What is one new policy that the state should embrace to make housing easier to build and afford?
We need to continue to support a variety of housing options – apartments, senior housing, accessory dwelling units, shared housing, and especially repurposing existing buildings. We need to incentivize housing for all incomes and ages. We’ve invested in Housing First for the unhoused, and we’ve helped first-time home buyers with down payments. That all said, we must ensure that the need for new housing is balanced against Maine’s rural, coastal, and rocky environment, and water sufficiency in particular. Towns in my area are currently studying saltwater intrusion into wells. Let’s be smart and creative about this. And let’s be local. Georgetown isn’t waiting for state help; they’re working on solutions that fit their community.
Transmission lines, solar incentives and offshore wind development have been controversial over the past several years. What steps should Maine take to meet growing demand for electricity?
We need a more resilient grid, locally sourced, which means fewer poles and wires. Fewer poles and wires is a more climate resilient solution. Net energy billing has been great in encouraging more local solar energy production but we now need a different system that encourages renewable use but doesn’t reward big out-of-state investors. Finally, we need to be smart about offshore wind projects. Maine has been approved for a research array in the Gulf of Maine. Its goal is to collect data about the impact of OSW on our marine environment in order to make smarter decisions about how, whether and to what extent to go forward. BOEM is offering leases this year – it’s too soon to do this without the research behind it. That said, the state is limited since these leases are in federal waters.
Should the state make changes to its tax laws? If so, outline your priorities.
Based on a bipartisan Tax Committee report, the legislature provided a property tax break for our seniors by increasing the Property Tax Fairness Credit. I’d be in favor of a proposal to increase the Homestead Exemption for seniors but if it isn’t matched with state reimbursement to the towns, it will not result in savings to property taxpayers. Let’s consider sharing some of the cannabis tax revenue with towns that host these businesses. I am grateful we’ve increased municipal revenue sharing to its full 5%. I would favor increasing it. Towns already spend more of those funds on tasks that they do for the state, such as plowing state roads. I’d welcome more resources for these mandates.
We are closing in on the one-year anniversary of the Lewiston mass shooting. Are further legislative responses required around guns, mental health, supporting victims and families or other policy areas?
Everyone should read the Commission’s final report. Everyone can play a role in doing whatever they can to make sure this never happens again. As legislators, we acted, passing legislation that tweaked the yellow flag law, tightened background checks, and most importantly, funded more crisis receiving centers and established 24/7 mobile crisis units. Every one of us who has lost a loved one to gun violence especially owes it to the victims and their families to pay attention to those in need of mental health services and make sure help is available.
Describe a unique attribute or area of focus that you will bring to the Legislature.
I sincerely believe that government exists to serve everyone. I pride myself in connecting with constituents wherever they are – by phone or email, at the grocery store or the Y or the laundromat, at their door, having coffee with them, listening to them and sharing ideas. Our community members are also great resources for me. Being able to tap the experiences of foster parents, for instance, or someone who works in medical insurance, or who provides child care, or is a teacher is invaluable to me. I learn something new every day from the people I represent and by finding answers for them.
