What is one new policy that the state should embrace to make housing easier to build and afford?
I support the creation of a statewide zoning board of appeals. This was proposed in the original version of the zoning reform bill (LD 2003) which passed in 2022 but did not make it into the final version which passed. This policy recognizes that housing is a statewide problem requiring a statewide solution.
A statewide zoning board of appeals would not solve the housing crisis on its own, but it would help overcome unreasonable barriers and arbitrary denials of good housing initiatives.
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?
There is a growing demand for electricity because there is a growing need to electrify more of our economy, so that we are not held hostage by the fluctuations of a global fossil fuel market. There are three things to consider: generation, transmission, and storage. I strongly support offshore wind development (and creating an offshore wind port on Sears Island) and reasonable incentives for solar. Once generated, electricity must be safely and reliably transmitted to homes, schools, businesses, etc. This will require the safe construction of new lines. Finally, we need to expand our electric storage capacity to account for periods of lower generation.
Taking all three seriously is required to stabilize our increasingly-electrified society so that prices are affordable for Mainers.
Should the state make changes to its tax laws? If so, outline your priorities.
Property taxes are too high and unaffordable. We should rethink how we tax property and how we fund necessary programs. Towns and cities should be given greater flexibility to take actions like taxing out of state owners at a higher rate than year-round residents. They also should be allowed to tax based on the value of the land, so that there are no longer incentives to allow properties to fall into disuse and disrepair.
If some of these measures end up requiring amending Maine’s constitution, I would support that.
Additionally, we should raise the income tax rate for Maine’s richest residents. This would raise and stabilize revenue, and help prevent hikes in other forms of taxation (such as sales and property) which disproportionately burden working and middle class Mainers.
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?
We need to continue and strengthen investments in mental health, including crisis intervention centers and certified behavioral health professionals. Increasing support for preventative and ongoing mental health treatment would help people in managing their health concerns before they grow worse. We also need to ensure continuity of funding for the Victims Compensation Fund.
Additionally, I strongly support a true “red flag” law to better-ensure that people who are poised to potentially take a dangerous and irreversible act (directed at themselves or someone else) do not have access to guns.
Describe a unique attribute or area of focus that you will bring to the Legislature.
While I am in my first term as an elected representative, I have years of experience working as a legislative staffer and as a liaison for an executive office. This has given me insight into multiple policy areas and into what works (and doesn’t work) in the legislative process. This makes me uniquely qualified to play a role in making state government work for people in our communities.
I will not hesitate to stand up for strong communities in our state, to defend Mainers’ freedoms, and to fight for working people.