What is one new policy that the state should embrace to make housing easier to build and afford?
While government spending, and the resulting inflation, has put affordable housing out of the reach of many Mainers, I think there are still things that the Maine Legislature can do to help. I know that many housing projects are held up waiting for various permits. I believe that creating a single contact point, a department, in state government could facilitate the issuance of the necessary permits and allow developers and contractors to get to work building housing by eliminating the red tape.
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?
The best thing that government could do would be to let the energy and electricity providers operate without picking winners and losers. Only with competition will the future of electricity be affordable to Maine citizens and businesses. The government’s thumb on the scale, as we have seen with Net Energy Billing, drives our cost of electricity higher and higher. Every new solar array that you drive past ensures that your electricity will become more expensive. The free market is what ensures that products and services will improve and that the future will be brighter and more affordable. While we’re at it, we could eliminate the 100-megawatt cap and use more clean hydropower instead of putting windmills along Maine’s coast.
Should the state make changes to its tax laws? If so, outline your priorities.
Maine State Government collects too much in taxes from its citizens and its businesses. The state budget grows bigger and bigger because more money is collected than is needed to fund essential government services. Then, after the “rainy day fund” is maxed-out, there are only two things to do with the extra. . .sometimes (rarely) it is returned in checks. . .but more often, it funds new programs that will never go away. The only way to stop it, is to reduce taxes. People can argue about which ones to reduce, but if we want to control the budget, we must reduce the taxes flowing into Augusta.
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 tragic murders of October 25, 2023, were committed by one mentally ill man. He alone bears the responsibility for his actions that night. The commission to investigate the shootings released an extensive report which concluded that the Army Reserve and police both missed opportunities to prevent the tragedy. At the state level, I believe that there is virtually unanimous support for more mental health services. I also am glad to see that our “Yellow Flag Law” is being used more and more by law enforcement and is demonstrating its effectiveness while still affording protections to law-abiding citizens guaranteed to them in our Constitution.
Describe a unique attribute or area of focus that you will bring to the Legislature.
I am a Maine native born in Skowhegan. Now a 40-year resident in Oakland, I have been elected to represent my House District in the Maine Legislature nine times and served two years as Speaker of the House. I have served on several committees in the Legislature. I have served several terms as Town Councilor in Oakland. I have worked for pharmacies throughout Maine as a Licensed Pharmacist. I believe that few other candidates have more experience in business, health care, and state and local government than I have. I am ready, willing, and able to help develop policies and to assist future leaders who are interested in a bright future for Maine and its citizens.
