Question 1: How would you address the struggles faced by the University of Maine System?
— Eliot Cutler: Merge the University of Maine System and Community College systems for greater efficiency, administrative savings.
— Paul LePage: Opposes merging systems, citing “different missions” for each institution. Advocates “bridge year” between high school and college, and renewed focus on trades in the Maine Community College System.
— Mike Michaud: Bring communities, businesses, faculty and students together to craft a plan for the University system. Reverse declining enrollment by making sophomore year — when most drop-outs occur — free.
Question 2: How would you grow manufacturing and assist struggling industries?
— LePage: Lower the cost of doing business by reducing energy prices, continue changing state government to be more “customer service oriented.”
— Michaud: Fight for “fair” trade deals and the stability of government programs such as the Business Equipment Tax Rebate program and municipal revenue sharing, which benefit large manufacturers.
— Cutler: Ensure no one be allowed to buy Verso’s energy production plant in Bucksport without also utilizing that power for manufacturing.
Question 3: How would you improve K-12 education?
— Michaud: “Aggressively” fund pre-kindergarten education, meet commitment to fund 55 percent of local education from state coffers.
— Cutler: Increase sales tax year-round from 5.5 percent to 6 percent or increase it to 7 percent during the summer to extract more revenue from tourists; use the revenue to fund education and increase revenue sharing for municipalities.
— LePage: No answer. (The governor used his allotted time to advocate for increased centralization of municipal administration at the county level).
Question 4: Accept federal dollars for Medicaid expansion?
— Cutler: Yes.
— LePage: No.
— Michaud: Yes.
Question 5: Increase the minimum wage at the state level?
— LePage: No. Focus instead on bringing high-paying jobs to Maine.
— Michaud: Yes, at the state and federal level.
— Cutler: No. Instead, push for increased minimum wage at the federal level.
Question 6: How would you bring more young people to Maine?
— Michaud: Focus on small businesses to create more jobs in Maine, encourage more farming to make Maine “the bread basket of New England.”
— Cutler: Institute “pay it forward, pay it back” tuition plan for Maine colleges and universities, provide tax credits to young people repaying student loans.
— LePage: Sell student loans to employers, focus on STEM education so young people in Maine can move into high-paying jobs.
