1. What are your three top priorities?

1. Economic opportunity - Currently, our young people are leaving for better opportunities. It is my vision to have a Maine where young people come for economic opportunity, to raise families, and to make a better life. We can make Maine the “Way Life Should Be” by supporting job creation while being responsible stewards of our environment.
2. Affordable health care coverage- With only affordable health care coverage can our future can be bright.
3. Environment - Maine’s greatest asset is its natural beauty, quality of life, and rich resources. We are privileged to live in a state that has so much character and brand value. Protecting our environment and our brand value is essential for a vibrant economic future. I believe that the best stewards for our environment are those that depend on the land for their livelihood, recreation and health. I will promote and preserve our Main Streets, remove archaic regulation that creates sprawl, support redevelopment of our brown zones and defend our green space and outdoor traditions.


2. The past few years, Maine Housing Authority has utilized the HOME Fund (Housing Opportunities for Maine)
to help finance fundamental programs as loans for first-time homebuyers, housing for people who are homeless, affordable rental housing, home repair, and housing for people with special needs. The Fund also helps finance programs that makes homes safer for children and makes homes accessible for people with disabilities. Over the last two years, the legislature has considered taking money from the HOME Fund in order to balance the budget. If elected, would you support the protection of the HOME fund? If so, what other ways would you suggest balancing the budget?

It is never acceptable for the government to steal monies earmarked for a program that it was intended. Such as the plundering of the HOME Fund in the last few years.
Safe, affordable, quality housing is the foundation of any thriving community. As an expert in the housing industry I see the struggles folks face to find quality housing they can afford. I also see the joy and the pride in a family’s eyes when they can call a place home for the first time.
Unfortunately, we have been in a housing crises in this state for a long time and it is only getting worse. The overwhelming demand has created waiting lists years long for government housing and State programs.
Why is it that we currently have thousands of construction workers out of work and countless number of families that need quality affordable housing but that need can’t be met?
The HOME fund and MSHA is not enough to provide enough good housing for the folks that need it. We need to aggressively support initiatives to attract private investment to build affordable housing.



3. A major concern among young people is the rising cost of health care. 17,000 more Mainers are now uninsured since HMOs first arrived in Maine.  State-funded health care programs like MaineCare is facing consistent cuts, while publicly financed heath insurance like Dirigo, has a current freeze on new applicants. Many First World countries have supported comprehensive health care systems that cover every person with health care. Within the United States, states like Massachusetts and Maine have taken steps towards universal, comprehensive health care coverage. Would you support state legislation for universal single payer health care in Maine?

For every dollar the State spends in MaineCare the Federal government pays $2. It sounds like a great windfall, but it only a short-term solution that has the great probability to be a catastrophic problem. Currently, the Federal government is $42 trillion in debt including long-term obligations. Without good conscious, I cannot risk the health care of Maine’s children on a government system that is bankrupt with no real solutions to change its’ course.
Maine’s future will include affordable health care for all Mainers. This can happen through empowering consumers, insisting on real and comprehensive choice, reducing administrative regulation, ensuring that our needy are covered, and letting doctors practice medicine.



4. It seems that every month there is another recall or concern about children's toys or consumer products.   The fact is that Maine families are exposed to hazardous toxic chemicals found in the consumer products that we use everyday. Toxic chemicals in the environment are among the causes of critical health problems that can be prevented. What would you do to help Maine ensure that hazardous chemicals in everyday consumer products are replaced with safer substitutes?

It is probably not a stretch to say that most consumers have no idea what types of toxins they are exposed to everyday. From the State level, the most important initiative we can take is to support consumer’s right to know. I believe that empowering consumers with factual, correct information about toxins in the products we all use and the possible side effects will make all our products safer. I also support strict compliance with trade agreements for imported products to meet or exceed our standards.



5. The State of Maine is currently a participant in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, an innovative project geared toward cutting global warming emissions by establishing a cap-and-trade system for power plant emissions.  Do you support Maine's participation in RGGI? Would you support the establishment of an economy-wide cap-and-trade program in Maine that would cut greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors (i.e. transportation, commercial and residential heating, etc.)?

I do support Maine’s participation in Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The concept and scope of RGGI has the potential to be a model for not only the nation but for the world community. With the initiative in its’ infancy, I would support the approach of due care and caution against establishing a cap a trade program for sectors outside of the electrical generation industry. The reason is that it is essential that the mission of the initiative is met. That mission is to reduce CO2 emissions while maintaining energy affordability and reliability. If we include other industries into the auction process at this time we risk market speculation and inflated energy rates. If that happens than any gains this program makes to reduce greenhouse gas, improve technology, and support conservation will be lost.



6. The Maine Department of Transportation estimates that it faces a shortfall of more than $2 billion to simply maintain the existing transportation infrastructure. What, if any, funding solution do you support: (yes or no)

a) LD 2019, An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Governor's Task Force on Funding Passenger Rail, which would secure funding for transit by dedicating a portion of revenues from general fund sources like meals and lodging, sales tax, and car rental fees? No. there are more effective ways to do this.

b) Using Maine Turnpike Authority funds, which are currently dedicated to highway maintenance and expansion, for all transportation projects, including transit? No

c) Raising car rental fees to subsidize transit? No

6a. Please detail other funding options you might propose or for which you might advocate:

We have a $6.3 billion budget. Our government is much larger per capita than the national average. The bottom line is that there is plenty of money to maintain and improve our roads, ports, and rail service. It just that maintaining our transportation infrastructure hasn’t been a priority in Augusta. We need to have a top down evaluation of all of the State agencies and programs and prioritize them. Those programs like road maintenance and transportation (ie rail and shipping) should be fully funded and programs that pretend to benefit Maine folks should be eliminated….period.


7. With the state facing a $200 million revenue shortfall in the current biennium (a projection that may change when April receipts are tallied).  Do you support increasing the sales tax in order to avoid balancing the budget entirely through program cuts? If you do not support a tax increase of any kind – and given that “enhanced government efficiencies” will provide only very modest savings if any at all -- which programs do you propose to cut and by how much?

I do not support a tax increase of any kind on the tax payers of Maine. We are the second highest taxed State in the nation and it is not right to ask working Mainers in this uncertain economy to pay more and live with less.
The big issue not talked about in this recent shortfall was that the budget gap was less than the percentage increase from the last budget. So overall, funding for programs still increased. It is just that the Maine people could not afford the bigger increase that the Governor wanted.
The budgeting process needs to be more fiscally responsible. When you and I figure out what our monthly expenses are going to be, we don’t wishfully spend money hoping for a raise or to win the lottery. We only anticipate spending money that we reasonably expect to earn. Government needs to budget the same way.
Also, I support a long term approach to avoiding future budget shortfalls. As I mentioned before, we need a top down evaluation of all government programs and agencies from a non-partisan group. All programs that produce an economic benefit and move Maine forward should be fully funded to achieve the results that were promised. On the other hand, we must eliminate all of the state agencies that pretend to provide positive economic results.



8. As municipalities continue to provide what are increasingly expensive public goods (like education, police and fire protection), what is your plan for controlling growth in property taxes while maintaining these fundamental government services?

I believe that local services should be supported by local tax. The problem that exists today is that all too often local communities justify building palaces for schools and buying the latest police and fire gadget not because it will educate our children better or prevent more crime and fires but because it is “free” money from the state.
This endless spending of “free” state money creates a escalating trend of fiscally irresponsible municipal leaders. Empowering the local citizens by giving them the municipal checkbook will bring back fiscal responsibility in local government and local tax burden will lessen.



9. The Opportunity Maine program will allow students who graduate from any Maine college or University, and continues to live, work and pay taxes here, to be reimbursed for student loan payments through a state income tax credit or an employer tax credit.
Projections show that in ten years, this strategy could cost the state as much as $55 million annually, but the return on that investment is conservatively estimated at $75 million in new state and local tax revenues and decreased social expenditures. If elected, will you commit yourself to protecting this long-term economic development strategy, without any reduction in the credit’s size or availability?

The fact the Opportunity Maine program exists is a wonderful testament to the energy and determination of our young citizens. My sincerest congratulations to the League of Young Voters for their successful efforts on this legislation.
I do support the Opportunity Maine program. I do expect it to be a successful program but it is only a start. More needs to be done to encourage our young Mainers to stay in Maine to live and work after graduation.



10. Portland schools are seeing less funding from the state due, in part, to increasing value of residential and commercial property.
Although property valuation is a measure of taxable resources, it is not necessarily a good indicator of the ability of taxpayers to meet the funding needs of our schools. What are your thoughts on how to balance local and state contributions to school costs?
As I have mentioned in an earlier question, I support local services being paid for with local tax. Portland is a net tax donor. Which means that Portland’s tax revenue subsidizes every county in the state besides York. We have to stop the bleeding of Portland’s tax dollar.
One long term solution to doing this is support economic growth in rural Maine. By growing the economy we can increase the tax revenue from the rural counties so that they are better able to support themselves. This will keep tax revenue in Portland to pay for the type of schools that Portlanders want.
The second long term solution is to share resources with surrounding communities. Many services that are duplicated in each and every town can be consolidated to save tax dollars and create a more efficient and better running government



11. What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of the state's new school district consolidation law, particularly as it affects Portland?
The consolidation plan has many flaws and local communities are struggling to adapt to guidelines the State has mandated. I do support amending the plan to allow for local control of the task of educating our children while resources, administration, and overhead can be shared on a regional basis to cut costs.
One bright aspect of the current legislation is the mandate for voter approval of the budget. This process has shown to not only be popular with local citizens but has also lead to substantial budget savings in towns where it has been implemented.


12. Given Mainers’ struggle to balance work with family care responsibilities would you support: (yes or no)

a)  Paid sick days to full and part-time workers No
b)  Paid family and medical leave No
c) Legislation that allows workers to request flexible work schedules without employer retaliation Yes


13. Do you support current Maine law (22 M.R.S.A. § 1502), which allows minors to consent on their own behalf for health care including contraceptive counseling, mental health care and substance abuse treatment?

Yes. I support the statute as it reads.


14. Currently seventeen states fund abortion care for poor women on the same or similar terms as other pregnancy-related and general health services in their state-run Medicaid program.
Maine’s Medicaid program only covers abortion care when the life of the pregnant woman is at risk or she is the victim of rape or incest. Would you support funding abortion care for women covered by Medicaid in Maine?
No. I do not support the State funding or involvement in the extinguishment of any human life. I believe, when government legislates and subsidizes issues that are of personal responsibility it take a piece of the soul and dims the light that makes us all human beings. I support the human experience and free will and none of that can be fully enjoyed without personal responsibility.



15. There is a significant move in Europe, Alaska, and Southeast Asia toward the independent certification of fisheries as sustainably-harvested.  In effect, consumer demand for sustainable fisheries is moving faster than regulatory bodies to save fisheries from overfishing. New England is behind the rest of the world in this regard; Maine has no independently certified fishery. Would you support a similar move toward independent certification in Maine?
With consumers demanding more “green” food products, it is absolutely essential that the Maine fishing industry can obtain independent certification that our fisheries are sustainable. If we do not, we risk being shut out of many national and world markets and the industry will suffer.
I am very proud of our lobster industry as we lead the way in sustainable fishing grounds. I would encourage that the industry work towards independent certification as soon as it can.




16. What do you see as the biggest challenge for Maine fisheries over the next five years? Biggest opportunity?

The biggest challenge is to work out a long term plan that will bring back our ground fishing industry.
I see a tremendous opportunity for Maine as a leader in marine studies to work towards developing new technologies to meet the demand for sustainable fisheries.



17. Do you favor creating a path of citizenship that allows undocumented immigrants to come forward and begin the process of permanent residency and then legal citizenship?  (yes or no) Yes