensure the Legislature fulfills its obligation and will alleviate the burden that often falls on property taxpayers.
Sen. Dill also voted in favor of bills to expand family and medical leave protections for hourly school employees and to ensure that teachers can take time off for COVID-related illness even if they don’t have accrued leave.
MEA represents 24,000 Maine teachers and promotes policies and investments that ensure that educators’ voices, values and priorities are heard and respected both in the workplace and at the State House.
The 2022 MEA Legislative Scorecard from can be found here.
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