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Greetings. This is State Senator Kevin Raye, of Washington County, with this week's Maine Republican radio address.

On this Memorial Day weekend, as we gather with family and friends to enjoy back yard cookouts, open up the camp for the season, or take an afternoon nap in the hammock - we should all take time to pause and reflect upon the true spirit and meaning of Memorial Day.

This is a time for solemn remembrance as we honor the memory of those who gave their lives in defense of our freedoms, pay our respects to those who gave their youth in service to our nation, and renew our determination to fulfill our obligation to those who came home but left a part of themselves on the battlefield. We remember that everything we have is because of the brave men and women who endured the ravages of war that we might live in peace.

On Monday, Mainers from all walks of life will gather at cemeteries, high school gyms, public squares and monuments all across this great State to mark Memorial Day. And when the parades and speeches are over, we will return to our busy lives mindful of the profound sacrifices which have made our daily lives possible.

For those of us who serve in the Legislature, Tuesday will find us resuming our work in Augusta - where the first order of business will be to vote on a two-year state budget.

Over the past weeks, we have been crafting a bipartisan budget as Maine faces challenges of historic proportion. The worldwide economic downturn has converged with Augusta's long rampant and insatiable spending appetite.

State government has grown beyond the ability of hardworking Maine families to afford. Maine Republicans have long sought to rein in state spending to responsible and affordable levels. This year we have seen revenues plummet more than a billion dollars below projections since January, finally forcing state government to make the same tough choices that Maine families make each and every day. As a result, for the first time in decades, the next two year budget will be smaller than the current budget.

From the outset of the legislative session, Republicans pledged that we would work in good faith across party lines to craft a responsible budget to reverse the unsustainable growth of state government.

From the moment that the Governor unveiled his budget proposal, Republicans have taken seriously our responsibility to help improve it and thoughtfully prioritize the most vital programs and services - protecting our most vulnerable citizens and watching out for Maine's struggling taxpayers.

We followed through on our determination to soften the budget's impact on taxpayers and to increase the amount of ongoing savings in the budget. We were able to make changes that will save Maine taxpayers $34 million in the areas of tax indexing and preserving conformity to the federal tax code.

We also worked hard to soften cuts in revenue-sharing with municipalities and reduce cuts to the Circuit Breaker and Homestead programs.

And Republicans succeeded in making sure that the budget honors the state's commitment to pay our long over-due bills to community hospitals so vital to maintaining quality health care for Maine families.

Looking to secure the future, we also worked to build in structural reform that will ensure future savings and put us on a path toward a more affordable state government in years to come.

Republicans won reforms in the MaineCare program that will bring down costs in the future. And we were able to include measures that will require state employees and legislators to pay an equitable share of their health care premiums - rather than have taxpayers continue to pick up 100% of the cost.

Going forward, based on income, state employees will pay between 5% and 15% of their health insurance premiums, with the ability to buy back a portion through wellness incentives.

We are pleased that, working together, the Legislature was able to restore some funding for adult education, reduce cuts in funding to children in residential care, and fund Health Info Net, an electronic medical records system that will provide quicker more reliable information to doctors and hospitals. These programs are vital to the future health and economic success of Maine people.

Maine is facing unprecedented times, which call for real bipartisan cooperation to make sure the state weathers the storm and emerges stronger. Republicans honored our commitment to work with our Democratic colleagues while we held firm to our principles of a more caring, responsible, efficient, affordable, transparent, and effective government. We believe that through common sense structural reforms we were able to secure, that we have preserved the safety net for our most vulnerable citizens, and started down a more sustainable path, moving Maine toward a stronger financial future.

There can be no doubt that tough days lie ahead for the people of Maine. But, as Memorial Day reminds us, we have faced tough times before and Mainers are strong and resilient and, together, we will persevere.

I hope you have a safe and enjoyable weekend and that, on Monday, you will join in the Memorial Day observance in your area to help honor those who gave so much, so that we may have so much. This is Senate Republican Leader Kevin Raye. Thank you for listening.

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