What is one new policy that the state should embrace to make housing easier to build and afford?
Partnering with the private sector to increase the supply of new housing. Without addressing the supply side of this issue, we will not succeed in our goal of increasing availability. This includes making it easier and cheaper for constructors to build by lowering the cost of capital, reducing regulations, lowering taxes on housing materials, and increasing the skilled labor force through investments in our community college system in these key areas.
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 must increase the supply of base-load energy that’s reliable and cheap. We can do this with more hydroelectric power, nuclear or biomass, but the solar lobby has blocked many of these efforts in Augusta due to the competition in the renewable space and the sweetheart deal the Democrats gave them in 2019, which we are all now paying for. With growing electric demand, if we don’t get more reliable energy onto our grid that doesn’t break ratepayers’ banks, we will see rolling brown and blackouts. Overloading on solar is not just costing us all a lot more, it’s also dangerous for our grid and public safety. There’s a right/smart way to do clean energy, and then there’s what we’ve been doing for the last 5 years under Democrat control. We can and must do better for all.
Should the state make changes to its tax laws? If so, outline your priorities.
Yes. We should look at changing our property tax system so it is more consistent and reliable for property tax payers year over year. We can change the way valuations are done and consider limits on year-over-year increases in property tax burdens, particularly for those on fixed incomes. We can also address our high-income tax that limits Maine’s ability to compete and grow our economy. We are one of the highest taxed states in the nation and drawing investment and jobs here is very challenging because of this. Developing a plan to lower the income tax over the next decade will be important to any growth strategy our state might have.
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?
The tragedy in Lewiston was absolutely a failure of government and the new report from the Governor’s commission supports this conclusion. Regrettably, human error seems to be at the crux of what happened. We can and should do more to invest in mental health services in Maine, particularly in rural Maine. I worked on this issue in the last legislature and intend to bring some of these priority up again next year. Folks with mental illness shouldn’t struggle more because they live outside of Portland or Bangor. We should be able to get people access to the same mental health professionals and prescriptions in every corner of the state and hold the state accountable when there are obvious failures in the system that are going unaddressed, as there has been for far too long.
Describe a unique attribute or area of focus that you will bring to the Legislature.
Rural economic development has always been a passion of mine since I was first elected at 22 to the House. I’m now 30 and serve as the youngest member of the Senate and as Republican Leader and we have much work to do in this area. States compete with one another for jobs and opportunities and Maine is consistently in the bottom 10 in the metrics that matter. Getting us on a path so that my generation and the ones after can continue to live, work and raise a family here is not just empty promises from a politician, it’s literally my life and affects me as much as everyone else. I want my family to be able to grow up and have the same opportunities in rural Maine as I do and my work in the Senate is centered around this effort and I will continue to work everyday deliver on this goal.
