What is one new policy that the state should embrace to make housing easier to build and afford?
Housing shortages are too complex for a single policy. It may start with diversion of funds from the seller portion of real estate transfer tax to fund land purchase for housing combined with grants of the same for municipalities to match housing costs for moderate income families, taking into account connection to sewer and proximity to work/transit to make total costs affordable. A commission of stake holders, rather than legislative committee would be necessary to make this workable.
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?
Cost, rather than supply is hurting Maine families. Paying “retail” rates for solar farms and users to adding to the burden of cost, along with maintaining high cost backup supplies. For longer than 15 years, efforts to tap tidal forces to generate electricity needs to be completed in order to provide a lower cost and greater availability of power on the grid.
Should the state make changes to its tax laws? If so, outline your priorities.
It has taken Maine far too long to reduce the income tax for lower income families. What law makers seem to forget that Maine continues to be a high tax burden state because the Legislature continues to impose so-called user fees and other taxes on retail sales, gas, fuels, and the like for lower income families. Tax structure is hurting all but the most healthy, and Maine, like the federal government should consider another income and/or alternative tax for the highest income residents.
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?
It was obvious that leaving out law enforcement to be able to petition the Maine Courts, using the existing criteria of danger to oneself or others and the other existing criteria would address much of what failed in Lewiston. After all, law enforcement is already acting in domestic disputes through a process known as “Blue Paper”. This process itself has problems including lack of professionals to evaluate those referred to the Courts for action. The lack of funding for action was also cited as part of the problem. I recall the legislature tried to address funding at the Court’s request in 2013, but without making significant progress to address multi-step procedure. This is just another example of the State under-funding basic services.
Describe a unique attribute or area of focus that you will bring to the Legislature.
I went to college and grad school along with getting work experience in all levels and all three branches of government in order that I might improve the lives of people in the State where generations of my family have lived and worked. Having taken courses administrative law, the right to know, revenue sharing, transportation, social welfare services, the court system, and a host of social sciences, I engaged in major/minor policy bills in my two terms in the Maine Legislature which was noted by a wide range of stake holders driving policy making. I also spend long hours canvassing voters to act on their concerns and use my skills to sponsor bills or work on bills of other legislators to improve our State. The goal is as to provide services that we cannot do for ourselves.
