Full name: Thomas M. Golebiewski, 30

Address: 50 Patricia Ave., Raymond

Family: Married with two children

E-mail: contact@tomin08.com

Web site: www.tomin08.com

Thomas Golebiewski is the Republican challenger for Senate District 12, covering Casco, Raymond, Frye Island, Windham, Standish and Hollis. He is running against incumbent Bill Diamond (D-Windham) and Green Independent Lisa Hazel Willey of Casco who did not return repeated calls for an interview.

Golebiewski, who has lived in Raymond for around a year, works in software development for Cedar Springs Technology in North Yarmouth. He advocates for a much smaller government, lower taxes and a more business friendly environment.

“I think our government is totally out of control,” Golebiewski said. “It’s been essentially taken over by people who are career politicians and their lobbyist friends.”

Golebiewski said he would work to abolish personal income tax and get rid of regulations that hinder entrepreneurs and small business owners.

“The private sector is where production happens,” Golebiewski said. “Businesses and entrepreneurs are the engine and the government is a major clog.”

To deal with the high cost of heating oil this winter, Golebiewski advocated for tax cuts.

“This is the only thing the government can do, besides taking money out of one person’s pockets and putting it in another’s,” he said.

School consolidation, he said, was an example of using the wrong solution to an identified problem, instead advocating for a voucher program which would let parents choose where to send their children to school.

“Let’s put the money in the hands of the parents,” Golebiewski said.

“We are always told there is a big government solution to our problems,” Golebiewski said. “This seems to be the only choice we have.”

He said he would look at all state programs to find ways to cut state spending, pointing specifically to what he saw as the failure of the Dirigo health program. A better solution to high health insurance premiums, he said, would be opening up the state health insurance market to competition.

Having never served previously in a public office, Golebiewski said his relative political inexperience in government would be an asset, as he owes nothing and and brings a new perspective.

“People need to be solving these problems with their neighbors and their families,” Golebiewski said. “These are not things that can be legislated.”

Golebiewski is also running against Green Independent candidate Lisa H. Willey, who did not respond to requests for an interview.

Meet the candidates: Senate District 12 – Thomas GolebiewskiThomas M. Golebiewski