by Jonathan Reisman

I was introduced to Washington County in August of 1969 just before my 13th birthday with a magical canoe trip down the St. Croix from Vanceboro to Princeton. Two days running the rips at Little Falls, fresh blueberry pancakes, unforgettable haunting morning fog, fishing, bird concerts at Loon Bay, and a lashed canoe sail down the flowage to Princeton remain indelibly on my mind 55 years later. Those ten days on the Maine/New Brunswick border more than half a century ago affected my life — college, wife, home, job, career. The # 1 song on the radio as we travelled up on Route 6 and back on the airline was “In the Year 2525” by Zager and Evans. The penultimate closing stanza offers some hope:

In the year 2525

If man is still alive

If woman can survive

They may thrive

The finale rather shreds it with an offhand description of political spin:

In the year 3535

Ain't gonna need to tell the truth...

In the year 2025, I hope for and expect (perhaps foolishly) very consequential debate, theatre, and assessment in Washington County, Maine, and the nation on freedom, climate, energy, and prosperity. In Maine, the 2026 Blaine House candidates will likely emerge as leaders in those discussions. My early money is on Jared Golden and Hannah Pingree for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, although Hannah may choose to run for the Senate against Susan Collins. I think there will be a number of Republican gubernatorial/congressional candidates, and Representative Laurel Libby likely will be among them. When Jared Golden runs for Governor, there will be a wild 2nd CD primary scrum for both parties. The antics and agony in 2025 Augusta will preview the 2026 election.

Maine faces a nearly $1 billion combined 2026 budget shortfall between the general and highway funds. The Democrats are already arguing for tax increases on the wealthy. Republicans are talking about controlling spending, most of which is for education, roads, and Mainecare. Cuts in State Education subsidies will result in more property tax increases above and beyond what is already baked into the cake by greater county spending and associated tax levies. 

My best guess and fear is that we raise revenues as opposed to actually cutting spending (forgive me, but as the Democrats control the Blaine House, the legislature, and most of the media, this seems the most likely conclusion). Neither party has legitimate bragging rights to fiscal prudence in my opinion. An increase in taxes (aka revenue enhancement) will have both efficiency and equity (fairness) side effects, none of which is likely to contribute to unity and prosperity.

The Democrats have a narrow majority in the Maine House and a more solid though somewhat reduced majority in the Senate. This is legacy time for Governor Mills. Will she leave an increasingly fractured or increasingly unified Maine to her successor? Will she stoke our regional and ideological differences or seek to smooth them down? I am betting on fracture and division, but I hope I am wrong.

Republicans have narrow control of the U.S. House and a fragile Collins/Murkowski Senate majority. The leadership of Speaker Johnson is in question, but there is no clear/better alternative. It is possible that the “conservative” blue dog Democrats led by Jared Golden may step up and engage in a certain amount of policy and electoral mischief? I have got my popcorn ready.